Chapter 353 - All Hope Is Lost
While the Adventurers in the fallen stadium got themselves our of the rubble, the Crusaders were falling to the ground. They lost their consciousness after taking the powerful hit from the Armageddon. The attack was so sudden and powerful that even they couldn't defend themselves against it.
No one could believe that the beast wasn't serious before. It exuded so much power that it felt like it was giving it its all, only for it to grin like that and beat its enemies like they were nothing.
"The Crusaders!" Janine gasped. She tried to reah out her hand, but she couldn't move anymore. So was everyone else.
They were all at their limit.
"This beast isn't something we can easily deal with anymore!" Frederick yelled. He leaped from the ground and fired four balls of fire that caught the falling figures of the Crusaders. "The Armageddon is a threat beyond measurement. As the commander of this force, I demand all the Adventurers to focus your power into one strike. I will distract the beast while you charge your power. Give it your all."
"I'll go with you," Luck said, trying to stand up but he was forced back down with a gentle push from Aqaurius.
"Aquarius, please keep an eye on him. He mustn't exert much movements for now," Frederick quirked his brow at the blue haired man who nodded in agreement. "Thank you."
"I literally dodged death there," Luck rolled his eyes. "Good thing I gained the ability to move my organs or else I wouldn't be right here now."
"You talk too much," Frederick rolled his eyes. "That's your worst trait."
"I'll take care of him," Aquarius said. "Luck, stand down. I may have took you back from death, but I still have to heal you."
"Leave that to me," Iris said from behind them. She kneeled beside Luck and placed her hand on his chest. "If you're going to ask where my staff is, I threw it. I don't need such an instrument to show my real power. I am a strong–"
"Just say you broke it again, and then just heal Luck," Fredrick said. "I'll command the Adventurers while you're doing it."
"Okay," Iris said, saluting with her other hand while healing Luck with the other. "By the way, why are they in command instead of Elizabeth or Galaxia, or even Johnson?"
Luck snickered and rolled his eyes, "Not everyone in the bottom is weak, Iris."
The woman continued healing him, letting small specks of light drape down on the man's chest while he spoke, "Elizabeth is the ultimate support, Galaxia is the ultimate burst, and Jester is the ultimate escape, but they can't lead like those two."
"But if they're strong, can't they just lead with their power?" Iris asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Uh, no," Luck rolled his eyes again. "Although those two are powerful enough to match the top Adventurer's power, they have excellent leadership skills that the others do not possess. I am old enough to know that."
"I guess you are," Iris chuckled.
Four cradle made of flames hovered just above Iris. She looked up and saw Fredrick looking back at her saying, "Take care of them please. Platt shouldn't be hurt by any of the attacks while he's in this form, but– just please heal them."
"I will," Iris said and stood. "I'm done with you for now, Luck. Don't move and I'll come back later."
"Sure, go ahead and heal those old mutts," Luck said. "And they returned to their old forms. That Haley b*tch looks disgusting."
–
When Fredrick saw that Iris was taking care of the Crusaders, he turned around and flew closer to the Armageddon. The aura around it was thick and was suffocating, something that might have affected the performance of the Crusaders.
"Even Zeus was powerless against you," Frederick raised his hands and crossed it in front of him. "Let's see how much you can handle being burnt."
A blue ring made of flames engulfed in front of him. The ring spun and created a wisp in the center. The wisp was slowly growing until it reached the ring, swallowing it fully before turning into a large orb of blue flames.
"Rain from Inferno," Frederick casted, raising his index and middle finger before thrusting it. This made the orb shoot hundreds smaller orbs of flame into the Armageddon, the flames were so many that it looked like a rain of shooting stars were firing against the beast.
"You're really going all out," Luck said from below, watching the bright display of light under the dim skies. "Good for you."
The flames engulfed the Armageddon, making it screech and groan in pain. A smirk formed in Frederick's lips after he saw the beast getting hurt. His attack was penetrating its thick skin. It was working. His attacks were working.
Just when the man raise his arm in victory, the flames suddenly became black. His eyes widened after the flames formed a tornado and was being sucked insid the large lion head of the Armageddon.
"Impossible," Frederick gasped. "But that attack– I gave my all for that attack!"
The Armageddon responded with a loud burp. It was mocking the man, fully knowing how hopeless he felt after seeing his attack getting swallowed so easily like that.
It dashed towards Fredrick with its full speed, not letting the man react. When it was right in front of him, its eyes widened in shock. Red runes and symbols that formed lines appeared all over its body.
"Good luck with that," Frederick chuckled. "Now!"
There was a massive amount of mana being concentrated in the stadium. The Armageddon felt this and it looked down, groaning in utter shock as it saw all the Adventurers charging their attacks while pointing their weapons at it.
"Do not underestimate Terrans, Malice," Frederick said. "I know you can see us. We may be weaker than you in the hierarchy of realms, but we will not back down when you challenge us like this."
With a wink, Frederick vanished from the front of the beast. The attacks from the Aventurers below blast towards the Armageddon. It was shooting above like a larger, more colored rain of shooting stars.
It reached the Armageddon and made a large explosion that covered the entire skies of Avancia. This was the collective power of all the Aventurers, helping each other hand in hand as they fight for their realm.
The explosion could be seen from all the neighboring cities and could be felt all throughout the kingdom.
"Don't jinx it this time," Connor narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ed. "You're a master of jinxing."
"Oh, come on," Ed shrugged. "If anyone could survive from that attack, then they would earn my life."
Just as they feared, a loud screech came out from all the attacks. The Armageddon's scissor hands reached out and slashing to dispell all the attacks that was swallowing it whole.
"Ed, what did I tell you?!" Connor yelled, pulling Ed's ear in anger. "You just jinx stuff. Stop that!"
A low growl came out from the Armageddon. It slashed its arms and completely made all the attacks vanish, showing its wounded body. Although it looked weakened, the aura it exuded was still terrifying.
It was then that they completely lost all hope.