All of them replied together, except Kyle.
"Never."
"She's one of us."
"We're never letting the Primal Throne go down without a fight."
"You all underestimate me," Darwin said coldly. "You may be my cousins through Earth's history, but I won't hesitate to kill you."
Cousins? Ashley thought to herself.
"Shut up, you fool!" Vice Commander Dasa shouted as he leaped toward Darwin.
But the fool was caught instantly by the throat.
"I will show you what I am capable of," Darwin said.
He gathered a dense amount of cosmic energy in his mouth and released it.
The blast exploded Dasa into pieces.
Kyle appeared behind Darwin, swinging his blade.
Something unpredictable happened.
Kyle's blade was able to bypass the Elementist Barrier.
Darwin dodged, but the blade grazed his ear.
"You went for my head," Darwin said.
Kyle replied calmly, "You're using some kind of invisible barrier to block attacks coming toward you… like…"
Darwin suddenly appeared in front of Kyle.
His hand pierced forward.
The blade of energy stabbed straight through Kyle's chest.
"Kyle!" Riley shouted.
Ashley leaped forward.
Darwin intercepted her mid-air, striking her brutally upward while whispering in her ear.
Darwin then glanced at the Primal Thrones still struggling under the bindings.
"Unfortunately, I don't have much time."
Queen Luna raised her sword.
"Attack!"
The knights moved first.
Twenty Luminaria Knights rushed Darwin at once.
Spears and blades struck toward him from every direction.
Darwin didn't move.
The moment the first blade came close.
He vanished.
A blur of motion flashed across the battlefield.
One knight flew backward.
Then another.
Darwin reappeared in the center again, already surrounded by fallen soldiers.
Commander Niva's eyes widened.
"He didn't even use a spell…"
Riley stepped forward.
"Then we'll force him to."
Riley raised his hand.
Elemental Release — Spirit Burst Drive
Energy surged around his body as he launched himself toward Darwin with explosive speed.
Luna followed instantly from the opposite direction.
Niva moved behind Darwin, aiming for his blind spot.
Three attacks at once.
Darwin watched them calmly.
Riley's punch came first.
Darwin tilted his head slightly.
The punch missed by a hair.
Luna's kick followed.
Darwin caught her leg mid-air.
Niva's blade slashed toward Darwin's back
Darwin twisted, using Luna's momentum to block the strike.
Steel clashed.
Niva jumped back immediately.
Darwin released Luna and stepped away from all three.
"Better," Darwin said quietly.
Commander Niva raised her hand.
"Luminaria Knights!"
More soldiers rushed forward again.
Queen Luna leaped into the air.
Her sword shone brightly.
Forbidden Element — Luminaria Blade: Solar Arc
A wave of radiant energy cut down toward Darwin.
Darwin finally raised his hand.
Mercy Accumulation — Astral Singularity Barrier Reinforcement
The air bent slightly.
The energy slash changed direction and crashed harmlessly into the ground.
The explosion shook the battlefield.
When the dust cleared, Darwin was still standing in the same place.
Completely unharmed.
Riley clenched his fists.
"This guy…"
Darwin looked around at all of them.
"You're all quite talented," he said calmly.
"Except Kyle, who fights using only emotion."
Then his gaze hardened.
"But you're still wasting my time."
His energy began to rise.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slowly.
Even the Primal Thrones reacted to the pressure.
Queen Luna felt the sudden weight in the air.
"This pressure…"
Commander Niva whispered,
"Everyone… get ready."
Darwin lowered his stance slightly.
"For your sake," he said quietly,
"I hope you can survive the next attack."