Mariana's Backward Somersault
To avoid the relentless onslaught, Mariana leapt into the air. Her body seemed weightless as she flipped backward three times in succession.
The distance between them widened.
She immediately took a low fighting stance, then summoned her full inner energy—red light began to surround her wrists.
The air instantly grew hot.
Her paper fan opened wide, hardening like steel. The fan, too, was enveloped in the red glow.
Mariana: "Prepare yourselves! The gates of hell have been opened for you!"
Seeing Mariana unleash her full inner energy, Giono became alert.
He gathered his own strongest inner power—one that radiated cold.
Giono: "Well, well… the Grim Reaper is standing right in front of you. Be my wife before it comes for you."
Mariana smirked in disdain.
Ngatmo: "You see that woman, Karsiyah?"
He quickly pulled four knives from inside his shirt.
Karsiyah: "Mbelgedes! Sweet talker, my foot!"
Sensing the strange, searing heat, Karsiyah reached into her clothes for ten marbles, ready to throw.
From a distance, Rani and Rina each gripped four throwing knives.
Rani: "I'll take the upper part!"
Rina: "I'll take the lower part!"
The air was thick with danger.
Broto ran to hide behind the guard post wall—only to find Tugimin and Zakiran already there, trembling in fear.
Mariana struck forward with a sweeping motion of her paper fan, infused with inner strength.
Whoosh!
Woosh!
Tweett!
A surge of scorching wind blasted forward, accompanied by a shrill whistle.
Seeing the threat, Giono sent a long-range punch forward.
Thud!!
A stream of icy wind shot toward Mariana's fan strike.
Ngatmo hurled his four knives with full force.
Whoosh!
Whossh!
The blades, radiating cold energy, sped toward the fan.
Ngatmo: "Watch the knives!"
Karsiyah threw her ten marbles, also imbued with cold energy.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The marbles zipped toward the paper fan.
Karsiyah: "Eat marbles!"
Rani and Rina joined in, launching eight knives toward Mariana's fan strike.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
These blades, too, carried cold energy.
Rani: "Watch your head!"
Rina: "Watch your legs!"
The icy attacks from Giono, Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina collided mid-air with the searing fan strike from Mariana.
Boom!
Boom!
The clash of forces met in the air—
Kaboom!
A deafening explosion erupted! Sparks burst in all directions.
***
Mariana's Sinister Smile
Giono staggered back, his right hand swollen and bruised blue, blood trickling from his mouth.
Giono: "Weladalah! Wedus!"
Ngatmo's face turned pale, his hands limp and immobile, blood at the corner of his lips. His body nearly toppled backward.
Ngatmo: "Jangkrik!"
Karsiyah's hands were also swollen and blue, unable to move. Her face was as white as a shroud, blood seeping from her mouth. She swayed, nearly collapsing.
Karsiyah: "Mbelgedes! Mbelgedes!"
Rani and Rina had fallen to the ground, faces pale, hands bruised blue and stiff, blood at the corners of their mouths.
Rani: "My chest feels tight."
Rina: "My hands… I can't move them."
They had suffered internal injuries from the clash with Mariana.
Meanwhile, Mariana had merely taken two steps back. Her hands tingled slightly, but her face was fresh and unscathed.
The gap in inner strength between her and Giono's group was glaring.
Mariana smiled coldly.
She once again took a low stance, her hands and fan trembling with immense energy. The red glow returned, and the air grew hot again.
She was ready to strike Giono, Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina—all badly wounded.
This time, Mariana wasn't playing. She intended to finish them.
Giono, Ngatmo, and Karsiyah exchanged glances, recognizing the danger.
Rani and Rina resigned themselves to fate.
Mariana: "Giono, I will not forgive you this time!"
She surged forward, her paper fan and a scorching long-range strike blasting ahead with full inner power.
Whoosh!
Thud!
tweett!
A gust of blistering wind roared like a whirlwind, accompanied by a shrill whistle.
Giono, Ngatmo, and Karsiyah formed their final defensive wall.
Giono: "Protect the girls!"
They braced themselves for Mariana's devastating attack—one that could prove fatal.
To be continued