The barren desert was engulfed in blazing fire. Blood-red light flickered through the inferno as waves of scorching heat swept across the land, distorting the very air.
BOOM!
A crimson and a green figure clashed at blinding speed. From their collision erupted a powerful shockwave, shaking the earth as countless cracks spread out beneath their feet.
Blackfire gripped his flaming scimitar, swinging it with ruthless precision. Every strike tore through the air, each one fierce enough to split the sky, aiming to cleave Tetrax Shard in two.
Tetrax Shard's expression was grim. His hands morphed into razor-sharp spikes as he fought back with all his strength, engaging Blackfire in a brutal, head-on battle.
Dodging a sweep of blazing heat, Tetrax Shard flicked his wrist, launching a barrage of crystal spikes that sliced through the scorching air, flying straight toward his opponent.
Blackfire snorted coldly and spun his flame-wreathed blade into a crimson vortex, shredding the crystal spikes with a metallic screech.
"I didn't expect to find such a powerful fighter among the Petrosapien," Blackfire said evenly.
"Enough talk. Leave Earth now while you still can. Serving evil will only drag you into an endless abyss," Tetrax Shard replied sharply.
He clenched his fist, transforming it into a Meteor Crystal Hammer, and swung it hard at Blackfire.
"You're no match for me," Blackfire rasped.
He raised his flaming curved blade, a terrifying aura erupting from him. The weapon pulsed with blood-red light, surging forward like death itself.
"Die!" Blackfire roared, bringing the blade down in a savage arc.
Facing the terrifying onslaught, Tetrax Shard didn't back down. One hand held a sharp crystal spike, the other his Meteor Crystal Hammer, as he charged forward to meet Blackfire head-on.
Slash!
A crimson blade of energy cut through the air, and in an instant, Tetrax Shard's arms were severed, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Agonizing pain tore through his body. He had no time to think—instinctively, he leapt back, narrowly avoiding another vicious slash.
BOOM!
The blazing blade struck the ground, sending fire erupting in all directions. Deep gashes carved through the sand, glowing with crimson fire that crackled and hissed as it burned.
Looking down at his shattered arms, Tetrax Shard's eyes narrowed. The wounds were seared by blood-red flames that devoured his very life force. Within seconds, cracks and blackened marks spread from the stumps. The heat of that infernal fire was unbearable.
Gritting his teeth, Tetrax Shard roared and forced his power to surge. New crystal arms regrew, encasing the wounds and smothering the flames until his body returned to its full form.
Whoosh!
A violent gust swept in from behind, carrying blistering heat and a wave of killing intent.
Tetrax Shard shifted slightly as a flaming crimson blade sliced past his chest, grazing his crystal skin.
Blackfire, still holding the flaming scimitar, froze mid-air—his chest completely exposed.
"You let your guard down!"
Seizing the moment, Tetrax Shard clenched his crystal fist and unleashed a powerful punch straight into Blackfire's chest.
BOOM!
Blackfire shot backward like a broken kite, crashing hard into the scorching sand and tumbling through the dust.
Seeing his enemy fall, Tetrax Shard didn't hesitate. His hands reshaped into twin crystal spikes, his figure flickering as he rushed forward.
He raised both hands, their edges gleaming coldly, and drove them toward Blackfire's chest with lethal force, leaving no room for escape.
Slash!
Suddenly, a crimson flash streaked across his vision. Tetrax Shard felt his legs go weightless—his balance vanished. His body jerked back uncontrollably, crashing onto the burning sand and kicking up a storm of smoke and dust.
"You think that last strike could hurt me?" Blackfire rose to his feet, twirling the flaming scimitar in his hand.
A sharp, familiar pain shot through Tetrax Shard's legs. He looked down in horror to see his severed limbs—the strike had been impossibly fast.
"Petrosapien, farewell… no—farewell forever!" Blackfire reversed his grip on the scimitar and thrust it toward Tetrax Shard's head.
The crimson blade rapidly filled Tetrax Shard's vision. If it landed, he wouldn't survive.
At that critical moment, a clear, determined female voice rang out.
"Gather air into water, condense water into dragon, turn dragon into soul—slay!"
Gwen pressed her palms together, chanting the incantation in rapid succession.
From the air, a ferocious water dragon materialized, coiling and writhing with power. Its claws tore through the mist, its body surrounded by surging waves of condensed water energy.
In that desperate instant, Gwen broke through her long-standing limits, unleashing an intermediate-level Water Magic spell.
"Water Dragon Soul!" she shouted, commanding the dragon to strike.
Splash!
The azure dragon, horned and fanged, roared as it surged forward, carrying a torrent of violent energy straight into Blackfire's midsection.
Caught off guard, Blackfire—who had been about to finish off Tetrax Shard—was blasted backward, engulfed by the raging water and hurled into a cluster of buildings that collapsed with a thunderous crash.
"Awesome!" Ben grinned. "Nice work, Gwen!"
Grandpa Max gripped the pistol left behind by SixSix, aiming toward the wreckage. "This guy's dangerous. Stay alert."
Sure enough, the next moment, the collapsed buildings erupted with a deafening boom, flames bursting out and burning blood-red, illuminating the night with a searing glare.
"Thanks, Earthlings," Tetrax Shard said, his tone calm but firm. "But you should leave before you get caught in the fight."
By now, he had already regenerated his legs. Clenching his crystal fists, he stared into the blazing inferno ahead.
BOOM!
From within the firestorm, a blood-red fireball shot out, radiating deadly heat as it hurtled straight toward the stunned Gwen.
Tetrax Shard moved instantly, forming a crystal shield in front of her. The fireball struck with a violent explosion—the shield shattered, scattering fragments of green crystal across the ground.
"Go!" Tetrax Shard barked, turning back toward the enemy as he reengaged Blackfire.
Enraged, Blackfire swung his flaming scimitar with furious precision, his strikes fierce and unrelenting, each one cutting through the air with lethal speed.
"An opening!"
Tetrax Shard's eyes flashed. With perfect timing, he thrust his crystal palm forward, striking Blackfire's wrist and knocking the weapon clean from his hand.
The blazing scimitar fell to the ground with a dull metallic clang.
Tetrax Shard slammed his foot down, summoning a crystal cage around Blackfire's legs, locking him in place. His hands morphed into sharp spikes, unleashing a rapid barrage of strikes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The crystal spikes hammered against Blackfire's helmet, shattering into bursts of emerald fragments.
Under the relentless assault, Blackfire's fury exploded. A surge of wild flames erupted from his armor, staining the air crimson as waves of heat radiated outward.
With a roar, he shattered the crystal cage. His hands blazed with blood-red fire as he slashed through the air, severing one of Tetrax Shard's arms in an instant.
Then, faster than lightning, his flaming hand shot out, grabbing Tetrax Shard by the throat and lifting him effortlessly into the air.
Behind the blackened helmet, two glowing crimson eyes burned with murderous intent.
"The game's over, Petrosapien. Your kind is destined for extinction."
Tetrax Shard clenched his jaw, his gaze unwavering. Even facing death, he refused to yield.
Thud!
Suddenly, a rusty iron rod struck Blackfire square in the back with a loud clang.
Blackfire slowly turned, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a human boy awkwardly waving at him.
"Uh… sorry to interrupt. I'll, uh, get going now," Ben said with a nervous laugh, inching backward.
Blackfire raised his free hand, unleashing a column of blood-red flame that roared toward them like a fiery dragon.
"Oh, man… I'm toast," Ben muttered, his face draining of color.
Gwen began chanting another spell, but it was too late.
Just before the pillar of fire struck, Grandpa Max pulled the trigger on SixSix's discarded blaster. A red beam burst forth, striking Blackfire squarely and sending him staggering backward.
The fireball veered off course, slamming into the mine shaft beside Ben and vanishing into the darkness below.
"No one hurts my grandson," Grandpa Max said calmly, blowing the smoke from the blaster's barrel.
Blackfire retrieved his flaming scimitar from the ground, roaring in fury. Flames gushed from his armor's eye sockets.
"You dare defy me, pitiful Earthlings?! You're playing with fire!"
He swung the weapon with explosive force, unleashing a massive arc of crimson flame that tore through the air toward them.
"Water Dragon Soul!"
Gwen summoned another fierce water dragon, its roar shaking the ground as it surged forward to meet the blade of fire.
Sizzle!
The water dragon, though powerful, was cleaved in half on impact, dissolving into a burst of steam that vanished into the night.
The group's expressions darkened as the crimson blade light filled their vision, seconds from cutting them down.
"Not on my watch!"
In a flash, a towering figure stepped before them, facing the blazing blade head-on...