As General Ishimi and his soldiers finally encountered the duo, Tuziku and Kutcher once again found themselves in a dire predicament.
The soldiers raised their barrels.
"Men, kill them instantly…!" Ishimi ordered.
Just then—
The wind suddenly turned violent.
Trees shook. Leaves scattered. The soldiers' hats were blown clean off their heads.
A female voice rang out—
"Hey! Don't you dare!"
"HEAVY GUST!"
FWOOOOOOSH…!
"Woaaah—!"
"Ahhh!"
"What the hell—?!" the troops panicked.
A powerful gust of wind swept through the battlefield, knocking the soldiers off their feet and slamming them into the ground.
General Ishimi, however, remained unmoved.
He stood perfectly still, unfazed, his eyes fixed ahead.
"Was that… an attack?" he muttered softly.
A girl…? Could she be—
"Come on, guys!"
Priora—one of the youngest members of the Casoltins, alongside Kutcher—appeared before them.
"Priora!" "Priora!" Tuziku and Kutcher shouted in relief.
"Let's go! They'll be back on their feet any second!" she urged.
"Okay!"
Tuziku and Kutcher quickly followed her.
"Get up, men!" Ishimi commanded.
"It was just a gust of wind!"
"Argh…!" "Damn brats!" "I'll kill them!"
The soldiers scrambled back up and resumed their pursuit.
"Gungī, come in," Ishimi spoke into his communicator.
Shhckk…
"Yes, General…!"
Ishimi sighed.
"What are you doing? I sent you ahead to handle this, and I still have to clean it up myself…" he said lazily.
"My apologies, General…" His Commaander replied.
"Regroup with me immediately. The targets are heading east."
"Yes, sir…!"
Ishimi exhaled.
"…Time to finish this and go home."
He slowly walked after his men.
Meanwhile — Tuziku's group
Boom! Boom!
"Stop right there, brats!"
Boom!
"Run faster—they're catching up!" Priora shouted, breathing heavily.
"We're trying!" Tuziku replied, covered in blood, sweat, and dirt.
"We need to slow them down!" Kutcher added, struggling to keep pace.
"Kutcher's wounds are bad—he can't go any faster!" Tuziku warned.
"…I see."
Priora suddenly stopped.
Then—
She raised her hands forward.
A bow formed from swirling wind in her grip.
Her expression hardened.
She reached back—
An arrow of compressed wind formed.
She drew.
Fwooosh…!
Splshh!
The arrow curved through the air with deadly precision—
—and pierced a soldier's head.
She didn't hesitate.
"ARROW SHOT—BARRAGE!!"
Fwshh! Fwshh!
Fwshh! Fwshh! Fwshh…!
A storm of arrows rained forward.
They sliced through the air, gaining speed—
Splshh! Splshh!
Fwip—Splshh!
"Arghhh!" "Ahhh—!"
Thud…!
Several soldiers dropped.
Her bow vanished instantly.
"That should buy us some time! Let's go!"
Tuziku clenched his teeth.
Damn it… I had to be saved again…!
…Still…
She's so strong.
"Tuziku!" Kutcher called.
"…I'm fine," Tuziku replied quietly.
"Move!" Priora shouted, sprinting toward the shore.
They followed.
Meanwhile — Hinomo & the forest...
Hinomo slowly regained himself.
"…Damn you, Sailou…"
Fwshh…
Crackle…
Flames spread rapidly across the forest—ignited by Sailou's lightning.
FWOOSH…!
In the distance—
Hinomo leapt through the air, chasing after Sailou.
FWSHH!
CRACKLE…!
The fire intensified, consuming more of the forest by the second.
Back with Tuziku's group...
"The others are gathering near the shore!" Priora said.
"We need to regroup!"
"Over here!"
"That voice—Juzio!" Priora said.
Juzio—one of the quieter members of the Casoltins—emerged ahead.
"This way! The crew's this direction!"
"Juzio!" Kutcher sighed in relief.
"we don't have time—move!" Juzio waved them forward.
They followed.
As they ran, Tuziku's eyes narrowed.
It's him… the guy I saw training that day…
"Juzio, how did you find us?" Priora asked between breaths.
"I heard the commotion and came to check… looks like I was right."
Then—
"…Watch out!!"
Juzio stopped abruptly.
A massive shadow loomed overhead.
A giant foot descended from the sky—
Juzio lunged forward, tackling Tuziku, Kutcher, and Priora out of the way—
DOOOOM!!!
FWSHHH!!!
"AHHHH—!"
The impact blasted them away.
After the impact
"Augh… you guys okay?" Juzio groaned, pushing himself up.
"Barely…" Kutcher muttered, still on the ground.
"I'm… okay…" Tuziku said, leaning against a tree.
What… was that…?
"…Priora?" Juzio called.
"Priora?!" Kutcher shouted.
Tuziku turned—
—and froze.
Priora lay face down.
Blood slowly trickled from her head.
"Priora!!!"
"Her head—she hit her head!" Tuziku panicked, rushing to her side.
"Shit!" Juzio followed.
"Priora—!"
"Aughh...!"
My wound...
Kutcher clenched his fists.
I need to get Mika… now…
As they struggled—
A voice cut through the tension.
"…Alright then."
"I think it's time I finished this mission."
Ishimi stepped forward.
Tuziku's heart dropped.
This… this can't be happening…
CHAPTER 21 END