Reika: Oh don't you dare talk about her like that. She's my girl and forever will make me proud… brace yourself because you're about to witness the power of pure connection.
Laura suddenly burst into laughter.
Laura: Kuhahahahahahahahahahaha!! Kuhahahahahahahahahahaha!! Oh you think getting a few little boosts would actually help you? Let me tell you this… borrowed powers won't work on me.
Reika: Alright then… let's see.
Reika rushed toward her again, this time fighting far better with the fire infused into his blade. He was finally able to keep up with Laura properly.
But of course that alone would never be enough to stop her and Shina already knew that.
So she had prepared another plan ahead of time.
Suddenly
A freezing energy spread across Reika's blade.
SHIIIIK!!!
The moment Laura blocked his next strike, ice instantly spread across her body freezing her movements in place.
Laura: Grrrrh… now ice too?! I swear little girl I will kill you!!
She immediately whistled loudly calling for the giant scorpion she summoned earlier to assist her against Reika.
But Nothing happened.
Laura's eyes widened slightly.
Far away Meji was already overwhelming the giant scorpion badly thanks to Shina infusing lightning energy into his blade while amplifying his aura more than twice its previous level.
BOOOOM!!!
Meji sliced through one of the scorpion's giant legs effortlessly.
Meji (smiling faintly): Oh I don't know how you do it Shina… but you're amazing. Thanks to you I can finally crush this oversized bug.
He pointed his blade toward the monster.
Meji: Hmm… I think I should form a special technique with this.
Shina smiled softly despite being exhausted.
Shina: Knock yourself out Captain Meji… I still have plenty of energy reserves left to help you out.
Laura's expression twisted with rage.
Laura: What…? How is he overpowering my scorpion?! That's impossible!!
Then slowly She turned toward Shina.
Laura: You…
Her aura exploded violently.
Laura: You're the obstacle here… i must kill you !!
CRAAAAACK!!!
The ice restraining her shattered apart instantly as Laura charged straight toward Shina at terrifying speed.
She moved so fast she completely passed Reika before he could even react.
Reika (overwhelmed): What the—?! She's fast… no way…SHINA!!
Laura instantly reached Shina and swung toward her intending to kill her immediately.
Shina: You will not touch me.
BANG!!!
Laura's attack stopped instantly
A barrier had appeared around Shina blocking the attack completely.
Laura's eyes narrowed.
Laura: Ahh… I see. A barrier huh? Sweet.
Shina (calmly): This is my special barrier… "Purity Shield"
A soft light surrounded the barrier calmly.
Shina: Anyone with an impure heart filled with rage and hatred can never bypass it.
Her eyes locked onto Laura.
Shina: Only those pure in heart can walk through this barrier
Reika steadily walked through her barrier… just as she said, only those pure in heart could pass through it.
Reika: Hey Shina can I ask you a question?
Shina: Sure, what is it?
Reika: How are you using all these abilities already and how did you even know you had them right after awakening your blessings?
Shina (smiling faintly): Oh I don't know… a woman's intuition I guess.
Reika (thinking to himself): A woman's intuition? That doesn't make any sense at all… it took me almost two whole months just to figure out my abilities and yet she's casually using hers like she's had them for years and not to mention how perfectly she infused my sword with fire and ice magic and also Captain Meji's with lightning too, is she some kind of prodigy?
Reika (out loud): Seriously… anyway we need to finish this now.
Meanwhile
Meji stood before the giant scorpion while lightning violently surged around his blade.
Meji: "Rolling Thunder."
BOOOOOOM!!!
He instantly vanished and tore straight through the giant fire scorpion with a massive lightning slash destroying the creature completely.
The monster let out a loud screech before exploding apart.
Meji landed smoothly while resting his blade on his shoulder.
Meji: Well… now that oversized bug is out of the way.
He smiled faintly toward Laura.
Meji: Time to face the real boss together with Reika… kufufufu
Reika: Looks like you're the only one remaining now… it's time to finish you off.
Shina: Hold on Reika… let me reason with her.
Reika: Are you serious? You wanna reason with this girl? She's a monster… she won't even reason with you. They have no heart.
Shina: REIKA!!
Reika immediately noticed from her expression that she was serious.
Shina truly believed Laura's hatred toward humans was forced by something… that there was a reason behind it all.
Reika breathed out calmly.
Reika: But Shina—
Shina: No.
Laura stared at her for a moment before speaking calmly.
Laura: You're stupid, you know that girl? How can you be so fixated on me like this? I am here to destroy this planet for goodness sake… I'm not here to reason with anyone.
Her eyes narrowed coldly.
Laura: So get that through your empty skull.
Reika pointed toward Laura immediately.
Reika: See? She doesn't want to reason.
Shina smiled faintly.
Shina: Fine then… maybe a beat down will make you reason with me instead.
Laura's eyes widened slightly before a grin slowly appeared on her face.
Laura: Ohhh? You wanna fight me yourself?! This is going to be so much fun.
Shina instantly waved her hands.
Shina: What?! No way! I'm not stupid enough to fight you alone, that's literally a death wish for me.
Reika: So…?
Shina looked toward him.
Shina: What I mean is… we work together, beat her down first and maybe then she'll finally listen to me.
Then her expression slowly changed again as she looked directly at Laura.
Shina: You know… I can help you.
Laura's smile slowly faded.
Shina: You don't have to force yourself to carry all that hatred alone like this
Laura: Shut up…just shut up acting like you know anything about me enh?!…You don't know anything about me girl, you don't know a single damn thing!!
Shina: Yes…now you just confirmed it. Judging by the way you're talking now i know someone or something hurt you deeply in the past and now you're forcing yourself to hate humans because of it.
Laura's eyes trembled slightly from rage.
Laura: I WILL KILL YOU!!
BOOOOM!!!
Laura instantly charged straight toward Shina consumed completely by rage.
CLANG!!!
Reika intercepted her attack immediately blocking it before kicking her away violently.
Before Laura could recover
SHIIIK!!!
Meji suddenly appeared behind her swinging his sword directly toward her.
Laura couldn't react in time.
SLASH!!!
The attack landed directly on her arm badly wounding her hand.
Laura quickly jumped backward clutching her injured arm while glaring at them furiously.
Reika stepped forward protecting Shina.
Reika: You won't lay a finger on her…I swore to protect her and anyone who dares to become a threat to her is my enemy and i won't show them mercy.
He glanced slightly toward Shina.
Reika: Oh and as for you Shina…don't worry about her anymore. She's not ready to reason with anyone. Sometimes the only way to end someone's suffering is by killing them…that's the only way.
Shina: But
Meji: He's right Shina.
Shina turned toward him.
Meji: I know you're kind hearted…i get it. But don't forget she came here for one purpose and that purpose is to destroy us all…and she won't stop until every last breath of life here is gone.
He pointed his sword toward Laura.
Meji: So this is an order from your captain…but also as your friend.
He smiled faintly toward her.
Meji: Please continue supporting us so we can secure victory here.
Shina lowered her head slightly.
Shina: Ye-Yes sir…
Reika (thinking to himself): I'm sorry Shina…we really don't have a choice
Laura was staring at them with pure rage…her eyes completely dead cold without a single trace of mercy left in them anymore. Right now her only goal now is to Kill Reika, Meji and Shina without mercy.
Laura: You are all dead…YOU'RE ALL DEAADDDDD!!!
BOOOOOOM!!!
Her aura exploded even further as her power continued increasing nonstop.
Then suddenly
Black marks slowly started appearing across her body while her crimson red eyes glowed brighter than before.
This Was her true form.
Laura: You all thought i was serious before? Well you should feel honored…i haven't gone this far and used this form of my true power against anyone for a very long time.
Her smile widened darkly.
Laura: I promise i'll make your deaths painless.
Reika's eyes widened.
Reika: What the hell…? You're telling me you weren't even at your peak before?! And what are those marks all about?!
Meji narrowed his eyes carefully.
Meji: Hey Reika…she's way more powerful than before. Her power level is much higher now.
Shina stepped forward calmly.
Shina: It's no problem captain…I still have more than enough energy to support you guys in this battle. It doesn't matter even if she reaches her peak…i still believe we can beat her down and we will.
Shina stared directly at Laura intensely.
Laura stared back at her the same way.
Even Reika and Meji could feel the intensity coming from Shina.
And instantly—
They knew she wasn't joking at all.
Reika smiled faintly.
Reika: Ohhh…we're counting on you Shina.
Meji: Yeah.
Laura smiled faintly.
Laura: Oh i am sooo going to enjoy this.
SWOOOSH!!!
She instantly disappeared charging straight toward them.
Reika: WHOA she's fast!!
Laura: Focus.
She instantly appeared in front of Reika attempting to strike him
BANG!!!
A barrier blocked her attack immediately.
Laura narrowed her eyes slightly.
Laura: Oh…a barrier enh?
Then she moved again.
This time it genuinely looked like she disappeared completely.
No—
She was simply moving faster than light itself.
Her next strike instantly appeared behind Meji
BANG!!!
Blocked again by another barrier from Shina.
Meji smirked faintly.
Meji: You're fast…but i think i can still keep up with you. Hey Shina, infuse me with that lightning element again like before.
Shina: Sure.
Immediately a massive amount of lightning energy surged into Meji's body and blade while Shina simultaneously boosted his energy even further.
Meji (thinking): Wait…my energy increased again?! It's even twice higher than before…is this all Shina's doing?!
Lightning surged wildly around him.
Meji (thinking): She's incredible…to think she can do all this while still healing everyone across the entire battlefield is insane.
Reika looked toward Meji smiling faintly.
Reika: Hey captain…shall we?
Meji grinned.
Meji: So Shina gave you some support too enh? Alright then…let's take this bitch down.
Reika: Right.
Laura smiled faintly.
Laura: Bring it on.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The three of them clashed violently.
Every movement surpassed light itself.
Every collision sent massive shockwaves across the battlefield causing the earth itself to tremble violently.
Meanwhile Shina continued supporting them from behind while simultaneously protecting the remaining soldiers across the battlefield.
Shina (thinking): I don't know how long my elemental infusion will last on them…but the more energy i use the longer it stays active.