NOVEL NEXT Chapter 497: The White Skeleton
Master Ash dashed back, her voice sharp and commanding. "Oscar! Now, close the barrier completely!"
"Right!" Oscar replied, his voice strained as he funneled the last of his energy into his blade. The power coursed through the ground, creating a glowing hexagon that sealed Masabi and Regaku within its confines. The barrier hummed with energy, a shimmering wall of force. Find exclusive stories on empire
But the effort took its toll. As Oscar held his stance, the energy in his body began to falter. Master Ash raised her hand, its glow turning a bright pink as she prepared for the final move. Suddenly, the barrier around them crumbled, the hexagon shattering into fragments. Oscar fell to his side, gasping for breath, his face pale.
"I… I'm sorry," Oscar whispered, his strength fading fast. "I thought I had more energy left… than… that…" His eyes fluttered shut, and blood began to seep from the wound that had never fully healed.
As the barrier fell, Regaku managed to parry another blow from Masabi. He stumbled backward, retreating toward the portal. With a defiant look, he sneered, "We will meet again, and when we do, we will fight with no restrictions! I'll have stronger Vale monsters and more of my power at my disposal."
Masabi's gaze remained cold and unchanging as the portal snapped shut, sealing Regaku's escape.
Dimitri approached from behind, his voice breaking the silence. "Sir, I've moved all of the dead bodies and transported them back already. We're ready to go back whenever you are."
Masabi nodded, but his focus remained on the pink-haired woman. "Right," he replied, his voice calm but firm. "But first, to eliminate this pink-haired girl. It will take but a second."
Ashaiki brought her right hand up, closing her right eye as she steadied herself. "Give it all you got!" she challenged, her voice firm.
Masabi lunged forward with blinding speed, the force of his movement blowing Dimitri back, sending him skidding across the ground. Ashaiki's heart pounded in her chest as she realized the full force of Masabi's attack. A blow like this will kill everyone behind me, even if I dodge or parry it!
Without hesitation, Ashaiki adjusted her stance, bracing herself as Masabi's fist connected with her stomach. The impact was devastating, but she used the momentum to flip their positions, ensuring that the force of the blow was directed away from the evacuation site. The sheer power of the strike sent shockwaves toward Dimitri, but Ashaiki managed to shield him by absorbing the brunt of the impact.
Before she could fully recover, Masabi's hand closed around her neck. In one swift motion, he snapped it with brutal efficiency, her body crumpling to the ground with a sickening thud. Time seemed to stretch as Ashaiki's body hovered in the air for a moment before slowly descending. But within a blink of an eye, Masabi was back in his original spot, his cold eyes fixed on her.
Masabi's eyes narrowed, his mind racing to comprehend the situation. He had snapped Ashaiki's neck, thrown her to the ground—he was certain of it. But now, without any explanation, they were both standing in the exact positions they were in before he attacked, as if nothing had happened.
"What the hell is going on?" Masabi demanded, his voice sharp with frustration.
Ashaiki stood before him, completely unscathed, her expression calm and controlled. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied, her tone almost mocking. "I'm just getting ready to link our pain, but go on—make your move!"
Masabi's confusion deepened. He knew he had attacked her, felt the snap of her neck beneath his fingers. Yet here she was, acting as though nothing had occurred. "What do you mean, link our pain?" he asked again, trying to grasp what she was playing at.
Ashaiki's eyes remained steady, showing no sign of fear or hesitation. "Stop wasting time," she challenged, her voice firm. "Either fight, or don't. But if you're going to keep talking, you'll miss your chance."
The frustration boiled over. Masabi's patience was at its limit. If she wanted a fight, he'd give her one. He lunged forward, ready to strike her down once more.
But just as he moved in, something impossible happened. Jade suddenly appeared between them, materializing as if from nowhere. The sight was jarring—her once-injured body was now transformed. White flames flickered where flesh had been damaged, and her bones gleamed with an ethereal glow.
Her eyes, once filled with determination, were now fully engulfed in white flames, burning with an intensity that made Masabi hesitate.
Masabi's eyes locked onto Jade, his breath catching as he took in the sight before him. Her body was a grotesque fusion of flame and bone. Where her flesh should have been, white flames licked at the air, casting an eerie glow over the exposed skeleton beneath. Her ribs, her collarbone—all once fragile and broken—were now stark, pure white bone, like a sculpture of death and fire come to life.
The flames danced where her skin should have been, flickering with an intensity that sent a chill through him, despite the heat.
What the hell happened to her? The thought barely had time to register before Jade moved. One moment she was standing still, the next she was upon him, her speed blinding. Masabi barely had time to react, bringing his arm up to block the strike aimed at his head. The force of it rattled him to the core, the impact sending a shockwave down his arm. She's faster than before—much faster.
He twisted, trying to counter with a kick, but she was already gone, moving like a ghost, her movements fluid and relentless. Her skeletal hand lashed out, catching his wrist with a grip like iron. The flames surrounding her flared, and he felt the heat sear his skin even through his defenses. This isn't just her power—there's something else at work here.
Masabi struggled to break free, but Jade's strength was overwhelming. She twisted his arm, forcing him to his knees as pain shot up through his shoulder. She's not just stronger—she's inhuman.