I Know the Secret to Surpass Level 100

Trick opened his arms, summoning a swarm of bluish-black mist. It traveled in front of him, creating a spinning cone that eventually formed into a vortex.

Midnight distanced himself from the attack, observing what it could do first before deciding to dive straight towards it. Trick called it Malicial Prison, indicating that this attack was specially designed for Malice.

"I think I have to switch—" Before Midnight could even finish, an iron rod was fired from the vortex. He coughed blood, seeing the bar pierce right through his abdomen. "What?"

When Midnight looked down, there was hell. A barrage of bars was fired at him, all having the same level of power as the first one. The man tried to dodge, but the sheer number of bars made it impossible to escape from it.

"Mister Midnight!" Elena yelled in both shock and fear. Her only hope was being skewered with multiple iron bars simultaneously. It was a helpless sight to see, but she could not do anything.

"Don't worry. I designed this attack to avoid damaging the physical body," Trick said. "It targets the brain, causing the opponent to think that they feel something, but this attack can't harm them physically."

Midnight growled after hearing this. He glared at Trick, but the man was already in the middle of casting his next attack. "I'm sorry, Midnight. But until I can assure it's safe, I have to keep the princess inside."

"What are you doing to my brother!" Sun screamed. His eyes were bloodshot glaring at Trick, his hand gripping a bright white sword. "You're killing him!"

"I should go," Trick pulled Elena closer to him. "Devoid of Punishment."

He waved his index finger while pointing it at Midnight. The bars vanished, but Midnight still felt the intense pain it brought him. Trick sighed and conjured a portal behind him. He gripped Elena's hand and jumped through the portal, leaving the siblings behind.

"What..." Midnight patted his body, tracing the holes that the bars created. "There are no wounds."

"Must have been one of his tricks," Sun said as he approached his brother. "But there was a second phase to that attack. I wonder why he didn't cast it."

"Because he's afraid that Malice could see it," Midnight sighed. "But the portrait. At least we can assume that it's safe in his hands. Since he brought Elena with him, he must have a plan."

"A suicide plan," Sun growled. "If he just left Princess Melissa here and let us protect her together, then we wouldn't worry like this. That guy was selfish as much as he's full of nothing but trickery."

"That's what makes him strong and formidable," Midnight said, admiration being hinted in his voice. "He could come up with attacks to counter his opponent. A very formidable foe."

–

"I haven't asked you yet," Lance trailed off as he watched Elliot glance at him. "What do you feel about being the Prophecized Boy?"

"I feel pressured and want to perform to the best of my abilities," Elliot said. "But I don't care about the prophecies. I just want to save my mother and everyone else. This realm needs a true leader, one that could really rule them."

"If the weight of the pressure gets too heavy..." Lance grinned. "There are four more of us that can bear the weight with you."

This made Elliot smile, realizing a new kind of resolve. He didn't have to carry the entire weight of the world in his arms. He had his friends— ones that will be beside him no matter what.

His friends are his strength.

"Thank you," Elliot muttered. "You're still so cheesey despite everything that happened."

"Just call me the Prince of Cheese," Lance chuckled. "And you're the Prince of Crackers, because you always crack us up!"

"Idiot." Elliot shook his head, grinning at the fact that even in the midst of a huge war, he could still be himself in front of his friends.

"But seriously though," Lance stopped from his track. This made Elliot pause and look at the man, concerned. "Elliot, you were always there when we had our troubles. You carried the most weight on your shoulders, making sure that we don't have to hurt ourselves. You were the light in the darkest of our times."

Elliot didn't know how to react. All those times that he helped his friends were the best times that he had. They grew together, gaining a lot of knowledge and strength in each other and themselves along the way. He didn't realize that he was carrying the heaviness of the struggles because he just wanted his friends to be safe.

"It's time for us to carry the burden of your struggles with you," Lance stared at Elliot, eyes filled with nothing but sincerity. This made Elliot shake his head and jokingly punch his friend on the chest. "Ouch, you hurt me."

"So overreacting," Elliot shake his head. "Now, let's finally put an end to this b*tch. I have had enough of her."

"Who will you put an end to?"

The two of them froze after hearing Malice behind them. They distanced themselves from the source of the voice, turning to see the woman grinning. She stood there, wearing a pitch black dress that seemed to be weaved into her skin. The dress reached to her neck, coating everything below with a black latex-like texture.

"Aren't you going to attack?" Lance raised his swords. "You're always trying to surpise us with your attacks. Show us what you can do right now."

"I can't attack like this," Malice grinned. "I just wanted to find you."

The castle shook, causing the two to dance along the trembling. They raised their defenses and expected for an attack to be launched any time from then on.

There was a short moment that the shaking stopped, when the roof of the castle was pulled by a giant hand. Malice grinned when she saw the two. She now took a form of a twenty-foot tall creature with a humanoid torso and a chimera of a lower body.

"Surprise, surprise," Malice laughed. "I am now complete. This form will finally put an end to you!"

Elliot and Lance did not hesitate to jump from the castle and into one of the tower's roof. They raised their blades and launched themselves toward the woman. She grinned, covering herself with several tentacles that defended her from the attacks.

"What is going on?" Elliot asked, confused about the form that his enemy took. "Why does she look like that?"

"I don't know, but this form amplified her powers several times," Lance pointed. "This is going to be a tough fight."

"The bigger they are..." Elliot's entire body lit with a pinkish red aura. "The slower they get!"

With his upgraded skills, the boy vanished in front of Lance and the appeared on top of Malice. His sword burst with a bright pink energy, glowing with power. "This should do the trick."

"I don't think so!" Malice yelled. A claw from her lower body swiped Elliot, blowing the boy away. "Your puny attacks will not harm me right now. In this form, I am unstoppable!"