The battle between Seox versus Solomon and Russell was escalating to an almost inhuman level.

Solomon was rolling on the ground after being thrown by the explosion caused by the missiles that were sent towards him.

Normally, an ordinary human being or an old man like him would be easily killed.

But thanks to the armor he wore, the magic core at the center gave Solomon above-average agility as well as great defense and attack power.

As if that wasn't enough, metallic debris came close to his face, hit him hard, but nothing happened to him.

Solomon's skin was covered by his poison magic which provides him with antibodies that allow him to protect himself from his own poison and cause the cells to accelerate to regenerate any damage inflicted.

For an old man, Solomon was stronger than the most talented young man.

But that young man was no slouch.

"Sacred Tree Magic: Wooden Dragons."

Russell made several wooden dragon heads emerge from the metallic floor which were trying to engulf Seox.

(I see. I was thinking of eliminating the old man, but he gets in my way.)

(At the same time, if I attack him, the old man defends him. If I try to kick him, my leg will melt.)

(Even if they are enemies, they will not be easily defeated.)

(Because they recognize that I would kill them easily if so.)

Seox did not notice that one of the dragons was beside him.

Before he could do anything, the dragon devoured him.

It was the end of Seox, or so they thought.

"Incinerate."

A voice was heard echoing inside the wooden dragon.

Its stomach began to inflate and suddenly exploded.

Seox had used a firebomb coming out of his arms.

"I see. I guess you two must die together, it's the only way to put an end to it."

"Die."

Seox's arms and back opened and small tubers emerged.

These were shot in their direction.

"This is bad."

Russell said as he was covered by the wooden dragons that protected him as his shield.

The missiles created various as powerful explosions that devoured the entire place.

The laboratory where they were, as the surroundings were swallowed by the flames.

Seox thought they died as the flames were consuming the place.

The carbon dioxide emanating from the flames was so high that any living being would die as time passed.

"You are overconfident."

"...?!"

A voice came from below and from the ground a huge forest grew.

Thus, extinguishing the flames and filling the place with oxygen thanks to the plants absorbing carbon dioxide.

(Was it hidden underground?)

(No.)

In the distance he saw a rosebud of a rose that had swallowed them both.

Then Solomon picks up a root and is thrown straight at Seox.

Which tried to block his attack, but he remembered that it is capable of imbuing a powerful corrosive poison, so he dodged it, but Solomon had foreseen it and swung his huge sword in mid-air.

As he fell to the ground, he realized that Solomon had smashed his right hand.

"...!"

He fell over a tree and slowly slid to the ground.

"Losing a hand in a battle like this is a reasonable price, that's why we wanted you to show this to your emperor."

"There are many fierce enemies out there."

"Solomon-dono, I don't think making him angry will improve the situation?"

"It won't. But those who are too emotional end everything badly."

Seox stood up as sunflower petals grew from the trees and pointed at his leg.

"I won't let you live."

Seox commented before pouncing on them.

◇◇◇

A couple of minutes ago.

After the attacks launched by the planes many split up.

Razel's group left without him.

Among them was Lambert conversing with the leader of another group they encountered.

That man had gray hair and green eyes. It was his father, Bernard von Attley.

Their conversation was related about what had happened.

"I see. You couldn't even cut it, being an excellent swordsman, I find that mysterious."

"Even if it is so father. I had to use the advice of an acquaintance to be able to cut it."

"I understand, Lambert, it's natural to need help at times like this."

"But not when you have such a great responsibility on your shoulders."

His father touched a sore spot in him.

"I'm sorry to put this weight on your shoulders, but you better than anyone understand that the Attley family for several generations does not give a saint of the sword until this moment."

"You have a duty to return to the golden age of our family. All I can do as a father is to encourage you and ask you to strive."

Lambert nodded, but silently.

(I understand that better than anyone.)

(Since that day the Attley House has lived in shame. The sword saints we produced were shunned by that event.)

(It is my obligation to take back what was once our greatest pride.)

Before he could say something, Oscar pointed to the sky.

"Hey, did you guys see that explosion earlier?"

"What explosion?"

Jake asked to which Oscar replies.

"On that weird flying turtle, I saw an explosion... and the projectile was Razel."

"Huh?"

They all made the same expression of denial.

But Bellange in an eagerness to show off commented.

"That wouldn't be unusual for my brother."

"Don't you forget what happened in the past? Dismissing the duel."

Everyone presents recalled events linked to Razel.

"He was present during what happened in the lawless city, a teacher reported that he pulled him out of the rubble." (Oscar)

"He was the hero of a frontier and after that he came back taller and more muscular." (Jake)

"That's nothing. During the war game I saw him fight assassins sent by that dwarf marquis." (Bellange)

"Leaving him aside, Elize and her friends managed to befriend a dragon. I can't even believe it." (Regulux)

Everyone was expressing their opinion on whether or not Razel was capable of flying into the ship.

Bernard who overheard the boys asked his son.

"Lambert, isn't that boy the one who defeated all of you that day?"

"... He is."

Biting his tongue, he replied to his father.

"I see. It's interesting how a young man with promising talent is in your same generation."

"Lambert you should learn something from him. It will surely serve you well in the future."

"Learn from him... you say?"

For Lambert, learning from Razel was no longer humiliating.

He saw him as a rival, a wall to surpass.

But if what Oscar and company said was true.

(How can I learn anything from someone who is not even within my reach?)

(Seeing him defeat those strange golems with his bare hands says that if he could fight me again, he would be easily defeated).

Lambert was starting to get depressed thinking that really Razel was in a higher league that he couldn't touch.

At that, loud explosions were heard coming from the ship.

Everyone stared at that.

The image of Razel as the culprit reached everyone they knew.

But that was not the only thing they should pay attention to.

"Young master, run away!"

"Huh, what's that!"

In the distance something was approaching.

◇◇◇

A few minutes after one of the ship's eggs had fallen.

A certain group came across it.

Dartanyan, Bayman and Gray Hood were analyzing that egg.

"What is this thing nya?"

"At first glance it's an egg. But it feels just like touching a cauldron."

"..."

Suddenly, the egg began to shed its layers and a 12-meter gray-colored, green-visored robot was watching them.

On his shoulder was engraved his name. Zapp.

"What is that nya!!!?"

"I don't know, but we have to run."

"Run away!"

Before the three of them ran away, Zapp raised a huge mini-machine gun he carried on his back.

The barrels began to slowly spin until they resembled a whirlpool.

The bullets were propelled like ferocious flies smashing everything they touched while generating a powerful buzzing sound.

"Can you do anything Bayman nya?"

"I'd love to. But those projectiles are so fast even my eye can't see them."

"Keep running away."

The three of them were protected by a shield made of iron by Gray.

Even with that iron shield, the bullets remained embedded.

"We can't keep running away."

Gray commented as his shield got smaller due to the hail of bullets.

"That's what I was thinking."

Said Bayman as he used an opening in the shield, pulled out his magic power arrows and aimed from that angle.

While Dartanyan was running in the forest to get closer and give him a fatal blow.

He pulled out his blades and positioned himself behind Zapp.

Bayman shouted.

"Three arrows!"

Which were sent from that hole straight into the mini machine gun.

Because the arrows were energy, the bullets could not shatter them.

The gun was destroyed and seeing that opportunity, Dartanyan took a big leap and delivered a crosscut.

"Take that nya! Vortex!"

The cross-cross slashes generated a small explosion as these were imbued with Dartanyan's magic power which caused him a slight explosion.

"Yes!"

Rejoiced the young cat boy, but it didn't last long.

"Nya?"

Zapp who was about to fall to the ground got up as his injuries were non-existent.

He only had a slight scratch.

He caught Dartanyan and was slowly squeezing him.

"Guh..."

He could feel his bones being slowly crushed.

"Bayman take that thing down!"

"I'll try, but it's body is too tough!"

Bayman shot several arrows at it to make it fall, but it was useless.

Dartanyan's imminent death came.

"To the sideeeeeee!"

Or so everyone thought.

From the horizon something was approaching, a flying object streaking through the skies like a missile, but it wasn't one.

It was Tina who was launched straight towards Zapp.

Using her huge butt due to the speed, she delivered a powerful blow that dealt a huge damage to Zapp.

Dartanyan was released and both Tina and Zapp fell to the ground.

None of those present could understand what was going on.

"Run!"

"Hahaha! This is fun!"

In the distance two people were running at high speed.

One of them was a severely injured Leonard being carried by an energetic Leila.

"Hahahaha. This is dangerous, really dangerous."

She laughed as she ran for her life carrying someone.

They were being chased by a 20-meter jet black robot with purple edges and a red visor.

It was the ultimate defensive unit of all. Ixio.

This one was using a photon sword to try to destroy Leila.

It was recently launched and immediately got up and started tearing apart everyone in sight.

Leonard was saved thanks to Tina and Leila running into each other as they fled.

She tried to buy them time but was met by a powerful kick that sent her flying straight towards her partner.

Scared Dartanyan screamed in fear.

"Stay away nya!"

"This is a really bad joke!"

"Run away and stop talking."

They all fled in the same direction.

◇◇◇

"What is that thing?"

"I have no idea what's going on."

"First a turtle, then dragons, and now giants."

"This is already bordering on the absurd!"

Fahren and Randy were on their way to find Jake due to his father's thoughts.

"Jake must be crying in a corner. My wife will kill me if I don't bring him home alive."

To Randy those were not words a father should say about his son.

But he knew Fahren's character, he knew he wasn't a bad person even if he had a sharp tongue.

In the distance they saw something.

It was a group of individuals running in their direction.

The two stopped and turned around.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Turn around!"

"Run Randyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

They too joined the group of those fleeing in terror for their lives.

Without realizing it they arrived at the same place where Jake and the others were.

Everyone's faces distorted as they watched two giant robots chase after them.

"Idiot daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!"

The battle between humankind and the machines was coming to a head.