Razel put on his ring with which he can become Licht.

Alvin observed the majestic figure of the shadow justice.

His response was as expected for anyone.

"You like that kind of game?"

"You're a box of surprises no doubt, but I don't think putting on a black suit and a mask can accomplish anything."

"Of course not."

Razel answered him just before he put his fingers in his mouth.

"What I'm going to do is the reason I need this."

"Raijin phase 3. Defensive Mode Thorfinn."

"...?"

Alvin didn't understand what the meaning of his words were.

Razel began to blow and his fingers began to inflate like balloons.

Then it was his arm until slowly getting his body inflated like a huge ball.

"Is this a joke?"

"No, it isn't. This is the first stage of phase 3! Defensive mode!"

Razel had inflated the suit so much that it had become a human wrecking ball.

His arms and legs were hidden, only his head was in view.

But the way it stuck out was just like a bulge in the skin.

"What are you going to do with that look? Laugh me to death?"

"You want to make a bad joke about being obese?"

"I'll do this!"

Next thing, Razel hid his head and suddenly his body began to move.

It rolled on its own axis until it slowly gained speed.

The way he was rolling was just like a motorcycle from a motocross show.

"Pick it all up, Alvin!"

Razel shouted and his round body went straight at Alvin.

As expected, Alvin just stepped aside and avoided being hit by him.

"You really are a box of surprises. You do the strangest and stupidest things."

"I can't believe that person labeled you as a threat."

Razel was turning back toward Alvin, who readied his fist to destroy Razel's balloon.

Just as his fist was approaching the body.

"...!"

The balloon opened as if it was a shark's mouth.

There were fangs made of slime and everything was so black that I couldn't tell if Razel or a human being was there.

The mouth closed and caught Alvin's arm.

Razel spun around and with that Alvin was dragged and thrown against the wall, his arm was torn off completely.

"What was that?"

The ball was still rolling, Razel's voice echoed in place.

"Did you think rolling was all I know how to do?"

"I'll teach you that the best defense is when you can cowardly attack your opponent while staying safe!"

From the balloon a few holes appeared and from them Razel was launching attacks.

"Lightning Spear!"

Lightning spears were being sent at Alvin from different holes.

He really began to feel how dangerous this was.

(That ridiculous appearance is not just to deceive.)

(It's like he said, he keeps himself hidden in a protective cloak and from the inside he can attack you.)

(The only explanation I can find for how he can accomplish that is because the material his suit is made of can store large amounts of magical power which he uses as fuel.)

(That being the reason, I must destroy that balloon to finish him off.)

Alvin regained his confidence after analyzing his opponent.

"You left me for a moment impressed, Razel-kun."

"But the surprises are over. Don't think that balloon will protect you forever."

"Protect me?"

Razel muttered, but Alvin heard him.

There was a great pause and from the bottom of the balloon came cannons aimed at Alvin.

"This isn't to protect me, stupid!"

"This is to better distribute the attacks and wipe your fucking ass out of existence!"

The balloon began to roll once again, but at great speed.

Alvin dodged it and waited for it to crash.

(I don't understand how it can see from there, but surely it must get visual and auditory information somehow).

Alvin sent a command to the ship's system to activate traps.

A hatch in the floor opened and several platforms to stop the balloon came out.

Razel didn't stop at all, next he did the same thing as that game he played with his father.

The game was about a yellow balloon that ate ghosts.

Razel jumped over the platforms that came out of different places, including the ceiling.

At the same time, his speed did not stop.

The ride he was doing was just like extreme car sports.

A trampoline came out of the ground and Razel fell there, he was sent to the ceiling where he fell before crashing.

The balloon manifested sharp spikes which stuck into the ceiling.

Without missing a chance, the cannons fired lightning spears at high speed.

"Die already, Alvin!"

Phase 3 of the Raijin combined Razel's abilities with Licht's suit.

Razel activated all of his senses to the maximum to achieve empowerment.

In the same way he can't use them without this suit as he would be easily attacked.

Even so, this phase is inferior to what he himself declares as the most powerful and terrifying phase of all, phase 4.

The cannons fired their spears without stopping.

Alvin could only run away or have the walls and platforms protect him.

"This is insane."

Razel's attacks were so powerful that he didn't give Alvin a chance to counterattack.

Realizing that Alvin was hiding far out of reach.

Razel used another attack to try to finish this off.

The spikes returned to the balloon and as it hit the ground it caused a bounce similar to that of a ball.

The more it bounced, the higher it managed to get.

To the point where it couldn't stay in one place.

"Human wrecking ball!"

That was what Razel was calling the new attack he made.

Alvin watched in panic as a huge black ball fluttered wildly around the place, obliterating everything.

Razel was destroying all the possible traps so that Alvin couldn't take cover.

After destroying them all, he said.

"Second stage of phase 3. Offensive Mode Thorkell."

"Another one?"

The balloon burst, Alvin expected him to pull out some weapon now, but he was speechless for the next thing he saw.

"Huh?"

Razel was without his suit, but his limbs, head and torso were shrouded in black goo.

Razel stood still without saying a word other than...

"Come on, give me your best shot."

Alvin stood analyzing him, he didn't understand what it meant to get rid of his absolute defense.

But he found it stranger that he would call this...

(Offensive mode?)

(I don't understand what he's up to, but those things on his arms and legs don't look like a real danger).

Alvin instead of hitting it, used a grenade that came out of its body.

The explosion had to devour Razel, but the flames were absorbed by the black object on his arms and legs.

"My turn."

"...!"

Razel prepared to take a swing at it, Alvin ran away, but it was no use.

Razel's legs were covered with that black goo.

The feet turned into a round spring and he prepared for a leap.

"What the hell?"

Razel using that spring shortened the distance between him and Alvin. Then with his right fist which was also covered by that mucus, he turned into a huge spiked ball that was buried in Alvin's face.

(How could he possibly do this?)

The offensive mode was designed to be used after generating great speed, this would make the slime and web they were made of become identical to molten glass.

Razel using his magical power could mold them as he pleased.

It was a dangerous power as the slime was so hot that, if it weren't for Blut, his limbs would be melted.

Razel was jumping like a human trampoline trying to reach Alvin.

Being still far away because Alvin prioritized taking the distance instead of fighting.

That didn't matter to Razel, he stretched out his hand and the spiked ball made of slime stretched towards Alvin.

"How ridiculous can you be?"

The spiked ball smashed into his face again.

Unlike before, right now part of his head had been broken off, Alvin's brain was visible.

He immediately called for a spare to switch bodies.

Again, Razel made a huge leap towards him, but now it was worse attack towards Alvin.

"Shattering lightning blast!"

Using both arms with spiked ball each, Alvin could do nothing but take cover.

He used his body to create a dome and protect the brain.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Razel's anger towards Alvin wouldn't stop.

"I'll kill you, you fucking scum!"

"I won't let scum like you live any longer!"

"As long as you live. Eli and Barbara will continue to suffer and that I won't allow it!"

"...!"

The dome Alvin made with his mechanical body was deforming.

The punches with the spiked ball were tearing his shield apart.

From the ground a hatch opened and Alvin's brain fell underground.

(I can't believe it.)

(I'm being cornered by that brat.)

(I need to use more power.)

(I must destroy them all as soon as possible.)

(That person will be angry with me if he didn't finish everyone here. I don't want to be tortured again like when I got my brains out.)

"There you are! Alviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"

There was a huge explosion and Razel was falling straight towards Alvin.

Using the debris to leap like a frog straight towards him.

"Get-Away!"

Alvin gave the order for the weapon system inside the ship.

Many turrets came out from different locations, there were even missile launchers that couldn't be used inside.

"Don't come near me!"

Alvin was finally afraid of Razel.

He, who always displayed throughout the fight an egocentric and superior demeanor, was finally recognizing that his real status in this situation was that of an ant fleeing from a lion.

Razel was greeted by a hail of bullets capable of piercing titanium.

But before being hit he used the vest he had and inflated it, it grew and became a shield which received all the bullets and returned them.

He even swallowed a missile and sent it back the way it came.

Alvin was less than 10 meters off the ground.

If he didn't do something, he would be killed by Razel or the fall would kill him.

*Rumble*

Suddenly, they both heard a strange sound coming from the side.

The wall was destroyed by a huge pressure that was sent from far away.

There was no one there, but everything was roasted as if a nuclear explosion had occurred there.

Razel and Alvin were sent flying to different places.

Alvin was saved by being retrieved by a robot that served as his new body.

"What was that?"

"No. It doesn't matter, what matters is that finally that shitty brat is shit."

In the distance was Razel covered in debris, there was so much of it, it was impossible for Alvin to be alive.

"I've had enough of playing games, I'll end this right now."

"I'll kill them like I ended the Luinberg Duchy."

◇◇◇

"Don't let him escape!"

On the ground, Ixio was being outclassed by mere humans.

Since Zapp's defeat, he was bombarded by Fahren's cannon bubbles which severely affected his systems.

He could not process any commands, if he attacked, the bubbles would enter his body.

If he defended himself and created a shield, the same thing would happen.

What was the correct response?

It was to run away.

That decision he made late after losing an arm thanks to Leila, Tina and Dartanyan who all 3 of them together ripped his arm off.

"Wolf girl, do you remember what you saw that day?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Judal."

"Ah, the one with the closed eyes that I beat him up."

"...Whatever. Do you remember the move I made?"

"The one with your legs spread like a log."

"Exactly. Can you replicate it?"

"Of course, I can!"

They were all chasing Ixio, a machine that was created to defeat the world's most dangerous fighting force, the dragons.

Right now, he was running away from some mere humans that he could easily crush.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

Judal and Leila approached Ixio from in front and behind as they were the fastest.

Thanks to Dartanyan and Bayman attacking his head non-stop, he couldn't notice who surrounded him.

In a synchronized move, Leila and Judal gave him a powerful kick that left his belly and back shattered.

"Tenjou Tenge!"

Ixio tried to stand up, but couldn't.

"Don't let him stand up!"

Randy shouts as Lambert and the others wrecked his legs to keep him from getting up.

Tina and Gray Hood- Jerome were tapping his shoulder to keep him from moving.

Leonard, Bernard and the other assembled knights were attacking his back to break him and try to get to the core.

This was a humiliation to old humankind, an advanced civilization from thousands of years ago.

Right now, the pinnacle of that civilization was being pummeled by simple and mere primitive humans to them.

"It was no big deal if it ended all like this."

"Umm?"

Fahren noticed a strange sound in the sky.

It was coming from the ship.

A warhead-like object was falling, it was small and fast.

Seeing it, Fahren didn't hesitate and used his bubbles to pop it.

In doing so it caused a huge shockwave that left the earth shaking.

"What the hell was that?"

Everyone wondered that after the loud quake that lasted a few seconds.

A second bomb was on its way, not only that, there were several.

Quickly Fahren used his bubbles to have them all destroyed.

But he noticed something.

(If only one of those things could create an earthquake this powerful, what if there were several at once?)

Fahren panicked at the thought of such a monstrosity.

Therefore, he changed the order.

"Stop them!"

The bubbles instead of bursting trapped in their transparent bodies the warheads.

One by one falling ones were swallowed by the bubbles for protection.

Fahren was really tired, he was consuming his magic power without stopping.

But in order to save them all.

But there was something he didn't notice.

"Fahren, there's one!"

"...!"

One of the warheads was well hidden and could not be distinguished from the others as it was smaller, the size of a child.

The warhead being small was much faster than the previous ones.

Fahren said to Randy immediately.

"Randy, ladder now!"

"Yes!"

Randy created air stairs and Fahren climbed up to the last of them, he manifested multiple bubbles, with that his magic power was being radically depleted.

The warhead was falling in their direction and it looked like it would stop.

But it did not, this warhead was more dangerous than the previous ones.

Its engine was still in propulsion and easily pierced the bubbles.

Seeing how he was only 20 meters from the ground, Fahren opted for the least intelligent decision for him.

He grabbed the warhead with his bare hands and made the bubbles surround them to get all the energy out of it.

The problem was that the warhead was extremely hot, hot enough that a single contact with bare skin could generate bruises and second-degree burns.

But that didn't matter to Fahren.

He wanted to avoid a misfortune.

He began to recall a certain event from his school life.

◇◇◇

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Fahren-sama from Fitzclarence Household."

Young Fahren had met his fiancée, normally this kind of girl would never be to his liking.

But there was a vital reason for it.

"I am Dorothy von Bryes. But you can call me Dorothea."

Dorothea was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes like most relatives of the imperial family.

Every few years the imperial family needed to maintain a bond with the dukes because of their union during the founding of the empire.

It was not uncommon for a certain member of the imperial family, whether male or female, to marry a son or daughter of a ducal family.

This time the favored one to his misfortune was Fahren.

"I like to read a lot, I'm not particularly a fan of books, but I don't complain about them."

Dorothea needed to spend time with Fahren, as they would be married in the future, it was necessary for them to get to know each other a lot.

But for Fahren this was irrelevant.

He felt bored and discouraged.

(I want this to be over.)

"Emm, Fahren-sama. Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, yeah. I'm listening to you."

Dorothea stood smiling at him and suddenly her hand grasped his chin.

The expression on her face was different from the one she showed before.

"Listen well, you spoiled child. I don't like the idea of marrying someone who doesn't care what I say either, but I always wanted a dream wedding and a happy marriage of romance novels."

"So, if you don't want me to make our future a hell. You'd better do your part and at least look like you care about what I say."

The devilish expression on her face left and the sweet smile she wore returned.

"As I was telling you. I like sweets too, but at the same time I don't want to get fat, a lot of girls have that eternal enemy of eating sweets, but they don't want to get fat."

After seeing her how she changes her personality easily, Fahren got so scared that she kept shaking.

(What's wrong with her? She scared the hell out of me.)

(Come to think of it. My father said that women are very scary when they get angry and that marriage for them is much wilder and more vital than for us.)

(Sorry father, I was laughing at you when I saw you running away from mother and thought you were just a coward.)

After finishing his first of many meetings, he went to sit under a tree to rest.

"This is exhausting."

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk since, I'm trying to study."

"...?"

Fahren turned around and on the other side was Myat studying.

"What are you doing here?"

"The library is closed since Randy made a mess and needs repairs."

"This is the only calm place where I can study."

"Ah, yeah."

Fahren sat down next to Myat and started talking to him.

"Don't you think it's boring here?"

"The school is boring, the classes are boring. There's nothing special to do here."

"It can be like you say when you're someone who doesn't need to study to pass subjects or listen to things from teachers that you already know."

"But that's not all school is about."

"This place is about shaping the future. The kids who come out here will be the future of the country."

"What happens 10 or 20 years from now will be our responsibility and we have to have high expectations of the future."

"That's why I think that's the reason for the academy. To not only develop a point of view toward the future, but also to be able to meet potential colleagues who can help us on our journey."

Fahren gave Myat a dirty look.

"You're such an annoying four eyes. Why don't you learn to say normal things for once in your life?"

"You're the most annoying of all since you won't let me study."

"Hah? Let me see what you read to stay focused!"

"Surely it's something erotic and you're playing the special one four-eyes."

"Of course not!"

"You're reading it! That's why you're blushing!"

"Give me that book!"

"No!"

The two began to struggle, but the words Myat said to him is birds began to echo in his mind after his death.

◇◇◇

(We must take care of improving the future.)

(Myat, your words back then meant nothing to me until you died.)

(After I learned of your death, I began to understand life differently.)

(You always wanted to improve the lives of the people in your territory because you were born in a social position where you were blessed.)

(So am I. But before being a duke, I am a father.)

(My son, his friends, Randy and others I don't know are risking their lives to take down the enemy that killed you.)

(Wouldn't it be funny when we meet again and I tell you that I saved the empire?)

(I know you would laugh at me feeling a desire to protect you all.)

"That's why I'm showing you!"

"Watch me, Myaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

Fahren was holding with all his might the warhead which was not giving up its speed.

Randy was helping Fahren in creating more platforms for the warhead to be blocked.

"Even my magic can get through it?"

"I might use air, but my magic can lock up oxygen and turn it into a solid structure for walking."

Even with Randy's power they couldn't do anything to stop it.

Fahren was sending bubbles inside to suck all the energy out of it so it would no longer continue its course to the ground.

At the same time, Ixio got up and was pulling everyone out of the place.

He was heading towards Fahren to explode the warhead and finish them all off, even if himself had to be destroyed.

"Stop him!"

Jake shouted for everyone to try to stop him from approaching Fahren.

It was a futile effort as they couldn't get close due to the fact that he created a repellent shield, as Fahren's bubbles were containing the sky warheads, no one could stop him now.

Fahren could see it approaching, his hands couldn't take it anymore and his nerves were shredding, there was only one thing to do.

"Randyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

"A dome create it!"

Randy immediately began to create a round shield around Ixio.

Fahren used all his strength to jump.

"Dyson Sphere!"

The dome was about to be completed, Fahren was carrying the warhead in his hands which he threw towards Ixio.

"This is... For Myaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

After throwing it the dome closed and a powerful explosion shook the place even with the dome closed.

The sphere contained the explosion as it expanded every second to withstand the powerful flames that tore everything apart with a white glow.

The same glow that Alvin used to destroy the duchy.

Seeing how Ixio was partially roasted meant only one thing.

"We won!"

Bellange shouted, followed by everyone.

The battle was now over as all the robots on the ground were destroyed.

Fahren looked up at the sky as foam came out of his mouth.

(Only you are left.)

◇◇◇

"You're kidding... right?"

"That fucker of Fitzclarence just defeated not only my warheads. He also defeated my best armed units."

"Damn them!"

Alvin slammed the control board in anger.

"Never mind, there are still more warheads, I just have to wait a bit to get it all ready again."

"Where do you think you'll have that kind of time to do it from?"

"...!"

Alvin was hit by Razel who finally got out of the rubble.

"I was really hurt by that attack earlier. That damn demon king must be having fun."

After standing up, a message came to Alvin.

That message said that the ship had been damaged considerably.

Over 60% of the body had been severely destroyed and even several engines.

It was in urgent need of repairs and so he automatically began to descend.

Outside, smoke could be seen coming from different parts of the ship.

Razel also saw that hologram manifesting.

"So, it won't be long before we bring this thing down, huh?"

His smile was more sinister than Alvin's.

"Very well, I'll finish you right now and the ship."

"Let's get this over with. Support mode Thorgil."

This time only the slime suit cloak manifested.

There was nothing else.

But from that cloak giant hands began to emerge and took debris, in Razel's hands he held lightning spears.

"It's over. Your defeat is here!"

But Alvin wouldn't just stand by and watch.

"You damned braaaaaaaaat!"

The countdown to the end came.