Hono's arrival brought a surge of relief, her prowess incinerating the humanoid figures with ease, reducing them to mere ashes in moments.
With the threat in the Flaem Clan swiftly eradicated, Hono focused on rallying her surviving clan members.
"How many of our people are left? We need to regroup," she murmured to herself, her gaze scanning the area as she prepared to gather her forces.
As another wave of enemies descended, Hono unleashed her powerful flames once more, incinerating them in a blazing inferno.
"Take cover elsewhere! I'll hold them off here!" she called out, her voice echoing with determination as she faced the onslaught alone.
The people below watched in awe as Hono's flames consumed the enemy forces, her strength offering a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.
Adel and Shen Yao observed the scene, noting Hono's survival with a mix of surprise and relief.
"So, she's still standing..." Adel remarked, his attention shifting to the surviving members of their clan.
"It seems the other Clan Leaders weren't as fortunate," Shen Yao observed grimly, the weight of the situation pressing down upon them.
Exhausted from the relentless battle, Adel and Shen Yao found themselves at their limits, their energy reserves depleted from the ongoing struggle.
Boom!!
Observing the turmoil across the country, Souta, engaged in combat with Paente, recognized the dire situation unfolding elsewhere.
Paente had dual objectives: to annihilate all life and to unearth whatever lay concealed within the Master Clans' domains. Each target held significance, hinting at a deeper purpose behind the chaos.
With resolve, Souta directed Kessa to focus on dismantling the tree's core while he confronted Paente directly, recognizing that destroying the central nexus was key to halting the threat.
However, the task proved daunting. Paente, a formidable opponent, wielded immense destructive potential, challenging even Kessa's formidable might.
Undeterred, Souta engaged Paente once more, his movements precise and agile. He launched a powerful energy blade at his opponent, aiming to sever him in two.
Bang!!
In response, Paente bellowed in defiance, his energy surging as the colossal tree quaked ominously, indicating the formidable resistance they faced.
Souta felt no fear as he kicked through the air, charging at his opponent. Swinging the two blades in his hands, he aimed for his target, but Paente swiftly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blades.
Adjusting his grip, Souta altered the direction of his attacks. Paente anticipated this move and swiftly raised a wooden shield, blocking the blades.
A resounding bang echoed as Souta was taken aback by the unexpected resistance. Nonetheless, he persisted in his assault. Lifting his foot, he sent a black hole hurtling towards Paente. Reacting quickly, Paente sidestepped, and several wooden constructs entangled the black hole, causing it to dissipate along with the wood.
Paente seized the moment and charged towards Souta. Attempting to create distance, Souta manipulated the gravitational field in the area and summoned his doppelgangers. However, Paente's hand morphed into several branches, acting like a whip as it destroyed the seven doppelgangers.
Another bang resounded, and Souta suddenly heard a feminine voice.
"You're correct, but there's something you don't know," the voice declared.
Paente paused, his attention drawn to the source of the voice. "It's you! Erkigal! You won't be able to protect those things from me! I'll eliminate everyone here!"
Souta glanced at Paente, realizing that his opponent recognized the speaker. Judging from the energy, the voice emanated from a distance—it wasn't close but remained within the confines of the country.
Erkigal's voice persisted, "Paente has become a new entity in this world. He will consume all who remain here, but I'll divulge what you must do to halt him. The hydra must dismantle the tree's body, as it harbors an immense energy reserve, fueling Paente's defiance of natural laws. Yet, this alone won't suffice, for the tree's roots extend throughout the country, even penetrating the All-Filter Barrier Formation.
"What's imperative is to persist in combat against him. He'll augment his power until the hydra dismantles the tree's central body. However, this isn't enough, as the main body will regenerate despite being obliterated. Hence, I've devised a ritual to shatter the All-Filter Barrier Formation. We must strike all segments of the tree simultaneously; it's the linchpin of our strategy."
Souta absorbed the explanation. He comprehended the necessity of obliterating Paente alongside the central body and the All-Filter Barrier Formation. Should the barrier persist, it would only spawn another main body and Paente, perpetuating the cycle endlessly.
"I'll grant you five minutes. After that, obliterate Paente. Hydra, I trust you comprehend my instructions; I implore you to cooperate with our plan." With those words, Erkigal's voice faded away.
Paente chuckled menacingly as he lunged at Souta, his unusual appendage poised. "Does it matter? Even if you comprehend, you're powerless to thwart me!"
Souta deftly evaded the attack, shifting his body to the side, then retaliated by driving his foot into Paente's abdomen. Following up, he swung both blades at his opponent with precision.
Swoosh!!
A massive gash tore across Paente's chest, but it promptly sealed itself. Emitting a deafening roar, his aura surged once more, multiplying several times over.
Souta halted, studying Paente intently. This transformation was markedly different. A sense of impending danger gripped him, unlike anything he had experienced before.
"He's truly become more formidable..." Souta muttered under his breath.
Hovering in the air, Paente revealed his altered state. His complexion darkened, eyes blazing crimson. Beneath his skin, pulsating red veins emitted a faint glow. Sprouting from his back were countless branches.
"Hahaha!! You'll all meet your demise! Ignorant fools, your end is nigh! It approaches! It looms! Hahaha! Nothing can stop it!"
Paente's laughter echoed maniacally. His countenance exuded sheer ferocity, his murderous intent permeating the entire country, inducing a sense of suffocation.
The pressure was stifling, reaching unprecedented levels.
Souta recoiled, tightening his grip on both blades. The situation had escalated dangerously.
"That girl urged me to eliminate him... There's no other recourse. I must vanquish him," he resolved.
Drawing a deep breath, lightning crackled around his form. The impending battle would be arduous. Despite his newfound strength, the odds of overcoming Paente seemed slim. Moreover, synchronization with Kessa and the mysterious girl was imperative. Nevertheless, Souta was resolute—he had to prevail, no matter the odds.
In the blink of an eye, Paente and Souta vanished from their initial positions, triggering a flurry of explosions as they exchanged lightning-fast blows in mid-air.
Souta found himself overwhelmed. His body bore the brunt of Paente's onslaught, gradually succumbing to the relentless assault. Half of his armor and parasitic flesh lay in tatters, exposing his true form beneath. Paente surpassed him in every aspect—speed, strength, and power. Souta's sole advantage lay in his exceptional combat skills.
Creating distance, Souta evaded Paente's pursuit, soaring through the air at breakneck speed, pondering how to defeat his opponent within the allotted five minutes.
"Perish! This world is doomed! There is no salvation! Everything is a falsehood!" Paente bellowed, arms outstretched.
A surge of energy coalesced above, hurtling down as a concentrated beam. Mid-flight, the beam exploded, fracturing into numerous smaller projectiles.
Souta retreated, weaving intricate patterns with his hand, conjuring webs that intercepted the incoming onslaught. Explosions reverberated, shrouding the area in smoke.
Swiftly, Souta summoned a black hole and propelled it towards the billowing smoke. The black hole devoured the haze and debris as it surged towards Paente.
"Futile!" Paente scoffed, his hand morphing in size. With a swift motion, he extended his colossal hand and seized the black hole.
Bang!
The black hole surged forward, resisting vehemently as it disintegrated Paente's palm into oblivion before collapsing. Yet, Paente remained unperturbed, displaying utter indifference as his hand regenerated instantaneously.
Souta's gaze narrowed. While his skills could inflict harm upon Paente, the daunting challenge lay in the latter's extraordinary regenerative abilities. Both combatants shared a similarity in this aspect—Souta with his parasite and Paente with his tree.
"I need to increase the pace..." Souta muttered, his armor swiftly reforming.
Five minutes.
He had to endure for five minutes. Barely a minute had elapsed since the countdown commenced.
"This opponent transcends humanity. His growth is exponential. Can you defeat him?" Saya queried.
