Chapter 2396: Clash Of Venerables II [32]

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"HMPH!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

As all the attacks struck him, the bulky warrior reinforced his defenses. His body suddenly grew to twice its size for some reason. The beams hit his armor and were instantly deflected, exploding elsewhere.

"You call that cannon fire? Look at this!"

Maeda rushed forward. Fuyu’s crew panicked as everyone ran to the dock, unleashing their attacks one by one. Dozens of powerful weapon techniques and spells bombarded him, trying to push him away.

However, the Samurai charged through them, resisting all attacks with his incredibly bulky body and reinforced armor. His spear pointed forward, cannon ready for yet another strike.

"{Broadside Clamor: Gouon No Is-sen}!"

Maeda fired a short-range blast from the cannon embedded in his left arm while his spear pierced through Fuyu’s hard black brick and divine ice body. Holding both tightly, he charged a delayed explosion that pushed the entire ship away, making Fuyu lose her balance and fall from the skies.

CRAAAASH!

Fuyu collapsed through giant piles of burning wood and crystallized cursed miasma, which shattered into pieces as her massive body plowed through. A tenth of her body was gone, and regeneration was slow.

"Damn it! Isn’t that bastard way too strong?!" Charlotte complained.

"He is. He’s as strong as Drake said. Maybe we shouldn’t have underestimated them," Fuyu sighed.

"Damn it! Who the hell was that Oda bastard to have two Venerable-level goons?! Actually, what kind of weird world is Zipangu?!" Augustus’ soul complained, his many Magitech bodies moving around the ship, repairing it.

"Hey old man, aren’t you a Venerable? Can’t you help?!" Nadia shouted angrily. She was about to jump out and fight on her own, but her sister stopped her.

"Nadia! Don’t speak like that to him. He’s been helping us all this time already!" Mina said.

"I know, but it’s frustrating how we can’t ever catch up with the rest. We’re confined here, fighting like a crew instead! Ugh!" Nadia groaned. "I feel so damn useless!"

"I share the same sentiment. In the end, we can’t easily catch up with beings such as dragons, reincarnations of gods, vessels of chaos, or alien entities... it’s quite the large group, huh?" Amehia giggled. "We’ve drunk the blood of many dragons, yet our power hasn’t evolved to their level. It’s clear we could never be compared to dragons born like that."

"But it’s not about comparing to them or catching up, Amehia," Tyrannus said. "It’s about helping them. We’re fighting to protect the world, not for our own egos."

"I know, Dad... I just wish I could do more. But this area is completely devoid of any nature I can bring out to help someone!" Amehia sighed.

"Everyone! Calm down," Rakasha stepped forward, his powerful aura silencing everyone for a moment. "I know you’re all struggling right now—we all are! But the beings we’re fighting go far beyond our level. Drake was the only one among us capable of reaching this stage, but it’s not because he did it alone. All of you helped these people get this far. Nadia and Mina, Jamar, Leona, and Agni—without you, Surtr wouldn’t even be here fighting! Amehia, Tyrannus, you’re Emerald’s reason to fight as well. You’re his inspiration."

"I know..." Mina nodded.

"I guess so," Nadia muttered.

"Aw shucks! If you say it like that, I’ll get all embarrassed!" Jamar giggled.

"Surtr is doing this for us?" Leona asked.

"Of course he is, sister. And we should do it for him too," Agni nodded.

"Emerald... He’s fighting right now against a foe even stronger than that man," Amehia sighed. "I bet he’s struggling too..."

"That’s right. If we’re having trouble with this Samurai, imagine the monumental challenge of battling the Ancient Venerable—the strongest in history after Oberon!" Tyrannus said.

"That still doesn’t make this battle any easier," Tisha said, her face tense with anger. "I wish I could go there and swing my sword, but he’d blow me to pieces before I could even strike."

"My magic is feeble against his cannon..." Pekora sighed. "But... I think we can do something. Our powers alone aren’t enough, and even when we attacked together, it didn’t work. But if we combine everything, if we act as one, we can draw out all of our strength."

"That’s right. I know it’s hard—we’re the small fries here, and it’s annoying to admit it. We’ll never catch up to Drake’s friends, the dragons, or even his family... Hah, even Yuki, who we thought was part of our team, turned out to be someone so important and powerful. It’s incredible," Hector laughed.

"And Ruby too. She’s joined the great Venerables, and I couldn’t be prouder of her," Rakasha said with a proud smile. "Her mother is by her side, drawing out all her powers. She asked me to come with her, but I knew I’d only be a burden, someone she’d worry about protecting. I can’t bother her like that."

"Drake... he’s fighting for us too, I suppose," Kraxka said, the lizardman’s sharp eyes gazing into the distance. "But there’s a reason he brought us here instead of leaving us inside his divine realm. There’s also a reason he left us with this important task."

"Yes, there is. He trusts our strength. He knows our shortcomings, but he also knows we can handle a problem if we’re given enough time—together," Larzak said.

Maeda was rushing down as they spoke. The fall was long, but the Samurai descended like a meteor, his aura overflowing with lightning and shadows. His spear glowed brightly, turning golden, while his cannon released black flames, aimed directly at Fuyu.

"I will end this with the next blow. Have you said your prayers yet?"

Everyone panicked. Their Auras quickly combined with Fuyu’s, infusing divine power into her several cores and releasing it all into a single, multi-layered barrier.

"{Thundering Guillotine: Raijin No Dantō}!"

Toshiie slammed his spear down vertically at full charge, creating a force that tore through space. The black void became pure white nothingness as lightning crackled along the shockwave’s path, rushing toward Fuyu.

TRUUUMMM!!!

The impact was immense. An explosion of lightning erupted, spreading everywhere. Thunder burned the surroundings, rubble flew, and the miasmic sea beneath trembled. Fuyu’s footing collapsed, her barrier shattered, and the strike pierced her body, leaving a massive hole across her immense frame.

"Not enough? I see. Quite the tough ship, I’ll give you that."

Maeda was merciless, swinging his spear and firing his cannon immediately afterward, this time aiming at Fuyu’s crew—especially the captain, Charlotte.

"This is it."

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