BOOM!!
The ground exploded.
Three shadows lunged forward at the same time. Fast. Too fast.
Van Thien managed to shift into a defensive stance, but—
THUD—!!
A punch came from the left. He spun and blocked it.
But—
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
A second punch from the heavy brawn descended like a sledgehammer. The ground beneath his feet shattered.
"…Cough!"
The sheer pressure forced him down. The shield-bearer immediately closed the distance.
CLANG!!
A brutal shield-bash rammed into his side, throwing him off balance. No time to breathe. No room to counter.
"…Damn it…"
Before he could even steady his stance—
SWISH!!
A blur flashed past. It was the speedster.
THUD!!
A heavy side-kick slammed straight into his ribs.
This time—
CRACK!!
A dry, sickening sound echoed. Van Thien's body was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the ground.
"BROTHER THIEN!!"
Bao Uyen's voice broke.
The wind died down. The air felt suffocatingly tight.
Van Thien lay there, his breath ragged.
"…Not… good…"
His body grew heavy. Not just from the injuries, but from the crushing pressure. The brute stepped closer, each stride sinking the ground beneath him.
The shield-bearer circled behind. The speedster vanished completely.
"…It's over."
A distorted voice rasped.
"NO!!"
Bao Uyen bolted up, leaping down from the vehicle.
"…Don't you touch him!!"
One step.
Two steps.
The earth trembled beneath her feet. From deep underground, a pulse struck… thump.
Then—
…THUMP.
"…What the…"
The three attackers froze, their crimson eyes flickering slightly.
Bao Uyen stopped, both of her hands trembling.
"…I…"
The necklace around her neck burst with light. It was no longer a faint glow, but a surging current of energy, flowing down from her neck to her arms, then grounding into the earth.
BOOM!!
The ground ripped open. Water erupted from beneath—not from the nearby river, but from the very depths of the dry earth.
Van Thien forced his eyes open.
"…Uyen…?"
He struggled to lift his head. Before him stood Bao Uyen, her hair whipping violently in the wind. A helix of cyan and pink light swirled around her body. Streams of water coiled around her legs like a protective barrier.
"…Don't…"
Her voice shook.
"…don't come any closer…"
The three attackers recoiled simultaneously. For the first time, they hesitated.
"…This energy…" The shield-bearer growled. "…is not normal…"
Suddenly, the speedster materialized right behind her.
FLASH!!
A lethal slash aimed straight at her neck.
"UYEN!!" Van Thien screamed.
At that exact split second, the water erupted.
BOOM!!
A solid pillar of water shot upward, blocking the strike. The speedster was blasted backward, crashing violently onto the ground
"…!!"
The other two froze in shock.
Bao Uyen stood frozen, her eyes wide.
"…I…" She looked down at her hands. The torrent of water was still spiraling around her. "…This is…"
"…Uyen…"
A voice echoed inside her mind.
"…don't be afraid…"
The ground vibrated even harder. A miniature whirlpool began to form beneath their feet.
Deep under the riverbed, the giant crimson eye opened wider.
Inside the ship's command module, the Red-Eyed Black Dragon stood up, his gaze flashing dangerously.
"…This power…"
Back on the surface, the three Black Slayers dropped into their combat stances at once.
"…Don't let her continue!" The brute roared, and all three charged simultaneously.
Bao Uyen stood her ground. She didn't dodge. She didn't run. The vortex of water spun violently.
Van Thien clenched his fists.
"…No…"
He pushed himself up, ignoring the agonizing pain ripping through his body.
"…I won't leave you… alone…"
The light from his own necklace flared to life. The two streams of cyan and pink energy intersected.
The wind exploded. The earth convulsed.
The three shadows collided with the light.
BOOM!!!
A cataclysmic clash tore through the space. The ground ripped apart. Water shot straight into the heavens. Smoke and dust swallowed everything.
Nothing remained but the roaring fury of the water.