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"Shaaargh?"
The Hydra glanced sideways, only to see an individual suddenly appear and slice part of its body in two diagonal lines. The individual then delivered a powerful back kick, sending the nearly five-ton creature flying a considerable distance.
Turning towards his father with a smile, the expression quickly vanished as he took in his father's condition. Panic set in, and he rushed over.
"DAD!!!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face. He observed his father from head to toe, horrified by what he saw. One of his father's arms was missing, and his presence felt incredibly weak, almost fading.
"Just wh-what happened to you?" he asked, his voice trembling with the sheer weight of his emotions, feeling as if his entire world was crumbling around him. His father could see the despair in his son's eyes and knew he couldn't bear to tell him the truth-that he had only a few minutes left. He also couldn't risk his son's safety. Knowing his son, he realized there was no way to stop him from wanting to massacre these monsters.
There was only one thing left to do to ensure his son's safety: they had to fight together and defeat the monsters. He knew his son wouldn't keep a promise to run away, especially now that he had unlocked his ****** power.
"Suzal, it's just an arm. Let's beat these monsters and go home," his father said, his face a mix of pain and determination. Given the circumstances, he had no other choice.
As expected, Suzal had no intention of giving up on his father. "But Dad, you're in such a condi-..." Suzal began, but his father cut him off before he could finish.
"SUZAL!!!" he screamed with all the strength he could muster.
"Listen to me. They are coming," he said, picking up his swords once again and looking in the direction of the approaching monsters. He pointed his swords towards them and formed a stance.
"Look, son, I know you have questions. But now is not the time. I'll explain everything when we get home. For now, let's go wild..." He inwardly added, 'I'm sorry, but this will be the last time you will ever see me.'
"Alright, let's talk after this is over," Suzal said, seeing both monsters closing in on them. He took a stance and charged towards the monsters.
"For now, I'll take the lead. Cover me with your magic attacks," he called out, ready to take charge in the battle. As he dashed towards the two monsters, Grafiel watched him, feeling a wave of nostalgia. Seeing Suzal, he saw a reflection of his younger self. A few tears welled up, but he knew there was no time to waste.
"ALRIGHT! Go for it, son," Grafiel shouted, beginning to mold mana within himself to prepare his attack.
Meanwhile, Suzal ran towards the Hydra with incredible speed. The Hydra, partially recovered from the previous attack, also rushed at Suzal. As the distance between them closed, the Hydra lunged, aiming to finish Suzal in one bite.
Suzal muttered, "Mighty Aura," and a superior version of mana-like energy enveloped his body, enhancing his physical capabilities and resilience. When the Hydra's mouth crashed into the ground, Suzal evaded by leaping onto a nearby tree trunk.
He then launched himself towards the Hydra with unbelievable speed, crushing the trunk slightly with the force of his legs. Before the Hydra could react, Suzal made a stance with his sword but then unleashed a basic magic attack from his hand.
Boom!
The Hydra, expecting a sword attack, was caught off guard. Suzal swiftly slashed the Hydra diagonally twice, dealing significant damage. The Hydra retaliated with its tail, but Suzal evaded by jumping into the air and landing backward. Seeing that the Hydra's gaze was fixed on him, Suzal thought, 'Okay, it's working. Now all I have to do is lead it backward.'
He rushed towards the Hydra again. The Hydra followed suit, but Suzal suddenly moved backward. The Hydra mimicked his movements. Suzal then stopped in the middle, pretending to be exhausted as he sat down and deactivated his Mighty Aura. He pondered, 'This creature must think I'm tired after using that power. Its full focus is on me, which will give...'
Boom! Boom! Boom!
'...enough time for Dad to complete his magic attack.' He ended his thought, gazing at the dead Hydra. He then turned his fierce glance to the next monster, the Minotaur, which had partially recovered from its wounds and was now rushing towards Suzal.
"Yaaaargh!!!" screamed the Minotaur as it charged toward Suzal. Suzal rushed to meet it, his mind fixed on one thought: "I will win, no matter what."
When the Minotaur got close enough, it swung its massive sword with all its might. Suzal managed to block the attack with his own swords, but the sheer force of the Minotaur's swing pushed him back. Suzal stabbed one sword into the ground to steady himself, planting his feet firmly and barely managing to withstand the attack.
The Minotaur tried to push Suzal further, but even though Suzal hadn't activated his Mighty Aura form, he held his ground. This was a testament to his newfound strength.
In the next moment, Suzal activated his Mighty Aura form, summoning all his strength to repel the Minotaur's massive sword. Undeterred, the Minotaur continued its relentless assault, swinging its sword at Suzal. It was astonishing how Suzal, despite being only a three-year-old child, could parry each attack with nearly equal strength.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As the battle wore on, Suzal began to tire, his stamina waning. He was, after all, just a three-year-old. But everything was going according to his plan.
Once again, Suzal parried the Minotaur's attack. This time, deciding to go on the offensive, he rushed directly at the Minotaur's head. The Minotaur responded by slapping him away.
Slash!
Suzal's sword slashed the Minotaur's hand in return. Enraged, the Minotaur swung its sword at Suzal, who blocked the blow with incredible speed. Another attack came from the side, but Suzal evaded it with a flip in the air. As the Minotaur prepared to swing again, Suzal darted forward, slashing at its legs and escaping through the gap between them.
Suzal moved to the Minotaur's back, positioning his sword for a stab. He plunged his blade into the Minotaur's back, then sprinted toward a nearby tree. The Minotaur, seeing Suzal without a weapon, charged at him, determined to finish him off. But Suzal smiled, thinking, "Perfect, it's coming exactly where I want it to be."
Just as the Minotaur was about to reach him, the ground around it exploded, causing it to fall into the pit. But the ordeal was far from over.
"Elemental Style: Inferno Pitfall," muttered Grafiel as he snapped his fingers. Watching the scene, he thought, 'This Suzal... He has already surpassed me. To think he would kill two B Rank monsters almost single-handedly is truly commendable. With him, I think I can pass away peacefully now.'
'I'm really sorry, Lily, Suzal, and my precious villagers. It seems I couldn't make it after all.'
With those thoughts lingering, Grafiel suddenly collapsed to the ground, drawing Suzal's immediate attention. Before Grafiel could hit the ground, there was a swift movement.
Swoosh!
Suzal rushed forward, catching Grafiel just in time. Seeing his father in such a state, Suzal's mind raced with a single, pressing thought: 'This isn't just mana exhaustion. He still has over 13% of his total mana. Why is he unconscious? Could it be the pain? No, he was fighting just fine until now. Then that means...'
Suddenly, realization struck Suzal.
His father had been poisoned by the Hydra. Without the antidote, Grafiel stood no chance of surviving. The poison had already spread throughout his body over the last thirty minutes.
Drip! Drip!
Tears began to stream down Suzal's face, his expression transforming into one of profound sorrow and fear. He cried out, "You! Dad... YOU GODDAMN LIAR!!! YOU SAID WE WOULD TALK AGAIN, AND NOW YOU'RE LEAVING ME ALL ALONE!?" His screams echoed with raw emotion as he wept for minutes, until yet another calamity was about to unfold.
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion erupted in the distance, capturing Suzal's attention. He turned towards the source of the sound, and another horrifying realization dawned on him. 'That direction... No, no, no. That's where the village is. Damn it!' He thought as he grabbed his sword and carefully lifted Grafiel's lifeless body, rushing towards his home.
As he ran, he vowed, 'Whoever you are, you won't escape. Not until I give you a punishment worse than death.'
Suzal unlocked his Mighty Aura, propelling himself forward with renewed speed. The moment he arrived at the village, the sight before him made his heart sink.
He dropped his sword and Grafiel's body. His entire village lay in ruins, obliterated by an explosion with the power almost equivalent to a small nuclear weapon.
"AAAAAAARGH!!!" Suzal screamed with all his might, his fists clenching so tightly they trembled. He fell to his knees, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his loss. 'So, this is what it feels like to lose everything you ever had.'
Though Suzal's thoughts were a whirlwind of despair, outwardly he screamed in agony, unable to contain his grief. Then, in the next moment...
"Hey! Can you tone it down a bit? My old ears almost bled after hearing your scream," said an old man as he entered the village, surveying the scene with surprise. He thought, 'I was expecting some minor damage, but this... Who would've thought the entire village would be gone?'
"Hey, you. Were you the one who did this?" Suzal asked in a cold, emotionless voice, a stark contrast to his once cheerful nature.
'I see. Revenge, huh?' the old man thought as Suzal spoke again, "Hey! I just asked you a question."
Deciding to toy with Suzal, the old man put on a wicked grin and lied, "Yes, that would be me. Why, did I do something wrong by wiping your village off the map? Hahaha! You know what?" he said, using a tone befitting a villain.
"What?" Suzal asked.
Leaning in closer, the old man's eyes gleamed with false malice as he said, "Your village... It was quite the enjoyable plaything for my boring times, you see."