1134 The battle for Maynard Ind (11)


    Taking advantage of the chaos, Erik focused on Vex. The time maniptor was dangerous at close range and had single-handedly saved hisrades more times than he could count.


    <How much time passed?> nced at his clock. <250 seconds. They are going to find out soon Terra is dead; I need to move.>


    Erik targeted Vex and unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts that forced the Vindicator to constantly teleport.


    "Restro, I need backup!"


    The constant spatial jumps were taking their toll.


    Restro surged forward and aimed a powerful blow at Erik''s head, but Erik anticipated the move. At thest moment, he ducked, seized Restro''s arm, and used the Vindicator''s momentum to fling him towards Vex, who had just appeared behind him trying to take him off-guard.


    The Vindicator''s leader slowed time around himself and Restro just in time. But Erik had anticipated this. He hurled a wind de, its edge sharpened by frost, straight at Vex.


    The de sliced through the air. For Vex, they were moving in slow motion, but there was so little distance, and the des were still fast enough that he couldn''t fully dodge. It caught him in the side, cutting deep into his shoulder.


    Vex fell to his knees, holding his wounded shoulder. Restro came to help his friend, using his armor to create a protective shield around them both. Then he turned the outeryer into acid. Whatevernded on it was going to instantly melt.


    "Vex, hang on!" The man looked at him. "Where''s Terra? Why isn''t he helping?!"


    He gritted his teeth against the pain, grabbed his radio, and tried to contact their earth-manipting ally.


    "Terra, Terra! Are you here? What are you doing? We need your help."


    But there was no answer.


    "Terra... Terra''s not responding."


    Restro''s face paled. "What? How could-"


    His words were cut short as Erik''sughter rang out. "Took you long enough to notice. Your friend met a rather... unfortunate end. But don''t worry, you''ll be joining him soon enough."


    "You bastard!" Vex snarled, struggling to his feet despite the pain. "Check the clock," Vex whispered.


    "One minute."


    "We need to resist for a minute, and then we die."


    Restro nodded, his armor shifting once more. Spikes erupted all over its surface, gleaming wickedly in the light. He used the spikes to send Acid toward Erik, who was forced to jump away.


    "A minute, Restro!"


    Vex teleported behind Erik, sending his Time Freeze power into overdrive, shing at the younger man with desperation.


    Restro joined the fray. He couldn''t use acid again, or he would injure Vex, but his armor became a whirlwind of des. However, he moved, he was going to attack, and Erik had to be careful not to injure himself when he did the same. As the Vindicators closed in, he activated his Phantom Veil and vanished from sight.


    "Clever trick," Vex spat, blood dripping from his wounds. "But we''re not done yet."


    There was still water on the ground they could use to track him down, or so they tried. In fact, Erik simply hovered far enough away to create a dome of fire safely. That made the surrounding water evaporate.


    Vex finally saw his chance at winning null.


    Erik reappeared several meters from the Vindicators. There was a grin on his face.


    "Well, you are done now."


    In truth, even without Terra, the two Vindicators were holding their own against him rather well. If the battle had just started, he wouldn''t be having a so simple time right now. Most of the situation was currently happening because Terra died. Erik had to close the game now, though, because he started feeling weird mana fluctuations in the air,ing from the ckguards'' main building. Something was happening there. To close this duel, he needed the Chimaeric Demons, and that was exactly why he was stalling for time.


    The Chimaeric Demons were going to pounce on them, but the Veritas Lenses would not make sneak attacks easy to be done. He needed the two to focus on him.


    "Are we?" Vex said. He, too, wanted to waste time as much as possible.


    "Yes… You are…"


    "00:00 Vex!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They did it, but then twenty figures materialized around the two. They were Erik''s soldiers. Their appearance caught even Vex off guard. For a second, since it was now 00:00, he thought the third divisionmander might have been able to join them in the fight, but their appearance meant he was going to die here. Yet he didn''t abandon himself to desperation. He already knew he was going to die today with 90% of the .


    Before either Vindicator could react, the clones moved. Their hands shot out, gripping Restro''s head. There was a sickening crack as they snapped his neck.


    [VINDICATOR RESTRO KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]


    [0%...1%... 5%... 30%... 70%... 100%]


    [MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]


    [3...2...1...0]


    [MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 1,035,989 EXPERIENCE POINTS AND 10359.89 DNA POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]


    Restro''s body crumpled, his armor dissolving into nothingness. Vex prepared to teleport away to escape this nightmare and regroup with the third divisionmander. Maybe there was still a chance, but Erik was faster. A barrage of wind des sliced through the air and cut Vex''s limbs.


    He screamed, blood pooling beneath him. His powers flickered and died, leaving him helpless on the ground.


    Erik stood over the fallen Vindicator. "It''s over. You fought well, but it wasn''t enough."


    Vex red up at him, defiance burning in his eyes despite the pain. "Go to hell, you monster!" Erik shook his head. "Not before you..." He raised his hand, electricity arcing between his fingers. Vex opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut short. A bolt of lightning struck him, ending his life.


    As thest of the Vindicators fell, Erik felt another surge of mana. [VINDICATOR VEX KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]


    [0%...1%... 5%... 30%... 70%... 100%]


    [MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]


    [3...2...1...0]


    [MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 1,003,871 EXPERIENCE POINTS AND 10038.71 DNA POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]


    He looked around at the battlefield.


    The area was destroyed. The ground was pepper-pocked with holes from the fight. The air buzzed with leftover energy from their shing powers.


    Erik turned to his Chimaeric Demon clones. "Well done," he said. "Collect the brain crystal and blood. I want these powers."


    "Yes, master…"


    But then the ground started trembling.