Chapter 508: Popora Kidnapped

Conis, Mikita, Robin, and Marianne stepped into the dimly lit cave. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly around them, and the air was cool and damp. 

"It's eerie in here," Marianne remarked, her voice bouncing off the stone walls. 

"We've handled worse than a spooky cave," Mikita said. 

"There are creepy spiders which only eat cute girls," Robin remarked. 

Marianne gasped. "Spiders," Marianne said. 

"She is only joking," Mikita said, defusing the situation. 

"She is," Conis agreed. Robin smiled. 

"You seem in a good mood lately," Mikita said, looking at Robin. "There is a glow to you," she added. 

"There is a glow to you all," Robin responded. "And how could there not be, we have a very capable lover," she teased.

Marianne and Conis blushed. "And, I have to thank all my sisters," Robin said, looking at them.

"I will do my best," Marianne said as she pumped her fist. 

"You are part of our crew, our sister, we were not going to let you die," Conis added as she looked at Robin. 

"I know," Robin said. "I know," she added. 

"Mikita, your past," Robin commented. 

"It is not the happiest," Mikita responded. "But it makes me who I am," she added. "I know I was a bad person before, that flashback did not show all," Mikita explained. 

"We all were working for the same bad person," Marianne said. 

"We did but now we are under him," Robin said. 

"Ben is not like him," Conis stated. She had not met their previous boss but she was confident Ben was different. 

"That is true, nothing is like him," Mikita said. 

"He is one of a kind for sure," Robin remarked. 

"He is the best," Marianne said. They all giggled. 

"We somehow always end up talking about him," Mikita said. 

"We should be," Robin said. Her heart swelled just thinking about Ben. She thought it could not be healthy. 

At that moment, Popora, a rabbit creature appeared. "Stop," Popora said. 

"The cute bunny is back," Marianne said. 

"It is cute," Robin agreed. 

Popora gripped his staff tightly, his expression firm and resolute. "I will not let you free him," he said. 

Robin stepped forward. "We understand your resolve, Popora. You've been guarding him alone for years, haven't you?" she said. 

Popora's eyes flickered briefly with a mix of pride and sorrow, but he said nothing.

Marianne took a step closer. "It must have been lonely... standing watch here all this time. Carrying such a heavy burden on your own," she added. 

Conis added gently, her wings folding slightly behind her. "You don't have to do this alone anymore," she said. 

Mikita crossed her arms and smirked confidently. "Our Captain and crew can handle whatever's locked away down here," she said. 

At that moment, a faint light appeared behind them. They all turned. The light began to coalesce, gradually forming a distinct shape. They saw Green General, Two Sword Soldiers and Mass Soldier.

"Looks like we have company," Mikita said. 

Popora tightened his grip on his staff and looked at the Soldiers and General. 

"Mass Charge," Mass Soldier said as he jumped into the air, curling into a massive, spinning ball. He barreled forward at alarming speed, aiming directly at the group.

"Iron Body," Mikita said as her body hardened like steel as she stood firm in his path. The Mass Soldier collided with her, the impact reverberating through the cave. Mikita slid back several feet but remained upright, brushing off the collision. "That's all you got?" she taunted, a sly grin on her face. She thought it did not hurt however she got pushed back. 

Conis raised her javelin. "Inferno Strike," she called as she channeled intense heat into the weapon's tip. Flames crackled to life as she thrust the javelin forward, releasing a scorching wave of fire. The blast struck the Mass Soldier square in the face, forcing him to uncurl and sending him crashing onto his back, burnt marks scarring his armor.

"Thanks," Mikita said, looking at Conis. 

"I am happy to help," Conis rescinded. 

"Rocketman," Green General said as his arms transformed into Rocketman. He charged forward like a living train, emitting a piercing whistle.

Marianne held out an Impact Dial. The force of the charging Green General collided with the dial, the raw power pushing Marianne back as her boots scraped against the rocky floor. 

"Cuatro Fleur," Robin said as she sprouted four arms on Marianne's back. The additional limbs braced her, stabilizing her stance. "Steady now," she remarked. 

Marianne nodded and pressed the dial's button. "Impact Dial," she said as she released the stored energy in a massive shockwave. The Green General was blasted backward, tumbling through the air before slamming into the far wall. His metal limbs sparked as he struggled to rise.

The two Sword Soldiers charged towards Popora. Popora, raised his staff. He spun his staff and deflected a quick slash from the first Sword Soldier.

The other soldier lunged. His sword swung down. Popora leaned back just in time, the blade grazing mere inches from his face. Twisting on his heel, he dodged another swing from the first soldier, the blade narrowly missing his torso as he spun away.

The Sword Soldiers moved in perfect tandem, their blades swinging in wide arcs. Popora ducked as both blades swung simultaneously from opposite sides. Popora leapt back and twirled his staff. He drove it downward into the ground, using it to propel himself into a somersault over another incoming attack.

"Sword Attack," Sword Soldier said as he swung his sword arm. Popora saw this and thought he could not dodge it. 

"Meteor Fist," Mikita said as she dramatically increased the weight in one of her hands. She swung her fist towards the Sword Soldier. The impact was explosive, generating a shockwave that rippled through the cave. Sword Soldier was flunk back and crashed on the ground. His armour had a huge dent. "Careful," Mikita said, looking at Popora. Popora gave her a blank look.

"Finger Pistol," Conis said as she lunged forward. She thrusted her index and middle fingers into Mass Soldier's shoulder. A metallic clang echoed through the cave as her fingers struck his thick armor, leaving a small but noticeable dent. Mass Soldier staggered slightly.

"Once Fleur," Robin said as eleven arms sprouted from Mass Soldier's body. "Slam," Robin added. The arms gripped the giant soldier firmly. She slammed him into a nearby wall. Dust and debris swirled around him.

Marianne aimed her Yellow Gun. She pulled the trigger. A dice-shaped projectile streaked through the air. The bullet struck Mass Soldier square in the chest. The projectile detonated on impact. A massive explosion erupted, engulfing the soldier in a dazzling burst of light and force. The blast sent a shockwave rippling through the cavern, scattering loose stones and illuminating the walls with a golden glow. When the light faded, Mass Soldier's massive frame flickered briefly before disintegrating into countless particles of light.

General General got up. "Axe Hand," Green General said as he transformed its right hand into a giant axe and swung it at Robin. 

"Shave," Conis said as she vanished in a blur of motion. In the blink of an eye, she reappeared between Green General and Robin. She raised her lane and blocked the attack. There was a loud metal clang. 

"Ochenta Fleur," Robin said as she sprouted eighty arms on Green General all over the place. 

"Cuatro Manos," said as she combined her eighty arms into four gigantic hands on the upper part of his neck. "Shock," Robin finally said as her two pairs of large arms started punching the head of the Green General. The first hit made a large dent. The second hit made a larger dent. The third hit broke the helmet. Pieces of metal went flying and Green General turned to light. 

"Another one down," Robin said. 

"Yes there are two more now," Conis said. 

"Meteor Strike," Mikita said. With a powerful leap, she launched herself high into the air, her silhouette briefly eclipsing the dim light of the cave. She exponentially increased her weight, transforming herself into a human meteor. She plummeted towards the Sword Soldier below.

The Sword Soldier looked up, raising its sword arm defensively, but it was too late. Mikita's descent was unstoppable. With an earth-shattering crash, Mikita collided with the Sword Soldier, slamming into it with immense force. The ground beneath them cracked and cratered from the impact, sending a powerful shockwave rippling outward. Dust and debris flew in all directions, the sheer force of the blow causing nearby rocks to tremble and small stalactites to rain down from the cave ceiling.

The Sword Soldier was driven into the ground with devastating power. Its armor crumpled under the immense weight and force of Mikita's attack. Cracks spread across its metallic surface like a spiderweb before pieces began to fall away. The cracks widened, light pouring out from its damaged frame until, with a brilliant flash, it disintegrated into countless particles of light that floated upward and vanished into the air.

"That is three down," Marianne said. 

"Where is the other one?" Mikita asked. 

At that moment, they saw Popora trapped in the arm of the Sword Soldier. Another three were around him. "Let him go," Mikita shouted. 

However it was too late and they descended down in a black mist and disappeared. 

"No," Marianne said. 

"Looks like more had appeared," Conis said. 

"They took him somewhere," Mikita said. 

"Alive and unharmed, so they need him for something," Robin remarked. 

"We should tell Ben this," Conis said. They all nodded. 

"Strange that nothing spawned from them," Robin said.