Chapter 21:Ceros’s Plan?!(2)

(Ceros)"The plan is simple," four words, brief and direct, carrying a weight far greater than they seemed. Behind them lay a strategy, already set into motion, one that had no room for hesitation. "You raise your elemental power and hold him off for as long as you can." His voice was steady. "Once I'm ready—" a pause. Not one of doubt, but of certainty of absolute confidence in what was to come. "I'll finish this." Ceros's gaze remained locked on Tarra as he spoke, his words carrying an undeniable finality.

Tarra, standing just a few steps away, listened intently. No interruptions. No questions. Only silent understanding. After a moment, she gave a firm nod. It was a simple gesture, yet in that smalll movement lay her full acceptance of the role she was about to play. That single confirmation was all Ceros needed to draw a calm, knowing smile across his face.

(Tarra)"Ceros." His name left her lips in a measured tone, one laced with something deeper. Anticipation? Curiosity? Perhaps even something unspoken. Ceros tilted his head slightly, his half-lidded gaze shifted toward her. His expression didn't change, yet there was an unmistakable certainty in his demeanor, as if he already knew exactly what she was about to say. "I already know…" she spoke slowly, deliberately, as though weighing each word before lettingit slip into the open.

(Tarra)"…that you were hiding your true potential." Ceros's eyes flickered—just for a fraction of a second. It wasn't shock, not entirely, but rather a moment of quit acknowledgment. Until now, he had assumed only one person in this sector truly knew the full extent of his power—the sector master, Poisoner. And yet, Tarra had seen through him all along, not because she really knew his true potential, but rather as a strong warrior like her, she would know who is stronger than the other and Ceros had to be stronger than Inferno, although not so sure, she knew that Ceros was truly strong long ago.

(Tarra)"But.." she hesitated, her voice trailing off just slightly. "Is it because you're saving it for surprise counters, or—" her words stopped, not because she was interrupted, but because she chose to stop speaking. A conscious decision. A deliberate silence. She didn't need to finish the sentence. The question itself was enough. For a moment, the air between them felt heavier, as though an unspoken understanding had passed between them. And then, Ceros laughed!

No a loud or mocking laugh, but a low, measured chuckle, one that carried both amusement and something else—something deeper. His grin widened, his gaze shifted past Tarra, landing instead on the special case standing in distance.

(Ceros)"If you want to know…" a pause, followed by a slight sigh, as if savoring the moment. "Yes." His voice was steady, his tone devoid od hesitation. "There's a reason for that." Tarra didn't react outwardly. She merely nodded, a small but knowing motion, one that said she had expected this answer all along. Ceros let out a slow breath, his fingers flexing slightly at his sides. "I'll make sure to end that fly with my next attack." His voice had changed, nolonger just a statement, but a declaration. "But everything depends on you, Tarra."

His words struck differently this time, echoing in Tarra's ears. Tarra had faced so many strong, ruthless warriors than most could even comprehend. She was a master, one of the strongest in her sector. And yet, in that moment, she felt something she hadn't before.

The weight of his words, the sheer gravity of the responsibility now resing on her shoulders. This fight—this outcome—depended on her.

***

At this exact moment in the timeline of thier fight, Tarra prepared to unleash yet another combined technique. The weight of Ceros's words still pressed against her, not as a burden but as an unshakable resolve. With her focus honed solely on destruction, she slammed her left leg into the ground. A violent tremor riplled outward, the force splintering the battlefield beneath her, jagged cracks racing in all directions. The shock sent a shudder through the terrain, causing the special case's footing to falter, his evasion rendered useless, his defensive block nearly impossible.

He had only one hope left—to raise his elemental power high enough to endure the unstoppable force that was about to strike. But Tarra's eyes, widened slightly, did not reflect surprise or hesitation. Instead, they gleamed with the cold, merciless certainty of a predator who had finally cornered its prey. The true definition of death stare!

(Tarra)'Everything depends on you, Tarra.' Ceros's voice echoed in her mind, his trust in her weighing heavier than the power she wielded. 'I will make this happen! I won't let your words fall in vain, Ceros.' A promise, silent yet absolute, bound itself to her like an unbroken contract.

'Tarra terra power—' the special case, desperate now, surged his dark power higher, his only chance at survival. Yet from his perspective, the terror unfolding before him was more than mere power—it was a force beyond reason, beyond comprehension. His breathing grew ragged, his heartbeat erratic as a primal fear he never thought possible seized him whole.

(Tarra)"99%!!" Her voice cut through the battlefield like decree of execution, raw with fure and determination. The sheer magnitude of her aura burst from her body in an uncontrollable wave, distorting the very air around her. The special case recoiled, his body instinctively registering the danger before his mind could process it. His skin felt as though it were being scorched just by standing within the range of her unleashed presence.

He tried to raise his dark power once more. He had to. But—

It was too late.

A split second later, the ground beneath Tarra shattered as her attack landed, an explosion of devastating force consumed everything in its wake. The impact sent tremor so intense it traveled far beyond the battlefield, reaching even Strokash and—

Where is Ceros??

The special case was no longer fighting. He was being thrown. His body shot backward like a broken doll, tearing through every structure, every obstacle in his path. He tumbled, helpless, the sheer force of the attack refusing to let him regain control. The world around him spun violently until, at last, his momentum died down. He crashed onto the ground, a motionless heap of bruised flesh and broken pride.

His chest heaved. Blood spilled from his mouth in thick, heavy coughs.

"Khaa—cough! Khaaa—" his voice came out hoarse, ragged. "That… damn… Terra Fly… cough!"

His trembling fingers clawed at the ground, weakly pressing against the cracked surface beneath him. He lifted his head, forcing himself to look at Tarra.

She was standing still.

Unmoving!

Not advancing to finish him off!

His mind scrambled, alarmed. 'Why is she just standing there? She had the perfect chance to end me—why isn't she moving?!' Then it hit him.

'That feeling I had before she attacked…' his thoughts snapped into clarity, but his body tensed for an entirely different reason. Something was wrong!

The battlefield darkened—not in shadow, but in something far more unnatural. The very air seemed to shift, the weight of reality bending as an eerie glow bathed the sky in deep, pulsating hues. The reddish tint expanded, swallowing the previous light, tainting the atmosphere with an unsettling energy.

The special case felt it before he saw it.

A presence above!

A colossal surge of aura, so vast and oppressive that the very air around him became suffocating. His breath hitched. His muscles locked. And finally, with mounting dread, he forced his eyes upward.

"What the hell is happening…?" His voice barely escaped his lips.

Hovering high above him, a figure stood amidst the storm of violent energy.

Ceros!

His body radiated power, the force rolling off him in relentless waves, stirring the sky itself into chaos. His eyes burned with an intensity that had not been seen in years, a presence that had long been buried beneath restraint.

Ceros inhaled deeply, relishing that feeling that coarsed through him.

(Ceros)"Hahhhh… this feeling…" his voice was low, almost breathless. "I haven't felt like this in a long, long time." A smirk crept across his lips as he peered down at the battered special case, his expression devoid of mercy.

(Ceros)"Your time has come, Dark fly." His voice turned cold, grinning at the special case from above. The special case didn't realize yet that it was Ceros.

(Ceros)"Vulcan Technique, Third Form:——-"