CHAPTER 28-SPLIT DECISION

Back to current time after the flashback.

The scene was frozen in shock as everyone gazed upon Zesh's lifeless body, cradled in Aza's arms.

Kyll sneered, "Why cry, little girl? He's not even your real brother... hahaha. From the intel we learned from Genjo, he was always just a friend of the family. Don't weep over the weak."Aza slowly stood up, gently laying Zesh's body on the ground. Her eyes blazed with determination and rage.

"You will die by my hand, Kyll,"

.""Anooooo Jael!" Aza's battle cry echoed through the air as she charged forward, ready to face Kyll and exact her revenge.

Kyll prepares: "Sounds good."

Aza rushes him with a dark blue aura, her hammer glowing with an orange and red aura.Aza charged at Kyll with a fierce battle cry, swinging her enormous hammer with full force. Kyll slid under the attack, using Aza's momentum against her. With a swift kick, he sent her crashing to the ground.

As Aza struggled to get back to her feet, Kyll seized the opportunity to strike. He rolled towards her, sword at the ready, but Aza dodged the attack by a hair's breadth.

Before Kyll could recover, Sol appeared behind him, his blade glowing with an intense blue light. "SPIRIT SLASH!" Sol unleashed a powerful slash, sending a massive blue wave crashing towards Kyll.

Kyll leapt into the air, extending his sword to avoid the attack. The wave sent him flying, but he quickly regained his composure, sensing a new threat.

Nobu launched a barrage of arrows at Kyll, who blocked three with his blade and dodged the other three at the last second. Landing gracefully, Kyll was met with a giant hammer swing from Aza, who had recovered from her earlier fall.Kyll countered the attack with his sword, then kicked Aza hard, sending her flying across the battlefield. Nobu charged forward, his claws swiping wildly at Kyll.With incredible agility, Kyll dodged each attack, then jumped into the air. But Nobu was ready, wrapping his wires around Kyll's foot and pulling him towards him.As Nobu swung his claws at Kyll, he cut through the wires at the last second, blocking the attack. With a fierce cry, Kyll spun forward, head-butting Nobu with incredible force.

Nobu stumbled back, bleeding from the top of his skull, but a sinister smile spread across his face. "Got ya now!"

With a flick of his wrist, Nobu sent more wires wrapping around Kyll, cocooning him and sending him flying into the air. Nobu shot an arrow at the wired cocoon, but Kyll shifted his body slightly, making the arrow hit his leg instead of his upper body.

As Kyll fell back down to the ground, Sol charged his blade, aiming at Kyll. "SM3-BLADE OF LIGHT!" Sol pulled his blade all the way back, then shot forward, unleashing a gigantic blade wave.

Kyll thought quickly, his mind racing for a way to escape. "Man, they got me.."

(BOOOMMMMMM)

Kyll emerged from the cocoon, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. "Well, you hit the cocoon, but I got out of it last second…."

The crowd gasped in shock, their voices echoing through the air.

Sol's eyes widened in disbelief. "How????"

Kyll's grin grew wider. "Well, as you can see now, I'm in Cursed Mode, which increases all my attacks by fifty percent. So, with fifty percent more strength, that made it a lot easier to make my sword a lot lighter. So, last second, I sliced your attack right down the middle."

Sol shook his head, stunned. "No way..."

Kyll sneered, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "I've seen almost all of you attack. Where is...?"

Suddenly, Khayjin and Aza appeared on either side of Kyll, their eyes blazing with determination.

Aza's voice in her strong battle cry. "DIEEEEEEEEEE!"

Khayjin's voice echoed through the air. "WIND BREAKERRRRRRRRR!"

Together, they launched a simultaneous attack, Kyll was caught off guard.

Kyll's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't see this one coming... Crap!"

Adon: "THOSE TWO GOT HIM LINED UP PERFECTLY!"

Just as Aza and Khayjin were about to strike, two massive hands grabbed them mid-attack, holding them in place.

Cyro stood tall, his giant fists appearing from his back to grasp Khayjin and Aza, holding them in place.

Cyro's voice was filled with a newfound understanding. "One thing I learned from watching you all fight is that there's a family aspect. You all fight protecting each other. This is something I've never witnessed before. I must say, you all have inspired me to keep my brother protected. I thank you all."

Khayjin and Aza struggled in Cyro's grasp, but he continued, his voice dripping with menace. "Now, you two in my hands... I will crush you to death."

Kayge's voice was laced with urgency. "We gotta save them before he breaks their bones."

Nobu's eyes widened in surprise. "Two hands coming from his back... what is this? He also still has his two regular arms... this guy is bad news."

Kyll nodded in approval. "Good save, little brother. Not gonna lie, they probably would have killed me with that one."

Cyro began to speak, a sly grin spreading across his face. "We must do as they say... protect each other. However, I have a plan that will separate us from them. I think we..."

Before Cyro could finish, Zeyta appeared out of nowhere, launching a fierce attack. Her sword sliced through Cyro's arm, freeing Khayjin.

Zeyta apologized, her chest heaving with exertion. "Sorry I'm late, Khayjin. Had to wait for an opportunity to strike unexpectedly. We still gotta get Aza... she's suffocating."

Khayjin laughed, relieved. "Haha, Zeyta, you're still here!?"

Zeyta smiled, sheathing her sword. "Yeah, got stuck in the Ring after I congratulated you. Just been waiting for the plan of attack... That slash didn't even faze this guy."

Aza's voice was weak, her body limp. "Sorry, guys... I'm gonna die here... I have no energy left."

Zane's voice boomed, his eyes fixed on Cyro. "Heyyyyy, why you choking out a lady?"

The crowd erupted into cheers. "Zaneeeeeeee!"

Zane grinned, cracking his knuckles. "I don't know what I missed, but Kayge kinda gave me a summary... So, these two are the big baddies? Hey, Mom, can I go all out now?"

Hela's voice was stern yet encouraging. "Yes, son, yes, you can."You can't hear me but please discern me son.

Cyro sneered, confident. "Hmm, I've seen you display your techniques... I don't think you're a match at all."

Zane smirked, unfazed. "I don't care what a demon or Cursed thinks... Plus, I've got help!"

(FwaaaaaaaBOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM)

Khayjin's fist connected with Cyro's face, a fully-charged punch sending him flying across the battlefield.His big hand let go Aza but she was knocked outt.still breathing.

Kyll swung his blade at Khayjin, but Sol blocked the attack, his sword flashing in the light.

Cyro walked slowly back towards the middle of the arena, a calculated glint in his eye. "Hmmm, as I thought, our chances decrease if we just fight you all at once. We'll just keep facing special attacks back to back if we keep things this way. Time to execute Plan Number One..."

"Cm3-DARK QUAKE!" Cyro gently touched the floor, and the entire arena shook, sending everyone stumbling back in fear. The ground split in half, revealing a lower and upper arena.

Ark's eyes widened in shock. "What? How can he break through my arena floor? It's made of chromium!"

Genjo cackled with glee. "You all have no idea how powerful my two students are! Hahaaaaaa..."

After the dust settled, Kyll spoke up, a sly grin spreading across his face. "What's your plan, brother?"

Cyro smiled, his eyes glinting with strategy. "Half will fight me in the lower arena, the other half will fight you in this upper arena."

Sol's eyes narrowed, skeptical. "What makes you think we have to agree to those terms?"

Cyro shrugged, unconcerned. "Well, if you don't, I'll just kill you all in the matter of five minutes. I want a challenge, and I want to fight people similar to my style of close-range strategy combat. The others who carry weapons should fight Kyll."

Cyro's gaze swept across the group, his voice dripping with menace. "Either way, pick your team and send my opponents down to me. I'll be waiting. You all have five minutes to decide. If you can't, I'll go full power and end everything."

The group stood in stunned silence, the weight of Cyro's words hanging in the air.

Rouke's voice was barely above a whisper. "This is terrible..."

Cyro jumps down to lower arena his voice echoed I'll be waiting

Chapter ends

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