Ryuta And Zodiac Ruins(5)

Ryuta stood at the front, his body glowing with radiant white light aura, his sword humming with divine energy. The Return to Life ability had been invoked, pushing him beyond human limits—but even now, his breathing was heavy, sweat trailing down his face.

Behind him, the Zodiac Ruins—Aelius, Leonis, Kael, Orion, and Zephyr—stood ready, each flaring with their respective power. But in front of them, five elite elves now advanced with deadly precision.

Cubi, the Fastest Elf Knight, vanished in a blur of speed. His Lightning Sword zapped across the battlefield with a piercing shriek of electricity.

Ryuta blocked just in time—but barely. Sparks erupted where their blades met, and Cubi grinned.

"You're quick for a human... or whatever you are now," Cubi said, eyes locked with Ryuta's.

"I'm something you've never seen," Ryuta replied, pushing back with a flare of white aura.

Behind them, Zircon released a volley of wind-imbued arrows. Each shot curved mid-air, homing toward Leonis and Orion.

Orion flipped back, drawing his bow mid-air. "You wanna play range? Let's play range!" He unleashed his own arrow, clashing mid-air with Zircon's, creating a sonic explosion.

Leonis charged forward, sunlight blazing from his fists. He swatted away one of the arrows and roared, "You'll need more than sticks to take down the Sunfire King!"

Sibiya, the Elf Necromancer, whispered incantations from behind the frontline. Shadows coiled from her staff, creating undead wolves that pounced at Kael.

Kael leapt back, drawing a thin curved dagger. "Ugh, necromancers. So dramatic." She danced through the wolves, slashing with grace and poison. "Try something new, sweetheart!"

Phi, the Tank, charged directly at Aelius, raising his massive Earth Shield. Their impact cracked the earth beneath them as fire clashed against stone.

"You're tough," Aelius growled, pushing against the shield. "But I burn hotter."

Phi grunted. "Then burn."

In the sky, Zen and his Ice Dragon swooped down.

Zephyr raised both hands, summoning a spiral of cold water and hot water. "Air versus water? This is going to be fun," he said with a smirk. Water emerged from the ground and it began forming as he ascended midair with water platform in his feet, ready to intercept Zen in the skies.

Back on the ground, Ryuta engaged Cubi again. Cubi was everywhere—slashing from the left, then vanishing and appearing above. Each strike carried an electric volt.

One hit connected to Ryuta's shoulder, sending him sliding back.

"You can shine all you want," Cubi said, landing with a smirk, "but light doesn't mean you're untouchable."

Ryuta's chest rose and fell. The Return to Life aura still burned around him, but something was off. His hands trembled.

He was getting tired.

"Why… am I slowing down?" he muttered. He glanced at his sword. It was still glowing.

"Because you're pushing yourself too far," said a voice—Zephyr, through the mental link the Zodiac Ruins shared. "Return to Life may be divine, but it's still bound by your physical form."

"I can keep going," Ryuta replied.

Suddenly, Kael was thrown near him, crashing into the ground with a groan.

"Little help?" she coughed, pointing at Sibiya's shadow hounds chasing her.

Ryuta moved on instinct, slashing with a radiant arc. Soul energy blazed from his blade. The shadows evaporated.

"Thanks," Kael muttered, backflipping into the fight.

Zen's Ice Dragon let out a roar, freezing the battlefield with a breath. Snow coated the area instantly, slowing movement.

"This battlefield is ours now," Zen called from above.

But Zephyr wasn't done. "You're not the only one who commands something."

He snapped his fingers. Water speared through the ground and struck the dragon's wing. It shrieked and dropped altitude.

Meanwhile, Aelius unleashed Flare Breaker, engulfing Phi in an inferno. The Earth Elf resisted, shielding himself, but even he staggered under the intensity.

Leonis roared, slamming a solar punch into Zircon's bow, snapping it in half. "Nice shots. Too bad you're out of arrows."

Zircon cursed and vanished into the trees to regroup.

Cubi dashed again, this time aiming to finish it. His sword surged with lightning—his fastest move yet.

"Thunder Flash!" he shouted.

Time slowed for Ryuta. His thoughts raced.

I can't block this.

But he didn't need to.

He breathed deeply. "Return to Life..."

His sword pulsed with something different—Divine energy.

He swung.

"Divine Slash."

A wave of Yellow and white light burst from his sword, not made of matter—but Divine. It passed through Cubi's lightning slash like smoke, and struck him in the chest.

Cubi dropped, stunned, light crackling around him.

"That… wasn't physical," Cubi muttered.

"Exactly," Ryuta said. "Your speed means nothing against the Divine."

The Zodiac Ruins stared for a moment—silent.

"That… was impressive," Leonis admitted.

"Show-off, but I liked it." Kael whispered with a grin.

But the battle wasn't over.

Sibiya rose higher, her staff glowing. Zen regained altitude. Phi slammed the ground, causing quakes. Zircon reemerged with two new shortbows.

Five elves still stood.

And Ryuta, though shining with light, staggered on his feet.

"Still weak?" Kael asked.

Ryuta nodded. "Still standing."