Arc II: “Universal Threat”
Chapter II: “Mythical Kaelithian”
Episode IX: “Juggernaut II”
Rayon, Darc, and Zane touched down in front of Kyte.
“Dammit! We were too late!” Zane said, scanning the decimated shoreline.
Kyte stood over his fallen foes, eyes cold, remorse absent.
I must keep moving forward… until I’m reunited with my brother.
“HAAAAAH!”
Kyte’s aether tore wide open.
“Quickly!” Rayon snapped. “No holding back, unleash everything you have!”
Rayon’s Spirit Bloom, Darc’s Full Power Booster, and Zane’s AIII came online against the unstoppable behemoth.
These three… are nothing.
Kyte’s output sank to his Mastered Spirit Resonance.
He’s not taking us seriously, Rayon thought.
But that’s fine… this will be a challenging battle regardless.
Rayon met Kyte blow for blow.
He’s still holding back, I can tell.
“Pulverizing Charge!” Darc shouted as he drove forward.
“Laser Cannon!” Zane yelled as he used his suit to formulate a piercing shot of aether.
Rayon rocked back, creating the lane for Zane and Darc to fire.
Kyte didn’t so much as blink.
No effect… As I thought, I’m the only one who can contend with him right now. And even then, I’m only standing a chance because he isn’t trying.
“Darc.”
“Yeah?”
“I think we have to do it.”
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“It? You mean—?”
“Yeah… Zane!”
“What? What are you guys planning?”
“Buy us one minute. If you can do that, we might actually have a chance of winning.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Alright… then I’ll put it all on the line,” Zane said, shedding his suit— the metallic plates peeling off like dead skin.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t just watch. Do whatever it is that you need to do.”
“R-right.”
Rayon and Darc flew away a short distance.
“Giving up because your friends are leaving you?” Kyte asked.
“Mind your business, beast. I’m more than enough to entertain you! Exo Suit!”
Like sand, nanoparticles streamed over Zane’s body. They knitted themselves into a full-body suit—a new profile, fresh design.
I sense something dangerous coming… but this man is still weak— no! After seeing what that boy could do, I shouldn’t underestimate these people.
“Now, I’m ready! Overdrive!”
Zane’s suit flared, a rising whir building under the plating.
I was right! This is dangerous!
Kyte vaulted skyward, carving through the air.
“What? Don’t tell me the big bad beast is afraid of little ol’ me!”
Zane blitzed Kyte midair.
Dammit— I can barely see him!
Kyte couldn’t get a guard up; Zane drove him back.
“Now— Exo Ray!”
A wide orange lance ripped out from Zane’s hands, bludgeoning Kyte.
Yes! It’s a good thing he underestimated me! That’s probably about all the damage I’ll be able to do in this fight.
“Array’s lit— Flux synchronized…” Rayon whispered.
“Let’s do this!” Darc cheered, pumping his fist.
They finished their ritual; the giant array drew out their souls, weaving an ethereal body.
Daryon descended in a flare of aether.
“Zane! Good job holding on!”
“W-what!? Who're you?”
“Me? I am the ultimate coalescence between Darc and Rayon— Daryon!”
“What!? You guys merged into a single being?” Zane blurted.
Kyte rose through the dust.
Another troublesome foe… It seems I can’t hold back anymore.
“HA!”
Kyte ascended to his Limit-Breaking form.
“Looks like he’s finally ready to take us seriously. Get ready, Zane. I’ll need your help.”
Zane checked his energy dials.
“Right!”
“Alright, Spirit Bloom!”
Kyte and Daryon traded blows at blinding speed.
I can barely keep up with them! Zane thought.
“This is exactly what my tracking software is for! Lock on!”
Zane focused on Kyte.
“Now, fire Anti-Aether Needles!”
Four nano-sized darts spiraled out. Kyte barely twitched when they hit him.
They won’t do any direct damage, but they do have a toxin that can degrade a person’s aether Flow and control.
“Mission success!”
Zane climbed higher into the air, waiting for an opening.
This Daryon… he’s pretty good, Zane thought.
“PURPLE STRIKE!”
“JUGGERNAUT BURST!”
Purple haze met a green surge on the horizon; the sky bled orange.
Asuka leaned forward off the ground, clutching her head as blood rushed down her temple and dripped off her chin.
What happened…
“Not so fast— Exo Ray!” Zane shouted as he fired from behind Kyte.
Kyte turned, left hand catching the blast. Meanwhile, his right kept his own beam burning.
“N-no way!”
“HAAAAAA!” Kyte hollered.
Even so, the pressure on him mounted.
“…JUGGERNAUT DRIVE!”
Kyte surged— one last brutal push that overwhelmed them both.
“Dammit! How is he so strong!?” Daryon choked, straining against the onslaught.
“AAARGH! BOOST!” Daryon roared, forcing his yield output higher.
But it wasn’t enough.
Kyte pushed through the beam and fried Daryon, while at the same time, he canceled Zane’s beam with his other hand.
Then he blitzed Zane, the suit fracturing.
“Damn, I barely escaped!”
“No. You’re finished.”
Kyte Aether-Skipped behind Zane and drove his skull into the ground.
“N-no!” Daryon groaned as he watched them drop from the sky.
“Berserker Blast!”
Without a moment’s rest, Kyte unloaded on Daryon through the smoky crater.
Unable to withstand it, the blast tore through their ethereal body, and the Duality Bond came undone. Their souls streamed back to their bodies, and both fell unconscious.
Oh no! Asuka’s breath hitched as she watched Kyte walk out of the crater, dragging Zane by the head.
“Berserker Blast!”
He unleashed a volley at her.
“AHH!”
[Next Time on Lyte of Utopia]: “Solo Player”
[Yield Levels]:
Rayon: 10t
- Spirit Bloom: 5qd
Darc: 1t
- MP + FPBo: 10t
- Pulverizing Charge: x20
Zane: 30b
- AIII: 30t
- ES: 30qd
- ES + O: 300qd
- Laser Cannon: x10
- Exo Ray: x1000
- Anti-Aether Needles: x100 (Flow Decay)
Daryon: 2qd
- SB: 1qt
- SB + FPBo: 5qt
- Purple Strike: x2000
Kyte: 5t
- SR: (LBMSR) + JD: 5sx
- SR: (MMSR): 25qd
- SR: (LBMSR): 5qt
- SR: (LBMSR) + R: 10qt
- Juggernaut Burst: x100
- Berserker Blast: x2
Asuka: 1t
- Unconscious: 5