. Rizra lunged forward, fists clenched, meeting Mamba head-on. Their punches collided in rapid succession, each impact sending shockwaves through the air. Mamba's raw power was immense, but Rizra's strikes carried the force of her Earth Magic, making her blows heavy and precise.

  "Not bad, little girl,""But you're gonna have to do better than that!"

  "Keep talking,"

  Mamba staggered slightly but quickly regained his footing, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. "You’ve got a bite, I’ll give you that,""Let’s see how long you can keep up!"

  He closed the gap with surprising speed, throwing a series of jabs and hooks. Rizra blocked as best as she could, the sheer force of each hit making her arms tremble. She retaliated with a flurry of punches, her fists glowing with magical energy. Her strikes landed with precision, but Mamba shrugged them off, his body seemingly built to endure punishment.

  The two fighters exchanged quick, brutal blows, neither willing to back down. The sound of their fists colliding echoed through the battlefield, a testament to the intensity of their fight.

  Rizra leaped back, breathing heavily, her fists still raised. "You’re tougher than you look,"

  Mamba laughed, flexing his fingers. "And you’re tougher than I thought. But this is just a warm-up."

  He charged again, this time feinting a punch before delivering a devastating knee strike. Rizra barely managed to block with a hastily-formed wall of earth, but the force sent her skidding backward.

  "Alright,""Time to get serious."

  She slammed her fists into the ground, causing massive stone fists to rise and mimic her movements. The stone fists swung at Mamba, forcing him to dodge and weave as Rizra coordinated her own attacks with the magic constructs.

  Mamba ducked under one of the stone fists and launched himself at Rizra, aiming a powerful straight punch at her chest. She met his punch head-on with her own, the impact creating a shockwave that shattered the stone fists around them.

  The two fighters stood locked in place for a moment, their fists pressed together, a clash of strength and determination.

  "Not bad at all,""But let’s see if you can handle this!"

  He unleashed a series of rapid punches, his movements faster and more precise than before. Rizra gritted her teeth, using her Earth Magic to create barriers and enhance her punches, determined to hold her ground against the overwhelming force of her opponent.

  "I can take anything you throw at me!""You’re not getting past me!"

  The fight continued with relentless intensity, the two combatants pushing themselves to their limits in a battle of strength, skill, and willpower. Rizra struggled to stand, her body trembling from the sheer force of Mamba’s punch that sent her flying earlier. She coughed up more blood, her vision blurred, but her mind was racing. The scene before her was nothing short of horrifying.

  Amy's scream of pain pierced through the chaos as her arm was torn off, her tears mixing with soot and sweat. The sound of her psychic powers working to reattach the limb echoed faintly as she whimpered, her strength barely holding up against the pain.

  Rizra, who had always prided herself on her strength and resilience, felt a cold shiver of fear run down her spine. Mamba's sheer brutality and the power surge from the drug made him an unstoppable monster. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms, her mind screaming at her to do something, but her body froze.

  "Come on, little girl,""You were so confident a minute ago. What happened? Scared? You should be."

  Rizra's knees buckled, and she collapsed back to the ground, gasping for air. "No... I can't be scared... not now... not ever..."

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bondo crash into a burning building, flames engulfing the structure as debris rained down. His voice was absent, and for a terrifying moment, she thought he might not get back up.

  Amy, her arm barely functioning, looked toward Rizra with wide, frightened eyes. "Rizra... we can't stop him... he's too strong..."

  Rizra forced herself to her feet, wobbling but determined. The fear in Amy’s voice and her own paralyzing dread were replaced with a growing anger. Mamba’s smirk, the destruction around her, and the sight of her friends suffering ignited something deep within her—a refusal to let this monster win.

  "I’m scared... but I’ll fight anyway,""Amy, grab Bondo. We need to regroup!"

  Mamba effortlessly dodged the spikes, laughing as he approached. "Regroup? Oh, you’re not getting out of here alive, sweetheart."

  Rizra raised her fists, her fear still present but now joined by a spark of defiance. "If I die, I’ll make sure you remember me."

  As Mamba lunged toward her, she braced herself, knowing this would be the toughest battle she had ever faced.

  As Rizra stared down Mamba, her trembling fists clenched tightly, her mind drifted to a moment from her childhood—a moment that defined her path.

  She was no older than seven, standing in a dimly lit alley, her small frame trembling as burglars loomed over her. She had been cornered, terrified and powerless. Just as one of them reached for her, a blur of motion interrupted them.

  "Get lost,"

  Afterward, Rizra had followed him, her tiny legs struggling to keep up. When she caught up, she blurted out, "How did you do that? How can I become as strong as you?"

  Hajime barely looked back, his expression as serious and detached as ever. "Stop trying to be me. You could never be me,"

  he said bluntly, his tone sharp and devoid of comfort. "If you want to be strong, understand what it means to be strong. Find your way of fighting."

  With that, he walked away, leaving her standing there in stunned silence. Most kids would have been crushed by his words, but Rizra wasn’t like most kids.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  She felt a strange sense of gratitude. He didn’t sugarcoat the truth or try to console her. Instead, he gave her something real—an honest challenge to find her own path, to forge her own strength. From that day forward, she admired him not just for his power, but for his unyielding honesty and integrity.

  "If you want to be strong, understand what it means to be strong."

  Those words echoed in her mind now as she faced Mamba. She realized she had spent years striving to live up to Hajime’s strength, but in this moment, she needed to embrace her own.

  Her trembling stopped, and she straightened her stance. Her Earth Magic flared to life, stronger and more focused than before. She looked up at Mamba, her fear melting away.

  "You’re right, Hajime,""I’m not you. But I don’t need to be."

  With renewed resolve, she planted her feet firmly on the ground. The earth around her rumbled and shifted, responding to her determination.

  "Let’s see if you can handle my way of fighting, Mamba."

  "What the hell is that?!"

  Amy, still nursing her reattached arm, could barely find words. "Is that... magic? But it feels so much more powerful!"

  The light consumed Rizra, her form expanding rapidly until she towered over the battlefield. Her body transformed into a colossal, otherworldly being—a giant with rocky, earthen skin, glowing cracks coursing through her as if molten magma flowed beneath. She was easily taller than any building in sight, her presence both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

  Mamba, who moments ago had been brimming with confidence, froze in fear. "W-What is this?! No way!"

  Rizra, in her Giant Monster form, didn’t speak. She simply raised her massive hand and brought it down with unrelenting force. The impact sent shockwaves through the area, flattening Mamba instantly. The earth cracked beneath him as he was buried under the sheer weight of her power.

  When the dust settled, Rizra's form shimmered and shrank back to her normal size. She staggered, barely able to stand, her breath ragged and her body drenched in sweat. The transformation had taken everything she had.

  Bondo and Amy ran to her side, their faces a mix of astonishment and concern.

  "Rizra!""What was that?! What just happened to you?!"

  Bondo nodded, still wide-eyed. "Yeah, you turned into some kind of giant monster and just squashed that guy like a bug!"

  Rizra chuckled weakly, leaning on her knees for support. "That,"

  she said between breaths, "is my Kami no Shirushi. It’s a mark from my old team, the Triad of Hope."

  Amy tilted her head, confused. "Triad of Hope? And Daka has one too?"

  Rizra nodded, collapsing to sit on the ground. "Yeah, but he can’t use it like I can. Took me years to figure mine out. It’s powerful, but it drains everything from you."

  Bondo frowned, concern evident in his expression. "You sure you’re okay? That thing looked... intense."

  Rizra gave him a tired but reassuring smile. "I’ll be fine. Just need to catch my breath. But let’s not stick around too long. Hajime’s still out there, and we need to regroup."

  Amy and Bondo exchanged glances, still processing what they had just witnessed, but they nodded. Rizra’s resolve was as strong as ever, even in exhaustion. As Sockoo and the remaining members of the music club pressed forward, determination etched on their faces, the ground beneath them began to tremble. At first, it was subtle, like a distant rumble of thunder. Then, it grew stronger, causing debris to shake and walls to crack.

  "What the hell is going on?"

  The others stopped in their tracks, alarmed. Emily extended her hands instinctively, creating a protective barrier around the group.

  "This isn't natural,""It feels... deliberate."

  Makoto, who had been scanning the area, clenched his fists. "Could it be another one of the villains?"

  Before anyone could respond, the quake reached its peak, and the ground ahead of them split open. Dust and smoke rose, and from the fissure emerged a towering figure—a man clad in jagged armor made of black stone, veins of molten lava coursing through it. His eyes glowed an ominous red, and an aura of sheer dominance radiated from him.

  "So,""You’re the pests causing so much trouble for my team. You’ve made it far, but this is where it ends."

  Sockoo stepped forward, his stance firm despite the tremors still shaking the ground. "Who are you?!"

  The figure smirked, the molten veins on his armor glowing brighter. "The name’s Magnus, Earthbreaker. One of the strongest under our leader. And you little ants? You won’t make it another step closer."

  The music club exchanged tense glances. Sockoo turned to the group, his expression grim.

  "Listen up,""This guy’s no pushover. Get to the leader. I’ll handle this."

  "No way!""We’re not leaving you here alone!"

  "You don’t have a choice!""Hajime’s counting on us, and we can’t afford to waste time. Go!"

  Emily hesitated, but seeing the determination in Sockoo’s eyes, she finally nodded. "Be careful."

  The group reluctantly moved forward, with Emily ensuring her barrier shielded them from falling debris. Sockoo turned her focus back to Magnus, whose smirk widened.

  "You think you can take me on alone, girl?"

  Magnus taunted. "You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But guts won’t save you."

  Sockoo clenched his fists, his aura flaring as she prepared for the fight of his life. "We’ll see about that."

  As the ground continued to quake and Magnus loomed menacingly, Sockoo prepared to step forward and confront the enemy. Before she could, Makoto grabbed her by the back of her jacket.

  "Makoto, what are you doing?!"

  Makoto turned to her, his expression unusually serious. "You’re not fighting this one, Sockoo. Not today."

  "What?!"I’m the leader; it’s my job!"

  Without a word, Makoto lifted her and tossed her into Daka’s arms.

  "Catch her!"

  Daka stumbled but managed to hold Sockoo securely, looking both confused and annoyed. "What the hell, Makoto? What do you think you’re doing?!"

  Makoto turned back to Magnus, planting his feet firmly on the trembling ground. "Protecting our leader. If we lose Sockoo, we lose the music club."

  Sockoo struggled against Daka, her face a mix of anger and frustration. "Makoto! You can’t do this! You’re not strong enough to fight him alone!"

  Makoto gave a small, defiant grin as he glanced back at her. "Maybe not. But I’m strong enough to buy you time. Now go, Sockoo. Do what a leader does best."

  Magnus’s deep, guttural laughter echoed around them. "What a noble sacrifice. Do you really think you can stand against me, little one?"

  Makoto clenched his fists, the air around him shifting as his resolve hardened. "I don’t need to beat you. I just need to keep you busy."

  Magnus sneered, his molten veins glowing brighter. "Then let me crush that confidence of yours!"

  Daka began to retreat, pulling the still-struggling Sockoo with him.

  "Makoto, stop this! You don’t have to do this!"

  Sockoo shouted, her voice breaking with emotion.

  Makoto didn’t look back, instead stepping forward to face Magnus head-on. "This is what I’m doing, Sockoo. You lead them to victory. I’ll handle this."

  With a battle cry, Makoto charged forward, ready to lay everything on the line to protect his friends and their mission. Here’s the continuation with Makoto pulling out his guns:

  Makoto stood firm as Magnus loomed over him, his massive figure radiating an aura of raw, destructive power.

  "You’re either brave or stupid,""Do you really think your toys will harm me?"

  Makoto smirked, reaching into his holsters and pulling out two sleek, custom-made guns. Their barrels glowed faintly, charged with a mysterious energy.

  "These aren’t just ‘toys,’ big guy,""They’re a part of me. And you’re about to find out why."

  The air grew tense as the two squared off, the ground beneath them trembling from Magnus's oppressive presence.

  Daka, still carrying Sockoo, paused for a moment. "Makoto, you idiot… Don’t you dare die."

  Sockoo’s voice cracked with desperation. "Makoto! You don’t have to do this! Stop—"

  Makoto interrupted without turning back. "Daka, get her out of here. Now!"

  Magnus laughed, the sound shaking the ground. "Is this all the music club has to offer? One kid with delusions of grandeur?"

  Makoto’s smirk widened, and his guns began to hum with energy. "Let’s see how delusional I really am."

  With a sudden burst of speed, Makoto dashed forward, firing off precise shots aimed at Magnus's pressure points. The bullets weren’t ordinary—they exploded on impact with bursts of elemental energy, forcing Magnus to block and dodge.

  "Impressive!""But you’ll need more than that to scratch me!"

  Makoto slid under a devastating punch, his guns releasing a burst of concentrated energy that sent him flipping back to his feet. "Good thing I brought plenty,"

  As the battle raged on, Makoto’s movements became more fluid and unpredictable. He combined acrobatics with rapid gunfire, each shot forcing Magnus to react. But it was clear the odds weren’t in his favor.

  Yet victory only opened the door to something worse. As one monster fell, another emerged. And when escape became the only option, Makoto made a choice no one expected—standing alone against an enemy far beyond him so the others could move forward.

  Strength isn’t always about winning. Sometimes, it’s about standing your ground… even when you know what it will cost.

  Will Makoto survive his gamble?

  And how many sacrifices will it take before Hajime returns to the battlefield?

  Find out next time.