“Good job, Amelia.”

James said to Amelia.

They with the rest of the royal faction and even some rebel forces, were currently deep underground. This was thanks to Amelia using her animus to bring everyone underground, to escape from the desperate situation they were in.

“Hah~! Hah~!”

Amelia sat on the ground breathing heavily. She had obviously used up quite a bit of anima after using her animus.

“But it’s amazing that you could do all this in an instant. You even carved out an underground cave with paths towards the surface that provides ventilation.”

Said Omar.

“Those bastards! I want to kill them!”

Said Liam as he kicked the walls.

“Calm down, Brother. You’re the brains here, if you lose your calm, what will happen to us?”

Said James.

“Shut up! That bastard killed Brooks! Harley and Emily are orphans now because of him! And you’re telling me to stay calm?!”

Liam shouted back.

“It’s alright Your Majesty, really.”

That’s when the Brooks Sisters walked up to him and started to appease his anger.

“We’re angry too, more than anyone…..”

“But, dad wouldn’t want you to lose your life because of him.”

The sisters said to him.

That’s when Brooks’s last words rang in his ears.

“Liam, please take care of my daughters.”

After remembering them, Liam clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

“Fine. I’ll do my best to stay calm.”

He said, and looked at the sisters.

“But mark my words, I’ll personally see that the one who took your father away from you will die.”

The sisters nodded with teary eyes in response to his words.

“That’s easier said than done.”

Christi said while standing up.

“Christi don’t push yourself.”

Reina went beside him to help him stand up straight, however he rejected her help.

“I’m fine.”

He looked around at everyone and spoke.

“A lot of us are heavily injured while the enemy’s in tip top shape. This is going to be desperate from now on.”

“Then are you suggesting we give up?”

James asked.

“I would never. I want to destroy them as much as all of you. Maybe even more.”

He lifted his hand beside his head and covered it in Wild Anima.

“And this is proof.”

He suddenly used his fingers and stabbed them into his own neck.

“Christi?!”

This action naturally shocked everyone. Christi ignored their shock and continued to speak.

“The enemy is out of our league, which means that only with desperate actions we’ll have a chance of victory.”

Everyone could see something being pumped into him as he spoke.

“This is no longer the time to worry about our lives. If we lose we’ll just die either way, so why not bring them down with us?”

They could see black veins appearing on his skin. These veins wiggled like worms under his skin, giving him a grotesque look. After a while, he finally pulled his fingers from his neck and his body stopped trembling.

“I just injected a numbing poison into my body. This way, I will no longer feel pain.”

He said.

“The pain was getting in the way, so I removed it. However, that doesn’t mean that my injuries are cured, since I can’t patch myself up like mother.”

He explained.

“Brothers, you two have your expertise while I have my own. I think to survive this, we all need to work together and use our individual talents to the fullest.”

He said.

“I agree. Besides, there’s no telling how long we can hide down here.”

Said James.

“To be honest, I’m afraid of the enemy we’re facing. They’re extremely terrifying….”

He clenched his fists.

“However, I am a leader, a conqueror, and a king. I can’t show my soldiers my pathetic side.”

A determine look appeared on his face.

“As such, I will fight until the end.”

He said.

“Attaboy.”

“Father?! You’re awake?”

Everyone looked at Xavier who laid on the ground with a smile.

“Yeah, that bastard didn’t kill us and only played with us.”

He looked over at Allan, he had some very severe injuries.

“Allan, even when his body was broken, still tried his best to act as my shield…..”

He grimaced.

“Christi, hit me with that paining killing poison too.”

“Your majesty, are you sure?! If you continue to fight with your injuries you’ll die!”

Of course, Xavier’s request was met with opposition.

“I won’t die. I’ve survived my wife, so those bastards won’t be able to kill me.”

Xavier laughed with a pained tone.

“Christi, do it.”

He said.

Christi nodded and immediately stabbed his fingers into his father’s chest.

“Since you’re more injured than I am, I’ll need to inject the poison into a larger artery.”

He said.

“T-That’s fine.”

Xavier replied.

“That Harut guy seems to be on another level from the others, as it stands you’re the only one who can handle him. You might be my father, but you’ll need to continue fighting even if you might die.”

Said Christi.

“Fine by me.”

The pain on Xavier’s face gradually disappeared and his breathing became normal. Christi soon removed his fingers, and Xavier sprung to his feet like he wasn’t injured.

“Learning your mother’s technique was the right decision. Since poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin, poison can be used to heal if used properly.”

He said.

“So, what are we going to do?”

Christi asked Liam.

“First, would be to boost our strengths a little.”

Liam replied.

“Is there a way to do that?”

Reina asked.

“Yeah.”

Liam released his anima and clasped his hands together.

“Animus: Pawn Promotion.”

Bright lights fired from Liam’s body and covered the Brooks Sisters, James, Christi, Xavier, and Black Bull.

“Hm?”

Everyone covered with the light suddenly felt like their overall strength had increased. Some more than others.

“This is my Animus: Pawn Promotion. I’m able to temporarily increased the strength of those I consider my comrades. The closer I am to you, the more I can boost your strength.”

Liam explained.

“Really? That’s incredible.”

Said Omar.

“However, since I’ve barely interacted with you two, I can’t do the same for you.”

He said to Amelia and Reina.

“Ah, that’s fine. We have our own methods.”

Reina said.

“However, such an incredible animus must have drawbacks.”

Christi said.

“Yeah. The power I give you, is from me converting my life force into anima. In other words I’m giving you all a part of my lifespan.”

He said.

“………”

They became silent when they heard that. They all knew that such an animus wasn’t something one would use lightly. However, Liam didn’t hesitate to give so many people a piece of his life just to obtain victory.

That alone testified for his desire for victory.

“So now that we’ve gotten a bit more strength, how should we do this?”

Omar asked.

“I’ll take Harut.”

Xavier said.

“If I lose to same person twice, Serket is probably gonna divorce me.”

He said with a laugh.

“Then let’s go with who we were fighting before.”

Liam said.

“Christi, will you be alright alone?”

Reina asked.

“I’m fine. Eleleth is indeed stronger than me, but I was taught the Boomslang style by you. I might can’t beat her head on, but I can assassinate her.”

He said with a smile.

“I see.”

Reina then looked at Amelia, who looked a bit better now.

“Are you ready?”

She asked.

“Yeah. I’ll use my animus again from the start when fighting that winter bastard. So I suggest you do the same.”

Amelia replied.

“I can’t do that. I don’t have an animus.”

Reina replied.

“What? Why?”

“Just haven’t created one yet. However, I have other ways to finish an opponent.”

“………”

Amelia didn’t protest or say anything in response. That was because since she only developed her animus, she had no right to criticize Reina.

*BOOM!*

That’s when they felt their surroundings tremble after the sound of a loud explosion reached their ears.

“What’s happening?”

“Looks like they sensed us underground and is trying to force their way down here.”

Said Xavier.

“I guess it’s time for the final round.”

James said.

“Amelia Rosa, only bring those fighting to the surface and leave the rest down here. But make sure to reinforce the area, so that it won’t collapse on them.”

Liam said.

“I was planning on doing that anyway.”

Amelia once again entered her Elemental Queen form, and was surround by a rainbow colored glow.

She placed her hand on the earth surrounding them, and it started to glow as well, but returned to normal soon after.

“There, the soil is now as firm as steel, it won’t crumble that easily.”

She said.

She then opened up a path leading to the surface.

“Let’s go!”

All who were returning to the surface entered the path and raced upwards.

*BOOM!*

The moment they appeared on the surface again, the explosions became extremely clear.

“Hm?”

The Aficionado members noticed them the moment they appeared. Surrounding them were deep craters. It was obvious that they were trying to dig underground.

“Oh? They came out?”

Eleleth said with a smile.

“Looks like they gave up on living.”

She said.

“Stay on your toes.”

Harut warned. He then looked at them with a solemn expression.

“The aura around them is different than before.”

At that moment, everyone that came to the surface moved at the same time.

“Let’s go!”

Xavier shouted.

His body immediately became metallic as he charged towards his enemy.

*Bam!*

At that moment, giant pieces of metal burst out of underground and wrapped around him. The metal stuck to his body like a second skin, making him bulkier and taller.

“?!”

Before long Xavier have turned into a muscular 16ft tall metal giant. The giant had a large X in the center of its chest.

“Ohhhh!”

The iron giant released a loud roar.

“King X is ready for battle!”

Xavier shouted.

“What the hell is that?!”

Even his own children were shocked by the form he had taken.

“Harut!”

Xavier shot forward like an arrow and crashed into Harut.

*Bam!*

“Ugh!”

Harut groaned as he struggled to keep Xavier from running him over.

*Bam!*

However, he was sent flying by a kick from Xavier. It looked like he had kicked away a ball rather than a person.

“Brother!”

Marut shouted.

“Hm?!”

He sensed that his life was in danger and looked up. There he saw Liam and James attacking him from the front.

“Animus: Conqueror’s High!”

James shouted. All the fear he felt disappeared and excitement replaced it. His strength had once again increased.

He swung down his fist towards Marut.

“Die!”

Marut leaped towards them and kicked James in the chest and dug his feet in his chest.

“?!”

However, to his surprise James grabbed onto his foot with an excited smile.

“That didn’t hurt in the less.”

James said.

Marut looked up and saw Liam’s fist reaching his face. He tried to move back, but James held on to his fist too tight. Instead of escaping, James swung him upwards so that he could be closer to Liam.

“Ahhhh!”

*Bam!*

Liam’s fist slammed into his face and forced his body backwards, but James still held on to his leg.

“Die!”

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Liam started raining down punches on Marut’s face like he was in a frenzy. Marut hit him with a laser which ripped off a piece of side, but Liam ignored it and continued to savagely attack Marut, while they fell towards the ground.

“Enough!”

*Bam!*

Marut released his anima and blew Liam away. He expected to blow James away as well, but James surprisingly held on.

“What the hell are you?!”

Marut started burning James hands that held on to him, until he could see his flesh peeling away. However, James only smiled in response.

“Aren’t you afraid of losing your arms?!”

Marut asked.

“Afraid? I no longer possess such an emotion.”

James answered and lifted Marut over his head and slammed him into the ground.

*Bam!*

Marut slammed his palm on James chest and hit him with a blast of anima. James shirt and piece of his flesh was burnt off.

“Ha!”

James headbutt him with a laugh. The two faces were now extremely close, so Marut could look in his eyes.

“Conqueror’s High, that’s the name of my animus. When activated not only do I receive a boost in strength, I lose all my fear and sense of pain. Only thing is left is my thirst for conquering my enemies and pure excitement towards a powerful enemy.”

“?!”

A shiver ran down Marut’s spine when he heard that. Only an insane person would create such an animus.

“I created it when I started to fear my brothers’s talent and power. It’s so that I would never surrender to them, even in death.”

James lifted Marut by his face and flung him.

“Compared to the fear I felt towards them, you’re nothing!”

He shouted with a laugh.

*Bam!*

At that moment, a black bull crashed into him and pushed him away. He then heard the sound of something cutting through the air. He saw Harley Brooks shot past him, he immediately knew what would happen next from experience.

“Ugh?!”

Like he expected, Emily Brooks crashed into him like a bullet train.

“We’ll send you to our father!”

She shouted.

Meanwhile, Eleleth was in a heated battle with Christi.

She sent a barrage of kicks at him, but he moved out of the way with agile movements. He then ducked around her kicks, and circled around him.

“?!”

Eleleth immediately felt like there was a large snake wrapping around her to devour her. She quickly spun around and avoided a blade that was aimed at her right eye.

*Bam!*

She kicked Christi away, but felt something wrapped around her leg. She looked and it was a chain. Christi pulled the chain and dragged her towards him, robbing her of her balance.

Eleleth then saw Christi pouncing on her, thrusting a dagger at her neck. In fear, she released her Sacred Anima to the max and blew him away.

Christi formed a scorpion tail with his anima and stabbed it in the ground to stop himself. He then use it to propel him towards her.

“This kid is dangerous!”

Eleleth shouted.

Suddenly dozens of scorpion tails rushed towards her. She moved to avoid them. She noticed that whatever those stingers hit, eroded and shrieked.

Christi shot towards her with his body lowered. She tried to kick him under the chain, he jumped back to avoid it, and threw a hidden dagger with a chain attach to it.

“?!”

Eleleth bent backwards to avoid it.

“Guh?!”

That’s when she felt something pierce through her back. She looked and saw a stinger piercing through her stomach.

“Ah!”

She roared and released her anima to make the stinger dissolve. She then distanced herself by leaping backwards.

She held her stomach and started cleansing the poison that was injected in her. Fortunately for her, her Sacred Anima was strong against poison elements. Even so, the injury she got wasn’t to laugh at.

Christi walked towards her with a cold smile on his face.

“Let’s go, Sacred Church. I’m going to show you just how dangerous my comrades techniques are.”

Meanwhile, Amelia and Reina was facing Eis.

Eis showed them a untainted smile and said-

“Have you finally decided to accept the punishment for your sins?”

Reina and Amelia smiled in response.

“No, we’re just here to kill you.”

“Prepare yourself, Fanatic! You’ll meet your god pretty soon!”