~VWWWUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHH!!!~
A burst of crimson power rose from Serah, and all the overflowing Aether shrouded her body once again.
She replaced her lost legs with energy-based limbs, and her entire form was shrouded in fiery crimson flames.
Once more, she was using [Invincible].
"Yikes! Looks like someone is mad." Legris chuckled, his body recoiling from the powerful force that Serah caused to manifest around her.
"SHUT UP!"
Her deep glare made it clear just how grieved she was by Legris' revelation.
Tears fell from her eyes, and they instantly evaporated the moment they left her hate-filled eyes.
"There's no need for you to say any more…" At this point, Serah signaled Maria to stand back, her energy pulsating with unforgiving fervor.
The young woman understood what Serah meant instantly.
'Legris is mine!'
With each step she took, the earth beneath her melted, and the air sizzled with inexplicable heat.
Space contorted around her, unable to stand the immense energy that was condensed within her frame.
"I'll kill you! I'll utterly destroy you!" She roared, her voice echoing throughout the trembling world.
"Ah? Is that so? Well, come on then." Legris flexed his hand, inviting her closer as he gave a mocking gaze.
"Give it your best shot."
That was more than enough to push Serah beyond the breaking point.
She suddenly lost her rational thought, failing to imagine that this could all be a trap, or that she could also lose her life—permanently too—if she was being too hasty.
None of those mattered to her.
She only wanted to utterly destroy him.
"GRRRRRRRRR!!!"
Serah arched her entire body, positioning it to give her the best mileage in the air as she charged at Legris.
'One hit! I only need one hit!'
With that single thought continuously echoing in her thoughts, she clenched her fist, gritted her teeth, and initiated her ascent.
~WHOOOOOOO—!!!~
"SERAH STOP!" A mix of oddly familiar voices suddenly reverberated through the air.
At that moment, three figures rushed towards her, catching up thanks to their voice stunning her.
Despite Serah's overflowing rage and unbridled determination, the sounds she heard were enough to cause her to hesitate in her reckless reverie.
09:26
"Y-you guys…?" Her head creaked silently as she looked beside and behind her, watching the three who tightly held her.
To her left was Beruel, and to her right was Aurora. Hugging her from behind was Ana.
All three of them were tightly holding her, their facial expressions depicting enough of their desperation.
"Let go…" Her bulging eyes remained unblinking as she uttered those words.
"Let go of me this instant."
She did not know how or when they had arrived, and frankly she didn't care.
Not at this point.
The only thing she desired was killing Legris Damien in the cruelest way possible.
"If you attack him now, he'll absorb you in one fell swoop!" Aurora yelled at Serah, beads of sweat falling from her face.
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" She yelled.
"We do! We've been studying his wavelength for some time now. Right now, he's building up energy to use for a large-scale attack. If you're reckless, he'll absorb you too." This time it was Ana who spoke.
Her small body struggled to latch onto Serah, but it was becoming increasingly difficult thanks to the sheer power that the latter had.
"Calm yourself, Serah. Nothing will be solved from going on a fit of rage." Beruel's calm voice echoed.
"If you truly desire to defeat him, please reconsider."
In the end, all three of them recognized that they could not stop her. If she truly desired Legris' immediate destruction, none of them could hold her back from completing the task.
The only thing they could rely on at this point was reason.
"And how do you know that? How can you be sure?" Serah's voice began in a soft whisper.
However, slowly, it regained its tempo.
"EVEN IF IT COSTS ME MY LIFE, I WILL DESTROY HI—!" She yelled.
"Please reconsider. You're not just responsible for your life. You know that!"
As soon as Serah heard Aurora's words, she remembered the living being that dwelled within her.
That was more than enough to finally satiate her rage.
"Haaa…"
Serah slowly regained her senses, and the three were finally able to let go of her simmering hot form.
"… I understand."
******
'Phew! We've finally been able to calm her.'
Ana felt the most relief of the group that surrounded Serah.
After all, she had been the one studying Legris' wavelength, so she was the one who truly knew how dangerous the man was.
'First things first, though…' Ana swiftly tapped a device on her wrist.
~WHUUSH!~
In a flash, Serah, Aurora, Ana and Beruel vanished rom their position and reappeared beside a dazed Maria.
She wiped off the beads of sweat that had gathered on her face, and she could see the other two doing the same.
'Thankfully we intervened when we did. If things had escalated beyond that, then…'
Ana gulped, and then sighed.
"Sorry for losing it. I was just…" Serah could not say any more.
Her face was now downcast, though her body brimmed with more than enough [Invincible] Energy.
"It's fine, Miss Serah. More importantly, I'm glad to see you and Maria in good hea…lth."
The reason for Ana's hesitation was due to her suddenly looking at Serah's severed legs.
'Well, she's alive. That's what matters most at this point.'
With all five of them in a close cluster, Ana felt more comfortable, and a bit of her unease left.
Though, the imposing figure of Legris above them still gave her the chills.
"When did you all arrive here? I didn't even detect anything." Maria asked, and from Serah's expression, it was obvious that she was just as curious.
"Well…"
Both Beruel and Aurora took their gazes to Ana, who was in the process of sighing.
"… I can explain."
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[A/N]
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
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