NABC Chapter 678: Buttered
Chapter 678: Buttered
"Yeah? Well, neither will Ty," JJ shot back, her voice carrying both determination and frustration. She glanced over her shoulder, her fingers working tirelessly at the unyielding chains binding Rui. The faint clinking of the black metal contrasted with the chaos erupting behind her. Ty was a blur of movement, weaving between waves of enemies with a precision that bordered on chaotic artistry. His black flames twisted and lashed out like living entities, consuming anything that dared come too close.
"Just stay alive," JJ muttered under her breath, more to herself than to Rui, who was barely conscious. Explore more stories at novelhall.Côm
Ty’s flames flared brightly as he dispatched another soldier, a gaunt woman whose outward skill caused her arms to multiply into a flurry of jagged, blade-like appendages. She swung wildly, her movements almost too fast to track, but Ty crouched low and swept his flames across the ground in a devastating arc. The black fire surged upward, incinerating her limbs and forcing her back with a guttural scream. Before she could recover, Ty was on her, his fist crashing into her chest with a fiery explosion that sent her sprawling.
Another soldier lunged at him, this one moving with an unsettling, stuttering speed. Their body jerked unnaturally as they flickered in and out of sight, their inward skill granting them short bursts of teleportation. Ty growled as the soldier appeared beside him, a gleaming dagger slicing toward his neck. He twisted his body just in time, the blade grazing his cheek as he retaliated with a burst of flames that spiraled outward in a defensive dome.
The soldier flickered again, avoiding the flames, but Ty anticipated their move. He extended his hand, and the dome of fire collapsed inward, condensing into a swarm of razor-sharp tendrils that shot toward the soldier’s new position. The tendrils struck true, wrapping around their legs and arms before erupting in a blinding flash of heat. The soldier crumpled to the ground, unmoving.
"Still trying?" Ty muttered, wiping the blood from his cheek as he turned to face the next threat.
A towering soldier with glowing tattoos stepped forward, their body radiating an ominous green light. The tattoos pulsed rhythmically, drawing energy from the air with each movement. The ground beneath them trembled as their power intensified, their frame swelling with each step. By the time they reached Ty, they were a hulking behemoth, their fists crackling with energy.
Ty’s eyes narrowed. "Absorption, huh?" he mused, his tone laced with mockery. "Let’s see what you do with too much energy."
The soldier roared, swinging a massive fist toward Ty. The black flames surged around Ty’s body, propelling him backward as the ground exploded where the punch landed. Ty landed lightly on his feet and spread his arms wide, conjuring twin pillars of fire that spiraled toward the soldier with devastating force. The glowing tattoos absorbed the flames greedily, the green aura around the soldier intensifying as they grew even larger.
"Not bad," Ty muttered, watching the soldier soak up the flames. "But I hope you’re ready for the main course."
He raised a single hand, condensing the twin pillars of fire into a dense orb that hovered above the soldier’s head. The orb shimmered with a menacing heat, its surface rippling like molten metal. Ty snapped his fingers, and the orb collapsed inward, triggering a controlled implosion of black fire that enveloped the soldier in a blinding burst of light and heat.
The soldier’s roar turned into a scream as the energy overloaded their tattoos. The green light flickered and faded, their massive frame shrinking back to its original size before they crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Ty stepped over their body, his flames still flickering menacingly around his fists.
Ty responded instantly, his flames surging outward in a controlled explosion. The blast pushed back the mist, revealing Omina standing unmoved, her aura pulsing with power. She raised her other hand, and shards of ice shot forth, their jagged edges catching the faint light as they streaked toward him.
Ty spun, his flames twisting into a shield that shattered the ice mid-flight. "Is that all you’ve got?" he taunted, taking a step forward.
Omina’s eyes narrowed, and a sudden gust of wind roared through the room, carrying with it a swarm of sharp, translucent blades formed from the mist itself. Ty ducked and rolled, his flames swatting at the onslaught, but the storm didn’t let up. The wind howled, sending debris flying, and Ty’s movements became more erratic as the environment fought against him.
JJ and Rui Struggle
Behind them, JJ shielded Rui with her body as chunks of stone and shards of ice rained down. She gritted her teeth, her fingers fumbling with the last binding. "Hold still," she snapped, her voice shaking.
"I told you... to leave," Rui groaned, his body shuddering with each breath. A large chunk of debris slammed into the floor inches from them, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
"Shut up," JJ hissed. Her hands shook as she pulled at the chains. "We’re getting out of here. You’re not dying on my watch."
Another shard of ice whizzed past, slicing a shallow cut across her cheek. JJ flinched but didn’t stop. As the chaos around her intensified, a faint glow began to emanate from her hands. It was subtle at first, a flickering light that pulsed in rhythm with her panicked breathing.
"What the hell?" she muttered, her focus breaking for a moment as the glow expanded. It formed a faint barrier around her and Rui, deflecting a falling piece of rubble. The impact sent ripples through the barrier, but it held.
Rui’s eyes fluttered open, his gaze unfocused. "JJ... what are you doing?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
"I don’t know," she admitted, her tone a mix of fear and awe. "But it’s working."
meanwhile
Ty launched himself forward, his flames coalescing into a massive, serpentine construct that lunged toward Omina. The fiery serpent roared, its jaws snapping as it barreled toward her. Omina didn’t flinch. She extended her hand, and a sudden torrent of water erupted from her aura, meeting the serpent head-on. The collision sent steam hissing into the air, shrouding the battlefield in a veil of mist.