As the Lava Titan's fury intensified, its molten body pulsed with violent energy. Its cracked form bubbled and reford, thick veins of lava surging through its massive limbs. Then—with a ground-shaking roar—it charged.
Its towering fra moved with terrifying speed, each step lting the ground beneath it. Its target was clear—Lydia and the Giant Hawk.
Lydia's eyes widened. "Oh, crap—MOVE!"
The Giant Hawk screeched, flapping its massive wings in an attempt to escape. But the Lava Titan wasn't just chasing them—it was locking them down.
BOOM!
A fiery shockwave burst from the Titan's core, warping the air with intense heat. The force threw Lydia off balance, her grip on the Hawk's feathers slipping.
Just as it seed the Titan's molten fist would reach them—
A silver blur streaked through the battlefield.
CLANG!
A massive boom intercepted the Titan's attack, stopping it in its tracks.
Lydia blinked in surprise.
Von stood before them, his armor gleaming despite the heat, his shotgun wedged against the Titan's molten knuckles.
"Von!" Lydia and the others shouted in glee.
"You alright, my dear ladies?" Von grinned.
"We're fine. But what about your opponent?" Lydia asked.
"Oh, that guy? He's indispose," Von answered
He then turned his head slightly, shouting across the battlefield.
"Horizon! Recall your summons! We'll take it from here!"
"Huh? What?" Lydia was surprised and her face contorted in fear at what Von was trying to do.
Horizon, still locked in his duel with Grimm, glanced up.
For a split second, he hesitated. The Dracolich and the Giant Hawk had been crucial in turning the tide. If he dismissed them now, he'd lose a major advantage, but he didn't have enough mana to sustain them.
But then he grinned.
Von was strong. His team was strong. And Horizon trusted them.
He exhaled sharply.
"Alright."
With a flick of his fingers, he issued the ntal command.
The Dracolich and the Giant Hawk let out one final screech before their forms dissolved into glowing particles, vanishing from the battlefield.
Horizon imdiately felt the relief. His mana drain stopped.
Now?
It was ti to finish this fight.
Horizon took a slow, shuddering breath. His body ached, his mana was almost empty, and slowly increasing.
Grimm was still standing.
The Brotherhood Legion's top warrior gritted his teeth, gripping his greatsword tight. His aura pulsed—a sickening crimson haze wrapping around him like a hungry beast. Horizon had seen this before.
The Blood Reaver state.
A technique that pushed the user beyond their limits, sacrificing rational thought for raw power. The more blood spilled, the stronger the user beca.
And right now, Grimm had plenty of blood to work with.
The audience roared in excitent. The battle of titans had been a spectacle, but now? Now it was a clash of warriors. A test of endurance.
Horizon t Grimm's burning gaze. His body was barely holding together, but his will remained firm.
This fight wasn't over yet.
Grimm swung first.
His greatsword tore through the air, carving a path of destruction straight toward Horizon's chest. With the last of his strength, Horizon sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blade as it shattered the ground where he once stood.
Dust and molten rock shot upward from the impact. Horizon used the montary cover to dash forward, his sword flashing as he aid for Grimm's exposed ribs.
CLANG!
Grimm blocked it at the last second.
Their blades clashed, sparks flying as raw force t sheer will. Grimm sneered, pushing down with all his strength, forcing Horizon backward.
"You're running on fus," Grimm taunted, eyes wild with bloodlust. "How much longer can you last?"
Horizon gritted his teeth. He wouldn't last much longer in a prolonged fight without his mana. His mana was was still recovering.
From the rocky plateau, Lydia's sharp eyes followed the fight below.
"He's stalling," she muttered.
Silphie nodded, her face calm. "Looks like he's planning sothing."
Von's bullets clashed against the Lava Titan's molten arm, sending a shockwave of heat rippling through the battlefield. Despite his power, the sheer weight of the impact forced him back a step.
"Hey! Stop worrying about Horizon and focus on taking down this walking volcano!" Von barked, his voice booming over the battlefield.
Lydia groaned, flipping her daggers in her hands as she backed away. "Take it down?" She stole a glance at the rampaging Titan, which was swinging its massive arms left and right in an attempt to crush Von.
Each of its movents lted the ground, sending waves of scalding lava splattering in every direction. The heat was suffocating, and even though Lydia was agile, there was only so much she could dodge before she'd run out of space.
"How on earth are we supposed to fight that thing?" Lydia demanded.
Frigid, standing a few feet behind her, didn't seem the least bit concerned. He cracked his knuckles, his breath visible as his body radiated an unnatural chill. "I'll recover in a few seconds. I'll join you."
"No!" Lydia shook her head, staring at the battlefield with sharp eyes. "We should focus on fleeing instead! If we take out Grimm first, then we win and could get out from here!"
"That's the best course of action." She turned toward Von.
But Von grimaced, tightening his grip on his guns. "We can't," he growled. "Not while this Titan is blocking our path. It won't let us regroup to Horizon."
He stepped forward, his armored boots cracking the stone beneath him as his aura flared. "If we turn our backs on this thing, it'll crush us before we can even reach Grimm."
"Then what's the plan?!" Lydia asked.
Von exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. "We stall it until Horizon finishes off Grimm."
Lydia clenched her teeth. It wasn't ideal—but it was the only option they had.
The Lava Titan roared, its molten body shifting and reforming as it prepared to attack again.
Von took the lead.
As the Titan swung a massive fist, Von braced himself, planting his feet firmly. At the last second, he shifted his stance and deflected the blow with his guns. The impact sent a wave of molten debris flying, scorching the battlefield around them.
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