Chapter 113: Saving Grace

"And… Fight!" Alrok shot forward like a missile towards Howard with his palm extended outwards. His body shimmered brightly before a terrifying energy manifested out of his hands.

He shot his right hand forward at well past the speed of sound and sent out a sonic boom from his fist. 

Howard, who was still a dozen meters from him slid back in shock. He never imagined that a Mocralin could have a long distance attack, but quickly learned his lesson. 

Alrok snaked his hand forward dozens of times before sharp wind blades emitted from his palm and struck towards Howard's small frame. Howard could only cross his arms and watch pieces of his white shirt get shredded over and over again. However, he still couldn't figure out why Alrok seemed to be biding his time. Wasn't he the one with the time limit?

'What is he waiting for? He's not getting near me for some reason. What could it be?" Howard scanned his external surroundings and only spotted Nellon and a small shimmering pond by his feet. Was he being cautious?

Howard held up his arm and summoned two Ki Projections to stop the incoming wind blades and took a deep breath. He didn't have too many trump cards left hidden in his arsenal, and really only had that terrifying flame.

'Wait, did he already realize that flame would be my last resort?" Howard's Ki Projections slowly rusted away from the powerful wind blades, and scattered in the wind. 'Does he plan to just wear me out?

"Stop and fight me like a man! Come here, Alrok!" Howard held up his hands and birthed a gigantic pillar of flames before he took a deep breath. His muscles tensed majorly before he slammed it towards Alrok who still continued to run from rock to rock with wind blades firing from his palms.

Scoffing, Alrok jumped to dodge Howard's attack before he smiled and suddenly burst forward at his maximum speed.

"Ha, I bet you can't use that flame right now, can you?" Alrok arrived in front of Howard's chest and punched forward with his maximum strength. "And I win! Good bye, Howard!"

Boom!

Alrok struck at his maximum strength towards Howard's body, and instantly tore apart his white shirt before a large crater appeared in Howard's abdomen. Spit flew out of his mouth and his head cranked back before Howard's body arched like a 'c' and began to pick off the ground.

Bang!

Howard shot into the air and spun into a mountain before Alrok smiled and wiped off his hands.

"Well, this might end up being a draw," Alrok took a deep breath and deactivated his Ki Body Awakening. If he went a minute longer, his body would take weeks to recover. 

Unfortunately, when he punched Howard he expected him to die, but he seemed to have some type of armor hidden underneath his white button up shirt. Alrok sighed and turned and walked towards Nellon. He looked at the large gushing wound in his black cape and nodded his head. Howard had hit him much harder than he expected. Nellon would probably only survive if Howard took him to a doctor. 

"Well, you can hide injuries well. No wonder you want to form an alliance with him." Alrok pulled out a dagger from the back of his ripped blue jeans, and stopped in front of Nellon. "You're in dire straights. Should I save you again, or kill you."

"I know you already want to kill me," Nellon laughed and held up his neck. "Slice away. Come on! I'm waiting for it! I'm waiting for you to kill me!"

"Done," Alrok turned his wrist through the air before Nellon's neck sprouted with blood. "Well now, glad that's over with," Alrok watched Howard slowly climb to his feet. "However, what am I going to do about that one? I guess leaving would be a good option."

Alrok turned and stepped on his back foot before he disappeared into the distance. 

Nellon looked out in disbelief as the world started to disappear.

"Howard, thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance," Nellon smiled only to find a hand touching against his cheek. "What? What's happening?"

"I'm saving you. I think Howard has a point," Founder Arista walked out from behind a rock and gently brushed her hand against Nellons' arms. "I think you'll make a great ally. It's a shame you'll be hard to save."

"What? What are you? How is that possible?" Nellon saw a woman made of pure light flickering above him. She had a white cape that danced in the wind with two beautiful golden eyes. He recognized that it was most likely a Ki Projection, but he'd never seen one so alive and animated before.

The only way such a thing was possible is if a person surpassed the S rank. The S rank, however, had a huge doorway called the final gap. The Aresoul believed if a magician ever passed that gap their bodies constitution would change and they'd become at least 3 times as powerful.

Staring up at the women floating in the air above him, Nellon soon felt a gentle energy coating his inner being. All his fears about his death being around the corner disappeared. He closed his eyes and watched Howard walking towards him with a confused expression on his face before he passed out. 

"What? What skill is that?"

"A little secret I've been keeping from the Founders. Promise not to tell anyone and I can show you how it works," Founder Arista said with a smile on her face. "Now, Howard, if you wouldn't mind, pick up his body and take him back to Carelon Mountain Pass."

"I will," Howard smiled and grabbed Nellon's arms, "Thank you, Founder Arista. However, aren't you afraid that keeping him will alive will come back to haunt you."

"No, I'm not. However, I am afraid of that other one coming back to haunt you. What's his name, Alrok? He's the real danger." Arista sighed and watched Howard struggle to pick Nellon up. "See you in a few minutes. I have a lot to talk to you about."