Chapter 143: Soaring King

Reslan's massive body looked like a towering mountain hovering over a small being when him and General Lorklan started to fight. However, it seemed that the small General Lorklan seemed to be winning. It didn't even make sense to Howard as he watched from the side.

'I just need a single opportunity to attack,' Howard felt inside of his bodies and sensed the array for the Last Stand of the Fire King. It's second layer, Soaring King, would cause him to be unable to move for 10 minutes when he activated it, and would cause him unbearable pain. However, he had no choice but to consider it. It would require him to activate 6 out of the 18 arrays he'd constructed in his body to unleash a full half rank above his potential. His muscles wavered while he slowly began to put Ki inside of his body. He had to activate his full strength.

'Not so fast!" General Lorklan's left hand sent out a massive beam of Ki towards Howard while Reslan went flying back. The two of them had been trading dozens of punches in the air, but with a single flip of his wrist, Reslan went flying back.

"You think I'll let you activate that suicidal technique! Not so fast!" General Lorklan sped towards Howard with his white cape floating over his head. His silver rings holding together his armor glistened before he swung forward with an ax at full strength.

The world seemed to shatter in front of Howard while he looked forward at thousands of strands of Fire Ki shooting towards him from Reslan's massive frame. He could see a few grey strands of Generla Lorklan twisting in the air towards him, and could feel his massive energy swarming over his.

Ki Supression.

He seemed to be using Ki Supression, and Howard instantly tensed. He thought of all the training he'd done with Barabin to learn how to move under its effects, but he felt completely powerless for a second.

That second was enough for him to lose focus on his Dream Ki. He could barely muster to activate Fire King's Embrace's first level. A fire silhouette appeared in front of him and tried to block the attack. However, a second later, a hand surged through it and instantly crashed into Howard's jaw.

He instantly went flying back and bouncing against the sandstone pathway and then shot into a nearby mountain.

A nearby White Mist Warrior clashed blades with a Jarkales and pushed him back before rushing to Howard's side.

"You're okay! Get back in there! You're handling this better than we are!"

"Sorry," Howard scrambled to his feet. He could see the world like a blur around him. A few White Mist Warriors seemed to be covered with blood and a few collapsed around him when he turned to examine the battle field.

Beams of white light clashed with sabers and swords that flew through the air. Some metal shrapnel from the broken swords and crashed against the plains.

He could barley move, he'd been hit so hard and felt his heart beating faster from the terror.

"I-I didn't expect him to be so strong. I-I'm sorry."

"Heh, we're fighting for our lives. Who are you fighting for?" The White Mist Warrior helped Howard up and brushed off his shoulders. "Now go save your teacher, will you. He needs to more than my wife needs me to come home tonight."

"Thank you. What's your name," Howard said with a smile. "I'll fight for you too now."

"My name is Rindenthol. Happy to help you up. You still dizzy?"

"Nope," Howard smiled and turned to look at Reslan. He swung his massive ax in the air with a large flame burning around his body. It clashed with the Jarkales's small ax but seemed to constantly get pushed back.

Clang! Clang!

The sounds of their blades merging caused the winds to stir. However, Howard isntnatly noticed that Reslan seemed to be getting pushed back. He was running out of strength.

"Hey, Rindenthol. I'm going to activate something that might kill me right now. Can you tell Monica that I love her, and I'll miss her if anything happens." 

Howard suddenly had a change of heart. He should activate the final level of Fire King's Last Stand. There was hundreds of people around him that needed him. He wanted to not activate it, but he needed to ensure these soldiers didn't die! They all had people they loved! Would there really be another three moments like this?

"Woah! This is a battle," Ridenthol replied. He had golden hair and tanned skin with eyes that seemed to blend in with the sun. "You-you have to prolong your strength. Don't go giving up a beautiful woman's dreams. Protect yourself."

"Heh, thank you!" Howard smiled and began to activate the arrays in his body.

'1st array activated! Second array activated!'

Howard's body began to turn extremely dark before he noticed Ridenthol stepped in front of him and spread out his hands.

'Third array! Fourth array!' Howard couldn't focus on anything around him. He didn't see Ridenthol slightly stepping in front of his body and spreading out his arms. 

"Tell my wife I love her," Ridenthol smiled and a tear came out of his eye. "I love her so much! I love her with all my heart!"

"You-you're not activating that!" General Lorklan rushed towards Howard at his maximum speed. "Get out of the way you damn White Mist Soldier! I'll kill you!"

'Fifth Array! Sixth Array!'

A large white beam of Ki shot towards Howard that split into dozens of sword like beams. They were extremely small, but deadly, and seemed to be destined to go around Ridenthol as he stood in front of Howard. 

However, Ridenthol smiled and jumped right towards the beam. 

General Lorklan's face instantly paled when a large explosion ripped through the air. A massive cloud of blood shot in every direction while a massive energy appeared behind it.

"2nd level of Fire King's Last Stand, Activated!"