Chapter 160: A Simple Trap

Bracston and Warklin woke up right as a large explosion sounded.

Howard's Reaping Fist did exactly what it was supposed to do and hit the Eighteen Eyed Juggernaut at his maximum power. Instantly, Oclen disappeared into the side of the mountain while Macran and his three brothers instantly decided to flee.

Howard realized instantly that something was wrong. When he attacked Oclen, he saw a smug smile on his face like he knew about Fire King's Last Stand. There is no way he should know about such an ability, right? He turned and looked at one of the escaping Great Lament Lizards, and immediately activated his Dream Ki to the fullest. His left arm had been badly burned by the silver flame, but it was worth it if the Oclen's Eighteen Eyed Juggernaut was destroyed! 

Swoosh!

Howard changed at his maximum speed towards the Great Lament Lizard which was sprinting at its maximum speed towards a nearby cavern. However, Howard wouldn't let it leave, especially if he had only a single minute to kill it! The silver flame appeared on his right arm while the pupils of the Great Lament Lizard instantly dilated to 5 times their original size. 

"Die, die you piece of shit!"

"Not so fast! Howard, do you think we didn't prepare for that?" Oclen's voice resonated through the side of the mountain peak. You could still hear the rubble falling down from the mountain he'd been slammed into, but for some reason he didn't sound defeated. "Ha, you actually activated it! Macron told me he heard two girls gossiping about Fire King's Last Stand at the East Branch. Good think we planned for that too!"

"Like I'm going to stop!" Howard connected both his fists into a ball and slammed it instantly into the head of the Great Lament Lizard. His rage manifested the darkest flame he'd ever used full of this powerful rage.

The head of Horletz in his lizard form instantly exploded before his guts shot in several directions. However, the next second, Howard turned and saw Inla dangling in the air from a strange white handed Authoritarians' fist. Her skull was trembling from the fist pushing against her temples, and tears were falling out of her eyes.

"You-you bastard!' Howard screamed and instantly rushed towards Oclen. He was no longer in his Eighteen Eyed Juggernaut form, and Howard knew he could kill him easily if he just got a chance!

However, before he could approach, Oclen's hand turned into a sharp blade that dug into Inla's neck. Seeing blood dripping down onto her chest, Howard instantly froze while his body began to explode with pain.

'Damn it! They even took a hostage! What the hell is wrong with these people! Can't they fight fair!"

"Hehe, you took out Horletz, but it's worth it for the future of the Arthraku. Now, Howard, how about we play a little game. We're going to make you two minutes until Fire King's Last Stand wears off and then we're going to release this girl and continue fighting!"

"I-I just met her! Do you really think I care!" Howard's Dark Ki soared more while Macran and Worletz sauntered over to his side and formed a shield. "I-I'll kill you three right now. Even if she dies, I don't care!"

"Hmmm, you don't? What about Monica?" Oclen laughed and smiled while crushing the girls head harder and harder in his hand. "Macran put a golden thread in her arm, and if he activates she'll die!"

This was in fact a lie, but Howard had no way of telling that at the time. However, he instantly stopped moving and watched while Oclen tossed Inla over to his side. At the same time Bracston and Warklin slowly started to sneak down to Howard's location.

They were so quiet not even the the slightest bit of their movements could be detected. However, Oclen didnt' seem scared. He seemed completely focused on doing everything he could to get Howard to not attack.

"Hmmm, she has beautiful green hair and the prettiest eyes. I'm betting she feels pretty good too to kiss at night," Oclen said with a smile. "Haha, you may have permanently destroyed my Eighteen Eyed Jugernaut form, but it's worth it to kill you! Now just wait there! In two minutes, we can continue fighting after your increase in strength wears off!"

"You-you I don't believe you! How would you have gotten into the East Branch?" Howard shook his head. His left arm had started to heal, but he could tell activating Fire King's Last Stand immediately took a major toll.

Even with the serum Jenny had given him to counteract the damage to his Ki Cells, and increase their healing, he'd need at least 3 days to be able to fight again at full strength. That's not to mention the damage his organs had taken from Fire King's Last Stand. Jenny extrapolated until he got his Ki Hearts, his organs would not fully recover. 

He could almost feel his insides twisting into a ball while his Ki Cells did their utmost to recover from the damage caused by the array. He had to kill them even if Monica was in danger! He had to think about the future, and not her!

'Damn it! Just move Howard! Attack them before time wears out!'

Howard stepped off his back foot and activated his Dream Ki while his horns turned a brighter white. His eyes turned even bright while a Dark Ki mixed in with his feet. It was now or never! He had to do this!

"Get my sister, and run, you fool! Grow up a little bit and then come back and avenge me!" Bracston appeared behind Oclen while three barriers appeared around his fist and immediately smashed into Oclen's face.

Oclen was using his second strongest Authoritarian form, the white armed snakeman that had a body full of scales with yellow eyes. It was known for its defense, but when Bracston hit it's body instantly shot in the other direction while Warletz caught Inla in the air before he kicked Macran's Steel Rebel Ape in the face.

Boom!

Two out of the three Arthraku parried with their maximum strength attacks while Inla got tossed in the air towards Howard's side.

At the same time, he felt something in his body beginning to rupture! He had to deactivate Fire King's Last Stand, but he didn't want to! This was his one chance to finish off Oclen, right now!

"Howard, run! You idiot! Don't underestimate us brothers!" Renace smashed his fist into the back of the Steel Rebel Ape and then kicked it square in the jaw. Macron's face splurted out blood while his body trembled. "Take this for messing with my sister! Dense Eye Fist!"

Boom!

Macron's body spun once and then collapsed on the ground while two of the four other brothers joined the fracas. They began to completely dominate Oclen and his group while they tried their best to block the attacks. However, Warletz's arm had turned completely silver and every attack put Oclen on edge.

He smashed into a tree and dodged dozens of attacks from Warletz while a frown appeared on his face.

In one minute, he could activate Ki Drain and take care of these pesky authoritarians! This was a nightmare! If only they knew about Howard's damn horns this would have went perfectly!

'Hoh, he's deactivating Fire King's Last Stand?" Oclen's fist seemed to turn into a sharp blade before he parried Warletz' incoming fist. A white Ki Barrier appeared in front of Warletz before four others formed. 

Boom!

Oclen and Warletz shot back a few feet from each other while all eyes turned towards Howard.

He was wobbling with Inla in his arms and he had tears in his eyes. Even with the serum dripping form the side of his mouth to keep him awake, he was completely useless now! Why did he use Fire King's Last Stand so fast!

"Howard, with the barriers activated around our bodies, even with their Ki Drain we can fight at our maximum for 10 minutes," Warletz smiled and held up his thumb. "We promise after they die, we'll come find you and train some more! Ha, just make sure if I die, my six wives find good men! I loved watching you fight with my brothers! Now go!"

"Hmph, Howard, we'll find you after their dead," Oclen spit some blood from his mouth. "However, don't forget Monica dies if you live! You better think long and hard about how you want to die! Do you hear me?"

Bracston laughed and smashed Macran in the side of his face while his three other brothers helped him attack from all sides. Unfortunately, they were still drained and unlike Warletz had only reached three barriers each. 

Each barrier had special properties, and the fourth barrier was called the Revitilization Barrier. It rapidly healed the body of internal injuries and assisted the Ki Hearts in increasing strength. Because of this Warletz was nearly back to almost his full strength, while Bracston had barely managed to get 1 / 2 his strength back. It was why all four of the brothers had to fight Macran and the remaining Great Lamet Lizard together!

They even seemed to be losing! However, they couldn't give up their mountain peak! Even if it meant death, they had to live!

"You-you idiots! Why didn't you just take Inla and run!" Howard wiped a tear from his eye. "I-I also can't leave until I see you kill Macran! He-he's going to kill my girlfriend if he doesn't die!"

"They're lying!" Warletz smashed his fist into Oclen's white face before a fist punched him in the gut. Oclen instantly seemed enraged and attacked with all his might. However, Warletz parried and his right fist soon got embedded in Oclen's stomach. He shot up into the air before Warletz jumped up and smashed him into the ground. "Hmph, that will buy me three seconds Howard."

"That's enough to tell you no Authoritarian can activate a skill from greater than they can sense frequencies! They are fooling you! He lost connection with that golden string even if he had it when he left the East Branch! By now, he couldn't sense that even if he tried."

"Y0u mean… You mean they tricked me," Howard wiped a tear from his eye. "I-I'll be right there!" Howard put down Inla and started to feel the world blur. "Ah! Damn it! Come on Ki! Activate!"

"You're leaving, and if you don't I'm killing you myself!" Warletz wiped some blood off his mouth and pointed to a distant mountain. "Our strongest ally is on the 56th Mountain in 1000 Mountain Valley! Go there with my sister, and he'll teach you how to wipe these Arthraku to dust! However, hurry! I can't focus when some damn brat is watching me fight! Go!"