Chapter 234: For the sake of our friends and family-

I sheathed both of my swords and sabers and kept on blasting her nonstop.  After a certain point, she looked charred. Still alive. I'd have died ten times over by now.

Her clothes were gone and most of her skin was also gone. I could see muscles and bones here and there: blood everywhere. Still alive. 

But oh well. I was pretty much spent, so I went over to her and shoved my saber and sword in her stomach and chest. I had way too many emotions, way too much hatred for her.

"This is the end for you." I raised both of my swords and I was about to chop her up in pieces. 

If that didn't work, I'd keep on blasting her till every atom of her being would cease to exist. 

But Hyora only snickered. "Oh, Burt dear. Would you mind coming here?"

Hyora's lips, face, eyes, nothing moved. But the sound manifested regardless. 

Father was still engaged with uncle but he made a run for Hyora. Obviously, mom and uncle both came in front of him but he disregarded everything and evaded them: he even took hits. He was definitely desperate to come here. 

Before long, he was right behind me, attacking me. I was spent but even now, I wasn't defenseless. 

Before his sword reached me, his hands were stopped by vines. His legs were wrapped in vines and so was his torso. He was immobile. "Let the boy handle his own thing. He doesn't need you to interfere." Grandma laughed.

I was glad my family had come with me. Otherwise, I didn't know what I would have done if I'd come alone. 

"Well, that went out the drain."

"Kill me and your father would also perish," Hyora said, looking pathetic.

Well, wasn't that a bluff!

"Really?" I snorted, my saber still dangling in my hand. 

Father was already tied. "I'll die regardless. Kill her before she orders me to do something else."

"What?" Wait, wait, he'd die?

So, it wasn't a bluff?

"Hurry, before she-" Father stopped. There was horror in his eyes. 

I turned around and Hyora was already recovered, good to go. "Before I order you to kill them all?" She chuckled. "Before I turn into this?" Her creepy smile was back. "Pardon. It took me some time to warm up. It would seem I'd been neglecting my body for far too long."

She looked slightly different. Her fangs were larger, her eyes had less glow but her- something about her, gave a very different vibe: a much more dangerous vibe. 'And just when I frigging used everything too.'

And Hyora was back to her normal height and colors too. Her skin was snowy white again and her smile looked normal. It was almost as though she'd gone through a rebirth of sorts.

And as any newborn- she was in her b-day suit. Rather flat but yeah, those were nice proportions for someone of that age-

Seriously, what the hell was wrong with my tastes!?

'It'd be a very good time for you to wake up Enira.'

But she was out cold. 

And I didn't have any strength left. 

I couldn't just switch over to the shadow either, after all, if Enira was sleeping who'd stop me if something went wrong? I only understood what happened in the tournament when Merin sent me a clip from the tournament. That was why I was so confident that she'd stop me this time in case something went wrong. 

But the damn dragon- snake thingy was sleeping. She was probably immortal so I didn't have to worry about her dying, at least. 

Hyora gradually took steps forward and I took steps backward. My legs were slightly shaking. I couldn't tell if it was just my fatigue catching up or maybe… fear?

Anyway, I still had my skills and my swords. So, I couldn't back down now. After all, I'd come so far, I'd done so much. I couldn't just back out now.

So, I took deep breaths and psyched myself up. I ran for Hyora: she wasn't moving at all.

"ARHGHH!" I screamed with the best of my abilities and slashed through her. My saber went straight through her shoulder and it fell off. But- but she just smiled and slashed my arm off. "ARGHH!!!"

She couldn't have reached!

It took a second for me to realize my missing limb and the pain… and….

I screamed and quickly backed off. My hand…my hand… it was gone. 

The pain! It was unbearable and I wanted to lie down on the ground and roll around. But- I couldn't. I screamed again- it was like being cut in half- 

It was almost as though the world had slowed down, it kept on ringing and everything felt dark- I could almost faint….

'DAMNIT!' I could cry- no, I was already crying.

"HELIO!" Mom and Marg screamed. 

"Stay back!"

I breathed hard- I was losing my breath. It was hard to control my breathing and stop the bleeding. And on top of that, the woman already regrew her lost shoulder. 

I grunted and grit my teeth in pain. 

So far, this wasn't looking good. 

This was my fight and that's why even now my family members weren't interfering. They were respecting my wishes despite eating up their emotions. I loved my family and I knew they'd get hurt if they came and fought alongside me. 

And I knew they wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice themselves either.

So, for them, for myself, for everyone here, I had to pick myself up. 'Stand tall Helio Romswell Jintel. The fight's just beginning!' 

Giving myself an internal speech wasn't really helping though.

I still had a good arm and Gramp's sword. "Let's just say, that hand was just slowing me down anyway." I chuckled but couldn't breathe.

Hyora's grin widened but- I charged regardless. I didn't have a Deathwish, but my wish to not let harm come to my family was far greater than anything else. Marg was here and so was our unborn child. Mom, uncle, grandma, for all their sake, I had to charge. 

I had to fight to protect them, I had to fight to win and I had to fight to, not lose.

I screamed again to bring out strength. I was so depleted that even screaming wasn't helping. 

"And that's what I fell in love about you." Hyora moved closer to me like she was dancing and just a touch away, she stopped: She passed her hand through my stomach, as I sliced vertically through her head. She was fast and her hand gently pierced through my body- making it outside from the back.

My sword had gone straight through the middle of her head but she was unharmed. 

As for me.

"COUgh*" I threw up some blood and was barely standing. My stomach was warm but it was gradually getting colder and colder. Like my life was draining with the blood. I was getting drenched by my own blood, never even imagined this day would come… the pain was unbearable but- I wanted to sleep now… 'NO!'

I couldn't give up now!

I could see mom screaming from the corner of my eye and uncle and grandma holding her back. Marg had fallen on the ground, too surprised.

"IT's a shame you'd go through the same route. Your family really is bizarre. Perhaps the next one would be different?" she looked at Marg and smiled. "OR perhaps it'd be better to end your line here for good?"

My eyes opened slightly. "Everyone, run from here unless you want cancers."

My mouth moved on its own and radiation leaked from me. I couldn't- no, I didn't control my radiation anymore. Even though I wasn't touching my saber, a barrier still formed over our heads- Enira had woken up. 

I was depleted but that was just one of me.

There was a ringing and stinging sensation and I knew I'd die if this kept up but-

I couldn't breathe and my heart was going to stop within minutes. Meaning, I had to do something about all this before that. I had to do something, right now.

"I know I've been terrible to you without knowing. I know even after knowing, I did nothing. I know even though you've suffered there, I never let you out, I never bothered to listen but- please, for the sake Marg and our son, our mother, our family, our friends, lend me strength."

I closed my eyes and focused. I knew he was here and I knew he was listening…

"About damn time, I was waiting for you to make a deal like you wanted but to think you're this much of a miser!" The shadow had taken over me but I was fully conscious- in the backseat. "But don't worry. I'll help you out, free of charge."

I snorted. Nothing in this world was free of charge other than mother's love.

So, there was definitely a catch to this guy's shit too. But- for the time, I believed him. 

And my consciousness slowly faded.