Chapter 254 A Glitch In The System

"...Do you want to know why I chose this plan?" Emilio asked, holding onto the origin of the water bindings.

Amon continued to pull at them, attempting to escape by increasing the vibrational force on his arms, though as the water broke its form, it only reformed just as quickly.

"Don't bother. As it stands, you can't break from that with physical might alone," Emilio told him.

"What is it?..." Amon huffed as blood leaked from his mouth, huffing, "Is it because this is the only way you could catch me?..."

"No. To tell you the truth, there are more ways than I could count that I could've defeated you out there," Emilio told him.

"...Lie..." Amon hissed, still resisting.

"It's not," the young Dragonheart assured him, relinquishing the scales on his head as he met eye-to-eye with the man, "Every method would've either involved hurting my friends in the crossfire, or letting them see just how much of a monster I can be. Truth be told, I didn't want to do this in front of her..."

He stopped speaking for a moment as his amethyst eyes settled on Amon, watching the killer with a look of gloom inhabiting his irises, though this only served to ignite a rage within Amon as he thrashed around.

"What're you talking about?!...Just finish this already! I don't want to hear it!" Amon spit out, "If I'm going to die, kill me with passion! Enjoy it! Don't look at me with that pitiful look in your eyes, Emilio!"

For some reason, Amon snapped his fingers as small flickers of darkness lashed out, catching Emilio off-guard, though nothing happened.

"Huh...?" Emilio looked.

Still, it wasn't a settled deal yet as Amon leaped forward, choosing to move towards the anchor of the water bindings as he lunged towards the Dragonheart with his mouth open.

Forgoing all of the elegance in style he once had, Amon moved and fought like a feral beast, salivating as he went for Emilio's throat.

Though hindered, the speed of the recruit killer was still there, forcing Emilio to dodge with his utmost reflexes.

"Don't insult me! You hardly have the resolve to kill me, and you think you can win?! I've already exchanged my life, Emilio Dragonheart!" Amon screamed, dashing around the small room, jumping from wall-to-wall, "--I fear nothing but failing my own mission! My pain is nothing! My dreams are nothing! My life is nothing–! Can you say that you have this level of resolve?!"

Within a split-second, blood sprayed onto the soil as the life swiftly vanished from those eyes looking towards him.

Everett was the first to be cut down, having his neck slit as he used his own body as a shield in front of Yuna. Next was the cat woman herself, who just as she raised her daggers, had her heart pierced by the blurred killer's daggers.

Asher summoned a massive reservoir of darkness from within himself, seeming to begin ascending to a further stage of his Devilheart System, but before he could–Amon was faster. Both daggers were used to slice the throat of the Devilheart.

As they all fell, taken out within fractions of a moment together, Melisande looked desperately towards Emilio, reaching out as the young Dragonheart did as well.

"Emilio!"

"I'm here...! I've got you! I've you–"

Simply, Amon was too fast; a sweeping natural disaster that struck all hope down, invoking only despair. Before the amethyst eyes of the Dragonheart, he watched the girl he placed the trust of himself into, watching as she, too, was cut down by the killer.

In that moment, his heart sank as his stomach was left in knots, seeing flashes of Joel in his mind, feeling the utmost failure he had just provoked.

"...No...!" Emilio said through a strained gargle of tears.

It had all occurred within a few seconds, leaving Amon returning as a bloodied, vibrating figure of death and malice.

As he slammed his fist against the ground, the soil cracked and cratered, causing the surrounding area to rumble as Emilio continued repeating to himself: "No...no...no! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll destroy–!"

Even the cold-hearted killer found himself shaken by the aura he sensed, looking back towards the anguished young man to find something ominous taking form.

Scales stretched across Emilio's body, layering into thick, dark-black scales before his entire body was covered, then the process amplified–increasing in size as his hands were equipped with draconic claws. A massive tail sprouted from behind him, whipping back as it swept through trees.

All of his senses went haywire as he continued muttering "Death" and "Destruction", losing himself as nothing but static met his ears with a monotonous hum.

[Dragonheart System Activated?/%?]

[//?Alternate Path Unlocked?!/&^]

[Current Stage 7/?? | Draconis Monster]