Chapter 352 Disastrous Guardian

Engulfing his sword with draconic flames, he attempted to take the initiative with a burst forward before any of his comrades joined him, gunning straight for the imposing banshee. He moved swiftly like a bullet, hopping around to avoid the whips of razor sharp, flashing hair while also cleaving through the same attacks that came at him from other angles.

'I can make it–!' He thought.

Just as he came within striking distance of the banshee, who remained hovering in the same spot, he began swinging his flaming sword towards her neck before–

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"

The ungodly scream caused space in front of him to ripple and contort from the violent shock of the banshee's voice, shattering his draconic armor and blasting him back with ferocious speed.

"Ghh–!" He winced.

"Emilio!" Joel and Asher shouted.

It was akin to being smacked by a point-blank natural disaster, unable to regain control of his own body before he slammed into a hill of dirt towards the back of the quarry.

"Nnngh..."

As he laid there, he could feel the aftershock of the scream throughout his body; it tore through his muscles and bludgeoned his internal organs. Blood seeped from his nose and ears as all he could hear was a distinct ringing.

He immediately focused healing magecraft through his body as Asher and Joel rushed over to his side while Vandread kept the swarm of hair at bay.

"Holy shit! You got blasted!" Joel said in a panic.

"Thanks for the input..." Emilio groaned out.

Asher looked at him, "You got close, but that scream seems to be her trump card."

"Yup. I figured that out the hard way," Emilio responded.

The two men helped him back to his feet after he healed his torn muscles and bruised organs, though he still didn't exactly feel pleasant as the aching didn't decrease.

This time, he regrew his scale armor, though it took to a darker shade resembling an onyx gem rather than blue scales; it was more refined with a helm of a faceless dragon.

"Can you use the fifth stage?" Asher asked, standing beside him.

"...I'm not there yet. I was able to use it consciously once, I think but...I can manage this much," Emilio said.

[Current Stage: 4/10 | Dragon Elite]

Asher looked at him as his devilish armor clad itself around his own body, allowing his deathly cape to descend from his shoulders, "It'll do. If I'm being honest anyway, you've surpassed me already–your magic is an edge that can't be undervalued."

"You're making me blush," Emilio said sarcastically.

"I'm serious. You've done well for yourself, Emilio," Asher said, "I'm saying this because I'm entrusting you to protect Arcadius once you're out of here–that's my only request."

"Of course. That goes without saying," Emilio said.

"She used her hair as armor? You've got to be kidding me..." Emilio remarked.

"Nasty bitch!" Joel shouted.

Though the insult thrown by the silver-haired man required Vandread to yank Joel to the side by his arm as the banshee responded with a spear of hair that nearly skewered him.

"...Thanks," Joel said, nearly having been turned into a kebab.

"Focus," Vandread told him.

Regrouping for the moment, they found the threat of the banshee to be quite the troublesome one; an opponent with an incredibly solid defense and offense that made making progress difficult.

"If she can protect against an attack like Emilio just used with her hair, what the hell can we even do to hurt her...?" Joel wondered.

"That's a good question," Vandread said, "It'll be hard to find an opening to finish her from. She may look like a mindless monster, but she's cunning and experienced, it seems. She's been able to perfectly keep us separated and overwhelmed by her attacks."

Standing there for a moment, Emilio realized something as he watched the banshee, who simply hovered there, not moving from the spot she held in the quarry.

"She's not coming after us," he noted.

"Yeah? I noticed that as well, actually," Joel responded.

Asher squinted, "Emilio, are you thinking..."

"Yeah," Emilio nodded, "If she's guarding this one path, it must mean it's the right way to go. It's where we'll find the destination we're after. But that also means we need to get past her. Which...I have an idea for that."

All eyes were on him as he proposed the very concept of having an idea, which seemed to bring its own preconceived notions.

"If it's using that eye of yours, that shouldn't be an option," Vandread said.

"Agreed," Joel nodded.

Emilio sighed, "That wasn't my idea."

"It's not?" Joel looked at him.

The young Dragonheart looked over at Asher, making eye contact with him as if trying to have him understand his plan without saying it, "I think I can tap into "that", Asher. That...form I underwent when we fought Dread."

Asher looked shocked, "You can? Even if you can, that form is dangerous, Emilio. I'm doubtful that I'd be able to stop it again."

"Don't worry. I'll try to reel it in the best I can so you won't have to worry about me going berserk–probably," Emilio said.

"Hmm...it could work. That form does have the firepower we need," Asher held his own chin.

Joel looked confused, "Form? What form?"

Not answering quite yet, Emilio stepped forward, rolling his shoulders and taking in a long, deep breath into his lungs as he focused up. It wasn't some new development he had undergone; no, not quite.

It was something that had been there since he first manifested it; the "glitch in the system" as he likened it to.

'Ever since I accidentally underwent that transformation, it's like it's always there when I tap into the Dragonheart System–whispering into my ear, trying to stir me up and unleash "that"--up until now, I've only seen it as a curse, but...it might just work,' he thought.