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A Hero Tale {Complete}

"A Phoenix?!" Sera cried, completely unable to react to Jenso's speed at first. The skin around his Thigh was torn open, and he felt forward onto one Knee, but as Jenso slashed at his chest, he blocked his attack with his right arm. A few scratch-marks remained, but the attacks didn't go through. Sera stomped onto the ground and propelled himself into the air, towards the ceiling. While in midair, he spun around and crossed his arms. "Not yet! I'm not going to let you abuse this ancient power for evil!"

"Crystal Cross!"

Several crystal pillar shot up from the ground at random angles, one after another, trying to pierce Jenso as he flew through the sky. 5.. 10.. fifteen! They kept coming without delay.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"That man, Lark, was a danger. Ross was a Danger. You are a danger," Sera went on, grabbing Jenso by his hair and lifting him up. "Dangerous men should be killed. You cannot be allowed to live for there to be true peace and happiness..." Sera aimed his other hand at Jenso's heart and began to summon a crystal, sharp enough to pierce Jenso's heart. Jenso felt a warmth build up inside of him as the crystal began to dig into his chest.

"Kill.. I'll kill you.. And then I'll kill Jeff.. And anyone else who poses a threat to my peaceful world.."

Jenso felt it. He was at his limit. But something inside of him pulled him back from the brink. Something give him the will to go on. It wasn't just his fighting spirit anymore. In a flash of flames, something burst fourth from his soul. Sera's eyes widened and his crystal melted. He jumped back just before a stream of flames flew towards his chest.

"What?!" Sera shouted, staring at Jenso in disbelief. Something new had come to defend Jenso. It flapped its mighty wings, covered in- No, composed of fire itself. From within, a familiar had been born to Jenso, with only one urge. To protect him.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Sera began laughing, tearing through each of Jeff's wind slashes one by one as he neared Jenso. "More," He grunted, deflecting one, "More, more," he continued, slashing through another and punching through the next, "I'll show you even more!!" Sera eventually made it way towards Jeff and Jenso, suddenly gaining a boost of speed. He slapped Jeff away, and stepped into the weakened Jenso, hitting him in the shoulder with an overhead smash. The result caused Jenso's white flame form to disperse entirely, sending him to the ground.

"Do you see it? The power of Gaia? The power that only I am destined to wield? I will use it to make this city great, to rid it of evils and impurity! I will use Ross' power with my own, I will use it as I please!"

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Sera's hand was blasted away. His eyes widened as Jenso's second punch came towards him. He attempted to block, but couldn't manage it in time. "Shit! That punch again..!" Sera thought for a split second, and the the sound of bending and cracking resounded from where Jenso's fist struck. Sera was pushed back a few feet, but didn't falter. The crystal veins around his armour had extended to block the punch, but after doing so, they were smashed to pieces, and crumbled away. Sera looked down, worried, but smiled when his armour appeared unscathed. Little did he know, there was a small dent where Jenso had struck. Sera rose a hand and shattered the crystals that Jeff sent towards him with force wave. That wave flew even further, faster than usual, towards Jeff. He set his eyes on Jenso, and dashed forwards with a simple force-empowered punch.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Sera stopped in his tracks and held his arms forward as Jenso's Omega saw reached him, holding it in place for a split second. But as it spun, Sera's body was beginning to drag along the ground. He couldn't stop it entirely. Then he saw Jeff preparing something big. Sera grunted, and jumped up, over the saw, and slammed his hand into the centre of the technique. A force shock wave expanded, and instantly dispersed the attack in a flash of light. Then Jeff's attack came towards him. Instead of taking this one head on, Sera turned his back around, and a giant shell of crystals formed around his body. The wind slammed against it, tearing giant shards off, and sending them flying. By the time the technique had ended, the crystal crumbled away, and Sera was left standing, relatively unharmed. He craned his neck around and smiled before spinning to face the two heroes.

"No focus... No power... On your own, you two have weaknesses that can easily be exploited," Sera mocked again. He dashed towards Jenso and slashed at him with both claws, while also firing a volley of crystals from his left shoulder towards Jeff.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Sera took a step forward and chuckled.

"You are strong, far stronger than I was before I attained that Gaian's Ki. Both of you. But you cannot sustain your current power. Neither of you stand a chance here," Sera spat, suddenly losing his calm demeanour, stomping forward another step, "Jenso, that form is unstable. I feel your Ki fluctuating, begging for an escape. It may grant you an enormous boost in power, but soon you will lose it, and return to your base form. And you.." Sera turned to Jeff and took another step forward, cracking the ground with his crystal-covered foot, "You cannot even retain enough focus to keep your wind powers stable! Your energy is balanced, and your speed is ridiculous, but if you fall out of that form so easily.. Hahaha.." Sera launched himself forward at both Jenso and Jeff and shouted angrily. A giant wall of crystals rose behind both Jenso and Jeff, trapping them in a semi-circle as Sera approached with both of his clawed hands at the ready.

"You're finished!"

A Hero Tale {Complete}

~ Chapter 81 ~

_{One With Nature, Corruption Versus Purity!}

"ONE WITH NATURE!"

In a flash of blue light, the two figured before Jenso and Jeff fused together into one entity. A blinding display overcame their senses for a split second as Sera's power level spiked even further than it had before. As it faded, his body stood taller, and more muscular than before. His hair had grown back, and fluttered brilliantly, overcome by a cascade of blue and white. The Armour he wore was now partially obscured by sharp crystal veins, and his back was protected by a body-fitting shell with several joints that allowed him to bend freely. Sera opened his eyes and an aura of blue magic surrounded him. The elf smiled and rose his hands up, flexing both arms.

"This is... Magnificent."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Ross' familiar? Feh! I know nothing of such nonsense. I don't quite know what this is, really. All I know is.." Sera stepped forward and slammed both his hands against the turtle's shell and smiled, convinced of his victory.

"...It'll be your end of your nonsensical jabbering..."

---

~ End Of Chapter 80 ~

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Sera slowly stood up, panting heavily, but as he turned around, he caught his breath and cracked his neck.

"I think... I think that I've underestimated you two. But enough is enough," Sera announced, spreading his arms up, and then lifting them above his head. A moment later, something appeared in a ball of light, and jumped forwards, landing in front of him. It was a vicious turtle-looking creature that was completely green, with a spiked shell, and razor sharp claws. Sera grinned and nodded confidently. "The Gaian race is a wonderful race, indeed. Far be it from me to claim any understanding of their traditions, but this.. This is useful."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Sera stopped hard on his right foot and locked his focus onto Jenso's punch.

"He's fast!"

Sera kneeled forwards but when the punch didn't fire, it became clear what Jenso was trying to do. But Sera had more to worry about. He had revealed his back to Jeff intentionally, cautiously waiting for his energy signature to spike further. With both hands, Sera dispelled his blades and contained the flame wave at Jenso's foot, using his force abilities to redirect right back towards Jenso. He then rolled forwards, through an explosive white burst of flames as his force containment ended, and out of Jeff's way, leaving the wind-sage master to head straight towards Jenso. Sera landed behind Jenso and stood up, with heavy burns along his left thigh.