Chapter 230 Comradery In Battle

“—No problem! Leave the defense to me!” Everett shouted.

Meanwhile, Yuna helped thin out the numbers that swarmed around the other two, using her nimbleness paired with the incredible skill for quick assassinations to swiftly dispatch the monstrosities around her.

—

As he watched his comrades, the Dragonheart caught himself, spinning around and pressing his feet against the ceiling as he coiled up, setting his sights on the man below.

Summon it. Hold none of it back…He thought to himself.

Collector smiled up towards him, pointing his palm upward as his flesh parted to give way to a hose of the bright-green liquid that shot out like a beam of highly-pressurized liquid.

He immediately kicked off of the ceiling, cracking the stone and causing the colosseum to rumble as he dived down, avoiding the spray of acidic ooze as he gathered a heaping force of draconic power in his fist.

Azure flames swirled around his cocked back hand, emitting head waves as he neared Collector with full-intent to destroy.

“—Erk,” Collector’s constant smile shifted in an instant once the Dragonheart swept past his acid.

As he threw his fist forward like a cannon sparking with destructive might, he unleashed a roar of power that surged forth, sparking with azure embers before the shock wave collided directly against Collector.

“Brrrrrr–!” Collector groaned.

The powerful shock wave, infused with draconic flames, ripples the skin on the criminal’s body before flinging him back harshly as if bludgeoned by the mallet of a giant.

An aftershock of the devastating blow burrowed through the stone in front of the Dragonheart’s knuckles, carving it up with the sigh of the inner dragon.

“…Oh, that smarts…that really, really, smarts…!” Collector laughed hoarsely.

The monstro-fied man was leaning against the caved-in wall as rubble rained down on him, bouncing off of his head as he laughed quietly, coughing up blood. It was inhuman that the figure even survived the monstrous blow as his stomach was caved in and his fleshe eviscerated from the sharp winds.

Emilio stood tall as spiked hounds rushed him from every angle, only needing a single swipe of his hand to unleash a wave of azure flames from his position.

In an instant, the spike-armored hounds whimpered as the flesh-eating fire swirled around the young Dragonheart, enveloping the beasts in the lethal embrace of heat as their hides melted and their flesh was breathed away, leaving not even their bones.

“And they call me a monster!” Collector slowly stood up, cackling, “–Look at you, boy. You’re quite the scary creature yourself.”

“–” Emilio didn’t respond.

“–Still, I don’t deny what I am! I’m a monster! A demon! The devil himself! The worst-of-the-worst! I deny none of it!” Collector grinned.

Just then, the Dragonheart realized what the purple-skinned, maddened man was up to as he ran his finger down his chest, summoning another ominous set of stitches.

No! I won’t let you! He thought.

As he dashed forward, bringing his sword into his hand with the guidance of wind, he reached the figure within seconds, going in for a measured swing of his blade before–

“–You’re too late!”

Collector provoked with a smile before his body went limp, losing its substance in an instant as the stitches on its chest opened as a new, fresh body for Collector popped out, dodging the sword swing that bisected the discarded flesh.

“–Tch!” Emilio clicked his tongue.

The S-rank criminal giggled as he rolled out, opening his mouth as he breathed out toxic fumes towards the Dragonheart.

Reacting quickly, Emilio waved his sword to summon a gust of wind, knocking the lethal gas back towards the man who breathed it out, though Collector only laughed.

“I’m immune to it, but nice try!”

“Do you ever shut up?” Emilio asked.

“Ha-ha! Sorry, but I’m quite the talkative–”

Before the annoyance that was the Collector could finish talking, Emilio swiped his hand up, summoning walls of stone that enclosed around the eccentric goliath.

Just as he did so, a two-headed orc stomped over to him from behind, dual-wielding giant clubs as it murmured out slurred words.

“Sssmath…!” The two-headed orc bellowed.

As it attempted to slam its clubs down on the Dragonheart, Emilio’s sharpened reflexes kicked in without a moment’s hesitation as he dropped down to his hands and kicked upward behind him, using both feet to crack the orc’s chin and knock it back brutally.

Facing forward again, there was no chance to follow up on the second half of the spell he cast around Collector as the massive man shattered the stone that encapsulated him:

“–Rude! I was talking!” Collector smiled, punching through the rock easily.

Another abnormal morph came over the man’s body as he increased the bulk of his legs three times over, using the enhanced, bulging muscularity to launch himself forward in a surprising dash towards the Dragonheart.

“—!”

Coming into reach, Collector swung his arm back, causing it to gigantify by a factor of five times as massive, bright-green veins shined.

Activating his [Scale Armor] while already naturally clad in a suit of draconic armor further increased the durability of those scales, focusing this effect into his arms as he shielded himself from the massive blow.

WHAM

The impact was stronger than expected, leaving cracks in the Dragoheart’s exterior protection as his feet slid across the stone.

He somehow ended up back-to-back against Everett, who was breathing heavily with his shield raised to rabid orcs.

“Ya good, buddy? We can swap out if you want!” Everett offered with a small laugh.

“I’ve got it handled,” Emilio responded, breathing out as he watched steam exude from the impact left on his arms.

“Alright! Good to hear! I really didn’t want to fight that crazy head anyway!” Everett said.

Springing back into action, they went their separate ways as Emilio blazed towards Collector, swiping his flame-breathing sword towards the figure who dodged with smiling swiftness.

—

Everett charged back into the grouping of orcs, intercepting their movement towards Melisande as he knocked into them, yelling out, “Hoooo-rah!”

“Thanks!” Melisande said.

“Don’t mention it!” The shielder responded.