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After seeing the explosion that Frank provoked, Matsuo, Harumi, and Erika glanced at the scene in disbelief… Little Ruby was also with them, looking at Frank with worried eyes, constantly groaning.
"Raaarrr! Raaaawwwrrrr!"
"C-Calm down Ruby! You can't get there yet!"
She was trying to get to him, but Matsuo held her tight, he knew the little dragon was loyal to her master, but this wasn't a fight the little creature could get involved in.
It ended going way beyond their expectations, reaching a realm they had yet to even touch…
And after that massive explosion that blew away most of the city created within the domain, Medea, the witch that had come after their lives, was gone.
Frank's power completely burned and disintegrated her to ashes, overcoming all odds and managing to finally defeat the wicked witch.
"I-I can't believe this…! Frank had such power within him?!" Erika asked, looking at the scene in disbelief. "How did this even happen to begin?!"
"T-That… doesn't matter! His soul, it is too weak right now!" Matsuo said, his eyes glowing brightly as he used a spell to see through Frank's Spiritual Body, realizing his Soul was burning and fading away. "I can feel it, he's going to die if we don't do something! We have to go down there and help him!"
"Yeah, we have to go help him!" Harumi nodded, as she quickly spread out her bat-like wings made of blood. "Come on, Erika, let's hurry!"
"Wait a bit, we have to leave these in a safe space…" Matsuo said, waving his hand and his staff, and conjuring a special bubble made of barriers of light where Elfina, Sol, and Fiere were left inside, unconscious.
"Then let's go! Hurry!" Erika complained, as she held onto Harumi's leg while they descended.
While Matsuo could fly using his Levitation Magic and Harumi with her Blood Wings, Erika had no ability to fly at all, although she had immense physical strength to easily jump hundreds of meters and descend from skyscrapers without any bruises, flying wasn't one of her powers.
Leaving Elfina, Sol, and Fiere inside a barrier bubble conjured by Matsuo, the trio rushed down towards Frank. Ruby managed to free herself from Matsuo's hands, rushing towards Frank and reaching him first.
"Gryaarr! Gryyaaah!"
The little dragon was crying tears of sorrow as she reached him and started licking his face, trying to use her [Lick Wounds] Skill to heal him like usual, but it wasn't working.
"FRANK!"
Matsuo, Harumi, and Erika ran after Ruby, finally reaching him. They found him there, barely alive. He was on his knees, his giant body was slowly burning away, fading into black ashes.
His flames were slowly being extinguished, as his body's power seemed to be fading away, everything he had sacrificed was now disappearing.
He gave up his life, his future, everything… for this. But at least, he managed to destroy that monster. After all, it wasn't just for White that he did this; it was to save his friends.
"…"
Frank's eyes seemed to be looking at the sky, as his friends reached him, panicking at his current state. Somehow he was alive, but he would probably die at any minute now.
Ruby's Licking Wound Skill was constantly activating, trying to heal him however she could, even as her tongue burned due to the incredibly hot black ashes covering Frank's body.
"Oh my god, Frank!" Erika herself was also about to start crying, glancing at the handsome, cheerful man having destroyed his body this way. "Why did you do this?! WHY?!"
"I… didn't want you… to die…"
Frank managed to muster a few words, as flames came out from his mouth with each of his words, reaching his friends' hearts and making a chill run down their spines.
"Y-You idiot!" Erika started crying. "You dumbass…! You…!"
"W-We can't just keep staring at him! Matsuo! Get ready to heal him, we have to do something, anything!" Harumi cried.
"I-I am on it please be patient!" Matsuo was panicking, his hands trembling as he moved several healing paper talismans and placed them around Frank, and yet he slipped his hand due to his nervousness, messing the whole thing. "Aagh! No, dammit! I-I can't… stop trembling?! Frank…! Don't die Frank!"
"Dammit Matsuo! You said you were ready for anything!" Harumi was also crying, trying to help Matsuo set up the healing formation.
"I wasn't ready for anything of this you know?! Who would be ready for a friend dying out of nowhere?!" Matsuo started screaming angrily while holding back his tears.
"Stop fighting! We don't got time for that!" Erika slapped their faces. "Make the formation! HURRY THE FUCK UP!"
As this happened, Frank's consciousness was slowly being consumed by an endless infernal flame, born from his own wrath.
"Gryyaargh!"
He could hear Ruby licking his wounds, crying by his side.
"Ruby…"
He looked at her one last time.
"I'm… sorry…"
As Frank was about to close his eyes, suddenly…
TRUUUM!
Space began to be rapidly twisted and shattered, as several black shadows appeared out of nowhere, quite literally summoning themselves there.
These shadows…
"No way…!" Erika screamed. "You fucking kidding me?!"
"Medea?!" Matsuo panicked. "No! You're not dead?!"
"Aah!" Harumi gasped. "We have to-"
"Hahahaha! HAHAHAH!"
The witch manifested as dozens of shadow clones, all of them laughing like a merciless chorus, her crimson eyes glanced at the group with mercilessness.
"Did you really believed I died? I am a magician that has lived for thousands of years! I would NEVER risk my own life fighting someone in person… My real body is safe and sound~! Now, shall we resume where we left out?!"
This was it.
There was nothing else left within Matsuo, Harumi, and Erika's hearts…
Other than despair.
And yet…
Despite all the odds, they stood in front of Frank, releasing whatever Aura they had left within them.
And glaring at the dozens of shadows with furious eyes, holding back their tears.
They knew it was futile; they knew it was pointless.
They would die here…
But at the very least, they would die protecting their friend, someone that went even further than them, and sacrificed everything to save them.
"I won't let you lay a finger on him; you bitch!" Erika roared.
"Over my dead body!" Harumi said.
"We'll fight… Until the bitter end!" Matsuo screamed.
"Raaarrr!" Ruby roared fiercely.
"Hahah… How adorable!"
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