Chương 39: Episode 37: "You really do hate me, huh?"

Jaylen threw a punch—but Dark Don caught it like it weighed nothing. A massive shockwave exploded outward, tearing at the air. Reality shivered. The ground seemed to twist, buildings bending like wet paper. Then—black. Pure void. No sky. No ground. Just Jaylen. Just Dark Don. Frozen mid-fight, suspended in nothingness. Dark Don still gripped Jaylen's fist. His smirk curdled into a scowl.

"Really… do hate me, huh?" His fingers tightened. Jaylen's hand shattered like fragile glass. Fragments floated around him, glittering like broken stars. Pain cut sharp, white-hot. BAM! The city reappeared. War-torn, smoking, crumbling. Jaylen hit the ground, eyes squinting against dust and fire, tears escaping—not from grief, but raw pain. Dark Don drew back his other fist. Lunar energy spiraled and crackled around him, painting the air silver and purple.

"Time to leave, Celestianite…" BAM! Angel rocketed in, an uppercut that lifted Dark Don straight into the sky. Glasses glinting, voice cutting like steel:"THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!" He spun, tornado kick blasting through the battlefield, sending Dark Don flying ragdoll-style. He smashed through buildings, ricocheted off cars, bounced through the air like a pinball. CRAAAAAASH! A rusty tower took the brunt. Groaning metal, dust exploding like a volcanic eruption. QUUUIINCH! CRRRAAAANK!

The tower folded in half.

"ANGEL?! YOU SAVED ME!" Jaylen coughed blood, clutching his arm. Angel's face hardened into seriousness Jaylen had never seen.

"I know… and I brought backup." Blinking, Jaylen barely whispered, "Backup? What do you mean—" Through the dust, they stepped forward. The crew. Bruised. Bloodied. Weapons glowing. Elements crackling. Eyes burning determination. Angel at the front, serious as a storm. Behind him, tired grins, sharp little smirks, the kind that said: we're not done. Jaylen grinned through the blood. Dream Energy flared around him. They weren't tired. They weren't broken. Even Anhia held an alien bird's head like a trophy.

They were here. Pre-Heroes… ready to become legends. Dark Don's low growl split the air.

"Is that all of them?" Angel shook his head, grinning.

"Nope. That's not all…" BOOOOOOM! The ground quaked. Something massive crashed through the ruins. Kai. The Hric had grown colossal under Eldritch's potion, ears smacking buildings, red eyes glowing like molten rubies, teeth flashing. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. And riding him—Power. Back like a storm. Fists raised, voice roaring over the chaos:"WE'VE COME TO KICK SOME LUNARANITE ASS!!" Thunderclap of a roar. BOOM.

ncarceration teleported in, armor upgraded, red streaks pulsing. One arm a cannon, energy humming like wildfire. Eyes glowing through the visor. He scanned the battlefield—Power, Kai, the crew, Celestianites fighting above.

"Power… are we really doing this right now?" His voice was low, simmering with fury, red energy crackling like storm lightning. He stepped forward. The air warped around him.

"We've been fighting a long time… and now's the time for you to give up this land." His voice rose, a scream across ruins:"JUST LOOK AT IT! WHAT'S THE POINT OF WAR?! IF WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS PLACE AND TEAR IT DOWN—WE'LL DO IT WITH OUR OWN BLOODY HANDS!" Red-hot eyes. Stomp that shook the rubble underfoot.

"TELL ME, POWER! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SAVE CELESTIA?! IT'S OVER! DONE! AND IF YOU STILL WANT TO FIGHT—" He flung both arms wide.

"LET'S FIGHT!!!" Silence. A heartbeat. Then the chaos of battle roared back. Power and Incarceration—face to face. Every muscle coiled. Every instinct screaming. Around them, beasts and fake Lunaranites surged, charging like predators straight from the wild. Power muttered, calm but cutting:"Yes." Incarceration slammed his fists into the ground. BOOOOM. The world tore apart. Shockwaves flattened Celestia. Buildings launched skyward, twisting mid-air like ragdolls. The sky itself screamed: BWWWWOOOOOMMM! WOOOSH!

The battlefield vanished. He fired. A red inferno arced toward the crew. Everyone dove, elements flaring, weapons igniting. The crew ran headfirst into chaos. Incarceration's cannon roared, each blast a furious thunderclap. Smoke and debris swirled like a living storm, every explosion illuminating madness in crimson and shadow. He grabbed Ryan, slammed him into Anhia; sent Lonnie Mae flying into the air. The ground cracked under the force. Emely wasn't done, blood left near her cheek.

"I'LL GET YOU RED MEANIE!" She leapt, trident glittering, ice forming along her arms. She latched onto the cannon, grunting and swinging—but Incarceration thrashed, tossing her off like a ragdoll. Before he could recover, Guervens dropped from the clouds, magma spikes blasting him skyward. Wings unfurled, jets flaring, he rocketed like a missile, laughter slicing the roar. Anhia unleashed diamond shards after him, glittering like deadly rain. Incarceration twisted through smoke-choked air, firing relentlessly.

Craters blossomed with each impact, shockwaves rippling outward like a pulse from a dying star. Power. A blue comet of energy slammed into him mid-air. BOOM. Sparks cascaded across the battlefield. Power crushed Incarceration into the ground, azure light painting the horizon like a storm. Incarceration staggered, rose, fists blazing crimson, blasting Power back, but he didn't falter. From above, William swooped, Pterodactyl wings slicing wind, compressed gusts slamming Incarceration. Nightmare energy flared.

Shockwave rippled back, tossing William across the battlefield. A white glow streaked toward the Room of Zeniths Tower, Celestial Pillars glowing ominously. Grin spreading… until Power returned, lightspeed right hook CRACKing against Incarceration. He tumbled, meteor-like, unleashing a massive crimson beam—BOOM—scorching the land. Lonnie Mae's vines lashed his cannon, yanking him down. Blast shattered them, laughter echoing. Jaylen struck. Dream Punch to the back, launching him skyward.

Kwa'asja's green barrier flared, deflecting his wild shots with a thunderous boom. Sophia sprinted, Kai at her heels.

"…Shit," he muttered.

"TAKE THIS!!" Cannon unleashed rapid-fire rounds, slam Kai, block Angel's tornado kick, spin Sophia like a living battering ram. Incarceration was everywhere, teleporting, elbowing, smashing, slashing. Shurikens shattered, Mason's dough strings snapped like threads. Power surged forward, faster than thought, cyan energy blazing. Punching through monsters, obliterating beasts, a blur of pure force. He leapt—collision imminent. BOOOOM. Red-and-blue shockwave cratered the land. Dust swallowed the battlefield.

Yet Incarceration stood. One hand gripping Power's fists, crushing Mason's bindings. Maniacal grin:"Oh, how I love when you kids play…" Arms wide:"THIS ISN'T JUST A RAID. THIS IS BLOOD FOR BLOOD!" Strings snapped. Punches thundered. Explosions bloomed crimson and azure across the ruins. Power rocketed overhand—BOOM—shockwave tore land apart. He spun, crashed, slammed back by Mason, wrestling-style. Incarceration laughed, cannon charging. KRAK-KOOM! Ground split, stadium-sized crater forming, red fire raining down.

He slammed William mid-air, combo-punched Kai, uppercutted Jocabed, hurled Emely into a mountain. Slashes, hurricane kicks, blasts—he was unstoppable. Then he rocketed skyward like a missile, surveying chaos from above. Kayson stomped, Kai crushed beasts, Jaylen flew, dragon form blazing. Jaylen tackled him mid-air—BOOM—spiraling upward, claws and fists clashing in a maelstrom.

"GRAAAHH!!" Jaylen roared.

"YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!!" Spiraling down like a comet, punches, roars, claws colliding mid-fall.

"ENOUGH!" Incarceration blasted point-blank—a red-ring explosion tearing the sky. He snapped to Kayson, firing again and again… KABOOM! Titan shattered back to base form. Incarceration crashed into the battlefield, blood, dust, debris everywhere. But one figure remained, Jaylen. Limping, wings battered, tail nearly severed. Body screaming in pain. Eyes burning bright.

"You're not winning, Incarceration…" he muttered through gritted teeth.

"…Just wait… till they come."