The Hidden Vipers Strikes!

A massive Krowqui Blast in the shape of an exploding white lotus crashed into the Pigatroll's transparent orbital barrier, causing it to be slightly damaged.

Upon seeing this, Gnihzur praised Kwaserah's efforts. "You're amazing Kwaserah. Your technique weakened the barrier to this extent. I had no idea you learned the White Lotus Palm Strike already. You're a genius!"

Kwaserah felt slightly embarrassed which caused her to say, "Oh, stop with your flattery, Gnihzur. You're making this fair maiden blush."

"Oink!" The Pigatroll hated being looked down on and being mocked, especially by crows. It gathered its rumbustious composure before it began attacking them with tyrannical attributes.

Gnihzur and Kwaserah quickly evaded the many fiery balls spitting their way. "That is one angry Pigatroll. Say, Kwaserah… can you execute that explosive technique again?"

"You mean the White Lotus Palm Strike?"

"Yes."

"I can only use it one more time for it drains a lot of my Krowqui."

"How long is the delayed effect?"

"I think about 5 seconds for now. I'm just getting used to the technique. What are you planning to do, Gnihzur?"

He stared at her seriously before he replied, "Something dangerous. Do you trust me?"

"Yeah, but…"

Gnihzur flew off before Kwaserah could finish her sentence. With his mighty speed, he flew underneath the Pigatroll's underbelly, repeatedly evading his stamping feet; he was almost stepped on. What he was after was a small piece of the Pigatroll's garb that had been ripped off earlier.

"I got it." As soon as he picked up the tattered cloth, Gnihzur returned to Kwaserah's locality with it wrapped around his right arm.

"What are you going to do with that ragged cloth?"

"You'll see." Gnihzur began flapping his white wings tirelessly fast. The gust it conjured cooled down Kwaserah's hot temperature, however, it couldn't diminish her hot beauty. Stretching his right hand towards Kwaserah he told her to hit the cloth with the White Lotus Palm technique.

"Are you insane? That might kill you." Kwaserah became concerned for his safety.

"Hurry and do it. I can't maintain this form for long."

"Alright, it's your funeral."

"No sweat. I won't die so easily. Just make sure that your attack connects with the cloth and not the exposed areas of my arm."

"Alright." Kwaserah began formulating white Krowqui Circles at her fingertips while weaving various hand signs. Certain geometric shapes came into being that combined into a small lotus flower which dispersed the arcane energies into her palms.

"White Lotus Palm, 3 Strikes!" She hit Gnihzur's right arm multiple times with her fingertips.

"Huh?" Gnihzur stared at his glowing right arm, more specifically, the radiating cloth. "It feels kind of tingly."

"Gnihzur what are you doing dallying? Hurry! You only have 4 seconds left!" Kwaserah snapped him out of his slight stupor.

"Right…" He locked on to his huge target which was madly rampaging below.

"Pigatroll here I come!" Gnihzur gained more distance from his target by flying very far away until he was satisfied with the distance. "Here is far enough." Gnihzur took one last glance at his arm before he began flying forwards.

"Newpalf, Sonic Pulse!" Gnihzur's speed was insanely fast! The repetitious clapping of his wings created a burst of speed that drastically enhanced his impetus. "Only a second left before the cloth explodes. I need to go even faster!"

"Whoosh!" As he approached the Pigatroll's proximity, Gnihzur increased his velocity until he completely vanished out of sight for a split second only to reappear inside the orbital protective field that surrounded the Pigatroll.

"You're finished! White Lotus Uppercut!" Gnihzur punched the mighty Pigatroll directly in its belly. The cloth wrapped around his hand untangled as the Pigatroll soared above. Seconds later, the cloth exploded into a massive white lotus. He tried to fly to safety a trice but got caught in the blast that blew him several hundred metres away.

"Gnihzur!" Kwaserah was veritably alarmed. She hurriedly flew to his rescue. "Gnihzur, are you okay." She embraced him caringly.

Barely opening his eyes in the arms of his feminine companion, Gnihzur said slowly, "I'll… live. But I won't be able to use my right arm for a bit."

"Huh?" Kwaserah noticed that his right arm was really busted up. But she was glad that he was ok. A tear almost fell from her eye seeing him like that. "You big dummy. You almost scared me to death."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

The roasted Pigatroll's body finally fell onto the leafy surface. Its fall produced a shockwave that garnered the crows' attention, additionally, it awakened the idle vulture from its slumber.

"Uh, huh?" Opening its eyes, the vulture found itself sprawled about the unconscious Pigatroll's corpse with serious wounds all over its body; many feathers were defaced and scorched. Looking ahead of him, he spotted 2 figures who he surmised were the cause for his current dilemma.

"This fat little…" Madly stamping on the Pigatroll's head, the vulture shouted, "You damn mutt! Why didn't you wake me up? If you did then I could have…"

The vulture didn't get time to finish his sentence for he suddenly collapsed onto the ground in an unconscious state.

"He blacked out?" Gnihzur was slightly taken aback by the vulture's sudden defeat. They weren't even aiming for him.

"Come on Gnihzur, let's go get the ribbons."

"Ok."

As they were motioning their tired feathers towards the unconscious vulture's locality, a huge boulder appeared out of nowhere that almost crashed into them. Simultaneous, a stone formation rose from the scattered soil and encompassed the unconscious vulture along with the motionless Pigatroll.

"Krowqui, Stone Prison."

"Who?" Looking to where they heard the mysterious explosive voice, Gnihzur and Kwaserah recognized some familiar figures who previously bullied them in (Chapter 4) at the Crowtrain Terminal.

"Cra-ha-ha-ha-ha!" The muscular Crokan and his 3 goons appeared from within the concealing darkness. "Thanks for taking care of that big slab for us. It would have been a pain in the ass." He briefly gazed at his Stone Prison.

"You again?" Gnihzur felt a tad bit of fear upon recognizing his main oppressor.

Kwaserah was also discomposed. She stepped in front of Gnihzur so that she could better speak to Crokan. "How cowardly of you. You waited until we took down the vulture then you strike. You haven't an ounce of mettle in your muscular feathers."

"Shut up, ugly princess! I'm no coward! Let's see you talk so cocky when I crush your face!" Crokan gestured to his minions. "Get them!" While they commence their thrust, Crokan formed another huge rock between his upraised wings which he later threw out at Kwaserah.

"Look out!" Gnihzur grabbed Kwaserah with his left hand and quickly evaded the combined assault by Crokan's team. "That was dangerous."

"Thanks, Gnihzur." Kwaserah was now staring intensively at her opponents, getting ready to issue a counterattack. However, one of Crokan's goons who was rushing towards them sensed that something was off and immediately halted his course. He quickly returned to Crokan's locality.

Kwaserah mistook his action for cowardice and said. "If you are so brave then why are you running away from me? Stand and take my attack head-on."

Crokan didn't like it when his underlings made him seem weak, thus he wanted to find out the true reason why his minion did what he did. "Wruu, what is it, why did you come back without smashing that chick's face?"

Wruu conveyed, "Crokan we have company incoming."

"How many?"

"More than we can handle. 9 I think. Let's just take the ribbons and go before they show up."

"Tsk, fine." Crokan really wanted to crush Kwaserah for breaking his wing back at the Crowtrain's entrance, however, he had to put that matter aside for now. He glared at her and said reluctantly, "We'll finish this some other time."

Gnihzur observed Crokan removing the stone formation from around the vulture and became alert. "He's taking the ribbons! Let's go after him!"

"Gnihzur wait!" Kwaserah hurriedly dash ahead and caught Gnihzur; preventing him from advancing any further. She too sensed that something was amiss.

"These ribbons are all mine!" Greedily reaching for the ribbons, Crokan felt an inexplicably chill overcome him which made him instantly catatonic. "What the hell?"

"It appears that we're too late." Said Wruu turning his head toward the arriving threats.

Looking around, they identified the drastic changes occurring in their immediate vicinity and became fearful.

"What is this, where did all the trees go?"

"Why is it so much darker all of a sudden?"

Neither Crokan's group nor Gnihzur and Kwaserah knew what exactly was taking place around them. Moments later, they all heard an arrogant voice echoing in their ears.

"Krowqui, Spatial Imaging. This is my technique."

Approximately 9 crows appeared out of the depths of the fabricated darkness, landing ahead of the startled group. At first glance, anyone could tell from their appearance that they were quite the rowdy bunch.

Their leader was Rankede, a suave, overconfident and supercilious youngster donned in light vestment. His pale eyes resembled the structural dynamics of a magnetic compass. This visual prowess was commonly known as Spectus Vision. It was a de-evolved form of the powerful Aechos Vision belonging to the main members of the great Andrahaz Family. Spectus Vision came about due to the impure lineage mixing with other crow bloodlines.

Since his birth, Rankede felt that he was being looked down on by other members of the Andrahaz Family because of his impure visual prowess. He blamed his parents for the humiliation he incurred growing up. These hard experiences of his brought about the inauguration of his supercilious attitude and domineering complex. Never again would he let others humiliate him; he would be the one doing the humiliation.

Washing his icy Spectus gaze over the students before him, Rankede spoke commandingly, "Well, well, what do we have here? Two wounded fledglings and 4 miscreants who attempted to steal what is mine. Hand them over; my ribbons and I'll let your deaths be quick and painless."

"Spoken like an arrogant cockroach!" Crokan became very livid. "Who the pluck do you think you are, hot shit? These ribbons belong to me! Let me show you. Krowqui, Stone Prison!"

"Rumble!" Crokan sealed the unconscious vulture along with the Pigatroll into his rocky fortress that he later buried underneath the earth. "You'll never find the ribbons now." This unexpected move of his made Rankede very upset.

"I see. Very well then… a painful death it shall be."

"Well said, Rankede." One of his followers was itching for combat.

Perceiving the intense staredown occurring between both parties, Kwaserah felt intimidated being in the centre. She gestured to Gnihzur.

"What is it, Kwaserah?"

"My Krowqui is depleted. I need some time to replenish or I won't be of much use in this imminent fight."

"How long do you need?"

"5 minutes at best. Do you think you can protect me till then?"

"I'll protect you even after you've replenished your Krowqui."

"Alright." Kwaserah felt pleased to hear how much Gnihzur cared about her.

Stepping ahead, Rankede spread his arms wide apart then said, "Let the bloodbath begin!"

The 8 crows behind Rankede commenced dashing forwards.

"Bring it on you, cocky fledglings!" Crokan's group also dashed ahead.

As for Gnihzur and Kwaserah, they were sandwiched between both parties. "Tsk, why did we have to be in the middle?"

Realizing what he had to do, Gnihzur began flapping his wings extremely fast. "Newpalf, Gale Twister!" A huge storm of cutting wind spurred into existence in the midst of the dark isolated arena.

"Hm?" Rankede and the others avoided getting slashed by the cutting storm. Their main focus wasn't Gnihzur nor Kwaserah but the person who was concealing the ribbons underground.

Flying around the Gale Twister, Crokan told his minion, "Wruu toss me towards that cocky cockroach!"

"As you wish." Wruu extended his hands together which were radiating a mixture of yellow and blue Krowqui Circles.

"Krowqui, Pulsation!" Wruu tossed Crokan towards Rankede at burst speed by manipulating the air pressure.

"I'm taking you out first, you damn poser!" Blinding light essences burst forth from Crokan's brownish Krowqui Circles that surrounded his fingertips. Shortly after they entered the ground, 2 large hands made of hard rocks appeared.

"Earth Hands Smash!"

Looking on at the gigantic rocky arms that were trying to squash him, Rankede smirked. "How foolish." He quickly called to one of his followers. "Zepar!"

"On it!" Zepar was a slender youth garbed in dark red raiment. His personality was rather toxic and raw. Whenever he speaks, many spittle would tousle the air. Despite his skinny complex, he was adept at wielding a huge battle scythe that had crescent blades on both sides.

"Bloody Scythe Slash!" Zepar released a dark crimson crescent slash that swiftly cut apart the rocky arms that wanted to squash Rankede. It crumbled to the ground.

"That damn snake!" Crokan gestured to another of his minions. "Ulkio charge me up!"

"Keep steady." Green Krowqui Circles appeared at Ulkio's fingertips. He went behind Crokan directly where he started forcing his fingers into his back.

"Krowqui Booster!" Viridian energies started bursting forth from Crokan's muscular complex.

"Yeah! I'm feeling powerful!" Shouted Crokan in elation.

"Hm? His Krowqui has increased drastically to Amazon-Warrior-Rank-2." Zepar became cautious of advancing carelessly.

Crokan morphed his brownish Krowqui Circles into a particular geometric pattern then clasped his hands tightly together. Immediately, the others felt the earth shaking while witnessing it gradually splinting apart.

"Rumble!"

"The earth is crumbling. Watch your footing!" The students who were battling on the ground flew above to a higher altitude where they continued to observe as parts of the earth transformed into a humungous monster made purely out of rock and moss. Many muscular limbs were present at its sides.

"What the hell is that thing?" Gnihzur was amazed and at the same time, terrified by Crokan's summoned golem.

"Cru-hu-ha-ha-ha-ha!" laughing hysterically from within the rocky creature's head, Crokan gave his gaze to all who opposed him. "Time to crush all of you tiny worms with my, Earth Juggernaut!"

"Leave some of the crushing to us as well." Said Wruu laughingly. He, Ulkio and Sex9 wanted a taste of the action.