UNDYING LOVE
Mai continues to wrestle with her limited mobility, consumed by her overwhelming emotions, with her thoughts fixated on the notion of ending her own life. Simon, observing Mai's profound emotional turmoil, is visibly affecting him that he has to see Mai in this state. He extends his hand toward Mai, surrounded by the swirling aura of shadow magic. With genuine concern, he expresses his intention to erase Mai's memories, offering them a fresh start together. However, before Simon can make contact with Mai, a jolt of lightning magic surges from behind him, taking him by surprise.
To his astonishment, Michael emerges, forcefully breaking through the shadow hand that is holding Mai. In a swift motion, Michael seizes Mai and soars away to a distant location. The abrupt turn of events leaves Simon confused, contemplating how Michael could be ahead of him and still cast lighting magic behind him. Simon finds himself hurtling through the air and colliding with an apartment building.
Struggling to regain his footing, Simon watches in disbelief as Frank, enveloped in an electrifying aura, stands before him. Simon expresses his surprise at Frank's survival, doubting how he could remain alive without a functioning heart, considering that Frank isn't one of the super zombies he's encountered before.
Frank proceeds to disclose to Simon that Michael is, in fact, an A-Star Zombie, a unique hybrid blending human and zombie traits. As the revelation sinks in, Simon notices blood trickling from a bite mark on Frank's ankle. Frank explains that prior to arriving here, he and Michael had made a promise. That in case he dies, Michael would bite him to give him a chance at becoming an A-Star Zombie as well. Frank emphasizes that Michael's bite differs significantly from that of an ordinary zombie, transferring not only the zombification but also a portion of Michael's own lightning powers.
Swiftly, Frank advances, seizing Simon's face with his bare hand and propelling him away with a surge of lightning-infused magic. Simon is catapulted through the walls of an apartment building until he crashes against the rear of the structure. As Simon wipes the blood from his mouth, remarks that Frank has become faster than he remembers, he also admonishes Frank for ruining his face structure and vows retribution. However, Frank doesn't allow Simon to regain his composure, executing a lightning-charged kick that sends Simon smashing through the wall and into the backyard.
While performing the kick, Frank becomes aware that Simon is imbuing his ankle with Shadow magic, encasing it in a shadowy shackle. In retaliation, Simon launches an offensive using his Shadow arms, making it challenging for Frank to evade their relentless strikes. The shadow cuff on Frank's ankle hampers his speed considerably. Subsequently, Frank gets hit by numerous Shadow arms, and he cries out in agony as they strike him.
Simon then ensnares Frank in a cocoon of shadow magic, puncturing his body with an array of shadowy spikes. The pain is excruciating, and Simon further drives a shadow spike into Frank's chest, annihilating his heart. With his next move aimed at Frank's head, Simon is ready to deal a final blow. However, before he can employ his Shadow magic, Michael intervenes, executing a kick infused with lightning magic that propels Simon away. As Simon crashes to the ground, clutching his jaw, he expresses his frustration at their recurring attempts to harm his face. Michael immediately proceeds to free Frank from the clutches of the shadow magic and removes the shadow cuff from his ankle.
At this critical juncture, Michael puts forth the idea of making an escape, stating that Simon is overwhelming too powerful for them. Frank, however, conveys his own dire situation, sensing that he doesn't have much time and his gradual transformation into a zombie. He expresses concerns about whether he can maintain control over his faculties or succumb to becoming a mindless zombie. Mai, moved by his plight, embraces Frank from behind, saying that she doesn't want to see Frank die again. In response, Frank turns to her, sharing a poignant kiss, and assures her that she'll be in capable hands, finding solace in the knowledge that she can finally be free after he takes down Simon.
With the group's collective gaze fixed upon Simon, who hovers in the air while shrouding the entire town in an ever-expanding veil of Shadow magic, a mix of emotions courses through them. Michael grapples with a degree of fear, yet Frank's resolute determination instills a glimmer of hope in him, igniting the belief that they can overcome Simon's formidable power by joining forces. In this crucial moment, Mai tells Frank that he has to survive, her plea hanging in the air. Suddenly, Conor intervenes, landing between Frank and Michael, proclaiming his newfound strength and abilities, that he has already awoken his new powers but with his magical knife return to him he has become even more powerful. He promptly instructs Vass to escort Mai to safety, leaving the rest of the group to observe Simon's increasing empowerment, as he becomes increasingly enshrouded in Shadow magic.
Conor says that, even with his newfound power, confronting Simon directly remains a challenging endeavor. He contends that a viable approach that can win them this battle, if they grant him a ten-minute window to gather energy for his most formidable attack, provided they can ensure an uninterrupted process. Frank readily agrees to support Conor's plan, demonstrating his commitment to providing the necessary time. Michael, however, places his hand on Frank's shoulder, conveying that Mai's heartfelt wish is for both of them to survive this ordeal.
As Michael vocalizes Mai's desire, a latent wellspring of magical energy within him awakens, enveloping both him and Frank in a protective shroud of lightning. Michael emphasizes the importance of self-preservation and the necessity of their collective defense. Their resolve solidified, they don lightning-infused armor that encases their upper bodies. Frank acknowledges the defensive capabilities of the armor, fostering their confidence to endure Simon's assaults.
Empowered by their newfound might, Frank and Michael charge toward Simon with intense lightning magic at their disposal. In response, Simon releases a barrage of shadow beams in their direction. However, the duo retaliates by unleashing a deluge of lightning bolts, setting the sky ablaze with magical explosions. Meanwhile, Conor summons a gigantic magical longbow, puts his magical knife onto the bow and charges a potent magic arrow onto his magical knife.
Michael and Frank execute a strategic split, attacking Simon from diverse angles with their lightning bolts. In response, Simon intensifies his onslaught, releasing a torrent of shadow beams while mobilizing numerous shadow arms for both offensive and defensive purposes. Amidst the chaotic clash, Simon boldly asserts his undying love for Mai, convinced of its supremacy over the combined might of his adversaries. Subsequently, he summons shadow clouds overhead, precipitating a shower of shadow spikes. Though Michael and Frank adeptly evade the majority of these projectiles, a few manage to breach their defenses, piercing their armor, limbs, and torsos.
Unfazed by their injuries, Michael and Frank unite once more, propelling themselves toward Simon with a synchronized lightning punch. Their combined force surges through Simon's shadow arm defenses, landing a resounding blow to his head that ignites the entire sky in a cataclysmic explosion of lightning and shadow magic. In the aftermath of the stunning display of power, Simon admonishes his opponents for their lack of respect for a man's face. Employing his shadow hands, Simon ensnares both Michael and Frank, immobilizing them and positioning them within a menacing formation.
As the situation appears dire, Michael's resounding fear serves as a catalyst, unlocking an abundance of defensive magic within him. In this critical moment, Michael vocalizes his plea for maximum protection, summoning lightning armor that enshrouds both himself and Frank. The twenty shadow hands charge up a massive shadow blast within their palms, aiming to unleash its devastating power upon the immobilized duo. Frank then says that they have to embrace for impact as the giant shadow blast hits them. In the midst of the impending cataclysm, the entire town quakes with the ferocity of the confrontation, yet Conor retains his composure and continues focusing on charging his magical knife arrow.
After the sky's tumultuous explosions finally subside, Frank and Michael ascend to higher altitudes, their lightning armor having dissipated. Amid the serene, cloudy expanse, Frank shares a plan to gather natural lightning. The two ascend further, their forms becoming lost within the dark clouds as they begin to absorb the surrounding electrical energy. Simultaneously, Simon gazes upward, urging his adversaries to cease their evasive maneuvers and confront him head-on. In response, he directs a volley of shadow beams into the overcast heavens, momentarily dispersing the concealment of the clouds.
As the skies begin to clear, Simon perceives Frank hurtling toward him with astonishing velocity, encapsulated within a big lightning bolt. Concurrently, he also witnesses Michael, enveloped in another bolt, accelerating even faster than Frank. Before Simon can formulate a countermeasure, Michael adeptly sweeps Simon's feet, sending him tumbling backward, only for Michael to execute an upward lightning knee strike to Simon's back, propelling both of them skyward as a lightning bolt. Frank, descending with a lightning-charged kick, connects solidly with Simon's body with great impact.
Conor, observing the monumental collision of the two titanic lightning bolts, remains transfixed by the breathtaking spectacle. Frank and Michael surges through Simon's body, obliterating his heart in the process. A sense of urgency envelops Simon as he declares that they have ventured far enough. Channeling the entirety of his shadow magic, he conjures a multitude of shadow hands, merging them into a colossal shadow hand, that claps onto the two luminous bolts and nullifying their potency. The resultant impact sends Frank and Michael plummeting from the heavens, crashing violently upon the earth's surface.
The immense shadow hand in the sky gradually dissipates, as Simon's fall to the ground below. Covered in blood and struggling to his feet, Simon conveys that it will require considerable time to regenerate his battered form. In a menacing tone, he pledges to exact vengeance by targeting their loved ones and obliterating Old Berry Town.
As Frank rises from the ground, he witnesses Simon amassing dark energy for a shadow blast within his hand. Meanwhile, Michael, still recovering from the ordeal, acknowledges their depleted magical resources. It's at this moment that Frank notices a disconcerting transformation overtaking his body. The encroaching change manifests as a gradual transition into a pallid, zombie-like appearance. As one of Frank's eyes metamorphoses into an eerie shade of gray, and half of his face succumbs to the same transformation, he takes decisive action.
With unwavering determination, Frank shoves Michael away to safety, saying that Michael must live on for Mai's sake. Michael's voice echoes Frank's name with urgency as Simon releases his pent-up shadow blast. Frank absorbs the ominous attack, resulting in the disintegration of his right arm and the obliteration of half of his head. Despite the excruciating pain and the engulfing shadow flames, Frank clings tenaciously to life, his agonized cries reverberating in the air.
In this moment, Michael becomes overwhelmed with emotion, emphasizing the importance of their survival. He musters all the residual magic remaining within his fatigued body, channeling it to absorb the lightning from the entire town and the nearby clouds. This accumulation of energy converges into a colossal lightning bolt, which he summons directly above Simon. The bolt's relentless electrical surges immobilize Simon completely, rendering him unable to move. As the torrential display unfolds, Michael collapses to the ground and painstakingly crawls toward Frank.
He reflects on the depth of Mai's love, asserting that she truly loves Frank. Frank endeavors to dispel the encroaching shadow flames, acknowledging the undying love he holds for Mai. Nevertheless, he has come to terms with the inevitable cost of his life, the sacrifice required to liberate Mai from her curse. He also tells Michael that he must protect Mai from now on. An enraged but incapacitated Simon can only curse at them, yet his attention is soon drawn to a formidable gathering of magical energy nearby.
In that very moment, Conor's relentless efforts come to fruition. He has harnessed a substantial reserve of magical energy over the course of ten minutes, and now, the time for action has arrived. Conor utters words of finality, launching his magical knife arrow with resounding potency, the projectile surging toward Simon with immense magical force. Striking Simon's neck, the arrow detonates in a brilliant burst of magic, obliterating Simon's physical form.
As the explosion unfurls, Michael watches in despair as Frank tosses him aside, ensuring his safety. Tragically, Frank undergoes a complete transformation into a mindless zombie in the moments leading up to the cataclysmic blast. The ensuing detonation is even bigger, launching Michael and Conor backward, their bodies careening through the town's structures.
Inside the Armor Van, Vass, Nakao, Duke, and Mai barely manage to find shelter. However, the force of the explosion still reaches them, causing the van to spin out of control and crash amid the tumult. New Berry Town, now lies in ruins, the aftermath of the colossal explosion casting an eerie pall over the landscape.
After some time had passed, Conor, bearing severe wounds, locates Michael, who is trapped beneath a pile of rubble. Conor manages to extricate Michael from this precarious situation, and he administers a few drops of his own blood into Michael's mouth. This miraculous blood quickly accelerates Michael's healing process, and he awakens with a sense of astonishment, noting that Conor's blood possesses a remarkable quality unlike any he has ever tasted before.
Witnessing Michael's revival, Conor stands alongside Mai and the rest of their group. Tears fill Mai's eyes as she inquires about Frank's whereabouts, her voice laced with concern and uncertainty. Overwhelmed with emotion, Michael becomes resolute and charges towards the enormous crater that now scars the town. His descent is marked by a reckless tumble down the hillside, ignoring the injuries he sustains along the way. His sole focus is to locate Frank.
Michael's frantic journey leads him to a vast lake nestled at the base of the crater, and, after a thorough search, he finds no trace of Frank. Crestfallen, he returns to the lakeshore and is overcome with sorrow, shedding tears as he utters the heartrending realization that Frank is truly gone.
The following morning, Michael takes charge of leading the group as they progress along a forest path using a wagon. Mai's face remains expressionless, her gaze fixed upon the morning sky, her emotions hidden from view. However, Conor intervenes and requests that Michael halt their journey. He disembarks from the wagon, explaining that his father isn't yet prepared to meet him. He proposes that when the time is right and his father has fully recovered his mental state, they should inform him. Michael acknowledges this suggestion.
Vass also gets off from the wagon and expresses his desire to accompany the Conor, recognizing him as his savior. Conor consents to Vass's request, and they both venture into the forest on their own. Nakao then declares her intention to continue her journey alongside them, explaining that she no longer has a home. Michael, still burdened by emotional pain, can only nod in response as he resumes pushing the wagon.
Upon their return to Old Berry Town, they encounter a gathering of protesters holding signs that bear slogans such as "End this war," "Ezzy for leader," and "No more Riders." Stella and her team arrive to assist Michael's group, safely guiding them to Robo Mall. Inside the mall, Mai observes the multitude of people congregated around Ezzy as they cast their votes on a large board to determine the next leader, hoping to put an end to the conflict between Old Berry Town and the Riders. Mai, however, appears disinterested and detached from the proceedings. Rex makes an entrance and announces the postponement of the leadership election until Mai's condition improves, diverting the attention of the gathered crowd.