A DEEPER AWAKENING
Hue takes out the needle blade from his body as his form towering over Ezzy's, he vaults through her flames, delivering a forceful kick to her abdomen. The impact sends Ezzy hurtling into the lake, prompting her to ponder how she's still breathing after enduring such a potent strike, that her body is has changed. Descending into the depths, she grapples with her thoughts, questioning if her parents has suffered this fire curse all this time. As Hue plunges into the lake, consumed by his rage, bubbles swirl around Ezzy, as she struggles to decide if she wants to live or die. Hue forcefully propels Ezzy down to the bottom of the lake, his eyes mirroring the memories of Ezzy abandoning him in the jail cell. He determines that he needs more speed to inflict damage, sprinting in a wide circle around Ezzy. His velocity creates a swirling vortex in the water, drawing it away, leaving Ezzy bewildered as she rises and observes the forming whirlpool around her. Expressing regret, she apologizes for not rescuing him that day, torn between loyalty to her parents and her relationship with him.
Hue, still running around the whirlpool, asserts that he was never meant to be her parent's livestock. This causes Ezzy to be confused because she doesn't know what Hue is talking bout. As he dives into the sky and descends with a magically charged kick, Ezzy acknowledges that Hue may never forgive her and admits that she has much to learn about her family's secrets , but now that she is here she's determined to save him now. Flames envelop her, causing agony, as Hue's magical strike penetrates the fiery barrier, colliding with Ezzy's chest and sending them crashing down, sending water cascading high into the air. Ezzy coughs up blood, and in frustration, Hue questions why she can't she just be dead already. Despite the pain, Ezzy asserts that she must live on for her mother's sake and that she must not die before knowing everything about her family. The waters crash down upon them, followed by a burst of flames from the lake, engulfing Hue as he emerges out of the lake burning, before crashing back onto the island. He acknowledges that they both are suffering. Memories flood Hue's eyes, depicting instances of his pain, from his blood being drawn by Ezzy's parents to when Henry is infusing his body with magical fluids, causing him immense agony. Closing his eyes, he assumes a kicking stance, gathering magic around his rabbit legs, determined that this attack can end both of their suffering. With swift movements, he races around the lake at astonishing speed, propelling himself high into the sky, soaring past clouds and glimpsing the Earth's outer reaches. Finally, he flips back down, unleashing a forceful downward magical kick.
Ezzy crawls onto the island's shore, gazing upward to witness Hue descending with his kick. Flames surge from her body, amassing into a tremendous magical fire. With a resounding scream, she's lifted by a colossal fire column. As Hue's downward magical kick meets Ezzy's upward fire pillar, instead of an expected explosion, the forces merge. Swiftly dodging Hue's kick, Ezzy surprises him by embracing him tightly. Hue cries out in agony as he's consumed by flames, yet he notices the emotional depth in Ezzy's eyes, reflecting their shared memories of carefree parkouring across the rooftops of Old Berry Town. Touched by their joyful past, Hue's anguish fades. Ezzy expresses regret, but Hue reassures her, acknowledging that one of them needed to end the other's suffering. With a solemn closure, Hue wishes Ezzy to find her true self, closing his eyes as his body burns away. As Hue dissolves in flames, Ezzy, overwhelmed with emotion, witnesses the calming of the flames around her, eventually collapsing onto the island's shore. Bewildered, she looks at her hands, uncertain of how to control the contained flames within her body.
In the area behind the ruined mansion, Megan remains fixated on the sky, seemingly sleepwalking, while the setting sun casts a gentle glow on her face. Observing her, Jarvis is captivated by her radiant beauty illuminated by the sun's rays. Whispering "Pain and pleasure," he flicks his fingers, directing a small black flame to land on Megan's toe. Settling into a comfortable position, Jarvis eagerly awaits the unfolding spectacle of "pain and pleasure," watching as the black flame gradually spreads from her toe to slowly engulf her body. In Megan's dream, she finds herself within a grand church, standing on a vast stage while numerous mages watch from the seats below. Despite speaking to the crowd, she feels detached, unable to hear her own words—a mere observer in her own dream. Among the assembly of mages, the faceless man stands, waving at her. Suddenly, Megan's voice echoes through the church, resonating with conviction as she speaks about fighting for causes that matter, striving to build a better world for all. However, the subsequent words she utters become unintelligible once more. She gracefully bows and continues to speak to the crowd, igniting a surge of magic that inspires each mage with every word she utters.
Megan absorbs the magic enveloping the church, her radiance captivating every mage present who cheers her on. As she observes this recurring dream, she questions her real identity and why she keeps having these recurring dreams of a version of her in an alternate life. In the dream sequence, a tall man enters through the door behind the stage, his towering mage hat initially obscuring his face. The mages erupt in excitement at his arrival, eagerly anticipating his appearance. Just as Megan, within the dream, is about to see his face, he imparts a message urging her to strengthen herself for the sake of her people. The dream ends with an intense surge of magic. Meanwhile, back to reality, Jarvis observes Megan's beauty shining through the sunlight, reveling in her allure but annoyed by her not in pain from his dark flames that slowly climb upward. However, just as the black flames approach Megan's face, she fully opens her eyes, halting the flames' progression over her body. Determined, she acknowledges the need to get stronger for her family or else everyone is going to die just her son, Duke. Summoning inner strength, Megan recites incantations that cast a healing spell she remembers from her dreams, restoring her burnt body.
Jarvis rises and inquires about Megan's continual reservoir of strength. Megan responds, explaining that she entered the entertainment system solely to engage in tougher battles to pursuit her true identity, asserting that she is now ready to defend her family. Mockingly, Jarvis says that she has no family left. Megan refutes him, affirming her family is present right here in this war. Unfazed, Jarvis taunts that her family would be glad to see her in ashes. He unleashes dark flames onto the battlefield, but Megan swiftly evades, conjuring a spell that summons swirling winds around her. The winds draw in the black flames, transmuting them into a vibrant red flames. Asserting her intent to counter fire with fire, Megan retaliates, casting a fiery projectile spell aimed at Jarvis.
Jarvis counters the fireball by punching it, transforming it into a blackened fireball, and hurls it back at Megan. Sensing a missing element, Megan sparks magic around her fingers, seeking a nearby magical weapon. In an unexpected turn, Luka's weapon flies into her grasp. As she catches it, Megan is captivated by the gleaming magic orb embedded in the weapon's hilt. With newfound strength from the weapon, she swiftly slices through the incoming black fireball, feeling empowered. Acknowledging the weapon's potency, Megan expresses a hope that Luka doesn't mind her borrowing it. Jarvis morphs into a giant black panther and charges towards her, declaring this as the pinnacle moment in their "Pain and Pleasure" show.
Megan prepares to cast a spell, but the orb on her weapon illuminates in a vibrant green hue, signaling that her sword can perform the spell instead, saving her precious time. Grateful for this feature, she thanks her weapon as a surge of wind magic elevates her, allowing her to evade Jarvis's incoming attack. Jarvis unleashes a barrage of black fireballs upwards at Megan, who is floating with wind magic, wields her sword as its orb transitions to a red hue. Swinging her sword, she redirects the black fireballs back at Jarvis, transforming them into red ones. Jarvis mirrors her actions, reverting the fireballs to their original black form, creating a rapid exchange that repeats hundreds of times, enveloping their surroundings in flames. Megan alters the orb on her sword from red to white, causing her nose and eyes to bleed as she halts the fireballs, transforming them all into radiant orbs of light. She gathers these orbs into one on the tip of her blade. Meanwhile, Jarvis emerges from his black panther form, summoning ten massive panther heads, each gathering immense black fire energy. With a resolute roar, he releases a colossal black fire blast, determined to end the fight.
Grasping the luminous sphere in her hand, Megan shapes it into a radiant spear. Directing it toward the black fire blast, she thrusts the spear into the center of the fire blast while spinning her sword, causing its orb to shift from white to green. Harnessing wind magic, she plunges deeper into the inferno, the light spear held firmly in her other hand. With a fierce roar, Megan declares her intent to avenge her son by killing Jarvis. Despite the searing flames scorching her skin, she perseveres with unwavering determination, pushing through until she reaches Jarvis. In a final act, she drives the light spear into his chest. Jarvis's body is engulfed in luminescent magic, and with a smile, he acknowledges the thrill of his newfound powers experienced alongside Megan, whose strength proved insurmountable. As his form dissolves into radiant particles, Megan collapses to her knees, coughing blood, admitting she has never wielded such magic before, leaving her body struggling to acclimate to the overwhelming power she just exerted.
She gazes upward, witnessing the radiant remnants of Jarvis hurtling towards the ongoing battle nearby, causing tremors to ripple across the island. Her attention shifts to the fierce skirmish—Rex commanding Robo Mall to fire lasers at the colossal monster Rudda, who retaliates by pinning Robo Mall with a barrage of colossal needle blades. Michael launches a lightning-infused kick at Rudda's forehead, but she effortlessly swats him away with a swift motion. Rudda's visage is then struck by a volley of bullets as Stella fires from her arm-mounted weapon from a distance. Reacting swiftly, Rudda hurls a volley of needle blades in Stella's direction, narrowly evaded. Meanwhile, Agustin races on all fours, his limbs transformed into lion-like appendages, propelling himself to unleash an energy ball from his mouth at Rudda, although it barely fazes the colossal creature.
Rudda retaliates with a barrage of needle blades, but Agustin swiftly evades the attack with remarkable speed. Megan observes Jarvis's radiant remnants converging into Rudda's form. Unexpectedly, Jean vocalizes his demand for a one-on-one confrontation with Henry, believing him to be within Rudda. In response, Rudda launches a relentless onslaught of needle blades at Jean. He cries out Henry's name with a wide-open mouth, generating a sonic boom that repels the incoming blades. Meanwhile, Megan looks at the glowing orb on her weapon, questioning if it's ready for another battle. The orb flickers with light, and Megan interprets it as a positive response, signaling her readiness to engage in the main battle ahead.
Meanwhile, on the forest roads, Rune is behind the wheel of a van, racing down the road in pursuit of the colossal energy ball hurtling toward Old Berry Town. Nakao and Simbad occupy another van, tailing closely behind Rune. Simbad communicates through his earpiece, expressing concern that Rune hasn't fully recovered from their prior battle, suggesting he might not have the strength to face this energy ball. In response, Rune vehemently asserts that he won't allow history to repeat itself. Simbad falls silent for a moment, comprehending Rune's reference to their past. Determinedly, Rune vows not to let anyone else perish, especially the people of Old Berry Town.
He veers the van into the forest, advancing ahead of the approaching energy ball. Ascending a tree, he reaches to the top, where he sights the immense energy blast barreling toward him. Drawing his weapons, he presses his forehead against it, commencing a fervent prayer and invoking the name of his weapon, Alice, beseeching it for strength in this crucial moment of need. The blade responds, radiating with mystical energy as Rune remains composed, the air around him growing more turbulent as the energy ball nears. Shrouded in magical energy, Rune lets out a resounding roar and launches himself at the colossal energy ball, clashing his blade against it with unyielding force.
The clash between Rune's blade and the energy ball reverberates through the forest with a deafening screech. Rune's resounding roar persists as the energy ball, slowed marginally, brings forth a flood of memories, haunting images of fallen comrades strewn across battlefields. With unwavering determination, he vows aloud that he won't allow a repeat of such devastation. Straining with effort, Rune intensifies his push against the energy ball, but its overwhelming magic power begins to overwhelm him, engulfing him entirely.
Amidst anguished screams, Rune feels himself consumed by the overwhelming force of the energy ball, his strength dwindling as he plunges deeper within its core. Weakening, he descends further, slowly growing weaker. Simbad ascends a nearby tree and leaps onto the energy ball, spotting Rune within it and calls out to him. Rune hears the distant voice but, drained of strength, he closes his eyes, arriving at a realm painted in pure white. A woman's voice resonates, and Rune opens his eyes to behold a figure approaching—Alice. Realization dawns on him, surmising that he must be in the afterlife to encounter her once more. Alice reassures him, asserting that it's premature for Runica to perish, that he still has much to achieve in life. Rune expresses his inclination to remain with Alice, confessing his perceived lack of strength to survive. Grasping his hands, Alice says, that Rune is indeed strong and she remind him that he doesn't have to endure life's challenges alone anymore and that he's founded a new family to support him.
In this moment, Simbad's voice resonates within the realm. Nearby, a portal unfolds, catching Rune's attention. Expressing uncertainty about whether his body can quickly regain its former strength from his teenage years, Rune confides his doubts. Alice consoles him, embracing him warmly in her arms, assuring him that he can take his time as his newfound family is strong enough to hold their own. Smiling gently, she watches as Rune is gradually drawn away from her. Stretching out to her, still with much left to say, Rune's words falter, interrupted by Alice's laughter as she muses over the fact that he named his weapon after her. Capturing one last glimpse of Alice's smile, Rune awakens abruptly in reality, pulled out of the energy ball's grasp and landing on a mountain cliff. Rising slowly, he notices Simbad's gaze fixated on someone nearby. Following Simbad's line of sight, Rune sees Adam standing resolutely beside them. With confidence, Adam reassures them, to not worry anymore as he's got this. Adam harnesses his magic, conjuring a white bat covered in numerous scales. Leaping ahead, he swings the bat effortlessly, obliterating the energy ball. Drifting downward slowly towards Rune and Simbad, Rune observes Adam's remarkable power, acknowledging that this is the strength of the hero that Kiren has been talking about.