The boy turned to look at the two. He flashed a smile. "Are you guys alright?" he asked.
"Yes, thanks to you," Noel said.
"You are my juniors, I should at least be able to do that much," he said with the smile still on his face. He approached them when suddenly a wall got broken and a demonized rushed toward him.
Reacting quickly, the boy spun his staff and slammed the demonized in the head. The impact knocked its head back, but the demonized snapped back like it was made of rubber.
The boy did not expect this, but he managed to react fast. A rock wall shot out of the ground and blocked its head.
It smashed through the wall, but the boy had gotten enough time to react and moved away. What he didn’t expect was for a second demonized to come out from behind him, its mouth opened wide to bite.
"This is a hassle," he muttered, spinning the staff around and attacking. His speed was so fast that it seemed like he hit both at the same time, sending both of them flying.
He landed on the ground, barely even catching his breath, and they were already rushing toward him. He charged forward, leaped into the air, spun and slammed the first one in the head and crushed the skull. He landed and pushed toward the second.
It clawed at him, but he parried the attack and shoved the staff into its head, using blunt force to stab it into the skull and kill it.
He pulled out his staff and headed toward Riven and Noel. He thought it was over, but sadly it was far from that. More deck rushed out from all angles.
"This is becoming too much of a hassle," he said and faced the demonized. More than ten of them rushed toward him.
’How is he that strong? He is facing them like they are nothing but bugs to be swatted,’ Noel thought. He tightened his fist and bit into his lip.
’I haven’t gotten better since I came to the academy. Riven is going forward, everyone is getting better, yet I’m still here.
I was once the one that had the most dreams. I wanted to rise to the top, but ever since I began seeing the strength in Riven, I started forgetting my own dream, being satisfied with only being second and walking behind Riven.’
Noel looked at the boy fighting there and then he looked at Riven. He balled his fist even tighter.
’Have I lost myself this far? Have I forgotten my own dream of strength? Will I ever be senior if I keep playing second? Will I be strong enough to take down demonized if I keep allowing myself to be carried?
There’s no way I can rise to the level I need if I keep being a follower.’ He glanced over at Riven again. ’I’m sorry bro, I owe you my life, but I will not play second. I’d rather get stronger than you and fight with you than to fight behind you.’
Noel looked at the demonized that were rushing toward the boy. He gripped his sword tighter and ran toward them.
Riven was shocked to see him running there. He thought that Noel would finally lay back now that someone stronger had come and he would allow him to take care of it.
’What are you thinking, Noel?’ Riven wondered. He watched as Noel ran there, and for the first time in a while, he didn’t look back to see if Riven was coming with him. He was going alone.
Noel rushed in. The boy looked at him and smiled. "That’s the spirit, Junior. Let’s cut down some demonized," he said. He rolled his staff and went in as well.
’Riven, this time, you follow me. I’ll lead,’ Noel thought. His sword crackled with lightning as a demonized clawed at him. He parried the attack, gritting his teeth as hard as he could.
His veins bulged, muscles tensed. He completely parried the attack and pushed forward. "Die, you vermin!" Noel roared. His sword dug into the shoulder of the demonized. It wasn’t enough to kill it, but he didn’t stop there.
He channeled all his mana. Lightning shot from the sword into the body of the demonized, cooking it right from inside. It roared and screeched until it stopped moving.
Noel pulled out his sword and let out a roar, yelling at the top of his voice. A bite of demonized attacked him, but their senior swung his staff, slamming into the head of the demonized and killing it in one blow.
"That’s it, Junior! Let’s take them down," the senior said.
Riven watched as his brother killed a demonized in one attack. He gripped his sword, ignoring the pain inside his body. He closed his eyes shut and drew a deep breath.
’I’m sorry, Noel. I’m not gonna let you. I’m the one doing the protecting. You don’t get to risk your life,’ Jake said to himself. He dashed forward through the pain.
A demonized leaped toward Noel, and he was about to block the attack.
"Inferno Domain, Flame Blast!" Riven called out. The domain spread out. He followed up with Flame Blast. Its power increased because of the domain. It slammed into the demonized and exploded.
Its face was immediately mangled by the blast, but it wasn’t done. Riven leaped into the air and stabbed. His sword penetrated the eye and got into the brain, killing the demonized.
Riven pulled out the blade and turned to look at Noel. His eyes said it all. (I’m not letting you, Noel. I’m here to fight for you. No way you are taking my role.)
Noel understood what Riven was saying. He smiled and ran past him, saying something just as he passed.
"It’s time for my part of the story, bro," Noel said before rushing toward a demonized. Riven gritted his teeth. He turned immediately and chased after his brother. He couldn’t help but smile despite the pain that was inside his body.