Saruto strode quickly toward his friends, his expression uncharacteristically serious. As soon as he stood before them, he said in a low but firm voice, "We're trapped here."
Kyle chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Stop joking, Saruto. What do you mean we're trapped?"
Saruto didn't reply. He reached out and shot a dark energy shot toward the sea. The projectile pierced the water, pierced the horizon, and then, in a flash, bounced back. Saruto whirled around and blocked it. Silence fell. Kyle eyes widened. "Okay, I believe you," he said slowly.
Everyone began desperately trying to escape. Flying, darting. But it was no use. After hours of effort, they collapsed to the ground, exhausted and gasping for breath. "How are we going to get out of here?" Ryan said, lying on his back.
"We've tried everything," Lucien said bitterly.
Saruto rose slowly, his eyes gleaming with a strange determination. "No… there's one more thing we haven't tried."
Everyone turned to face him at once. "What do you mean?" Kyle asked.
Saruto looked at Kyle and Lucien. "Have you mastered the complete Asterazine?"
Lucien looked surprised. "You mean the form you and Ryan used in your last fight?"
Saruto nodded. "Yes."
"I haven't mastered it yet… what about you, Lucien?" Kyle said hesitantly.
Lucien lowered his gaze. "I couldn't fully control it."
"Then… I'll make you master it," Saruto said confidently.
And the training began immediately. Saruto and Ryan led the way, correcting mistakes and pushing Kyle and Lucien energy to its limits.
Outside, Ethan stood before the barrier, his eyes intently watching the energy flow within it. Beside him stood Kevin and Hidan, both looking exhausted. "I've got it," Ethan said suddenly.
"You've got what?" Kevin asked expectantly.
"A way to break through the barrier… but it might not work," Ethan said.
"Explain," Hidan said.
"You have to inflict damage from both the inside and the outside at the same time," Ethan said.
"That's impossible," Kevin said sharply.
Ethan replied: "Yes… but if the damage from the inside is more intense, the barrier will open temporarily. If it's from the outside… the same thing will happen."
Kaven paused, then said, "So Hidan and I will attack from the outside, and you… be ready to charge immediately."
Ethan nodded. Kevin and Hidan formed their weapons and began gathering their energy until it reached its peak. Ethan formed wings of darkness and concentrated all his power for just the moment of crossing.
"Ethan… now!" Kevin shouted.
A massive explosion struck the barrier. The moment it began to crack, Ethan sped off at supersonic speed, breaking through the barrier just a second before it closed. Kaven and Hidan tumbled into the sea, completely exhausted. "The rest is up to you, Ethan," Kaven said, smiling wearily.
Inside the island, Saruto suddenly felt a familiar energy. He smiled. "Ethan."
In a flash, his master and servant appeared before them. Ethan stepped forward quickly. "We don't have time, Saruto."
"What's happening outside?" Saruto asked anxiously.
Ethan told them everything. The prisoners were freed. The kingdoms were destroyed. The kings had gone to the front lines to defend their realms. Everyone was astonished by Ethan words, and the princesses were filled with fear and worry. Ethan spoke to Saruto telepathically. "I know who Darius master is… and he's the one who freed the prisoners."
"Who?" Saruto asked.
"His name is… Umbra," Ethan said.
Saruto eyes narrowed. "Umbra… I'll remember that name."
Saruto told Ethan the plan they had devised, and they set to work immediately. In the kingdoms, chaos reigned. The Storm King… had fallen. The Star King… had been killed. The Sea King… had perished. As for the rest, some were still fighting, while others succumbed to their wounds.
On the island, Saruto realized that training Kyle and Lucian on the perfected Asterazine would take a long time. He made his decision. "We'll do it now," he said decisively.
Saruto and Rhyn activated the perfected Asterazine. Then, Saruto combined his energy with Lucian, and Rhyn combined his with Kyle, to amplify the Asterazine power. They took the princesses with them, as well as Ethan. They began gathering energy.
Saruto and Rhyn assumed an attack stance and launched two attacks in opposite directions. The attacks struck the barrier. It cracked. They increased the energy flow until a massive opening opened. They sped past before it closed and finally emerged.
Saruto noticed Kaven and Hidan lying in the sea and carried them out himself. He thanked Kaven and Hidan for helping Ethan. Kaven, despite his exhaustion, smiled and said, "No need to thank me, Saruto."
Kaven began to scrutinize Saruto with his eyes and thought to himself, "Your strength has increased significantly."
Without wasting a second, they all set off towards the kingdoms to prevent the impending disaster.