When the Ancient Black Dragon spread its wings and turned toward the eastern district, time seemed to stop. Rick could see the houses where families lived, families that had just survived one attack and were now facing another. Children, elderly individuals, and those who had not committed any wrongdoing except for being in the wrong place at the wrong time were all present.
"From now on, every death is your fault, not mine."
Rick heard Sylvia's words over and over in his head, and something inside him broke. Not anger or fear, but something colder and more determined.
He had spent his whole life as a passive observer, watching some pointless MILF videos, avoiding responsibility, and dying alone because he had never really lived. But today... not anymore.
"Sebastian," Rick said quietly, his voice steady even though he was terrified. "What will happen if I use Spirit Unity with both bonds at full power?"
Sebastian's monocle shone with a sudden realization. "You'll run out of magic in minutes, maybe hurt your body from the strain, and definitely pass out afterward."
"Also, you can't fight a dragon by yourself, even with that boost."
"I didn't ask for permission."
Rick stepped away from Carmilla and Natasha and the group of evacuees. The Ancient Black Dragon was already in the air, flying toward the eastern district, where screams were already rising.
Rick could feel Carmilla's sudden fear and Natasha's quick understanding of what he was about to do through the Spirit Bond. "What are you doing, Rick!?" Natasha shouted.
"Rick, no!" Carmilla took hold of his arm. "You can't fight that thing by yourself! You'll die!"
Rick looked her in the eye and said, "I'm not going to let more people die because of my stupid choices."
"I'm done being the reason people suffer."
"Then we fight together," Natasha said as she moved to the other side of him. "That's what our bonds are for."
Rick felt a warm sensation in his chest. He thought he was alone when he died in his last life, but now, in a world that shouldn't exist, he had people who would stand by him even when the odds were against him.
Rick said, "Then let's go together." He raised his sword, and through the Spirit Bond, he could feel the power of both women flowing into him. "Activate Bond Resonance!"
[BOND RESONANCE TURNED ON]
[SPIRIT UNITY LV.1 IS NOW ON]
[TIME: 180 SECONDS]
[WARNING: VERY HARD WORK]
Rick's body was filled with power. Carmilla's strength filled his muscles, making them feel like steel cables. Natasha's magical accuracy made his senses sharper than they had ever been before.
He could see every move of the dragon clearly, even from a distance. And at the bottom of it all, his own willpower and refusal to let anyone else die were what held everything together.
Rick's body burst with golden light, the same holy energy that had come out during the shrine purification but ten times stronger. Rick could feel Liora's presence through their spiritual link, even though they were miles apart.
The Divine Blessing pendant on his chest glowed with power. She knew what was going on, and somehow her faith was giving him strength.
"Go!" Sebastian yelled. "You have three minutes before the pressure kills you!"
Rick ran away. Not toward safety, but toward the dragon.
He crossed the plaza in a matter of seconds thanks to his faster speed. People ran away from him as he walked by, staring in shock at the golden light that followed him. The Ancient Black Dragon had made it to the eastern part of the city and was opening its mouth to cause more damage.
Rick wouldn't be able to make it in time.
Unless...
"Natasha!" Rick called through the bond, and she knew right away.
"Got it!"
Ice formed beneath his feet, creating a crystal slide that sent him flying. Rick rode the ice ramp up and up until he was at the same height as the dragon's head.
The creature saw him coming and tried to turn around. It tried to bite him with jaws that could swallow him whole.
Rick swung his sword with all of the extra strength he had. The blade hit the dragon's snout with a sound like thunder.
It was surrounded by holy energy that glowed gold. The Ancient Black Dragon jerked its head to the side, and its dragonfire attack went crazy, shooting harmlessly into the sky instead of at the buildings below.
Rick kept going. He landed on the dragon's neck, and because he was more agile, he was able to stay on the thrashing creature. The dragon roared in pain and anger as it tried to shake him off, but Rick drove his sword down, through scales and into flesh.
The dragon went crazy when black blood sprayed. It rolled through the air, trying to crush Rick against its body, but he was already moving.
His movements were faster and smoother than they had ever been, thanks to Carmilla's combat instincts. He ran along the dragon's back, and every time he hit it with his sword, it left a deep cut.
The creature dove down to the ground, trying to smash Rick into buildings. Natasha made another ice ramp appear at the last second, and Rick jumped off it. He hit the ground running, and the dragon crashed behind him, destroying an already broken store.
[HP: 120/220]
[SPIRIT UNITY TIME LEFT: 120 SECONDS]
Rick's body was already screaming in pain. His lungs burned with every breath, and his muscles felt like they were tearing. But he couldn't stop.
The dragon got better and charged at him, moving faster than you'd expect for something so big. Rick raised his shield, and Carmilla's Guardian's Resolve turned on, making him better at defending himself.
Rick flew back through a wall when the dragon's clawed strike hit his shield like a battering ram. He crashed into a house that used to be someone's home, and the impact knocked the air out of his lungs. His vision blurred, and for a second, he thought he might pass out.
Then he could feel them. Carmilla and Natasha were running toward him through the Spirit Bond, their worry and determination flowing through the connection. They weren't going to let him fight by himself.
He felt something else because of his connection to Liora. A holy energy pulse was emanating from Liora, growing stronger with each passing second. She was on her way.
The High Priestess had sensed his pain and was quickly making her way to the capital with all she had. Rick got up even though the dragon's shadow was over him. The creature's mouth opened wide, and flames started to build up in its throat.
Rick said, "Not today, chief."
Instead of going back, he jumped forward and dove under the dragon's head as dragonfire filled the space where he had been standing. He dragged the blade across the dragon's soft throat scales, making a long, deep cut.
The dragon's roar turned into a gurgling scream. It pulled back, and Rick saw Carmilla come up with her giant sword raised. The blade hit the dragon's front leg with such force that it went deep into the bone.
Natasha showed up on a roof nearby, her staff glowing with power that had built up over time. She shot a lot of ice lances at the dragon's wings and body.
Each one was the size of a spear. The creature tried to fly away, but its wings were too weak to hold its weight.
"Get around it!" Carmilla ordered, using her years of tactical experience. "Don't let it recover!"
They moved together, three separate fighters working together perfectly because of their spiritual bond.
Rick attacked from the front, which kept the dragon's attention. Carmilla hit from the side, and her strength let her break bones and crack scales. Natasha helped from a distance by using her ice magic to make barriers and attack the dragon when it showed a weakness.
[SPIRIT UNITY TIME LEFT: 60 SECONDS]
[WARNING: SEVERE PHYSICAL DAMAGE IMMINENT]