Bab 53: Shadows in Retreat
A dense, black wisp of smoke coiled around Shade and Viper as they materialized back at the Vanguard base. The void step had done its job, but both men collapsed upon arrival, their bodies battered and burned. Shade groaned, his once-pristine armor charred and falling apart. His skin showed severe burns, and his breaths came in shallow gasps. Viper was no better, his figure slumped on the floor, skin scorched and suit torn, with faint wisps of smoke still emanating from his body.
Shade gritted his teeth, trying to push himself upright. "T-that bastard," he coughed, his voice raspy. "I told you not to….,, Viper."
Viper let out a bitter laugh, each breath labored. "You really think we had a choice? That damn toad swarm… we're lucky to even be breathing."
The memory flashed in their minds—a horrifying scene of Jingwei's Toad Swamp Summon, followed by the detonation. The gaseous toxin from the toads had clung to them, an unseen doom that set the stage for the explosion. No matter how fast they ran or how well they fought, the explosion had been unavoidable. Their escape via Shade's Void Step had been nothing short of a miracle, though they'd paid a heavy price for it.
As Shade glanced around the base, something struck him as odd. The once-bustling headquarters of the Vanguard was now eerily silent. His sharp eyes darted to Vorthax's seat of power—it was empty. His gut churned. "He's gone…" Shade muttered under his breath, unease setting in. Viper didn't respond, his body unmoving, too exhausted to care.
The Free World: Aftermath of the Battle
In the smoldering ruins of the Free World, Jingwei stood at ground level, his lone figure surrounded by devastation. Lava bubbled and hissed as it flowed sluggishly across the shattered terrain, the remnants of his massive battle with Shade and Viper. He stepped gingerly away from the molten rock, his body trembling slightly from exhaustion. The intense battle had pushed him to his limit, and the decaying wound from Shade's dagger had further weakened him.
The remnants of the massive toad swarm were scattered across the battlefield, their acidic fluids eating away at the stone and earth. Jingwei looked around, his All-Seeing eyes scanning for any further threats. But the chaos had subsided; for now, the Free World stood victorious.
As he finally allowed himself a moment to breathe, Jingwei collapsed onto his knees, his arm hanging limply by his side. The venom coursing through his body had subsided after he severed his infected hand, but the loss of a limb had taken its toll. Blood dripped steadily onto the scorched earth as his gaze remained stoic, masking the pain that coursed through him.
Minutes later, a Sentinel healer—a young woman dressed in white with a glowing staff—approached him hurriedly. "Commander Jingwei, you need treatment," she said, her voice trembling as she took in the scene around her.
"I'll live," Jingwei muttered, but his stoicism faltered as he winced in pain.
The healer knelt beside him, her hands glowing with soft, green energy. "You've already done more than enough. Let me take care of this."
Jingwei closed his eyes, allowing her to work, though his thoughts remained on the battlefield and the enemies who had slipped through his grasp.
At the entrance of the king's palace, Madagascar braced himself against Titan's relentless assault. The ground beneath them shattered with each devastating blow from the colossal Vanguard member. Titan's arms, now the size of small boulders, crashed repeatedly into the ground, sending shockwaves that tore through the area. Walls crumbled, and dust filled the air as Madagascar leapt and rolled, his monkey staff spinning in his hands to counter the shockwaves.
"You're persistent," Madagascar muttered, dodging another massive fist that smashed into the earth, sending debris flying. "But so am I."
His monkeys were no longer two—they were five now, each one darting around the battlefield with precision. One of the monkeys, Ma, rushed toward Titan, deftly avoiding the colossal fists that came crashing down. From its mouth, Ma spat a sticky, web-like material that clung to Titan's hardened stone skin. The other monkeys joined in, weaving around the Titan and adding layer upon layer of the sticky substance.
"Keep it up!" Madagascar called out, using his staff to deflect a stray chunk of debris that hurtled toward him. With Titan's body now immobilized by the sticky coating, the monkeys worked in unison, pulling the massive figure off the ground with their combined strength.
Titan roared, his voice shaking the palace foundations. But his defiance was short-lived. One of the monkeys leapt high into the air, its jaws opening unnaturally wide. With a deafening screech, it descended upon Titan, swallowing him whole. The Five Demon Monkey Prison was complete.
Inside Madagascar's sealed domain, the Titan was utterly powerless. The vast, otherworldly realm was under Madagascar's control, and it didn't take long for the Titan to meet his end. Outside, the battlefield fell silent as Madagascar landed gracefully, his monkeys dispersing into the shadows. He glanced at the palace gates, a sense of foreboding washing over him.
Within the grand halls of the palace, the carnage was evident. Sentinel bodies lay sprawled across the floor, blood pooling beneath them. The air was thick with the smell of death and destruction, and the once-pristine marble walls were now marred with cracks and soot.
Seated arrogantly on the king's throne was Vorthax, his dark, piercing eyes scanning the room. His casual demeanor was at odds with the devastation he had caused. His fingers drummed rhythmically on the armrest of the throne as he regarded the king, who stood bound and trembling before him.
"You've done well to cling to power for so long," Vorthax said, his voice smooth yet dripping with malice. "But power has its price, and I am here to collect."
The king glared at him, defiance flickering in his weary eyes. "You won't get away with this."
Vorthax chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "Do you know the phrase, 'An eye for an eye?'" His voice was calm, almost conversational, yet the underlying threat was unmistakable. "It's fitting, don't you think?"
The scene faded as Vorthax's menacing presence loomed over the throne room, his dark intentions poised to bring the Free World to its knees.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone