Chapter 30: Freedom Fight
Jackknife dashed faster than Drum and used his claw to slash The Punisher. The Punisher grabbed the wrist of the green dragon and threw him on the ground behind him.
Drum tried to kick The Punisher when he wasn't looking, but the dragon suddenly turned around and dodged Drum's feet. The Punisher grabbed the tail and spun Drum over him.
"Ouah! I think I'm about to throw up!" Drum yelled.
The Punisher let the tail go and Drum crashed on Jackknife chest and they rolled on the ground. The two coughed loudly and stood up.
The Punisher watched them and put his hands on his side and nodded negatively, "Is that all you can do? I'm disappointed."
Drum opened his mouth and breathed fire. The Punisher opened his mouth and breathed air out of his lungs. The fire was blocked and came back toward Drum, who dodged his own flame at the last second.
"He's really tough," Drum commented as he put his hand on his jaw.
Jackknife looked at his ally and replied, "Much more than I anticipated. I do not think we have a chance to defeat him that way."
"It just started," Drum replied. He charged toward The Punisher and tried to punch the dragon.
The Punisher blocked it and tried to grab it, but Drum moved his hand out of The Punisher reach. Drum tried to kick him, but he blocked it again.
Jackknife thought about it as Drum continued fighting The Punisher himself. He decided not to let Drum fight alone and charged. He opened his mouth and tried to bite the arm, but The Punisher grabbed his throat. The Punisher threw his face against Drum's face and kicked Jackknife to his belly and threw them away. The two dragons crashed on the ground and bounced in the air before landing on their feet, panting.
The Punisher took a deep breath and watched them, waiting for them to come.
Drum took a step forward, but Jackknife put his hand on his shoulder, "Wait. We cannot hope to win without any strategy. Charging alone won't do anything."
Drum grunted before sighing, "You're right. We couldn't even hit The Punisher. He's just too strong."
Jackknife replied, "We need to fight together, not as an individual."
Drum looked at the green dragon and nodded.
As the dragons were talking and The Punisher waiting for their next assault, Tasuku was growing nervous for his friend.
"Things aren't going well for now," Halberd commented.
Akatsuki said, "They are losing the fight."
Ironchain added his own comment, "The Punisher is a strong as his reputation goes. They didn't stand a chance from the start."
"So the battle was unfair?" Zanya asked.
"Jack has no chance at all?" Tasuku asked as he worryingly looked at his friend.
"Nin," Tsukikage took a scroll written, Maybe.
"What do you mean maybe?" Baku asked.
Axia lightly chuckled. He grabbed the other's attention. Asmodai also started chuckling and the other's glared at him.
"What is it yo?" Tetsuya asked.
"The battle isn't unfair. You just got the wrong objective of this fight," Asmodai replied.
"This battle isn't about winning the fight in the way you are expecting it," Axia replied as he corrected his monocle, "I would have objected if The Punisher didn't specify it before the battle."
"What is it?" Gao asked.
Kuguru thought about it and smiled, "Right. He talked about it before the fight."
Suzumi smiled and put her on her son shoulder, "You just have to worry about the fact that they could get really wounded before the end of the fight."
Axia put his claw under his eyes and said, "Sadly, my lucky hug isn't really helping. I just hope my Drum-kin isn't too hurt, because hugging him won't be good for a while."
"The lucky hug isn't working. If it was, more dragons would ask to be hugged by you," Halberd commented.
"I'm sorry," Axia replied walking closer to Halberd before using his tail to whip the foot of the dragon, "But hugs are only for my Drum-kins."
"They are about to continue the battle yo," Tetsuya said pointing to the two dragons charging at The Punisher.
Jackknife gave a small nod to Drum before flying higher in the air. Drum clenched his fist and started punching the older dragon. The Punisher blocked every attack toward him at ease and kept a side glance at Jackknife. Drum smirked when he suddenly gave a dropkick and hit the ankle of The Punisher. He failed to break the balance of the other dragon, but Drum obtained his entire attention.
It was then that Jackknife closed his wings and charged at his adversary, pointing his feet at his target head. The Punisher turned his glance at the last second and dodged it at the last second. Even if Jackknife failed his attack, he suddenly twitched his tail and smacked the face of The Punisher.
The Punisher put one hand on his snout and lightly smirked before grabbed Jackknife by his neck and head-butt Jackknife snout. Both dragons had nose bleed and their eyes crossed. Drum appeared behind The Punisher and grabbed his tail, trying to list the other dragon, but he was too heavy for Drum's strength.
"Too heavy!" Drum grunted.
"No. I just stuck myself on the ground," The Punisher replied.
Drum saw the feet of the other dragon on the ground. The Punisher twitched his tail up and down until he crushed the younger dragon on the ground. Jackknife opened his mouth and grabbed the other arm of The Punisher. He pulled it near his mouth and bit it as strong as he could.
The Punisher screamed in pain by the sudden bite and threw Jackknife in the air out of reflex. Jackknife took this opportunity to fly toward Drum and flew at a safe distance before facing The Punisher, who was charging at them.
Drum suddenly stood up and kicked the snout of the other dragon by surprise, before he and Jackknife charged at The Punisher and used their claws, foots and their sharp teeth and tried to pierce his defense. Despite the bite, The Punisher had no problem using his wounded arm to block the assault of the two dragons before he jumped in the air and gave a spin kick at their flank and threw them away.
Jackknife and Drum landed on their feet, but panted loudly by their own exhaustion.
"This isn't good. We are still losing the fight," Drum grunted.
Jackknife nodded and replied, "This is a real dragon fight Drum. Not any practice you must have when you were younger."
Drum silently nodded when he realised it. He lightly smiled and said, "Let's keep this up Jackknife, even if we can't win."
"Yes," Jackknife replied before they charged toward The Punisher.
The dragon prepared to receive them and once the two dragons were in his range, he blocked their assault the best he could. Drum suddenly jumped in the air and kicked right on Punisher throat. Jackknife took his chance and tackled the chest of his adversary.
"Not bad," The Punisher commented before grabbing both dragons and crushing them together.
They grunted painfully before The Punisher let them felt on the ground. Jackknife and Drum tried to stand up, but the tail of The Punisher hit their back and put them back on the ground.
The Punisher watched them trying to stand up and fight. He kneed in front of them and raised their face and looked at them.
The others watched silently, knowing that the battle was over.
The Punisher stood up and turned around, "This battle is over. It was long enough to see you through during this battle. It is pointless to continue and wounded you even more than it is necessary. Tasuku, Gao. You can take your spellcards and heal them. Once it is done, I shall give you my decision."
Gao and Tasuku healed their friend and the two dragons stood up and re-equipped their gear and watched The Punisher.
The dragon had a small smile on his face, but no one knew what was in his mind.
"What is your decision?" Tasuku nervously asked as he put his hand on Jackknife waist.
The Punisher watched Tasuku and replied, "The battle was more important than who shall be victorious. The true was the most important par and it revealed itself. I saw what was in your eyes Jackknife," he crossed his arms and replied, "What you were telling me from the start was true. I can see your strong bond with Tasuku and also who you were. During the fight, you were watching over Drum a few times and managed to work together with him, who was your enemy previously. It is clear now that I can and will speak with Fang Slade Terrestrial the XIII and ask him to come here."
Tasuku and Jackknife both have a huge smile when they heard the news. They both knew that freedom was soon at their grasp, if they were lucky and Drum's father agreed with changing the judgement over Jackknife.
"You both did it!" Gao joyfully yelled at the dragons.
Drum scratched the back of his head and replied, "Yeah."
"Not an easy fight. He has much more experience than us," Jackknife commented.
"What is going to happen now yo?" Tetsuya asked.
"My bet is that this dragon will come soon and might chance the verdict of Jackknife," Asmodai replied with a small grin.
Jackknife suddenly yawned, "That battle was really tiresome."
"Maybe we should celebrate it," Gao suggested.
"Gao. It's not done yet," his mother warned, "There is one more thing left. Jackknife, Tasuku," she gained their attention, "Once Jackknife is free, we should celebrate it. You should come to our house. After all, you are a friend of my son."
Tasuku looked at Jack, "She's your mother?"
Gao nodded.
The group talked together about their victory and what was coming soon. The only except was Halberd and Ironchain who were away from the group. Ironchain wasn't looking at Halberd and said nothing.
Kuguru noticed it and turned around, watching them, but didn't do anything unless something happened.
Halberd took a step toward Ironchain but, "Don't come any closer Thunder Knight Halberd Dragon."
Halberd stopped, but it was painfully that Ironchain was now using his name and title. He said, "Ironchain. I'm sorry that I kept it hidden from you. I just-"
"I don't want any of your excuses. It's too late from the moment-" Ironchain turned toward Halberd and looked in his eyes with his fury, "-You didn't have faith in me. You are just a soldier for me now Halberd."
Halberd said, "Ironcha-"
"Enough," Ironchain grunted before pointing his claw at Halberd snout, "There is nothing you can say to me! You didn't trust me!"
"Let me explain-" Halberd was cut once again.
"No. You should have known Halberd. You should have known I would help you and be by your side, no matter what you do," Ironchain grunted.
Halberd saw tears falling from Ironchain while the blue dragon tail was at his lowest. Ironchain cleaned his face of his tears and turned around, "I don't want you to search for me. If you still value what remains of our friendship, then you won't come after me."
Ironchain walked toward Kuguru and left Halberd alone.
The dragon said nothing as he watched the other's together. He silently opened his wings and flew toward the sky.
Ironchain took a glance toward Halberd and felt his heart cracking. He lowered his head and thought. Why didn't I let him explain? I... I don't understand. Why don't I want to hear his explanation? I don't understand. Regretting his words, but refusing to change his minds, he knew that there was no turning back now.
AC: This is the end of this chapter. Next one, we have Drum's father paying a visit.
Chapter 31: Jackknife Sentence.
After this: Chapter 32: A Changing world.
Chapter 33: Birth Of The New Police Force. (Obvious what I'm bringing here)
This chapter will conclude the arc and initiate the next one.