Chapter 26: The Showdown of the Swordsmen
"Now I'm getting fired up, to take you down for the count! Let's FIGHT!"
The group fights off the injured Adelbert which he knocks them off by bashing with his two-handed sword. Seed then attacks Adelbert with his sword causing both to have a sword fight as he tries to make a brutal slash at him which he dodges. Seed then casts his Flowing Rune using Freezing Point as water forms into icicles turned projectiles only for Adelbert to counter with Grand Tremor from his Mother Earth Rune. He tried to bash Seed with his sword but was blocked by him. Seed notices he was grazed from the latter's blade.
"Is that really all you got?"
"You're way more arrogant than I thought. Nice try, you just grazed my shoulder knowingly that you can't swing it." Seed said in a serious tone which makes Adelbert gets angered over his remarks which leads him to cast his final spell of his Mother Earth Rune which is the Deadly Magnitude.
Seed felt the powerful rumble on the ground which causes a massive fissure as he dodges it but only to get hit from it's Grand Tremor.
"I told you I had a final power to beat the hell outta you, you red-headed sucker." Adelbert gloats as the group were shocked to see him impaled. Seed then disperse himself into a water, seeing it was a fake version of himself. "A water puppet...? How's that possible?"
Behind him, Seed then strikes him with his sword as Adelbert blocks it causing them to clash their swords equally as he casts Earthquake from his Mother Earth Rune, however. It was countered when Seed enables him to use the Rune Combination ability by raising his sword that glows in a red light and he slams his sword into the ground, creating massive fissures, knocking Adelbert out.
"My Flowing Rune enables me to form a distraction by forming a water puppet. I think I'd never done this when I faced Lord Riou when me and Culgan had fought head on with his group." Seed said as nods his group to attack him head on.
Asher tries to cast his Lightning Rune on Adelbert which allows Seed to make another Rune Combination by raising his sword in a flash of lightning causing Adelbert to gloat.
"You'd think I would be hit by that, you jackass!"
Adelbert begins to strike on Seed which he dodges and makes a counter thunder sword strike, knocking him out. Asher finally berates him.
"The outcome is already decided, Adelbert, give up."
At the Higheast Palace, Lene looked over the city and became worried for her friends' safety. Suddenly two Silverian soldiers had manage to barge on her room which Lene wields her double-sided tonfas as she attacks the two soldiers by pulling off her combos.
"How come you get here!?"
Without warning, Ross arrives to confront her as Lene attempted to hit him with her double-sided tonfas only for him to knock her to the groin with a punch, knocking her out.
"Sir Ross... what do we do?"
"This is what Adelbert had wanted..." Ross said and seeing his comrade had sacrificing his life for getting trapped at the hands of the reformed Higheast Army. "We need to move quickly."
Adelbert suffers more injuries after enduring all of Seed's Rune Combination attacks after being defeated on his hands.
"How could I lose to someone who is a powerful swordsman? You ain't seen nothing yet..."
"What are you talking about, you giant vermin!?" Seed replied while carrying his sword as Adelbert struggles to stand up and he reveals it.
"I actually let Ross to capture the princess before you morons would trap me on the raid. Hahahaha... now I got her head!"
Adelbert immediately leaves to meet up with Ross, Seed angrily punches his right fist into the ground while handling the sword. Both Sean and Damian comes to his aid while Tougou tells him.
"We can't let him get away."
"Are you okay, red head?" Sean asked which Seed furiously warns them.
"I know the nightraid is successful to get rid of Adelbert. We got outsmarted!"
"What!?"
"Damn you!" Seed eventually pursues Adelbert as both Sean and Damian follow him as Asher noticed he lost his cool after learning of Adelbert's plans.
At the forest side, Adelbert becomes weaken from his heavy injuries as Ross arrives to see him.
"Everything is according to plan, Adelbert."
"It's okay... this is my last resort. Now go before those Highlanders are gonna struck us." Adelbert said as Ross nods in agreement and leave the scene as he mumbles to himself. "That red-headed jackass had no choice but to rescue the princess. Now she's in my grasp..."
"There's Adelbert, shoot him!" Tougou yells to command them to shoot Adelbert which he got hit by multiple arrow shots.
Adelbert is soon confronted by Seed, Sean, Damian, Asher, Leroy, and Juris as he angrily draws his sword and he pointed on his face.
"We got you now, you classless oaf. You're finished!" Sean said as Seed gritted questions him.
"Where did you take Lene, answer me!"
"Your luck runs out..." Adelbert then points on Lene where her hands are tied with ropes within the branch and threatens him further. "If you attempted to use that final spell of your Flowing Rune, I'm sure that she's going with me."
"Lady Lene was unconscious..." Damian said shockingly as both Sean and Asher had decided to rescue her to distract Adelbert long enough.
"Her head is mine... and there's nothing you can do about it. Now I'm taking you down."
Adelbert then fights off Seed despite his injuries as he attempted to slash him brutally only for Seed to dodge the slash and furiously stabs him with his sword causing his weapon to dropped off the ground. Seed becomes exhausted as his face and clothes are covered in his blood.
"You disgust me!" Seed angrily disgust over Adelbert's actions which the latter coughs him with blood.
"Ugh... you no good hellish maniac... My threat is still holds..."
"Seed!" Asher calls Seed as he looked to see Lene was safe thanks to both Sean and Domon who helps them to land on the safe ground by avoiding their trap. "The princess is safe, a friend of Sean just helped him take them to the safe ground."
"What!? Impossible..."
"Your threat is unpredictable! But you let your cronies touched her!" Seed said as he angrily clenches his left fist as his Rage Rune lighted up because of his fury. "Not just you survived from that tidal wave that I used from my Flowing Rune, but you revived as a dead man LIKE me!"
Seed angrily unleashes the final spell from his Rage Rune which is the Blazing Earth. Adelbert noticed the surrounding are turning red and he felt something heated up and he realizes that he didn't use the Flowing Rune but his Rage Rune as he was immediately incinerated with a burst of powerful flames.
"WAHHHHHH!"
Ross, Darius and Craig had seen Adelbert was killed at Seed's hands by getting incinerated from his powerful fire spells from his Rage Rune and Adelbert's body has been turned into a pile of human ashes which it flows throughout the outskirts of Higheast City. Lene then wakes up and both Sean, Damian and Domon was surprised to see her. Seed then put his sword back to his sheath and he looked to see Lene who is okay.
"Lene, are you okay?"
"Yes..."
"I'm glad that our highness is safe and sound." Damian said in relief as Seed romantically hugged her as a reunion.
"It's my fault, Seed. I tried to defend myself but I-?"
"Don't blame yourself, Lene. Adelbert is gone. No matter what happens, I will protect you."
"Seed..."
Seed smiles to her until he collapsed from his injuries and exhaustion causing Asher and Sean to help him.
"Don't worry about Seed, your highness. He was completely exhausted on his battle with Adelbert. Now the big brute is already perished and the remaining group had been retreating for now."
"Let's celebrate our victory for beating the powerhouse of the Silverians. That would be great!" Sean smiled smirking as Lene was relieved that they did for her as well as Seed.
At the Jenova Castle, Doug was furious after learning about Adelbert's death at the hands of the time traveller as his Titanus Rune begins to shine and unleashing a wrath within the entire Silveria Kingdom. This threat has been sensed by the Harmonians led by Servine who is actually the descendant of Sasarai and seeing his ancestor who currently wields the True Earth Rune and alongside it is Geddoe who is also the bearer of the True Lightning Rune. Knowing that this Rune he carries is more threatening as he thought.
The real King of the Silveria Kingdom must be around here. I think it's about to face this powerful threat.
Servine looked on his True Wind Rune which is originally wielded by the late Luc and knowing that he will follow his ancestor.
The next day, Seed wakes up and his injuries being treated in the infirmary and was visited by Lene and Asher.
"How are you feeling, Seed? You made a bloody showdown with Adelbert. I'm glad that he's gone for good."
"Yeah... I would expect they use Lene to get into me." Seed said while looking on his right fist as Lene tells him.
"Don't worry about it. At least Sean had tried to rescue me before his friend came by to land us in the safe ground."
"I guess you came here because you wanted me to accompany you outside, my feisty princess." Seed smirked in a humorous tone which Lene nods in happiness.
"That's why I brought her here. Knowingly because of your interest in her. Ever since I summoned you by accident, you changed dramatically when you decided to turn the tide against the Silverian Army and for protecting the princess." Asher said pointing out about Seed's strong romantic feelings for Lene and decided to leave in a cynical tone. "Well, you two lovebirds go ahead and have a date together."
As Asher leave them, Seed happily whistles his reaction and he looked at Lene with a happy look.
"Culgan wasn't like that when he acted cynical on both of us."
"Professor Asher had already been experienced about romance. Or maybe he was just being concerned at you." Lene said ponders on his actions as Seed gets up and decided to take her to Kuskus for a date.
"Maybe I'll take you to Kuskus for a date. That fight last night was very deadly, y'know."
"I cant forget about that dance split you had made, Seed." Lene said as she laughs at him which made his cheeks rosier as she leaves the infirmary.
"Hey! Don't mentioned that again, Lene! That was my very first embarrassment to get dance with those rabble dancers!"
Seed grumbles when he leaves the infirmary to accompany Lene in Kuskus to start their first date.