Chapter 170: Third Order and Purpose of the Spirits
Prago, as a K2-Phantom had many opportunities to become stronger, much more so than Adam or Edir, who were only K1-Phantoms. However, Prago did almost nothing to accomplish this.
Someone like Tron was significantly stronger than him, not only because of his toughness, extensive combat experience, and formidable aura but also because Prago had barely reached his potential as a K2-Phantom.
In order for Phantoms to become stronger they had to constantly visit Dead Lands, fighting and risking their lives there. It was a path to strength - proven, effective, but dangerous.
Sure, Prago had been to Dead Lands more than once, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to become K2-Phantom, but he always chose the safest and most reliable missions to develop slowly but surely.
However, such cowardly tactics resulted in him never being in really hopeless situations, much less getting out of them as Adam and Edir had already done many times, even though they were only K1-Phantoms.
Considering all the factors, Prago only had one trump card left - his Third Order, however, he still had his Spirit, which he had been saving until now!
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
A blurred silhouette of a monster with arms and horns as eerie as intertwined roots appeared above Prago.
Edir, realizing the seriousness of the situation, instantly used The Will to summon his Spirit - to counter Prago's.
However... it was obvious that he alone was not strong enough to do so.
"I'm with you!" Kayla exclaimed, summoning her Spirit and helping her aura to counter Prago's one.
It was necessary to realize that Spirits were not weapons, summoned beings, battle figures, or anything of the sort.
Spirits couldn't fight each other like summoned beings or ghosts, because they weren't alive and they weren't some Phantom ability. Meaning, that Kayla could grab Prago with the golden hands summoned by her Artifact Trait, but not with her Spirit.
Moreover, her Spirit could not fight Prago's Spirit directly, only with its aura borders.
Spirits were simply a form of the Phantom's aura, nothing more. Sure, the power of The Will depended on whether it was the First or Second Stage, but nothing more.
It was better to have a Second Stage than a First Stage Spirit, but that didn't affect the Spirit's abilities since it was all originally the aura.
Sure, Adam's Spirit was able to tear apart Trana and Krana's Spirits, but that was just a representation of how his aura in the moment managed to suppress their auras with its power, and that was it.
In general, Spirit and a simple shapeless aura in the form of an area or flame were functionally no different, only the power, speed, and other parameters were distinct.
Just as a simple aura could suppress a weak opponent, so could a Second Stage Spirit - in the second case, the damage would just be more significant.
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
Edir and Kayla's Spirits tried to resist Prago's flower monster. However, the two of them were not enough. Gradually, their Spirits were pulled back, and their auras were torn apart.
If this continued at this rate, soon Prago's Spirit, would simply overwhelm them and cause serious internal damage.
Whooooooooosh.
A massive, ghostly needle appeared out of nowhere, coming between Edir and Kayla's Spirits, adding its aura to the overall defense.
"Hahaha, that's not enough! You at least need three Second Stage Spirits to hold me back! Sooner or later, you'll fall!" Prago exclaimed with a crazy smile on his face. This first success was a breath of fresh air for him. He had finally succeeded at something!
Bam.
Edir stepped back, but not Adam, he shrouded his legs in electric shocks and plunged his fist deep into Prago's stomach.
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
Prago's Spirit shuddered as it was no longer under his control, which meant the density and overall power were greatly reduced.
In this case, Edir and Kayla were able to regenerate their auras, and now they were suppressing Prago's Spirit.
"Bastard! You think you're faster than me? Do you think you can fight me one-on-one?! Have you forgotten how I beat you up at the police station and in F-Zone?!" Prago exclaimed furiously, glaring angrily at Adam.
Adam lifted his chin, looking arrogantly at Prago.
"Really, in that case, why don't you do it right now? Go ahead, all you have to do is defeat me, one more time." Adam uttered before turning around sharply, kicking Prago in the chest with a straight thrust.
Prago's pupils narrowed as he crossed his arms before him, putting up a block. Prago smirked, seeing Adam's foot smash right into the center of his defenses, but... soon a chill ran down his spine.
Oddly enough, the impact was powerful enough to knock Prago aside, even though some of the momentum was absorbed by his hands.
'What the hell...? Before, even a straight punch to the stomach couldn't move me... Is this all an effect of Resonance and that green-haired bitch's ability?!' Prago inwardly mumbled in disbelief.
Bam.
Before he could realize it, Adam appeared in front of him, throwing another punch, then another and another, not about to stop.
Prago's Spirit was becoming less and less stable, and Edir with Kayla, successfully took advantage of that.
"Now!" Edir exclaimed, simultaneously with Kayla directing their Spirits forward and ripping Prago's Spirit apart.
In a split second, Prago's Spirit would surely recover, but that brief pause, the period of his defenselessness, was enough for the two Spirits to sink their claws into his chest.
"Argh!!!"
Prago fell to his knees, tearing a stream of blood flowing from his mouth.
As if that wasn't enough, Adam's foot flew into his face, throwing him high up and causing him to fall backwards onto the hard cold floor.
"They're... Winning!" Lola said in disbelief, in the time she had worked at Fall Hill Prison, this had never happened before! True, she wasn't the longest-serving employee, but... this period had been quite long.
''Yeah... but he still hasn't done what he originally wanted to do. His pride as a K2-Phantom is too high, but right now, he simply has no other choice..." The man muttered with a complicated expression.
Their fight had reached the stage where Prago had only one trump card left, it appeared that even his Spirit was not enough for a stunning victory.
Now, it was simple - either his trump card would crush Adam, Kayla, and Edir, or it would be a failure leading to imminent defeat.
Adam was about to attack, but at the last moment his instincts told him to retreat - he moved into line with Edir.
Prago slowly rose from the ground, glared at them, and his eyes shone brightly like two ghostly lanterns.
He channeled all the energy he had, causing the air to ripple and everyone who looked at him to shiver. Then, he used all his potential to win!
Streams of water appeared around him, quickly transforming into some creature or shape - the huge toothy jaw of an ancient sea predator with empty eyes.
"Using Third Order against K1-Phantoms... what a shame, but... I can't let myself lose. Not to you!" Prago exclaimed, waving his hand and launching the toothed creature at them!