For a moment, Ralph stood silently atop the pile of rubble. His overwhelming need for despair clashed with the scattered waves of regret washing over him, signaling Kevin to temporarily stand down from battle. "Everything I've worked so hard to build…" he whispered, a slideshow of visual memories playing through his mind. "Why couldn't it have been me… WHY WERE YOU THE ONE!?"
Kevin knew exactly what enraged Ralph - not only was his thirst for control fueling his rage, but also his need for Will of Freedom. His past actions have shown the extent he would be willing to go for these elements, even sacrificing his entire body just in order to continue battling with Kevin.
Upon noticing his desperation, Kevin's body trembled along with the cold wind brushing his hair. "I'm almost certain you're aware of the sudden reawakening of ancient powers in the past few years."
Three rings enlarged across Ralph's blazing body, followed by a blue flash marking the beginning of Kevin's extraction. That was the moment Ralph pushed off the ground, attempting to reverse the extraction by killing Kevin in a singular hit. "I WON'T LET A SHRIMP LIKE YOU TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME!"
Kevin took a deep exhale, clenching both his fists and suppressing them into a hammer. "If you aren't one of the individuals who have claimed ancient power, then that doesn't mark the end of your life! Despite all the criminal acts you have committed, I still think you have potential to change as a person!" Ralph let out another scream, conserving his draining power for a final punch. "I don't WANT to change! I want to assert complete dominance over the world, no matter WHAT stands in my way!"
Kevin's fist plunged straight into Ralph's chest, blowing him straight into the sky above Damage Control. "And if you choose not to change, that's fine! Just keep in mind that GOOD WILL ALWAYS TRIUMPH OVER EVIL!" Just a second following Ralph's power depletion, Kevin followed up with his final move.
"GRAVITATIONAL HAMMER OF JUSTICE - THE POWER THAT'S GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD!"
Volume 13, Chapter 44 - Pyron's Whereabouts
"The power of Emberatalia…" Gerald thought to himself, watching as the black flame ascended into the gray clouds. "As a kid, I had a separate dream other than becoming an entity hunter - I wanted to see the full potential of my power, also figuring out all its' secrets in the process." He brushed the rain off his hair, turning his eyes back towards the clouds. "The vibe of this city is rather depressing…"
A distant booming sound captured Gerald's attention, compelling his eyes towards its direction. He noticed the parting clouds created from Kevin's Gravitational Hammer of Justice, watching the sun rays bolt down towards their direction. "The rain…" Gerald thought to himself, lifting his body off the ground. "The rain has finally ended!"
Now, the entire city underwent a long moment of silence. Pouring out from the shelters were Damage Control's residents, smiling at the first dawn after years of cloudy skies. Gerald let out a small chuckle, silently admiring the beautiful view standing above him. "The sky here in Damage Control is a perfect sight."
---
"The task is complete!" an enthusiastic voice sounded right beside Kevin. Temporarily unable to force open his eyes, he observed all sound around him to answer the many questions travelling through his head - where was he, was his friends okay, and what happened to Ralph following the final attack? "How long has he been out?" a familiar voice chimed in. This voice sent a feeling of nostalgia piercing straight through Kevin like a sword, rapidly rising alongside his temptation to open his eyes.
"At best, I would say he's been out for a day or two," the same cheerful voice confessed.
"A DAY OR TWO!?" Kevin shouted, his eyes jolting open in shock. He fell onto the ground due to the ropes tied across his body, sending a loud thud across the small room. "Who the hell are you guys, and why am I the one tied up!?"
Three faces - one belonging to Ray (who he had met during the battle with Ralph,) and two other unfamiliar men appeared within Kevin's eyesight. "Finally, you're awake!" Ray exclaimed, reaching towards his chair and disconnecting the ropes restraining him. "Following the conclusion of your fight against Ralph, we discovered your status as an entity hunter going after Pyron!" the third man informed. He had a deep scar across his forehead, partially covered with thick bandages surrounding his long, brown hair. Despite the unusual vibe inside the room, Kevin's uneasiness began to fade. "Before I answer any of your questions, assure me of one thing - are my friends okay!?" The three men in the room took a moment to decide who should speak, their choices narrowing down to Ray. "The rest of Team Pyron is okay. We informed them about everything while you were unconscious, and we gained their full consent regarding this meeting."
Kevin hesitated, mental images of each Team Pyron member playing within his mind. He took a deep sigh of relief, melting away a partial amount of his stress. "So, what is it you have to tell me about Pyron?"
Ray descended back into his seat, sliding a map of recent Pyron spottings over to Kevin. "There is a proverbial fork in the road of Pyron spottings," he continued. Another bomb of shock detonated within Kevin's mind, glancing at the two branching paths both leading to different cities across Nahata. Using his finger, he took a few seconds to backtrack Pyron's potential path following the first battle and observed the sudden void beginning in the Winding Forest.
"One of these paths could be that cult we confronted back in the Land of Stone," Kevin reminded himself. He glanced at the most recent locations on both paths and cleared his throat. "One path leads to the Grand Province, and another leads to…"
Kevin lifted his finger, both his hands shaking upon confirmation. More memories of his childhood infiltrated his mind, interrupting his speech and relaxing his mental state. He looked back up at the two other men, reciting their names straight from the top of his head. "Grey and Reuben," he muttered.
It had taken a while, but Kevin had finally connected the dots - he was in a room with three professional entity hunters. Ray, the hunter of courage, Reuben, the hunter of seriousness, and Grey, the hunter of enthusiasm.