“You pests don’t know when to quit,” Zarek growled, his amber eyes glowing with malevolent energy.

Light stood at the forefront, his teal eyes scanning Zarek’s every move with Astral Awareness. Behind him, Mark cracked his neck, Riya reloaded her dual guns, Zane’s gauntlets blazed to life, and Swen tightened her grip on her blade. Ace shuffled his deck, his smirk hiding his tension.

“Together,” Light said firmly. “We can do this.”

Zarek raised his mechanical arm high, the veins of Etherea glowing brighter. With a roar, he slammed it into the ground.

“Tremor Impact!”

The earth exploded outward, jagged spikes shooting up in waves. The team scattered, each member dodging in their own way.

Mark leapt into the air, flipping over the spikes with acrobatic precision. “You’re going to need better aim than that!” he taunted.

Riya vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind a crate. “This guy’s power is insane. We need to outmaneuver him!”

Swen absorbed the weight of the earth beneath her feet, using it to anchor herself. With a mighty swing of her blade, she shattered the spikes in her path. “Don’t let him push us back!”

Mark darted in close, his legs glowing faintly with kinetic energy.

“Kinetic Surge Barrage!” he shouted, unleashing a rapid series of kicks that struck Zarek’s torso like hammer blows. Each impact sent ripples through the smuggler’s Etherea shield.

Zarek growled, catching Mark’s leg mid-strike. “You’re fast, but not fast enough.” With a vicious twist, he hurled Mark across the room.

Mark twisted in mid-air, landing in a roll. “I’m good!” he shouted, though his voice betrayed his exhaustion.

Riya moved through the battlefield like a ghost, her shadows weaving around Zarek’s feet.

“Phantom Edge Spiral!” she yelled, the shadows coalescing into sharp blades that lashed out at Zarek from all sides.

Zarek raised his mechanical arm, spinning it to create a barrier of stone that deflected the strikes. “Annoying little shadow,” he spat, slamming the barrier outward in a wave of rubble.

Riya rolled out of harm’s way, her emerald eyes narrowing. “We’re chipping away at him. Keep going!”

Swen leapt high into the air, her weightless form ascending before she channeled her Etherea. The air around her grew heavy as she descended.

“Titan Crash!” she bellowed, her blade glowing with immense power as it smashed down onto Zarek’s shoulder.

The impact forced Zarek to one knee, cracks spreading from the point of contact. “Impressive,” he grunted, shoving her back with a pulse of energy. “But I’m just getting started.”

Zarek roared, the ground erupting around him. Massive chunks of earth floated into the air, spinning rapidly.

“Boulder Cyclone!” he shouted, sending the deadly projectiles flying toward the team.

Ace flicked a card into the air, its glowing symbol altering the trajectory of one boulder, sending it crashing harmlessly into the wall. “I’ve got your backs!”

Zane stood his ground, punching through another boulder with a fiery uppercut. “This guy’s throwing mountains at us! What’s next?”

Light extended his hand, summoning a swirling barrier of wind and fire that deflected the remaining projectiles. “Stay focused!”

Taking advantage of the opening, Light dashed forward, his hand glowing with golden flames.

“Astral Flame Strike!” he called out, slamming his fist into Zarek’s chest. The flames exploded outward, sending the smuggler stumbling back.

Zarek’s armor smoked from the impact, but he grinned. “That’s more like it!”

He retaliated with a wide swing of his mechanical arm, but Light ducked under the strike, landing another burning punch to Zarek’s side.

Zane joined the fray, his gauntlets blazing with Etherea.

“Inferno Surge!” he roared, delivering a series of fiery punches that forced Zarek further back. Each strike left scorch marks on the ground and cracks in Zarek’s defenses.

Zarek finally caught Zane’s arm, his grip crushing. “You’re all so eager to die,” he said, hurling Zane into a stack of crates.

Despite their best efforts, the team began to falter. Zarek’s overwhelming strength and endurance pushed them to their limits. Riya panted as she reloaded her guns, Mark winced as he clutched his side, and Swen leaned on her blade for support.

Light stepped forward, his teal eyes blazing. “We’re not done yet.”

Zarek laughed, his aura flaring. “You’re resilient. I’ll give you that. But let’s end this charade.”

The chapter ends with Zarek summoning a massive pillar of earth, his Etherea pulsing like a heartbeat. Light and the team prepare for one final push, their determination unbroken despite the odds.