"Not yet..." Elric calmly thought to himself, disguised as a wimpy geek that is currently being choked hard at his neck by a Shadow in the form of a female student.

As usual, her never fading creepy smile continued to show its yellowish teeth and shadowy eyes, looking like a malnourished demon. Long, on the other side, had already left Elric behind fearing for his own life.

He was quite confident that he can face the new bunch of weirdo rats until they finally revealed their true forms and intentions. 

"Just where did that stupid old lady landlord go? How come she is not here defending me?" Elric angrily complained. Perhaps he was just too used from grandma Kahayag's pampering presence that he quickly became a spoiled brat in less just a few years despite his cold and arrogant att.i.tude.

BONK!~

Just when Long was just about to reach the closest building, he suddenly felt like b.u.mping into an invisible wall and bounced back a few meters before painfully fell on his back.

"I guess I am on my own right now... I knew I could never count on anyone, not even my own sister!" He bit his lips as he immediately pulled himself up in a painful struggle from his injury and mysterious pursuers.

He did not give Elric another stare knowing that it was pointless. He suspected his pursuers are hostile Elementals that must have an unsettled beef with their own Eastern Dragon clan. Too bad the new student had become an unintentional victim. 

But for Long, it doesn't matter. Even if he had to sacrifice everyone in the school, he is more than willing to that. After all, they are just pointless rats living a pointless life. Compared to him who is a majestic Dragon that has powers and capabilities far beyond this ants, he strongly believes that only those who have the strength to survive will last until the end.

He may be a human at the moment, but he confidently believes that it wouldn't be long for his Dragon Essence to be released back to him. Until then, he must survive and do what he can to escape the current enemies.

With a determined look, Long tried his best to push thru the hard invisible wall before him but it seems it was not working at all. For a second, he acted as if he was still a Dragon.

After all, it was not Long's first time to experience being trapped inside an isolation barrier.

Back when he was a Dragon, he had gone through countless life and death battles against Dragon Hunters of the Arkhan race and every time they trapped him in isolation barriers, he would just force himself out using his brute Dragon strength, amplified by the royal bloodline flowing in his veins, and their pity tricks are gone.

However, now that he is at weakest, he got nothing left but a bare human body and a solid chained metal stick as a weapon.

Grabbing tightly to his nunchakus, Long skillfully whammed his weapon against the invisible wall before him, causing intense reverberations in each and every strike, focusing his attack on a single spot, hoping to create a crack to the spatial isolation barrier trapping him and force himself out from that one weakness.

Wham! Pang!~

Wham!-Pang!

Whawahhm!~ PaPanng!~

Like an action star, Long wielded his weapon with powerful swings not even realizing the bleeding injuries in his hand. He was determined to go out no matter what.

"It's useless. The barrier trapping you right now is unlike those Dragon meat loves have. It was a special formation that is capable of withstanding any amount of force and even hide everything inside it as if nothing is happening." The sound of the leader came from behind. 

With calm strides, he casually smiled at Long together with the three creepy female students beside him. On the hand of the girl on the left side is Elric's unconscious figure. And seeing the unkempt dress and the choke marks on the poor nerd's neck, it doesn't take long for Long to realize what they have done.

Quickly, he felt like all the strands of his hair standing up in fear and he turned around to continue smas.h.i.+ng the invisible wall before him, but before he could do, four other male students with dark shadowy eyes and creepy smiles are already standing beside him.

Realizing the unexpected presence of the enemy before him, Long quickly lunged an attack to the closest one only to have his hand immediately grabbed and a kick from the three other male students followed up.

Long tried his best to dodge their incoming attacks but the sprained back and ankles did not allow the usual agile maneuver he can do so he was immediately sent flying a good three meters, closer to the male leader of the shadows.

"Why don't you ask from your grandma? Is she not coming? But why though?" The leader mockingly asked as the rest of the Shadow possessed students laughed sinisterly in amus.e.m.e.nt.

Long gasped for more air as he tried to push himself up the ground. The strong kick from the three male students did a pretty good job breaking some of his ribs and Long could feel his breathing immediately tightening up and his vision started to blur. 

He had never felt this weak and pathetic in his whole life. To hear the mocking laughter of these unknown creeps also added to his boiling anger and dissapointment.

"Let me tell you a secret." The man kneeled down to get closer at Long and whispered merely, "The truth is, we can do whatever the heck we want inside this barrier. Do you know why?"

Long glared back as a reply.

"That old woman sold you. Your family has chained your powers. No human can help you, not even your non-existent Dragon race!" 

The creepy leader maniacally laughed again and so did the rest of the Shadows surrounding him like an obedient student following whatever their teacher says and do.

"I know you are a proud kid. You have been to the top, kicking the pathetic human's ability with your cheat like advantage." The leader added. 

"You look down on everybody and only clings to those whom you can take advantage of. Do you know the kind of place where the kinds of you actually belong?"

He looked straight at Long's weakening eyes and whispered coldly.

"You belong to the darkness, with us." 

The leader's hand suddenly grabbed Long by the hair which Long immediately held on to. Slowly, with the tight grip on his hair, he was raised higher and higher until a powerful punch from the demonic Shadow leader sent Long a few meters away, landing heavily to the ground, curling and turning like a worm from the unexplainable pain of his pummeled abdomen and piercing broken ribs.

AAACKGH~

Long cried in pain. He felt like his consciousness if already fading, death waving in his mind.

"The fun is not yet over. You like to play right?" The voice of the creepy leader sounded.

Long had an indignant look in his face. He still has a mission to accomplish. He still had to avenge his fallen race! But just facing this bunch of creepy elementals, he was already left hanging to the smile of death! How pathetic could he get?

But a sudden warm touch from the demonic Shadow leader caused his injured body to immediately heal.

"What the.."

Surprised, he was just about to mutter something when more punch and kicks from the creepy students suddenly barraged him back to near-death.

"Don't die yet, kid. The fun had just started. Stay awake for now okay? The main event is coming soon..." The leader patter Long's head like a good boy and casually kicked him like a dog.

"I'd rather die than die like a piece of c.r.a.p you stupid Elementals could step on!" With weak grunting voice, Long muttered.

"Oh, don't worry. We will not let you die. You and your sister's body is one of the most precious jars this human realm could currently offer aside from the Perfect One."

And with an excited smile, he added, "The agony you are facing is just a small payment for the honor you are about to receive soon. In fact, you should be extremely proud that your body will soon become a vessel for the Spiritual Kings of the Dark Realm!"

"Vessel for ... spiritual... kings?" Long muttered weakly as he felt another healing touch coming from the leader and followed by brutal attacks from his followers.

ACCK!~ AAGHK!~ AAAGH! 

Long's shout reverberated inside the small isolated barrier.

It was the first time that he wished for death instead of fighting to hold on for life. But as things have unfolded, it seems his enemies doesn't want to let him go to death's embrace yet.

Their intentions are clear. To keep playing with him until who knows when.

Elric on the other side remained unconscious. But deep in his spiritual senses, he was clearly awake and was just watching everything as things are unfolding.

The main reason he did not reveal himself yet is that he has a gut feeling that he must wait a little more. The most powerful aura among all the Shadow had still not appeared yet and he was confident that it wouldn't take long for it to come out soon. 

Not to mention, the enemies are currently spouting very important information especially with regards to the so-called Kings of the Dark Realm, the mysterious clue about grandma Kahayag and so on.

Until then, he could only pray that Long will persist from his current agony.

Elric knew how Long had chosen to abandon him right away without hesitation. But instead of getting mad, he chooses to understand the latter's situation. He had gone too much spiritual ascension to mind such trivial problems.

Suddenly, Elric's spiritual senses noticed three incoming aurae from different directions. 

"They're coming..."