Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World!-Chapter 114: It’s Showtime

As Barns and Clancy arrive at Dimartino, there's not a soul in sight - except for Underhill. He stands at the docks, pensive - as if he is waiting for them specifically.

Clancy hops onto the dock from the water, and Barns climbs up after him. He waves happily to Underhill, but after seeing the sneaky merchant's face, he suddenly feels a wave of anxiety wash over him.

"Clothes, sir," Underhill says, handing Barns a pile of well-fitted armor. "We have a visitor. I hate to ask this of you, boss man, but you need to go to the castle."

"What? Who?" Barns asks, accepting the gear. It's lightweight, reinforced armor from the Artisans and Adventurer Guild's combined efforts. The type of clothing one would go to war in, not exactly something for greeting a 'visitor'.

"Nazakiel of the Sentinels. He defeated Maria and Osmond, and broke both of Roscoe's arms. And he has taken up residence in Dimartino Castle. He'll kill us all, Barns, unless you and Clancy go to challenge him. He's asked for it specifically."

Everything hits Barns at once - the realization of Dimartino's plight. This is the second time the Sentinels have attacked while Barns was away.

But he's here now.

"Nazakiel, huh?"

Barns looks vaguely in the direction of Dimartino Castle. Nazakiel is supposedly the strongest of the Sentinels. If they can defeat him, the others may give up on their war.

But one of the weakest Sentinels was a match for Clancy. This strongest Sentinel is rumored to have the power of a demigod.

'Is this even a winnable fight?' Barns frets.

Clancy is less scared.

"DEFEAT SENTINEL!" Clancy raises one claw into the air, triumphant. "BARNACLES CLANCY DUO UNSTOPPABLE! BURY SENTINEL!"

Barns nods. "That's right, King. Let me get out of these wet clothes. Underhill, tell me everything you know."

Barns ducks behind a rock to change as Underhill continues sharing his intel.

"Maria and Osmond were defeated in seconds - they say that Nazakiel did not lift a single finger. And Roscoe…"

"Don't worry," Barns says. "We're going to make him pay for what he did to Roscoe. But, Maria and Osmond. Are they…?"

"Alive and well, yes," Underhill confirms. "Nazakiel has not killed anyone yet. What's more - he said that he won't. You and Clancy are the only two he's after."

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Barns takes a deep breath as he finishes changing. As he steps out into view, he looks like a true warrior - claw in one hand, cane in the other, and exuding righteous confidence.

"Then win or lose, we'll end this nightmare," Barns says, full of conviction. "But we're going to win."

Underhill smiles weakly. Any sense of scheming or mischief he has is long buried, now. All anyone in Dimartino can think about is the upcoming clash. The one that will likely decide the fate of every human living in Dimartino.

"We've not even had time to plan for the horde of thirty thousand zombies approaching," Underhill advises as the trio begins to march toward the castle. "But chances are if you can defeat Nazakiel, even the horde will be discouraged. He is said to be the most powerful living being on the planet, after all."

Barns gulps. The idea of facing someone with such insurmountable strength is frightening. It's a good thing he's got Clancy at his side. The level 38 crab is powerful, and Barns recently learned a new ability that can bring that power out even more.

"Crab Release…" Barns murmurs to himself as they walk up.

"Hm? Did you say something?" Underhill pries. "Nice hook, by the way."

Barns holds the weapon up. "This thing?" he replies. "It's an SSS Rank Weapon. Pretty awesome, huh?"

"SSS Rank?" Underhill's eyes blink greedily. As someone who also has experience fighting with a cane, he likes the optics of the crab sage's weapon. "Maybe you do have a chance. Nazakiel was unarmed, from what I could tell."

"Of course he was," Barns grits his teeth. "He thinks he's unstoppable - that he can underestimate us. We'll show him just how wrong he is."

"I apologize that I couldn't do more, nor could anyone else. Maria and Osmond gave it their all," Underhill states. "By the time I'd heard of what happened, the opportunity had already passed. Nazakiel wants nothing but the two of you, and has promised to kill anyone else who intervenes."

"Don't worry about it, Underhill," Barns smiles. "I'm the legendary hero, and Clancy is the Emperor of the land above the sea - or something like that. It's our job to deal with this sort of thing."

They walk by the house where Haima committed murder, and a brief moment of hesitation overtakes the hero.

'If this Nazakiel guy kills me, I guess I'll never see Haima again. Never have a chance to talk to her for real, without the lies…'

There would be many things he'd be unable to do.

Somewhere out there, his friend Mina was reborn, after becoming a Medusa. He still never found her, nor any trace of Violetta. Never learned what Francois' ultimate power would be for him.

There are so many loose threads and mysteries on the horizon. So many things he wants to do. So much progress made, and still so much more to go.

He re-centers himself. All of that self-doubt would do him no good in the upcoming battle. He just needs to bear through the uncertainty, and fight - fight with every ounce of power he has. Bring it all to bear. That's the only way he had even an inkling of a chance.

After all, if he lost here, what would happen to Clancy? He'd fight. Of course he'd fight. He'd keep clicking and clawing until there was nothing left of him but shattered shell and foam. And Barns couldn't let that happen. Not to his King

Before he knew it, they were standing at the entrance to Dimartino Castle. Barns feels it - a weight, like the air inside Dimartino has shifted. It's as if the castle itself has bent to the will of the intruder sitting on its throne.

He remembers the first time he stood here, ready to engage in a life-or-death battle. But that time was against Maria and Osmond. As powerful as they were for him and Clancy, the opponent that awaits them now took them both down in seconds.

This would be the hardest trial that Barns and Clancy had ever faced.

The leaders of Dimartino, the boy and his crab - versus the leader of the Sentinels, the force of nature known as 'Nazakiel'.

It's showtime.