Gently flowing water and the sound of constant dripping somewhere in the underground chamber have numbed Ryuu’s mind over the past hours.
He isn’t actually aware of how much time has passed since the white-clad boss left him in here, but he knows it’s been long enough.
Struggling hadn’t gotten him anywhere for the first half an hour down here, so the Blade has given up on escaping the pale artifact’s hold over him for now.
That bastard.
I can’t let them get their hands on Ilene or anybody else!
Even so, I can’t move a muscle with this weird orb in front of me… If only that voice from before was around, he may be able to help.
Time passes for what feels like days as Ryuu continues to wait in the water, then, a deafening boom rings out as the entire chamber shakes.
Dust and small chunks of stone fall around Ryuu while the shaking carries on for a minute, then everything calms down.
As a thousand possibilities run through his head, he realizes he can move his limbs again.
With a glance at the statue in the center, he sees that the orb was crushed by stone and shattered into a million pieces, resulting in his freedom.
Alright!
Now I’ve just gotta get out of here!
“Wait, young one!”
The voice he had just remembered calls out from somewhere in the chamber, stopping him in his tracks.
“I’m here, young warrior.”
Ryuu turns back toward the statue, which now glows brighter with a holy aura surrounding it.
“It is I, the Ancient One. This statue resembles my true form, as this entire labyrinth was created for my sake.”
“I’m curious, but I don’t have time to stand around! If that blast was on the surface, there’s no telling what kind of damage Mahora just got hit with!”
“I must insist that you listen to what I have to say. I wasn’t able to talk to you before, perhaps due to the effect of that artifact, but I’ve been wanting to speak with you since you suddenly ran away before.”
“Hurry up then! What is it?!”
“The reason behind all of this “staff” business, and the attacks on the Northern Reaches. I know all of it.”
“You’re aware of all of that from down here?!”
“Yes, my branches reach farther than most know. I’m not able to share the entirety of history with you, but know this: to find your origin and become one with yourself, you must return to where you first fled. It is there that the answers you seek will be revealed.”
“…Are you sure? I’ve been thinking it was time to go back soon, but how can I trust you? Who are you?”
“I am the stored memory of Quill Mahora, the first duke of Mahora. Near the end of my life, I had my Blade store what remained of my power into that crystal you saw before, then had this labyrinth constructed. I have remained below the castle ever since, silently observing as my land grew and changed.”
“Why come out now? Why talk to me, if you’ve been quiet all this time?”
“Because you are the one everyone has been waiting for. Well, you and a few others. The appearance of the dragon is the sign of a new era, the birth of a new world. It can come through creation or destruction, but the descent of the dragon has always meant change for the world of Cha’Nix.”
“Are you saying I’m that dragon? Just because of my Talent?”
“Though I do not know what kind of magic you possess, it is clear from the words of that figure from before that you are the incarnation of the king. You’ve been born many times before, but never at the same instant as the others. This is the first time since a thousand years ago, my era, that both pillars exist at once.”
“You’re losing me. If I’m just a reincarnation or something, then who am I really?!”
“You are still you, young dragon. No incarnation is the same, as you are still mortal by birth. What you possess isn’t the body or mind of the dragon, it’s the spirit. For now, that is all I can share. If you follow my advice from before, you are sure to learn more.”
“Wait! How the hell do I get out of here?! I can feel that my friends are in danger, so I don’t have time to dig around!”
“You must look inward. As the king, you influence your own growth. That is yet another reason why no incarnation is the same. Take back the staff, then return here when you’re ready. Now then, good luck, and may we meet again.”
Quill’s voice fades away as the intense glow vanishes from the statue’s eyes.
Ryuu is left with a multitude of questions, but crams them into the back of his mind as he stares up at the crumbling ceiling.
Look inward… Influence my growth… Was he talking about that progress stat?
The voice said that he didn’t know anything about my specific magic, but perhaps the evolution feature is shared between “kings”?
I’m starting to lose my mind.
Ryuu closes his eyes as he envisions a future where he arrives on the scene as fast as possible.
Just like when he had first learned how to cast [Barrier] with Belynda, the stories of the dragon from his childhood resurface.
Perhaps it’s due to the influence of the Ancient One’s words; Ryuu can’t help but focus on the word “descending”, which then causes him to remember the story Lucy had told him in Bexter.
The dragon king had descended from the sky and brought life to the village.
To them, it was a god-like figure that saved lives as it soared through the air.
“Yeah, that sounds good to me. I’m gonna fly straight through everything and save my friends!”
Progress to Evolution: 70%
Spell Acquired:
[Emperor Wing]
“It really worked! Alright, time to bust out of here and kick some ass! [Emperor Wing]!”
As Ryuu chants the name of his newest spell, the ambient mana from the flowing water around him coalesces, and changes into a vibrant shade of gold.
The energy moves across his shoulder blades and spine, stretching out until it reaches ten-feet to his left and right.
Golden scales layer into place as the magic ramps up, then a singular spike forms at the top of each webbed mass, until finally, Ryuu stands in front of the first duke’s statue with a new, twenty-foot wingspan.
That’s step one, but how do you start to fly?
I guess it’s not as simple as birds make it look… I’ll just have to give it a go!
He crouches down and reaches his mind out to his new limbs as much as possible The wings occasionally twitch while Ryuu gets a feeling for them, then he suddenly vaults himself toward the crumbled ceiling.
They beat once, powerfully, and propel him upward at breakneck speeds, then the Blade casts [Piercing Claws] and plows a path straight through the dirt and stone.
Before long, Ryuu shoots out of the ground somewhere inside of the castle’s outer layer, spinning through the air until he’s eventually able to stabilize.
As soon as he does, his stomach drops out of his body at the view below.
What is this?!
A bomb?!
Some kind of explosion magic?!
Ryuu spins around in the air, his gaze sweeping over the entirety of Mahora from his vantage point.
The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Districts have all been wiped out.
Only a tenth of the buildings remain standing in each area, and even from several hundred feet in the air, it’s evident to Ryuu that the number of casualties is easily in the tens of thousands.
Eternal Order!
Eternal Order!
Eternal Order!
The lives weigh on his conscious like an anchor.
Although he knows that the white-clad person would have done this regardless if Ryuu was here or not, he still believes that if he had just fought them before, none of this would’ve happened.
Eternal Order!
Eternal Order!
“ETERNAL ORDER!”
The golden-eyed Blade, fueled by a dangerous mixture of emotions, shouts the name of his sworn enemies while soaring through the sky of the devastated capital.
***Leon***
“HAHAHAHA! WHAT’S WRONG?! WAS GANGING UP ON ME NOT ENOUGH?!”
Morrell taunts Leon from several meters down the street.
Chunks of buildings and flipped vehicles fill the road, creating many obstacles in Leon’s path to his opponent.
“Don’t let the enemy get in your head, Leon Acer. You’ve got him on the ropes more than he wants to admit.”
The man that had joined them earlier combs his dark hair back yet again.
“Thanks, Master Darius, but it’s hard to find an opening!” Leon shouts.
“He has too many types of magic, and can cast them silently!”
“In that case, there is a necessary first step to taking him down. You must dictate what type of magic he’ll use, and when he’ll use it.”
“Huh?!”
“Perhaps that is still too difficult for your current level, especially given your little education in M’yin subjects. Because of that, I will create an opening for you. Don’t miss your shot; once I show my hand, I doubt the enemy will fall for it again.”
“I understand! Thank you, Master!”
I’ve been trying to keep a little bit of gas in the tank so I can help Belynda and the others after this, but it was naive of me to assume I could defeat a Master while holding back!
I’ll give it everything I’ve got, so that I can catch up to Ryuu!
“{Boost}!”
Leon activates the aura technique he’d learned from Master Nolan over the past few weeks as he sprints down the street.
His massive body moves in a blur, quickly getting within ten feet of Morrell before kicking a nearby carrier-vehicle at him.
The two-ton contraption flips through the air, but Morrell slices it cleanly in half with white-hot flames.
“It’ll take more than that!”
“I’m still warming up!”
Leon unleashes a barrage of {Charge Bursts}, causing Morrell to duck and weave as the ground explodes around him.
The dark-skinned M’yin uses wind magic to rise high into the air and charge his mana, while Leon lands on the street with a few heavy breaths.
Even though he can’t physically see the mana building up around his opponent, the pressure he feels is enough to know it’s bad.
A pillar of light suddenly erupts from somewhere nearby, sending a golden beam far into the skies.
Morrell quickly turns to it with a gasp, then calls out to Leon and Darius below.
“Sorry, boys! It’s been fun, but trust me, I’m not getting caught in this! In exchange for hurting me so much, I’ll leave you with a final gift!”
The unmasked M’yin raises his cane above his head and begins a chant, causing the very earth beneath Leon and Darius to begin rumbling.
“Cataclysm, primordial cleansing-!”
Morrell falters as the mana surrounding him flickers, then is pulled away toward the street below.
“What?! What’s happening?!”
Darius gives him a crooked smirk as the stolen mana forms a dense sphere that floats above his outstretched palm.
“You! You couldn’t be–! Mana Eater?!”
“Oh dear, my old title is known even by your organization. I suppose one never escapes their past.”
Morrell floats idly in the air as his spell is canceled, then Leon crouches as low as he can and leaps off the ground.
He soars forty feet into the air, yet is still short of reaching his target.
“Hmph, too bad, kid! I’ll at least give you a nice thrashing before I go!”
The Outlaw lifts his cane behind his head, staring wildly into Leon’s eyes before bringing it down in a deadly arc.”
“[Barrier]!”
A voice chants from a nearby building, then Leon feels footing appear beneath him.
He raises his arms just in time to block Morrell’s cane with a defensive {Charge Point}, then pushes it back thanks to the amp from his Boost technique.
“You saved me, Isaac!”
Leon grins as he shouts out his thanks, then pushes off of the dark barrier with enough force to shatter it in his wake.
The Crimson Prodigy leaps high into the air above Morrell while willing forth the rest of his aura.
“You stupid, musclebound fool! Do you really think you can beat me?! I’m Morrell! A commander of the Eternal Order! A Master M’yin of unparalleled power!”
“Shut the hell up!”
The blooming A’yang pushes off of another barrier from Isaac, propelling himself downward with enough force to form a shock layer in the air in front of him.
“I’m the man who’s going to become the north’s strongest A’yang, so none of that matters one bit!”
Leon’s words don’t reach Morrell before his fist crashes on top of their head.
The pressure of the blast instantly blows off a chunk of the Outlaw’s head, leaving him leaking as he ragdolls into the side of a collapsed building.
“Haha! Serves you right!”
The winner pumps his fists while falling through the air, then quickly realizes he doesn’t have a way to stop himself.
“Wait! Somebody help m-! Oof!”
His breath is shoved from his lungs as Master Darius catches him with a barrier, then comfortably lowers him to the ground.
“T-thanks…”
“Don’t mention it. Good work there, Mister Acer. Now then, hurry up and retrieve Mister Isaac so that we can head toward that pillar of light. Whatever it is, I don’t like the look of it.”
“Agreed… I’m getting up.”
Leon forces himself to his feet, still catching his breath and exhausted from his overuse of aura, then leads the way to where Isaac was stranded before.
***Ilene***
Chaos erupts throughout the Golden Temple as the battle to reclaim the Staff of Muvolgyin continues.
Ilene is locked in her battle against Mary, the two of them moving in a dizzying waltz of aura and blades.
Meanwhile, Xander keeps himself–as well as Belynda and Sherry–behind a barrier as Nolan takes on Andromeda and Riser.
The Master A’yang has been holding his own for several minutes now, but it seems even he is finding his limits.
Nolan kneels to the ground as a slash on his shoulder takes a little longer than normal to heal.
The spear-wielder smirks and flicks the blood off of her artifact, while Riser produces yet another tool from their robes.
“You’re truly worthy of the title “Master”, Earth-Shattering Blade, but there are two Masters on this side,” Riser states.
“I’m afraid that even if we’re M’yin, we won’t lose in close-quarters.”
“Shut your mouth! I don’t know what kind of sly tricks you used, but I won’t fall so easily with my master’s safety on the line!”
Riser laughs as they raise the tool in their hand: a yellow disk, with a diamond of the same shade in its center.
“It’s over.”
They launch the disc through the air, and Nolan reacts by throwing a heavy punch directly into it.
Despite loading his fist with an immense amount of aura, the disk simply latches onto him and beeps, then he collapses to the ground while loudly snoring.
Xander watches in horror as his Blade is defeated, leaving him defenseless yet again.
“Uh, Ilene?”
“Not now!”
Ilene barks back at her brother as she narrowly dodges a beheading.
Magic Killer has certainly grown stronger since their last meeting underground, but the effects of her Boost technique are starting to weaken.
The sharp movements and quick attacks she’s been doling out have lost their edge, allowing Ilene to move inside of Mary’s guard and strike her solar plexus with the pommel of her sword.
Mary grunts as she powers through the initial impact, then her eyes widen as the true attack lands.
Ilene blasts a backfist into the same area, instinctively shooting her aura through her opponent’s body at the same time.
A dark bruise appears on Mary’s torso, the same as their last battle, and she drops to her knees as her daggers clatter to the ground.
The lady doesn’t waste a moment before turning toward Fulcrest and the staff, then notices her brother’s situation out of the corner of her eye.
Xander is standing his ground in front of the unconscious girls as he’s approached by Andromeda and Riser, but it’s clear there’s not much he can do.
After considering her options for just a moment, Ilene lunges toward Fulcrest while loading her rapier with aura and mana alike.
The elf’s eyes widen as he continues pouring mana into the staff, then Riser quickly appears between them.
“Not so fast.”
Twenty translucent barriers form between Ilene and her target, but she thrusts her sword forward all the same.
“Heroic Cannon!”
A vortex of white and red bursts forward from the tip of her rapier, shredding through the barriers without trouble.
This is the power of Ilene’s trump card, a mixture of Heroic Strike and [Magic Cannon], giving her the most offensive might she can possibly muster.
Riser watches as the vortex tears through their barriers, then reaches their hand into space once more.
They redraw the A-grade artifact, Devil’s Nail, and cloak it with mana as they clash with Heroic Cannon.
Even Riser clearly struggles to hold back Ilene’s attack, their boots digging into the temple floor as they’re pushed back, but once the dark light of their sword comes to life, Ilene’s plan is crushed.
The mana inside of Heroic Cannon is corrupted, flipping against the aura it was harmonizing with, and causing the attack to implode.
Ilene bites her lip in frustration as Riser stands calmly between her and the staff, then a sharp yelp from the side pulls her attention.
Andromeda stands over Xander, whose blood slowly leaks onto the floor beneath him.
A spear through his gut pins him to the floor as he squirms, then coughs blood onto his own face.
“Give up, Ilene Mahora,” Riser begins.
“The more you struggle, the more blood there will be on your hands before you decide to join us anyways.”
Ilene turns back to the Outlaw, her eyes threatening to fill with water any moment, but she chokes it down and raises her sword once more.
“Don’t joke with me! You’ve destroyed my city, killed my people, my friends, my family, and you’re still on about that nonsense?! I won’t rest until I’ve killed you myself!”
“So disappointing. Alas, I never expected it to be easy. Both you and the dragon will receive a proper education once we’re done here. Speaking of, aren’t you ready yet, Fulcrest?”
He nods and holds the staff higher in the air, then its golden glow washes over everything in sight.
No… Not again!
What’s happening?!
“HahahaHAHAHA! This time it’s the real deal! The Northern Reaches will enter a new age, one where only the strong can survive, and the weak are used to rise to the top! Now, let this world return to the Heroic Era!”
“Hey! What the hell is going on here?!”
Leon’s voice rings out from the entrance of the temple, but it’s hard for Ilene to be certain over the intense glow of the staff.
“You’re too late! The Staff of Muvolgyin has reached full capacity! Do it, Fulcrest!”
The elf tenses his arms to bring the staff to the ground, but at that exact moment, a far away shout rings through the air.
CRASH!!!
Just a second later, something crashes through the roof of the Golden Temple and lands directly on Fulcrest, knocking the staff out of his hands.
The golden rod bounces across the ground as its light fades away, then rolls to a rest at Ilene’s feet.
“…WHAT?!”
Riser swings their sword in fury, blasting away the dust and debris from the sudden crash.
As the cloud clears, a familiar man in a dark suit sits crouched on top of Fulcrest, staring daggers at Riser.
“Of course. It’s you.”
***Ryuu***
Ryuu races through the skies with his new spell, still struggling to do more than dive in one direction.
Each flap of his wings causes him to pick up more speed, and it’s not long until he’s going too fast to steer.
Right when he’s starting to feel lost and dizzy, a beam of light erupts into the sky on the other side of the city, giving him a clear target to fly at.
I’m coming, everyone!
The Blade flies across the city, parting the clouds in the night sky before diving straight down.
Once he gets close enough to see that it’s coming from the Golden Temple, he realizes he can’t slow down.
Shitshitshitshitshit!
He wraps his wings around his body like a cocoon and crashes into the roof, directly over the beam of light, and his wings break apart as he falls into the temple.
Chunks of gold fall around him and kick up dust–and he lands on something weird–then once he regains his bearings, Ryuu looks up to see the white-clad figure in front of him.
“Of course. It’s you.”
“Damn right it’s me! Your little orb wasn’t gonna keep me down forever!”
He jumps straight into action, dual-casting [Piercing Claws] and [Shredding Talons] as he surges forward.
The boss brandishes Devil’s Nail, the blade lighting with a dark glow as it slashes in a wide arc.
Claws meet steel as sparks fly between Ryuu and Riser, the two of them immediately engaging in a deadly trade of blows.
The wicked blade comes disturbingly close to Ryuu’s vitals as he ducks and dodges, but he applies an even amount of pressure with his thrusts and slashes, forcing his opponent to give up ground.
After blocking a heavy overhead slice, Ryuu kicks Riser in the chest and shreds through the front of their white robes, causing them to slide back several feet.
“What’s wrong?! For the boss to give up a hit so easily… It’s not a good look!”
Riser growls with frustration as they look down at their ruined clothing, then freeze in shock after they spot Ilene with the Staff of Muvolgyin in hand.
“No! Give that back!”
They take off toward Ilene while raising Devil’s Nail above their head.
“Not happening!”
Ryuu {In-steps} into Riser’s path, unleashing [Magic Cannon] from point blank range.
The boss casts [Overload] at the last second to dampen the impact, but they’re still knocked off their feet and into the air.
While his opponent sails backward, Ryuu glances over his shoulder.
“Ilene! I’m glad you’re alright, but what’s the situation here?!”
The surprised noblewoman manages to respond, but her exhaustion is evident in her tight voice.
“They used the staff to destroy Mahora… They were going to do it again, but to the entire northern region!”
“What?!”
“Stop them, Ryuu! None of us have any energy left!”
“That’s not entirely true.”
Master Darius steps up behind Ilene, supporting her shoulder as she stumbles.
“I’m still at full-strength, Ryuu. So long as you’ll have me.”
“I don’t really know what you can do, but I won’t turn down a Master at my side!”
Darius nods, then focuses his gaze over Ryuu’s shoulder.
The Blade turns with him and spots Riser pulling a second weapon from thin air.
This time, it’s an ornate staff with a large blue crystal at the top, held in place by what looks like a bird talon design.
“I’ve played with all of you for far too long. Stop me if you can, but you’ll have to kill me!”
Riser raises both of their glowing weapons as Andromeda steps up beside them.
The sapphire in her staff emits a powerful light, giving Ryuu flashbacks to the bad ending in Titania.
Darius stops beside Ryuu and sweeps his gaze across the temple, properly taking in their current situation.
“Ryuu, as of right now, there’s nobody left with the energy to fight besides the two of us. If we let them get their hands on the staff, it would seem that’s game over.”
“Yeah, I’ve got all that. Do you have a plan or something?”
“I’ll deal with the energetic one. You handle that spear-wielder, then finish in time to help me out.”
“You think you’ll need help?”
Darius closely watches as the Eternal Order members inch closer, keeping his eyes on their chests for some reason.
“I’m getting a bad feeling from the leader,” he replies.
“I’m a bit rusty when it comes to death battles, so forgive me if I require some assistance.”
The Master raises his hands as the enemies get within range.
Both him and Ryuu fire off [Magic Cannons] to keep them at bay, then Ryuu moves off in a left flank with his armaments still active.
As the smoke from his magic art clears, Andromeda suddenly rushes out to meet him, clashing spear against gauntlet.
Ryuu weaves past a few thrusts, then catches her weapon and unloads a spinning back kick into her ribs.
The unique trait of his golden talons rakes through her body’s defensive layer, turning her midsection into a gushy mess.
The blast carries Ryuu backward while the power of her relic quickly heals her, putting him back at square one.
A deep frown rises on his face, and his opponent smirks nastily at him.
It throws him off, seeing a face so similar to Ilene’s make such an expression.
“We meet again, Dragon Blade. I’ve gotta say, you looked just a little cool making an entrance like that. How’d you fly in through the ceiling?”
“Shut up. We can talk after I take that spear back from you, then rip your heart out as an offering to Lady Evelyn.”
“Yeesh! Haven’t you gotten a little edgier since I last saw you? Don’t tell me someone like you is starting to feel guilt? Haha! But you’re a murderer, just like us!”
“Yeah, I know… Which is why I’ll be the one to get my hands dirty!”
Andromeda shoots out a flurry of focused beams from the tip of her spear, yet Ryuu speeds past all of them after silently casting [Mana Sense].
He easily gets inside of his opponent’s guard once again, delivering a lethal combination to the head, calf, then sternum, overwhelming the commander’s senses.
Even though Andromeda’s physical stats should be above Ryuu’s–thanks to her artifact’s power–the Blade’s lifetime of fighting experience creates a gap she can’t overcome in close quarters.
A chunk of her shoulder flies off, her arm is severed at the elbow, and at one point, her guts are pulled from her body.
Despite all of the damage she takes, Andromeda keeps fighting, more confused than anything at the sudden power in the man before her.
“What’s going on here?! Back in Titania you were light work! This is too much of a change, even for you!”
“It’s simple. I found my purpose in life. Now that I have a clear understanding of what I have to do, all of you are going to die.”
Ryuu thrusts his claws at her chest, then {In-steps} behind her as she raises the spear to guard.
Both of his hands pierce through her back, one holding her heart, and the other her stomach.
“You may be able to continuously reform yourself, but this is an ability you’ve only had for a little more than a week. Even you can’t be used to seeing your body take this much damage. Can you see it? Your heart, pumping in the palm of my hand?”
He lightly squeezes the organ as Andromeda stares at it in shock.
After a few moments of holding it firmly, Ryuu crushes her heart, then watches her eyes roll into the back of her head as her body goes rigid.
After throwing the stiff body to the ground, he prods the commander a few times with his boot, confirming his suspicions.
I can’t kill her after all, but she should be out for a while due to the mental trauma.
The problem with this route is that it could fail in the future, but this isn’t the time to worry about that.
Ryuu turns his attention to the white-clad figure and Master Darius, who appear to be locked in a complex battle.
Multiple dark vortexes swirl near Darius, pulling in any magic projectiles Riser sends out, but the obsidian-robed Master can’t seem to find a clear opening to attack.
Riser soon opts to charge straight in, brandishing their oddly-shaped sword of darkness.
They sweep their artifact out and unleash a wave of black light that infects the vortexes, turning their force upon their caster.
Darius clicks his tongue and cancels his magic, but that leaves him wide open for Riser to close in with their blade pulled back.
CLANG!
Ryuu intercepts their slash with a swipe of his claws, clashing with enough force to send himself and the leader skidding backward.
“Why, Promised One?! Why do you continue to fight against me?! What is it that drives you to protect this corrupted land?!”
“Are you talking to me?”
The white-haired warrior responds to the boss, then glances around the temple.
On one side, a bleeding out Xander lies next to an unconscious Sherry, Belynda, and Master Nolan.
Behind him, a heavily-breathing Leon stands next to a battered and bruised Isaac, and Ilene is just behind Master Darius, the fire in her eyes the only thing keeping her standing.
“If you’re seriously still asking me that question, then I have no hope of explaining it to you,” he concludes.
“All that’s left is for me to settle this here by taking your head!”
“You think you can defeat me, the leader of the Eternal Order, just because you have the retired Fifth at your back? Trust me, you’re going to regret making me your enemy.”
“That was already decided from the moment I watched my home burn around me! It didn’t take very long for you to show yourself, but I’ve been preparing for this day ever since! I won’t fail this time! {Boost}!”
“So be it. I’ll show you how frightening my true power can be!”
Riser and Ryuu move impossibly fast across the destroyed floor of the Golden Temple, disappearing and reappearing in an untraceable blur of black and white.
The dark glow of the leader’s demonic sword tries to seep into Ryuu’s gauntlets as they repeatedly crash into each other, but the corruption doesn’t take hold.
“I suppose your magic would be a bit special!”
The staff in Riser’s hand suddenly glows with power as its large crystal turns a deep shade of blue.
“[Magic Cannon]!”
“[Barrier]!”
Ryuu summons two of his dragon scale shields in front of him, but the first one is instantly shattered.
His second barrier holds for just a moment, then breaks apart as Ryuu is launched into the air and crashes into a far pillar.
Before he can pull himself up, Riser releases another [Magic Cannon] at him, causing him to roll forward and leap into the air.
As the magic blast flies beneath him, it suddenly turns upward, sharply veering straight for Ryuu.
They’re a Control-type?!
“[Barrier]! {In-step}!”
The nimble Blade manages to dodge out of the way as the magic art crashes into the ceiling, then propels himself forward on a series of barriers.
He loads his fist with aura and shoots a {Charge Burst} ahead of time, leading Riser into slashing it with their sword and keeping them in place for a moment.
My Boost technique is still active, dumbass!
Ryuu disappears from everyone’s view as a shock wave erupts through the space he was just in.
The Blade incorporates what he’d learned from his clashes with Garth, after finally reaching the level of mastery required as an A’yang.
Then, for an instant, he surpasses the speed of sound.
The next moment, Ryuu’s golden boot cracks against Riser’s face with enough force to send them through the nearest golden pillar.
Both of their artifacts slip from their hands as they crash to the ground outside, taking damage that even an A’yang would have a hard time recovering from.
Ryuu watches them crumple to the ground with satisfaction, then huffs a deep breath as his aura technique fades away.
“Good work, Ryuu. It appears you don’t even need my assistance,” Master Darius calls from behind.
I used up most of my stamina, but I’d say they aren’t getting up from that any time soon.
Now to finish the job.
He dashes outside of the temple and leaps from the edge as he brings his claws down over Riser.
The moment he’s about to make contact, the leader turns and aims a palm at him, releasing a half-charged [Magic Cannon] from point-blank range.
Ryuu blocks with his arms, yet is pushed back through the air toward the temple.
As he lands, Riser steadily rises to their feet, then the mask on their face splits and falls to the ground.
Two thick strands of white hair fall down from their hood over their chest, and from a distance, Ryuu can see that they have vibrant red eyes.
No, I don’t care who they are.
I’m ending this!
The Blade raises his claws, focusing the last of his aura into his legs as he prepares to lunge forward, then stops at the last moment as he hears a gasp to his left.
He turns and finds Ilene staring at the unmasked Riser like she’s seen a ghost.
“M-Mother…?”
There’s no fucking way.
Riser sighs and pulls back their hood, revealing a face that was certainly delicate once, but shows clear signs of age.
Their white hair, much more stark than Ryuu’s, falls short around their shoulders, with the two strands in front being longer than the rest.
Now that he’s comparing them, Ryuu can see that their eyes are the same shade of ruby red.
“I hadn’t planned on revealing the big twist this early, but yes, it’s me. Ilene, my dear, shall I tell you what I’ve been up to all these years?”
Ilene falters, her face frozen as she fails to process a multitude of emotions, while Ryuu looks back and forth between them, struggling to figure out what his next move is.
Riser continues on, slowly reaching her hand behind her back as she begins a predictable speech.
“I’m sorry that I’ve been gone so long, my daughter. You see, your father just couldn’t view things from my perspective, so I had to leave for a while. If it makes you feel any better, I had originally planned to be the one to kill him myself, but due to some last minute hiccups, I had Mary do it in my stead. Now you’ve taken revenge on the one that killed your father. Isn’t that wonderful?!”
“U-um… What? I don’t know what’s going on… Ryuu?”
Ilene slowly turns to him with wide, confused eyes.
It’s clear that she’s on the brink of a breakdown, or might already be long into one.
“Just say the word, Ilene. I’ll put her down right now.”
“I, I don’t know…”
A blinding light suddenly shines out from Riser, washing over everyone in the temple.
Shit!
I can’t look away from it!
She appears next to Ilene, snatches the golden staff from her hands, and runs toward the still-dazed Fulcrest in the center of the temple.
The entrancing light outside finally dims down, only in time for Ryuu and Ilene to see that it’s too late.
“[Blind Robbery]!”
The boss’s hand ignites with a translucent glow, then they stab it into Fulcrest’s chest with a sickening crunch.
The elf hunches over with his mouth agape, but no blood runs from his wound.
Instead, an emerald green sparkle rests in Riser’s hand as she pulls it out of his chest, then she swallows it with a lick of her lips.
“What the-?!”
Her body faintly glows with the light she stole from Fulcrest, then the apocalyptic glow of the golden staff flares to life once again.
“How is this possible?!” Ilene shouts.
“I thought that the magic you wanted to unleash was only possible with Fulcrest’s Talent?!”
Ryuu rushes forward as Ilene throws questions at her mother, but he’s stopped by an invisible dome around Riser.
No matter how much he chips away at it with his claws, even his magic isn’t able to break through.
“You’re kidding, right?!” the Blade exclaims.
“This isn’t happening right now!”
“Hahahaha! It would seem fate truly is on my side! As a treat, I’ll let you know where you failed. It’s true that I can’t set my new era into motion without Fulcrest’s Truth Bender Talent, but that doesn’t mean that he has to be the one to use it. Now that I’ve imbued the Staff of Muvolgyin itself with the power of Truth Bender, my reality will easily come to fruition!”
“Don’t do this! The amount of lives that will be lost, it’s too much!”
Ilene pleads with Riser, but her mother simply looks upon her with disdain.
“This is how it always had to be. The heroes will return, and the Chosen will take up arms. Once they have been gathered, the dragon will lead the way forward. Until then, face the horrors of the old world.”
Riser slams the staff onto the ground with a resounding thud, then the same light that had devastated Mahora fills the sky once more.
Citizens from across the Northern Reaches look up in wonder and confusion as the skies above them take on a golden hue, casting a radiant light upon even the darkest corners of the region.
Beyond the mountains in the north, a young woman glances up from the window of her tavern, her eyes filled with the golden light in the sky.
“Mister Ryuu…”
From Titania to Ganston, and Roasia to Murkveil–every inch of the Northern Reaches is in Riser’s palm.
“[Dream Projector]!”
The boss of Eternal Order shouts the name of a spell, causing the engravings upon the staff to glow hot with an overflux of power.
Her golden treasure steams and crackles, until fissures begin appearing along its length.
“What?! The staff is-?!”
The Staff of Muvolgyin breaks apart into a dozen pieces, revealing what looks like a miniature star that had been acting as a power source.
The small light contracts, then expands unbelievably fast, enveloping everything as far as the eye can see in an instant.
As everything fades, the last thing Ryuu catches is a startled expression on Riser’s face, then he leaps in front of Ilene and tackles her to the ground as his vision goes dark.