Amber slowly realized.
"...She doesn't know what every flower does."
Lexa nodded.
"Exactly. Charging in now would just be reckless."
Vexion remained standing atop the cliff, her crimson eyes calmly sweeping across the battlefield. The irritation inside her hadn't disappeared — it simmered quietly beneath the surface.
Calm down.
She slowly inhaled. Don't embarrass yourself. You're Master's Number One.
Another slow breath. Master didn't send me here to throw a tantrum. He wants information. Control yourself.
Her expression gradually softened — not into kindness, into composure.
She tried baiting me. Those flowers, they're waiting for me to rush in. A poor subordinate loses control. A good subordinate wins.
Far below, Eliosphere finally managed to breathe. She climbed onto the enormous blossom of one of her gigantic flowers before immediately placing both hands against her stomach. Soft green mana surrounded her. Her cracked ribs slowly began knitting themselves back together. She winced. Her jaw ached. Blood continued dripping from her ear.
She's unbelievably fast. I can't keep healing like this.
The injuries were recovering, but nowhere near fast enough. She won't give me much time.
Almost as though hearing her thoughts, Vexion nodded to herself. Her gaze shifted downward, toward the roots. She slowly extended one hand. Then closed her fingers.
"Come."
Deep underground, something moved. Eliosphere's eyes widened. One of the gigantic vines anchoring her entire battlefield suddenly jerked violently. The earth erupted. An enormous root thicker than a castle tower was ripped clean out of the mountain.
"What!?"
She immediately directed dozens of vines to restrain it. They wrapped around the root. Pulled. Strained. Nothing. The vine continued rising, like someone casually lifting a rope.
How much physical strength does she have!?
"...Where is she?"
Eliosphere hurriedly searched the battlefield. Left. Right. Above. Behind—
"Looking for me?"
Her heart nearly stopped. Vexion's voice came from her left. She turned. Far too late. A sideways kick exploded toward her ribs. Eliosphere instantly raised a gigantic flower petal as a shield while compressed wind layered over it. The impact landed.
BOOM!!
The petal shattered. The wind dispersed most of the force. Even so, she was launched through the air yet again. This time she adjusted — rather than resisting, she used the momentum, wind gathering beneath her wings, allowing her to redirect the force and regain balance.
Good. I can still—
Something grabbed her wings. Her eyes widened in horror. A hand. Vexion. Somehow she had caught up again.
"No!!"
Eliosphere immediately poured every remaining ounce of mana into her Legendary Skill.
Bloom of Ruin!
The battlefield answered. One massive flower erupted with thick emerald smoke. Another released crimson mist. Several more exploded into clouds of shimmering pollen. The poisonous fog swallowed everything around them. Paralyzing toxins. Hallucinogenic spores. Corrosive pollen. Every flower possessed a different effect — a battlefield designed to kill anyone trapped within it.
Unfortunately, Vexion didn't even hesitate. Instead—
A scream tore through the mountains.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!"
Blood sprayed into the poisonous mist. Eliosphere stared in disbelief. Her left wing was gone. Ripped clean from her back. She hadn't even felt Vexion grab it. Only the unbearable agony afterward.
Before she could even recover, Vexion was already in front of her. No hesitation. No expression. One devastating kick connected squarely with her face.
BOOM!!
Eliosphere shot through the poisonous forest like a cannonball. The surrounding vines immediately surged upward, trying desperately to bind Vexion in place. Yet an invisible force erupted around Vexion's body. Every vine stopped, unable to advance another inch.
Vexion calmly stepped out of the poisonous mist, not even slightly affected. She glanced once toward the toxic clouds.
Poison, sedation, hallucinogens. Typical Nature users.
A small smile appeared. Unfortunately, Master trained me while poisoned, broken, bleeding, starving, barely conscious. Compared to that, this is nothing.
With one final step, she vanished again.