The dagger spun through the air—Miki's brilliant strategic mind at work. She screamed mid-leap:
Miki "It's over!!"
Phoenix released his right hand from maintaining the Cloud Lightning Prison. The dagger grazed his lightning-scar tattoo on his face, drawing a thin line of blood. The clone dissolved instantly as his mana was almost depleted. Outraged, he redirected the ice blast still gripped in his right hand toward Miki, who hung defenseless in mid-air.
But a firm grip clamped his arm halfway as captain Baka stared down with menacingly furious eyes.
Baka "Seig, Aturia, and Miki—your strategy and teamwork were amazing. Outstanding. You've grown up, the three of you."
Miki landed safely, smiling through pain.
Miki speaks confidently "Of course we didn't think we could beat him directly,But we figured we could destroy the Cloud Lightning Prison and set you free.
Seig (grinning wide, teeth showing ): "And as a bonus—I distracted his cloud clone to buy them time to rest a bit and restore their mana. Huge success!"
Aturia was clutching her arm from the after effects of the blast "Well… it was also a fluke. Still—we performed outstandingly well in a desperate situation."
Miki "Yeah… despite our weakness we all managed to come up with a plan and work together.
Green Phoenix facially irritated "Whatever,I just got distracted and released the prison."
Baka "You're wrong. The kids forced you to break it. Do you think they're just mere little brats?"
Phoenix seethed "shut the hell up you were all just....
Baka interrups him "I'll tell you now the same magic technique doesn't work twice on me,so whatever you do now I'll think carefully if I were you.
Phoenix shattered the ice blast in his right hand. Baka's arm froze briefly—but he melted it away with raw mana.
They jumped creating distance—ten feet apart.
Seig "I think this belongs to you, Captain" As he picks up his katana and throws it over to him.
Baka caught it smoothly pointing it forward.
Phoenix channeled an ancient high-level spell technique he could only cast once.
Green Phoenix "Lightning Magic: Thunder Dragon Serpent!"
A roaring lightning dragon-serpent descended from the sky, aimed at Baka.
Baka took a deep breath, raised his katana overhead—dark magic intensifying.
Baka "Dark Magic: Relzidon!"
A devastating vertical dark slash erupted—cutting through any tangible object while absorbing any magic around at the same time.
The spells collided in a cataclysmic shockwave—thunderclouds blown away, trees bending, ground cracking, debris flying in the wind as their techniques cancelled out.
They immediately clashed blades in the aftermath.
Unseen in the background trees, another looming presence was watching them undetected.
Phoenix "What's this…? I can't move. My mana is suddenly drained? But how so quickly?!"
Baka (smirking) "That Dark Magic technique Relzidon slash wasn't just to stop your Thunder Dragon Serpent (magic technique). It absorbed all your mana reserves and anything connected to it too drained you completely temporarily Now you can't use your magic… let alone it's going to hard to move.
Phoenix seethed with anger "What!!!!!!!?"
Baka "It's about time I end this little charade. And honestly… it's been an hour since I drank my booze so Thanks for visiting and here's a little parting gift
His muscles became firm gripping on his katana handle as he focused.
Baka "Dark Magic: Black Dragon Blizzard!"
A massive black dark-mana dragon-serpent roared forth—blasting Phoenix far away, carving a path of destruction, wind howling like a blizzard.
Phoenix crashed into a distant tree—out of mana, out of breath. He looked up weakly as Baka approached, sword in one hand, cloaked in visible dark magic—intimidating presence looming with a smirk on his face.
Phoenix barely conscious "Why.. how are you so strong?
Baka "Like i said earlier it's useless wasting words on a dead man but if you wanna know why I always win...
Green Phoenix startled trembling in fear
Baka finished his sentence smirking " It's because i don't give up and I have my team
Suddenly—a bolt of lightning came from nowhere, electrocuting Phoenix and sending him collapsing to the ground, seemingly lifeless.
Everyone froze in shock: Baka, Seig, Aturia, Miki and Iroh.
Baka was faintly surprised at what just happened "Did he kill himself?
A masked figure stepped forward standing on a tree branch in the background.
Az "of course he didn't i killed him either way You were right, He was going to die.
Baka pressed two fingers against Phoenix neck to check his pulse
Baka "You're right—he's dead. But who are you?"
Az (gentle brief bow): "I'm Az,Thank you. I've been waiting for the chance to kill Green Phoenix."
Baka "By the looks of it… you're a magic knight from a special division in the Lightning Kingdom am I right?
Az "Impressive. You're very knowledgeable. Yes—I'm a magic knight. My purpose: assassinate rogue knights in the Lightning Kingdom."
Baka (inner thought: From his height and voice… he's not all that different from Seig but gut instincts are telling me something about him is still off)
Quiet tension filled the air—wind blowing gently, silence heavy.
Baka (inner) oh well let's just play it safe for now.
Seig's anger boiled—mixed with sympathy and guilt. Even knowing Phoenix was evil… he didn't deserve to die like that so cruelly.
Seig (screaming): "Hey, you!!"
Baka "Calm down, Seig. He's not an enemy."
Seig "That's not what I meant! Green Phoenix was so strong… yet he was killed so easily by a kid no different from me—while we barely survived!"
Tears welled—he tried holding them back.
Seig "We're… we're pathetic. I can't accept that!"
Baka walked over—patted Seig's head gently. No knock this time.
Baka "Well… I understand your disbelief. But this…" (sighs) "…this is reality. In this world, there are kids younger than you… stronger than me and we did most of the work he's just taking care of what's left.
Az jumped down, hoisting Phoenix's body onto his back.
Az "Your battle is over now. I must dispose of this corpse—Excuse me."
Fog enveloped him and they both vanished.
Baka sighed, sheathed his sword "Well that takes care of that
Seig punched the ground in frustration.
Seig "What the hell was all this for? What are we anyway?!"
Miki "Seig…" (heart aching to see him like this—words failing her. First time seeing his endless enthusiasm crushed )
Seig "Damn it… damn it… damn it!" (punching ground harder, tears barely held)
Aturia "Things like these happen when you're a magic knight. If you're frustrated—apply it next time. Stop behaving like a childish loser."
Her harsh, cold words struck Seig's heart—but he knew it was the brutal truth of their world.
Baka "Our mission isn't over yet. We still have to take Mr. Iroh home."
Iroh (laughing to lighten the mood): "So sorry about that, everyone,You can rest when we reach my home and we're almost at the bridge.
Baka "Right Everyone we'll prepare to head over to the bridge soon while Miki heals up your injuries we still have some time before we.....oh no i think I overused my dark magic my head is feeling dizzy.
Then Suddenly as if we knew it was coming Baka collapsed to the ground, unconscious as he strained his body too much is using those powerful magic techniques
Everyone rushed around him worried.