[Third Person's PoV]
As everyone charged forward toward Kordath, Stephen stayed behind, his hands moving in intricate, fluid motions. Green magic circles shimmered into existence around his arms, pulsating with energy.
[Time Magic: Time Reversal]
Everything froze in place. Stephen rotated his hands counterclockwise, and the flow of time began to reverse. Events unfolded backward in perfect detail: the Black Bulls were pulled back into the temple, the crumbled walls repaired themselves, and the sword embedded in Kaito's heart withdrew as his wound healed. Kordath's hand reattached the High Priest's severed head, seamlessly reversing the beheading. Conversations rewound as Kordath and his men retraced their steps, returning to his carriage as if nothing had happened.
With a snap of his fingers, Stephen granted the Black Bulls the memory of the events that had just been undone. A second snap transported him back to his original position, and time resumed.
The doors to Kordath's carriage swung open, and he stepped out, his expression one of disdain.
"Is he the one? The one stronger than—woah!" Asta exclaimed, clutching his head as a wave of disorientation hit him.
The others weren't spared either. They groaned, rubbing their temples.
"What the hell?" Magna muttered, blinking in confusion. "Is anyone else getting a major case of déjà vu?"
"The old man…" Asta murmured, his voice trembling slightly. "I swear I saw his head—"
"You did," Stephen interrupted, his voice calm yet firm. "All of you did. I turned back time."
Comprehension dawned on their faces, though unease lingered in their gazes.
"So what we just saw…" Noelle began slowly, her lips tightening.
"…is what's going to happen to them," Vanessa finished grimly.
Stephen nodded solemnly. As they watched, the same scene replayed before their eyes: Kordath stepped out of his floating carriage whale, descending through the air with an air of superiority.
"That bastard…" they muttered collectively, hatred simmering in their voices.
Asta, however, couldn't tear his gaze from the High Priest. His lips quivered as he fought back tears. "The old man… He was ready to die for us. Ready to take all the blame so we could escape. We can't let him die."
"Hear, hear," the others murmured in agreement, their resolve hardening.
All eyes turned to Yami, silently asking for his approval.
Yami smirked, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "There are some people worth starting a war for. Julius will understand once we explain."
The feral grins that spread across their faces were all the confirmation they needed.
Their attention snapped back to the ongoing confrontation outside the temple.
"I killed it!" They all heard the High Priest suddenly declare with confidence.
"Did you now?" His voice dropped low, his smirk sinister. "You wouldn't be lying to Kordath, would you?"
The High Priest met Kordath's gaze without flinching. "It was a mistake on my part. I acted without thinking. I'm growing old, after all. I'm reaching the stage of lunacy."
He lowered his head slightly. "I only ask that you spare everyone else—"
The air around Kordath shimmered as he raised his hand, orange portals materializing in a circle. From them, the Black Bulls emerged, shouting in unison:
"STAY YOUR HAND, YOU BASTARD!"
Noelle appeared before the old man and conjured her water protection spell.
[Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Cradle]
A dome of water formed, shielding the stunned High Priest and his family.
Finral leapt into the fray, his usual nervousness replaced with determination. He sent a portal hurtling toward Kordath's raised hand, engulfing the arm up to the elbow.
Vanessa emerged behind Kordath, her fingers shooting out threads of crimson magic. The strings coiled around his neck and extended to the arm trapped in Finral's portal. With a quick motion, she pressed her fingers together, intertwining the strings in a lethal snare. If Kordath pulled his arm back, he'd risk decapitating himself.
Asta stood firm, his buster sword aimed at Kordath's massive torso. On either side, Magna and Luck mirrored his stance, their magic crackling as they targeted the same vulnerable area.
Wanda descended with a flourish, unleashing a chaotic wave of energy toward the fifty soldiers advancing nearby. As the wave swept over them, their eyes glowed an ominous red, mirroring Wanda's. Though they resisted, she held them firm, trapping them within their own minds.
Charmy appeared in front of Noelle's cradle, her demeanor transformed. Gone was the playful, juvenile expression—replaced by a calm, focused determination. Her towering sheep creations mirrored her seriousness, standing guard over the High Priest and his family.
Near the temple's entrance, Gauche and Grey took defensive positions. Gauche's mirror shimmered with concentrated magic, while Grey, her brows furrowed with worry.
Another portal materialized between Charmy's sheep and Noelle's cradle. From it, Yami and Stephen stepped through.
Stephen's cloak billowed behind him, green magic circles pulsing with energy, while Yami walked nonchalantly, his katana resting on his shoulder. He blew a puff of smoke into the air, glancing up at Kordath with his usual smirk.
"Tall sonuvagun, ain't you?" Yami quipped, taking another drag from his cigarette.
The High Priest looked stricken. "YOU IDIOTS! WHAT ARE YOU ALL STILL DOING HERE? YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT! I HAD EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!"
"Sorry, Gramps," Magna replied, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "But we already saw how your way was turning out."
Luck, his usual grin absent, added, "And we didn't like it one bit."
Stephen raisedq his arms, glaring at the massive fishman. "So we're taking matters into our own hands this time."
The High Priest's mouth opened in shock. "What?"
Kohono's voice trembled as she addressed Noelle. "What's going on?"
Noelle, standing protectively in front of the cradle, turned back to her with a solemn expression. "Stephen had to turn back time," she admitted softly. "The High Priest was beheaded… and your brother was stabbed through the heart."
The weight of her words stunned them. The High Priest closed his eyes in resignation. Kaito clenched his fists so tightly they bled, imagining the horror of that moment.
Gio placed protective hands on his father and son, his voice a whisper of despair. "We've already lost your mother to them. Please, I beg you… don't make me lose you too."
Tears streamed down Kohono's face, her powerlessness overwhelming her.
Noelle turned, her expression calm and reassuring. "Don't worry," she said with quiet confidence. "Let us handle it this time."
Kordath surveyed his enemies with a tired
sigh. "I understand it now…" He yanked his arm free of Finral's portal in a single swift motion, too fast for the mage to react.
Vanessa's strings, meant to restrain him, snapped harmlessly against his scaled flesh, leaving him unscathed. He cracked his neck from side to side, his eyes narrowing. "You're just trash… hiding beneath more trash. So this is the garbage upsetting the princess…"
Vanessa's heart sank as she stared at the severed threads in disbelief. 'They were enhanced with magic! They should've cut through steel!' Cold sweat trickled down her face. 'What kind of monster is this?'
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