10 days after the battle against the two mysterious, powerful people who claimed to be servants of God…
Ari and the others are in the southeast region of the Pyronis Empire.
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[Interior – a crowded room]
The air is tense. Around a round table, peoples sit in the chairs placed evenly around it.
Gray: "Yeah, we saw him. He was with the Imperial ten days ago, but… something was off. When I asked what he was doing there, he just ignored me."
Silver: "Maybe the Imperial was controlling him—same way he's controlling those vice generals."
Vince: "The real problem is the Imperial himself. Even if we all worked together… we couldn't take him."
Mirae: "And even if we did manage, those Uniques would still be another problem."
Ezren: "No matter how you frame it, this isn't a rescue mission anymore. This is war."
Tracey: "War or not, they kidnapped Jack. So why do you care whether it's war, a battle, or a 'friendly declaration'? They made this choice, not us."
Gray: "Tracey's right. They started this—and we're the only ones who can end it."
Silver: "I appreciate you coming to help us, but this is our matter. I don't want to involve you without a good reason."
Ari: "You all helped us back when we rescued my parents. Consider this a return favor. I'm not saying it's just an exchange—after all, we're allies."
Dawn: "We know their headquarters, and we're certain Jack's there. So why are we still delaying?"
Gray: "Because we can't just rush in. It's their domain, and they've got home-field advantage—not to mention whatever else they're hiding. Charging in without a plan would be the worst mistake we could make."
Silver: "What I know is… they approached Jack years ago, before they were even well-known. Back then, he refused because we were building the C.A. If they've taken him after all this time, it means Jack is extremely valuable to them. Which also means… they won't harm him—at least not yet. We have a little time to plan. But not too much."
Gray – "Alright… here's the plan."
He leaned forward, his tone sharp as the room fell silent.
Gray – *"First case—let's talk about the Unique's. There are seven of them in total, including their leader, Asher. Each one wields a unique magic. If we take their leader out of the equation, that leaves six members—and each of them is at least as strong as a vice general. This won't be an easy fight.
We have four CA commanders. If we assign one to each of the Unique's, that still leaves two unopposed. To even it out, Dawn and Tracey, you'll be joining the fight, making it a six-on-six battle."*
He tapped the table, shifting to the next point.
Gray – "Now… about their leader, Asher. He uses anti-magic—so elemental attacks like fire, water, or wind will be useless against him. What works are practical, non-elemental magic types—like Mercury magic—or Ari's swordsmanship. But here's the problem… we can't ignore Imperial."
He paused, eyes scanning the table.
Gray – *"Second case—if Imperial shows up. I think it's unlikely. If he wanted to kill any CA member he easy can as he easily kidnapping Jack. If he wanted the Unique's gone, he could've done it already. Maybe he's waiting for the right opportunity… and if that's the case, there's a chance he might even become a temporary ally.
But if he's after us. Then he wouldn't have saved us ten days ago. That's why I believe—for now—he isn't aiming to harm our side. That much, I can guarantee."*
The room stirred at his next words.
Gray – *"Third case—the worst-case scenario. Imperial's goal might be to take control of the CA. Think about it: by kidnapping Jack, he knows every branch will rally for the rescue. That's the perfect moment to put us all under his command… maybe even the Unique's too.
So we stay on guard. Ari and I will watch for any sign of him. But that leaves Asher—and That means either Ari or I may have to split focus."*
He then went through each match-up; pairing fighters against opponents they had the best chance of countering.
When he finished, the tension in the air had shifted into determination. Every face around the table was set with resolve.
Gray – "Tomorrow, we move. We bring Jack back ."
[Scenes at Unique's HQ]
Asher: How's the last piece of the Octagram coming along?
Soren: Jack isn't giving it up willingly. If he had, it would've been done already. But at this pace… I'd say it'll be finished by tomorrow.
Asher: Good. Tomorrow, the world will finally witness the true power of Unique's.
[Scene: Imperial sits alone under the dark sky on a cliff.]
Imperial – Tomorrow… let's see what that Octagram can do.
Everyone's eyes waited for the next sunrise… wondering what the day would dare to offer.
[Morning]
The clearing was open, but the surrounding trees were thick and oppressive, their shadows stretching like silent sentinels over the stone cave entrance. Vera and Renji stood vigilant, guarding the mouth of the cave, their eyes scanning the perimeter.
A sudden shimmer cut through the air—a blast out of nowhere, smoke curling and twisting around it.
Renji's lips curled into a grin. "Here they come."
He lifted both hands to shoulder height, chanting, "Shadow Magic." The smoke thickened, then cleared, revealing a glimmering line of silver crystals floating, bound tightly in shadow magic.
From the curve of the smoke, Ari, Tracey, Gray, Dawn, Silver, Vince, Ezren, and Mirae stepped into view, their presence radiating power.
Vera reacted instantly. She slammed her palms into the ground. "Wood Magic: Wooden Barrier—Enclose!"
Roots and wooden planks erupted violently from the earth, forming a solid barrier that sealed off Ari's group from the cave's entrance.
But Ari didn't hesitate. She gripped her sword tightly and slashed, a wing of Eternal Blade slicing clean through the wooden wall. The barrier cracked, splintered, and fell apart, debris sliding to the ground.
As planned, Tracey and Ezren stepped forward, eyes fixed on Vera and Renji.
Tracey's form shifted, his t-shirt burn, two fiery horns igniting atop his head. Flames danced across his body as his beast controller form surged with speed and power.
Ezren's hands glowed with stone magic, the air trembling around his fists.
Tracey launched forward like a living comet, claws slashing at Vera's wooden walls. Each barrier he touched scorched and weakened instantly, smoke curling from charred wood.
Renji moved swiftly, attempting to trap Tracey in shadow, but the beast's speed was unmatched.
Renji "he is fast…."
He focused, only to realize… the shadow strike caught something else.
A spike of stone erupted from the ground, precisely where Tracey had been just a fraction of a second before. Renji's shadow magic froze midair, bound firmly to the rock. His eyes widened as he realized his target had slipped past him.
Before he could react further, Ezren slammed his fist into the earth. The ground shattered rocks and boulders erupting in a controlled line directly toward Renji.
Both Vera and Renji froze for a heartbeat, astonishment crossing their faces as they witnessed the flawless coordination of Tracey and Ezren—speed and stone, fire and earth—working together to dismantle their defenses before they could even respond
But then—
Tracey's momentum faltered. Without warning, he stumbled mid-charge, claws scraping against the stone around the cave entrance as he hit the ground hard.
At the same time, Ezren's line of erupting rocks was met with a sudden, thick beam of water, crashing down with relentless force. The rocks shattered and were swept aside, their path completely neutralized.
A brief pause fell over the clearing. The team was surprised—but not entirely, for they had anticipated this counter.
At the mouth of the cave, four figures stood imposingly: Isla, Seth, Soren, and Caleb.
It was Seth and Caleb who had intercepted the attacks. Seth's eyes glowed as he whispered incantations, his puppet magic lashing out invisibly. Tracey's disbalance wasn't an accident—it was Seth's control manipulating his movements, twisting him mid-motion.
Beside him, Caleb's hands churned the air, summoning torrents of water magic that formed a solid, rushing wall. Ezren's stones collided against it and shattered, halted before they could reach their mark.
A tense silence settled for a heartbeat as both sides sized each other up, the morning air crackling with elemental energy and latent power.
Soren stepped forward, his presence commanding. "Looks like you're here to rescue your friend… but right now, he's not available. I'd suggest turning back while you still can."
Silver's eyes narrowed, hand resting on her weapon. "And what if we don't?"
Soren's lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile. "Let's make a deal. We fight. If you win, we'll handle Jack without causing him any harm. But… if we lose…"
He paused, letting his words sink in. "…then your group will work under us. Every step you take, every mission you undertake, will be under our command."
Vince stepped forward, voice steady and defiant. "It doesn't matter. We're going to win and take Jack back."
Soren chuckled, shaking his head. "Quite the confidence you have. Very well, let's make it final."
He gestured, the air around them crackling. "A two-on-two battle three rounds simultaneously". Your six may choose your teams, and we'll pair ours. The side that wins the best of three will be declared the victor."
Soren's eyes flicked toward the remaining members of their party, a calculating glint in his gaze. "And as for the two who remain… it doesn't matter. After we finish with the first six, those two will be beaten into submission as well, and then they'll come under our command."
Ari and Gray were the ones held in reserve—meant to intervene only when Imperial or Asher arrived. Their presence was a silent threat;
They were far stronger than the six currently facing off, yet they chose not to act immediately. They didn't want to risk even a fraction of their strength being spent before the true reinforcements arrived.
Instead, they kept their distance, observing the battlefield with sharp, calculating eyes, ready to strike at the perfect moment if something odd happen.
The matchups are set:
Vera and Renji vs. Tracey and ezren
Seth and Isla vs. Vince and mirae
Caleb and Soren vs. Dawn and silver