Risebelle had been silent this whole time. She knelt in the sand with her arms wrapped around Runebelle’s mini tank.

  Slowly, she rested the mini tank down on the sand and brushed off a bit of ash off its casing. She finally lifted her gaze to the battlefield.

  Then—

  A surge of purple lightning illuminated the water.

  Risebelle’s breath hitched. Her pupils contracted when she locked onto Roselle’s rising body. Lightning pads were beneath her feet.

  Then, her lips curled into a sharp smirk.

  [System Message]

  LifeForce: 10%

  Magic: 250%

  Cannon Charge: 0%

  Timer: 3 minutes

  Haras clasped her hands together. “She’s back! She’s back! She’s really—”

  “Yes,” Kintovar interrupted. “But…”

  Something about her tone made Haras pause.

  “But what?”

  Kintovar exhaled. “Roselle’s lifeforce is at 10%. She’s one hit away from reaching her shutdown point.”

  Haras blinked. “Shutdown point?”

  Risebelle, still kneeling beside Runebelle’s mini tank tilted her head. “You know,” she said softly, “Runebelle hit 0% lifeforce before… we thought she died, but after resting in the tank like she’s doing now, her systems managed to fix themselves…”

  Kintovar adjusted her sunglasses. "0% doesn’t necessarily mean death," she said steady but edged with caution. "But there are parameters we do not want to cross."

  Haras clutched her pink lab coat. "What do you mean?"

  Kintovar exhaled through her nose. "Negative lifeforce."

  Risebelle’s gaze snapped to her. "Negative?"

  Kintovar nodded. "It’s like a human body shutting down past its limit. If Roselle’s lifeforce dips into the negatives, her systems won’t just stall—they’ll start breaking down. There’s no guarantee she’ll be able to restart herself."

  Haras paled. "So, if she gets hit again—"

  "She could permanently shut down," Kintovar finished.

  A heavy silence fell over them.

  Then—

  Risebelle rose to her feet.

  She brushed off some sand off her gloves.

  “…Guess we better make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  Mystimona drifted forward effortlessly above the water’s surface. His wind magic kept him afloat.

  His piercing purple gaze locked onto Roselle who stood on her lightning pads with labored breaths.

  Mystomia spoke with one hand rose under his chin.“…Fascinating. No one has ever survived that attack. Not a creation. Not a high-ranking mage. Not a single being I’ve ever encountered."

  His fingers twitched, as magic coiled around him once more.

  “You’ve shown an incredible ability to endure… However—” He raised his hand and his magic condensed into a burning vortex at his palm. "Even technology appears to have its limits."

  Roselle's shoulders tensed.

  Mystimona's lips curled into a solemn smirk.

  "This last attack will finish this."

  His Magic surged up to the sky.

  Roselle’s glowing purple eyes flickered downward, staring at the reflection of her transformed self in the water below.

  A small exhale left her lips. Then, she spoke low. “Everyone is counting on me.”

  The image of Risebelle kneeling over Runebelle’s mini tank flashed in her mind.

  Haras, nervous yet hopeful.

  Kintovar, watching, analyzing, calculating.

  All of them—waiting on her and trusting her to rise.

  “Do you know what it means to be Project Mage?” she asked with a stronger speech now.

  Mystimona raised a brow.

  Roselle lifted her head. “It means my wealth of experience, my memories, my battles—they are my strength.”

  A surge of energy rippled through her body. Purple lightning crackled across her arms.“All I’ve learned… All I’ve endured.”

  She planted her foot down on the lightning pad and sent ripples of energy across the water.

  “I carry that with me!”

  A thunderous roar erupted from Roselle’s throat. Purple lightning raged around her, growing denser, sharper—wild.

  Her purple hair in this form glowed. The electricity spiraled outward to form an ever-growing storm of energy that radiated in all directions.

  From the shore, Kintovar was watching closely. Her sunglasses scanned for any sign of deterioration. But then—

  Her eyes widened.

  [System Message]

  Magic: 350%

  Kintovar’s breath hitched. "What?!"

  Her fingers tightened around her sunglasses. "Her limitations in this form should be 300% unless..."

  Then—

  [System Message]

  Magic: 400%

  A spark of shock flickered across Kintovar’s face.

  Then awe.

  [System Message]

  Magic: 500%

  Kintovar barely exhaled. "Impossible..."

  Roselle’s lightning turned green.

  A vibrant green aura burst forth and wrapped around her entire body.

  Then—she roared.

  A colossal shockwave of green lightning energy exploded outward.

  Roselle ascended—higher, higher—until the battlefield became a distant speck beneath her. She had never leaped this high before.

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  Her eyes closed.

  A voice echoed in her mind.

  —Her own voice.—

  “But elements—when combined—become something far beyond what you understand.”

  Mystimona had combined the elements before. He had wielded their power as one.

  So why can’t she?

  Roselle thrust her hand downward, and four massive circles formed beneath her with inscriptions that pulsed.

  The first—a ring of raging fire with an intense crimson heat.

  The second—a ring of lightning that swirled violently.

  The third—a ring of ice which had frost spreading outward.

  The fourth—a ring of earth that was solid.

  They hovered in the air before descending around Mystioma.

  Mystimona, still floating above the ocean’s surface with his wind magic furrowed his brows. “What… is this?”

  Then—the elemental circles activated.

  From them, four mighty streams of energy surged upward, colliding at Roselle’s raised hands. The elements converged as a unified storm.

  Meanwhile, Mystimona found himself sealed in by the elemental circles. Fire blazed. Lightning flashed. Ice froze the very air. Earth solidified the waters beneath him and trapped him in place.

  Mystimona’s eyes flickered with realization.

  He tried to raise a barrier of his own unified elements; however, the forces crushed it instantly.

  Mystimona gritted his teeth. For the first time, there was strain in his movements.

  Then, his gaze snapped upward.

  A colossal sphere of energy loomed above him that stretched across the sky itself. The colors of the four elements swirled together and merged into something beyond fire, beyond lightning, beyond ice, beyond earth.

  It was everything at once.

  Mystimona’s eyes widened.

  Above, high in the heavens, Roselle hovered. The green aura surrounding her pulsed and fed into the sphere as it continued to expand.

  Then—

  Her purple-and-green gaze snapped open.

  She thrust her hands downward.

  “UNITY BURST!!”

  The Massive sphere was launched downwards.

  The moment Unity Burst reached him, Mystimona braced himself. He felt the overwhelming intensity pressing down on his very existence. The sheer weight of the attack sent waves rippling across the ocean’s surface.

  And then—

  It vanished.

  Mystimona’s eyes widened.

  Above, a harsh system chime rang through Roselle’s mind:

  [System Message]

  Magic Reserves: -50

  Lifeforce: 10%

  Critical Condition: Forced Shutdown Imminent.

  Roselle’s fingers twitched. She clenched her jaw. ‘No…I was…I …Almost….had him…no…please…I have to win…’

  Her vision blurred. But deep in her heart, a single truth burned brighter than all the pain flooding her system.

  She had to win.

  She needed to win.

  “I… NEED TO WIN!!!”

  Her voice ripped through the sky.

  A second system chime came in:

  [System Override: Forced Shutdown Activated]

  The green lightning around her flickered—then died.

  Her teenage form collapsed inward and she shrunk back to her child-like body.

  Her tiny figure plummeted helplessly from the heavens.

  Kintovar’s sunglasses reflected the falling figure. Her breath caught in her throat.

  “She’s gonna crash into the ocean! If she does, the sea will take her away. She could be in danger down there!”

  Haras gripped her coat. “Then we gotta catch her!”

  Risebelle was already gone.

  A rush of water exploded around her that spiraled upwards elegantly. She sprinted across the sea as if it were solid ground.

  Her blue hair whipped behind her. The ocean itself boosted her speed beyond normal limits.

  Roselle was just a few seconds away from impact.

  Risebelle lunged forward and caught her; however, the moment she made contact, their combined weight and momentum carried them downward into the ocean’s depths.

  Bubbles swirled as Risebelle fought against the pull of the depths. She tightened her grip on Roselle’s small body and kicked hard. Her water magic surged around her and propelled them upward in a sharp burst.

  With one final push—

  They broke through the surface.

  Risebelle gasped for air but wasted no time in dragging Roselle through the shallows.

  But she didn’t stop.

  Not until they were back on the shore.

  The moment she placed Roselle down she said,

  “You idiot. You went and pushed yourself too hard, knowing your body can’t handle it!”

  Drops of seawater slid down her face.

  Kintovar and Haras rushed over, but Risebelle didn’t move. She stayed right there, kneeling beside Roselle.

  And then, she spoke softer. “…What the hell were you thinking?”

  A strong gust of wind swept across the shore.

  Mystimona hovered just above the sand. Hig gaze lingered on Roselle’s unconscious body with a near frown. “…I’ll admit it.” His deep voice rumbled like distant thunder. “I’ve never come across anything like her.”

  His boots touched the ground and he folded his arms “She pushed herself beyond what I thought you were all capable of. I have never—never—felt like I would have been in serious danger…”

  His eyes narrowed while recalling the massive energy sphere that nearly engulfed him.

  “…Until I saw that attack.”

  Kintovar’s lips pressed into a thin line. Haras had her hands clasped tightly together.

  Mystimona exhaled sharply. “It’s disappointing how it ended, of course. But it just goes to show the strength of your combined efforts—magic and technology working together to create such a formidable warrior.”

  Then, he gave off a real genuine smile. “…She has earned my respect.”

  Kintovar spoke in a firm tone. “Roselle will be offline for 48 hours.”

  Haras jerked her head toward her with her eyes wide. “Forty-eight?! That long?”

  Kintovar gave a single nod. “It’s how I designed the pin to react if she ever reached a danger zone. A forced shutdown to prevent catastrophic system failure.”

  Haras frowned.

  “She’s earned her rest,” Kintovar stated.

  Risebelle carefully set Roselle’s body down on the soft sand and stood up.

  Then, she cracked her neck. “…Guess that means I’m up next.”

  Kintovar turned toward her. “You sure?”

  “You think I’d let her do all the work?” Risebelle smirked. “She got to have all the fun. Now it’s my turn.”

  She then turned toward Mystimona and cracked her knuckles. “So, big guy, you still got enough left in you? Or was Roselle all it took to make you rethink things?”

  Risebelle may have spoken confidently aloud, but her thoughts were, ‘Am I crazy? I don’t stand a chance against this guy. But…’

  Her gaze flickered to Mystimona’s chest. The poisoned wound Roselle had inflicted still lingered—a dark mark that was faintly sizzling with corrupted energy. His breathing was heavier than before.

  Roselle’s transformation may have burned out. Her attack may have disappeared. But her damage definitely didn’t.

  Risebelle’s lips curled into a sharp grin but with a few sweatdrops forming on her face. ‘That may be my key to beating him right there.’

  Suddenly, a voice shouted,

  “Risebelle, head’s up!”

  Risebelle's attention snapped to Kintovar's warning just in time to see a device coming toward her. She caught it with her reflexes.

  Risebelle turned the device in her palm and what she saw was a ‘Hello Kitty’ pin.

  Her eye twitched. A tiny pink Hello Kitty pin that was all cutesy and childish. It stared at her with those soulless little beady eyes.

  Risebelle slowly looked up at Kintovar. “You wanna explain to me why the hell this thing looks like something a six-year-old would wear?”

  Kintovar pushed up her sunglasses. “It’s a combat-enhancing limiter release device. The same as Roselle’s bunny pin. It will allow you to activate your Project Zab transformation without magical rupture.”

  “…And you made it look like this?”

  Haras chimed in cheerfully, “I thought it was cute!”

  Risebelle’s glared at her, and then at Kintovar. She then grumbled and pinned the device onto her uniform with a deep, suffering sigh.

  “…If I die, I’m killing both of you.”

  Risebelle cracked her knuckles and turned back to Mystimona.

  Kintovar crossed her arms. "If you die, you'll be dead. So how exactly are you—"

  Risebelle shut her eyes and ignored her completely. She already dived into her mindscape.

  The moment she focused inward, a soft chime resonated in her consciousness.

  [System Message Detected]

  Welcome, Project Zab

  Project Zab Transformation Request Confirmed.

  Warning: Utilizing this form beyond 20 minutes may result in Magical Rupture. Do you wish to proceed?

  Risebelle’s lips curved into a sharp smirk.

  "Twenty minutes? That’s more than enough time. Bring it on."

  [Acknowledged.]

  [Project Zab: Transformation Sequence Engaged.]

  The moment the system accepted her command, a rush of energy ignited through her core.

  Anger.

  She focused on it.

  Not just the rage from this battle—but everything.

  The frustration of being created as a weapon. The constant fighting. The helplessness of watching Roselle collapse after pushing herself too far. The silent ache of seeing Runebelle, still offline inside that damn tank. The hatred she had against humans as a whole.

  She felt it all.

  And she let it burn.

  [System Message Detected]

  Emotional Surge Detected. Catalyzing Magical Reserves.

  A pulse of deep blue light rippled outward from her body.

  Her Magic Percentage skyrocketed.

  150%...

  200%...

  300%...

  [Maximum Threshold reached.]

  Her eyes snapped open.

  A violent wave of blue energy erupted from her.

  Her body shifted and grew taller, stronger.

  Her uniform morphed into a sleek, battle-ready ensemble:

  A small blue jacket, snug but semi-open at the front with toxic energy. A matching blue skirt with corrosive magic. On her ears, poisonous blue crystal earrings formed.

  Her hair lengthened with it’s blue strands having a chemical glow.

  Her weapons materialized—

  A medium-sized gun, once her cannon now compact and oozing with poisonous energy. The silencer attached to it made it all the more sinister.

  In her other hand, an acidic blue sword.

  Finally, her eyes were now a deeper blue.

  [System Message]

  LifeForce: 200%

  Magic: 300%

  Cannon Charge: 200%

  Timer: 15 minutes

  A smirk spread across Risebelle lips. Then—she turned her gaze toward Mystimona.

  "...Alright, you bastard," she said while raising her glowing gun. "Get ready to get your ass whooped.”