The winds churned around Mystimona, carrying embers that burned white-hot. The earth trembled at his feet. Water came from his fingertips. All four elements surged together.

  Not separate. Not in turn. United.

  Then—he raised his arms.

  Risebelle kept her head low with her fingers pressing into the damp ground.

  Then, tiny droplets of water began to rise. At first, they were barely noticeable against the shifting chaos of Mystimona’s gathering storm. But more followed. A hundred. A thousand.

  They shot upward.

  The very fabric of the battlefield trembled. Mystimona spoke deep,

  “Earth, Wind, Water, Fire… Unite, Expand—”

  Four elemental forces spiraled together in a volatile dance of destruction.

  Mystimona’s roar rang out:

  “Bring the end to my enemies—ELEMENTAL CATACLYSM!”

  The attack erupted.

  Towering streams converging energy intertwined as they surged forward in a cataclysmic onslaught.

  A cyclone of wind erupted. Fire devoured all in its reach mercilessly. A tsunami followed that crashed down with unimaginable force.

  Risebelle barely had time to brace herself. Yet even when she was about to be consumed, she roared,

  “CASCADE OF DESTRUCTION!”

  Above Mystimona, the sky cracked.

  A massive sphere of concentrated acidic water—so large it dwarfed even him plunged downward.

  Mystimona’s eyes widened. “WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!”

  Risebelle’s body was already being dragged away by his Elemental Cataclysm. Flames scorched her skin, winds sliced into her body, water crushed her lungs and earth battered her from every direction. Yet through it all, she smirked.

  “I built this up at the same time you were preparing yours, Mystimona!” she shouted over the roaring destruction.

  The Cascade of Destruction reached its mark.

  Mystimona looked up just in time to see the sphere crash down upon him, engulfing him in a tidal wave of devastation.

  Two forces of annihilation.

  Both combatants took the full might of each other’s attacks.

  The battlefield exploded.

  The sheer force of both attacks ruptured the battlefield.

  The beach disintegrated. The ground beneath them didn’t just crack—it vanished. Water, rock, and debris were swallowed into the abyss as the impact split the ocean open.

  Haras shrieked and latched onto Kintovar.

  “SAVE ME, KINTOVAR!” she wailed. “THE GROUND IS DISAPPEARING!”

  Kintovar, for once was sweating.

  Their entire battlefield had been reduced to a tiny, unstable patch of sand. The ocean itself was torn open, revealing a chasm where water struggled to refill the void.

  Kintovar gritted her teeth and held her ground. “Damn.”

  Thankfully, Roselle’s shut-down body was in a safe spot alongside Runebelle’s mini-tank.

  Darkness surrounded Risebelle. She was nowhere. Floating in an abyss. Yet, within that abyss, two faint lights flickered.

  Roselle. Runebelle.

  They stood before her—not solid, but unmistakably them.

  Roselle gave a small, soft smile. “Thanks, Risebelle.”

  Runebelle echoed her. “Yeah… thank you.”

  Risebelle’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

  Runebelle tilted her head. “Because you fought hard. You led us all the way here.”

  Roselle nodded. “Things didn’t always go our way. But we could always trust your judgment.”

  Risebelle felt something heavy in her chest.

  “I might’ve made the wrong move against Mystimona,” she admitted. “Maybe I—”

  “You did your best,” Roselle interrupted gently.

  “For all of us,” Runebelle added.

  Risebelle fell silent.

  She had fought with everything she had. Made every choice, every move, with precision.

  Roselle took a step forward. “Hey, you know… me and Runebelle? We’re both shut down.” She tapped her chest with a small grin. “But you? You can still get up.”

  Risebelle’s breath hitched.

  Runebelle, though her usual sadness lingered in her gaze slowly raised her fists and said softly, “Get…up.”

  Risebelle hesitated. “I… can?” Her body felt so heavy. So drained. Did she even deserve to? She had gone all in. Gave it everything. And yet—

  Roselle cut through her doubts.

  “Don’t forget.” Her blue eyes locked onto Risebelle’s. “You weren’t just fighting for yourself. You were fighting for all of us. You’re the only one left who can get up.”

  Runebelle, though her hands trembled clenched her fists tighter. “Get up.”

  The words echoed.

  Then again.

  And again.

  Get up.

  Get up.

  The voices grew into a chorus that surrounded her.

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  Risebelle’s heart pounded. Her hands gripped the emptiness around her. Her legs, once numb, twitched.

  Her breath steadied.

  Her fingers curled into fists.

  Then—her eyes snapped open.

  A chime rang through the void of her mind.

  [System Message]

  Lifeforce: 2%

  Magic Reserves: 12%

  Risebelle gasped as consciousness flooded back into her broken body. Her arms shook, her legs burned and her head throbbed like hell. Blood dripped down her face, and her entire form was battered—bruises, cuts and gashes covered her. Her blue skirt was shredded at the edges, her small jacket barely held together.

  But she was standing.

  She turned her head, blinking rapidly.

  She was back on the island.

  The battlefield was ruined—massive craters, torn-up land and broken waves lashing at the shore. Everyone was still there. Kintovar, Haras, Sybil, Becky’s unconscious body, Roselle’s shut-down body, Runebelle’s mini-tank, miraculously, The Headmaster.

  And Mystimona.

  He stood with his back turned toward her.

  “You can still stand?” Mystimona’s deep voice rumbled through the air. There was a hint of approval in his tone. “That’s good.”

  Then—he dropped to one knee.

  Risebelle’s eyes widened.

  “…You—” Her voice cracked.

  Mystimona lifted his hand slowly. In his palm sat a broken orb that leaked remnants of magical energy that dissipated into the wind like dying embers.

  He exhaled and clenched his fist around the shattered remains. "You surprised me with that last moveI wondered what you would respond with when I launched my attack, but it was a gamble, wasn’t it?"

  His glowing purple eyes flicked toward her. "If I had figured out what you were up to, it would’ve gone differently."

  Risebelle wiped the blood from her lip with the back of her hand. Then, she smirked. "Sometimes," she rasped, "you can't hesitate. You just have to take that chance."

  Mystimona let out a low chuckle. "Hah… bold words." His fingers loosened. "And well-played."

  Mystimona exhaled deeply and pushed himself back onto his feet. His stance was firm. His aura flared and sent waves of pressure rippling through the ruined battlefield.

  Risebelle instinctively took a step back. Her body was barely holding together. “Haras. Kintovar. I don’t think there’s much more I can do against him at this point without your help. You two need to get ready to fight him.”

  Kintovar didn’t move. She remained still with her hands tucked in her coat pockets.

  But Haras?

  Haras leaped to Risebelle’s side, gripping her two tiny energy-loaded guns with shaky hands.

  “I—I’M READY TO FIGHT!!” she declared, puf while puffing out her chest.

  Then she actually looked at Mystimona.

  Her pupils shrank. Her arms trembled. Beads of sweat drained down her face.

  “…Aaaand, you know what?” she squeaked and dove behind Kintovar. “I changed my mind. Nope. I don't wanna die today.”

  Kintovar let out a sigh.

  Risebelle gritted her teeth. Was he really going to continue?

  Mystimona, however, relaxed.

  He lowered his arms. His aura dimmed slightly. His eyes locked onto Risebelle.

  “There is no need,” he said simply. “This fight is over.”

  Risebelle’s body tensed. Her tired eyes narrowed in confusion.

  “What?” she rasped. “But… you weren’t defeated. I’m still standing, and you—”

  “I lost.” Mystimona’s spoke with absolute certainty. He gazed at her. “You got me down to one knee.”

  He let his words hang in the air for a moment.

  “That is something no one—except you—can claim they’ve done.”

  Risebelle’s throat felt dry. She shook her head. “But… you’re not tired,” she said while searching his face for an answer. “You still have a lot of magical energy left, don’t you? I just…I don’t understand…”

  Mystimona closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. “This battle…” he spoke calmer than before, “was about more than just winning or losing. Fighting you all made me remember something important.”

  Mystimona’s gaze drifted toward the ruined battlefield.

  “I was supposed to escape this island. The Headmaster. All of it.” His fingers curled into his palm. “I needed to find strong allies… people who could help me with that goal. I fought. I survived. But I never found the right people.” His glowing purple eyes settled on her. “Until now.”

  Risebelle’s breath hitched.

  Mystimona crossed his arms. “So I’ve considered it. And now, I wonder… would you all do me a favor?”

  She blinked. “A favor?”

  “In exchange, I will help you from now on.”

  Silence.

  Haras peeked from behind Kintovar with her eyes wide. Kintovar herself gave a slight tilt of her head.

  Risebelle, however, kept her eyes locked on him. “…What exactly are you asking us to do?

  Mystimona let out a slow breath."Help me reach the city. That’s all I ask."

  Risebelle’s lips parted slightly. That was it? After everything, that was all he wanted?

  Before she could even think of a response, Kintovar casually spoke up. “Yeah, sure. As long as you abide by your words.”

  Risebelle blinked.

  Haras peeked out from behind Kintovar. “Wait, wait, WAIT—just like that?! That’s a HUGE decision, Kinty!!”

  Kintovar shrugged. “It was the whole plan after we took down the Headmaster anyway.”

  A strangled, furious gasp filled the air.

  “WHAT?!”

  The Headmaster’s battered form trembled. Blood was still dripping from her wounds. Her silver eyes locked onto Mystimona.

  “You can’t do this to me, Mystimona!” she shrieked. “You were supposed to crush them! You were meant to serve ME! What are you doing?!”

  Mystimona turned his gaze toward her.

  “…Can I kind of kill her now?” he asked.

  Haras choked.

  Kintovar cleared her throat, straightening her lab coat. “Ah, I should probably do the honors.”

  Mystimona sighed. “Fine.” He waved a dismissive hand. “Go ahead.”

  The Headmaster fell to her knees.

  “No, no, no…” Her voice cracked. Her fingers twitched and reached forward.

  She whispered, almost inaudibly.

  “Come back to me, Mystimona…”

  Tears fell down her face. Her greatest weapon. Her last hope.

  And he had chosen them.

  Kintovar pulled out a sleek, compact gun. She stepped forward and aimed it directly between the woman’s molten-silver eyes.

  “It’s about time we put an end to your reign. Officially.”

  The Headmaster’s breath hitched. She barely had the strength to move, let alone resist.

  Kintovar’s lips curled into a smirk. “This, is the power of technology.”

  Her finger tightened on the trigger—

  RUMMMMBLE—

  The ground shook violently. The ocean churned as if something massive had stirred beneath it.

  Kintovar’s face darkened.

  She growled.

  “What is it NOW?!”

  From the abyss of the ruptured ocean, dark energy surged forth, twisting and contorting into solid form. The waters heaved as jagged black pillars tore through the surface, forming a sinister structure in the middle of the broken battlefield.

  Kintovar scowled.

  Atop the newly formed structure, two figures stood— Aliana and Gaiza.

  Aliana’s frost-laced robes billowed in the unnatural wind. Gaiza stood close.

  And just behind them…

  Arlysa.

  She was worse for wear but her smirk was unwavering. "Tch… I haven’t worked this hard in a while," she muttered under her breath. She looked at Aliana and Gaiza who looked around with some confusion.

  “Oh? You look surprised, Aliana,” Arlysa purred. “This? This is just a little… advanced magic.”

  Aliana’s fingers twitched. “You’re straining yourself.”

  “And?” Arlysa tilted her head. “A minor inconvenience. Unlike you, I don’t let my own limits define me.”

  Aliana huffed and readied her blade. “Letting Elena run off was a mistake.”

  Arlysa smirked. “I beg to differ.” She glanced down at the battlefield below. “She would’ve only been in the way of killing you two. Besides, She has a very… different job to handle.”

  Aliana’s gaze flicked toward Mystimona, then back to Arlysa. Her eyes widened.

  Then it happened.

  A flicker in the distance. A glint of light no larger than a needle.

  Shhk—!

  Mystimona’s massive body flinched.

  A thin, almost invisible energy sphere had pierced straight through him—from a far-off position. The wound was clean but deep. A direct hit.

  Yet, Mystimona’s face didn’t even shift.

  Then—

  His own voice echoed in his mind.

  "Save the Headmaster."

  Mystimona’s glowing purple eyes widened slightly.

  ‘What?’

  That wasn’t his thought. Yet the voice in his head was unmistakably his own.

  And before he could question it—

  His body moved.

  Faster than Kintovar could react, Mystimona’s massive hand swung out—

  CLANG!

  Kintovar’s gun went flying from her grip before she could pull the trigger.

  Her eyes widened in shock. “What the hell—?!”

  Mystimona’s body tensed. His breathing was steady, but inside, his mind churned.

  Why?

  Why had he done that?

  Why had he protected her?

  His glowing eyes flicked downward. The Headmaster, still kneeling, looked up at him.

  Her lips trembled.

  “…Mystimona…”

  He stiffened.

  ‘Save the Headmaster. ‘

  There it was again.

  His own voice. His own command. But he hadn’t spoken it.

  The sound of water lapping against the remnants of the beach could be heard in the silence that grew after Mystimona’s actions.

  Then—footsteps.

  A figure emerged onto the small patch of land where everyone was standing.

  Elena.

  Her red hair clung to her face, damp from the ocean but her eyes… they burned. Wild, manic-like.

  Her lips curled into a twisted grin.

  “I’ll protect the Headmaster.” She was was hoarse, yet brimming with conviction. “I don’t care…what it takes!”

  Kintovar, still reeling from her gun being knocked away glared. “Oh, what the hell is this now—”

  A sharp growl cut through the air.

  Risebelle.

  She had already turned to face Elena and scowled.

  She had enough energy left to take down Elena.

  But.

  Her sharp gaze flicked toward Mystimona.

  Risebelle wasn’t stupid. After what he just did, it’s likely he’d also protect her.

  “Damn!”