Levi's sharp eyes narrowed as he steered Midgard, his hands deft on the rotating gear. The unusual cart rumbled along the dirt path, its wheels catching sunlight like molten gold. He saw a glint of movement ahead—figures on horseback galloping straight toward them. His stomach dropped as he recognized their armor, particularly the man leading them. His polished breastplate gleamed, a white cross etched upon the chest—the sigil of a Paladin.
Levi's voice rang out, sharp and urgent. "Everyone, brace for impact!"
With a sharp turn of the wheel, Levi yanked Midgard to the right. The heavy cart lurched, barely dodging the charging horsemen. Dust and pebbles were scattered in the wake of their sudden turn. When the cart skidded to a stop, Rei and the others leapt out, weapons drawn and magic crackling at their fingertips.
Rei's face darkened as he recognized the leader of the attackers. His voice, low and dangerous, carried over the field. "It's the same Paladin I humiliated back at the town."
The Paladin, still mounted and sword drawn, sneered down at them. His voice, laced with venom, cut through the tension. "I'm going to make you pay for what you did."
Behind him, his mercenaries fanned out, encircling Rei's team. Dust swirled between them, the scent of steel and sweat thick in the air.
Rei's eyes narrowed. He raised his voice so it carried to his group. "Everyone, this is our first real fight. Each of you, take one opponent. Leave the Paladin to me."
Tenko leapt forward without hesitation, his sleek white fur rippling as he slashed a man's chest with a blade of compressed wind. Arizona was right behind him, and used silent magic to raise a thick earthen wall, dividing the field and isolating each opponent.
Rei stepped through the dust, facing the Paladin with a wry smile. "Now, it's just the two of us."
The Paladin dismounted with a flourish, his sentient sword gleaming. Without a word, he lunged forward, unleashing three rapid strikes of the Holy Sword Style. Rei danced back, evading each swing with quick, precise footwork. His chaos scepter ignited with flames, and he countered with a blast of flame that the Paladin barely deflected.
Across the battlefield, Arizona faced his opponent—a brawny mercenary with thunder magic crackling around his fists. "Back down," Arizona warned.
The man sneered. "Like you could take me down."
The man said, "Oh, the great lightning, show your fury and destroy this man in a single strike, lightning strike."
Lightning surged toward Arizona, but he raised an earth wall just in time. Without a word, he countered with a silent earth bullet, catching the man off guard. "Silent magic…" the man gasped, "then you're at least—"
"Quagmire," Arizona murmured.
The ground beneath the man's feet churned and liquefied, a deadly mix of earth and water. The mercenary's smirk vanished as he sank into the quicksand-like pit, his pleas rising in desperation. "Wait! What is happening? What magic is this?"
Watching Rei's seamless elemental fusion had sparked an idea in Arizona. His new spell, combining earth and water magic into a deadly mire, was his own creation. As the man flailed and begged for mercy, Arizona's lips curved into a smirk.
"Actually, I'd like to see what happens to a body buried in Quagmire. Wouldn't it be an interesting experiment?"
"No! Please, please—!" The man's pleas were silenced as he sank completely into the earth.
Arizona, amused, ignited a small flame, transforming the Quagmire into solid ground. "Looks like this spell is going to be one heck of a technique," he muttered, turning his back and heading for Midgard.
Elsewhere, Luc's opponent sneered. "Get down and grovel for mercy. Maybe then the great Paladin will spare you."
Luc didn't respond and said, "Shadows cover me and my tracks, don't let my enemies know my presence, shadow veil." Shadows thickened around him as he melted into the air itself. The mercenary's smirk faltered. "Shadow magic? Fine, I'll just follow your footsteps."
But before he could act, the world tilted—or so it seemed. In reality, his head was already severed from his body, and his last thought was disbelief.
Tenko faced a cocky mercenary who laughed at the sight of a mere beast. "I have to kill a little fox? Easy."
Tenko's lips peeled back in a snarl, and a gout of fire erupted from his locket like Nyx Scepter. The man's laughter turned into screams as flames engulfed him. Tenko's fury didn't wane until the man was reduced to ash.
Ben faced his opponent with calm precision, slipping into his sword stance. His adversary mirrored him with a confident grin. But as the man lunged, Ben's blade moved once, swift and merciless. The mercenary's head hit the ground, eyes still wide in disbelief.
Alya's opponent charged her recklessly, but she needed only a single, silent wind slice to dispatch him, clean and bloodless.
Emilia, less experienced but determined, lured her opponent into chasing her. Emilia chanted, "Oh, Earth protect me from my adversary Earth pit." When he was close enough, she finished her chant and opened a pit beneath him. Though he climbed out, Emilia had started chanting, "Fire show your fury in one single blast, Flame Blast." Emilia injured him with her Flame Blast. She followed up with her chanting, "Wind show your power and finish my enemy, Aero Blast," and blasted the man with an Aero Blast. As he stumbled, she completed a new chant, "Woods grant my request and protect me, Tangling Vines." Tangling vines rose up from the trees to ensnare him. Before he could cut himself free, she chanted, "Fire show your fury in one single blast, Flame Blast," and her final Fire Blast engulfed him.
Levi's opponent was a brute who favored raw strength over finesse. His fists came crashing down like hammers, but Levi, hardened by years in the mines, dodged, his own fists striking back. The brute's confidence wavered as Levi's punches found their mark, until he crumpled to the ground, defeated by sheer physical force.
Meanwhile, Rei continued evading the Paladin's relentless sword strikes. "You don't even have magic," the Paladin sneered. "You're worthless in this world."
Rei smirked and manipulated the wind, stirring up a thick cloud of dust. As the Paladin coughed and tried to clear his vision, Rei's voice echoed through the haze. "I know can't use magic."
Suddenly, a spark ignited within the dust. A roaring explosion erupted, sending the Paladin staggering backward. Rei emerged from the fading dust cloud, his expression cold. "But I can outwit you."
The Paladin, though scorched and coughing, charged again. His sentient sword swung down, but Rei narrowly dodged, rolling to the side. The Paladin sneered. "You can't even scratch this holy armor."
Rei's mind raced. "So that's his defense…" He needed a way to counter it.
Rei used his Chaos scepter and launched a sustained flamethrower directly at the Paladin. At first, it seemed useless—his opponent advanced through the fire, seemingly unfazed. But Rei's continued assault made the Paladin realize what was happening. The relentless heat was softening the armor.
Panic flickered across the Paladin's face as he tried to close the distance. Rei danced backward, keeping the stream of fire constant. The metal hissed, turning red-hot, until the Paladin fell to his knees, overcome by the searing heat.
"Do you feel the heat now?" Rei murmured, his voice low.
The Paladin, drenched in sweat, gasped, "My men will have already killed your team!"
At that moment, Arizona's earthen wall crumbled behind Rei, revealing the rest of his group standing tall and victorious. Levi, his fists still clenched, stepped forward with a smirk. "Did you think mercenaries were invincible?"
The Paladin's armor finally gave way. The sentient sword's glow dimmed, its protective power waning. As the weapon's magic failed, the Paladin collapsed into unconsciousness at Rei's feet.
Rei exhaled slowly, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "It seems the battle's ours."