Mirelle activated her card magic, using the card she ejected from her launcher. A storm of energy began gathering around her, like the birth of a hurricane—powerful enough to blow away the assassins before they could even get close. Next to Mirelle stood a stoic and imposing knight-like warrior, wielding what Kaior would have described as a massive greatsword.
"Don't focus your abilities on defending. Prioritize evasive maneuvers and forward movement. We'll use their momentum to create an opening to lead Kaior out of the way," Mirelle commanded as she leapt into action. She wasn't Magnus's second-in-command without reason.
The knight beside Mirelle was very slow to move its sword at first, causing many assassins to slip past, rushing toward Kaior and the others. But the moment they passed, their expressions shifted. The knight blitzed like lightning. The greatsword swung in a wide arc.
The assassins were good at sensing danger and tried to retreat in fear, but most of them couldn't flee in time. One had his arm chopped off by the blade, blood painting the sky in a gruesome arc. Another had his leg sliced, causing him to stumble awkwardly in front of Mirelle—fear and horror in his eyes.
"Shit! It's it… the legendary card! The Last Strike… a sword strike impossible to evade or parry once the knight has seen you with his eyes… Don't look at it! Don't look at it!" one assassin cried out in terror before the knight blew off his head with a single swing. Then he returned to his stance behind Mirelle like a statue, lifting his eyes to look at the approaching enemies. As before, his eyes were soon closed again—yet ready to unleash his fury.
"I will pave the way," Mirelle declared, charging into the army head-on. Card after card was summoned around her. A golem of iron erupted midway across the battlefield. Atop it stood several members of the ICMA, with Luve leading the charge.
"The knight is only invincible if he locks eyes with you. Step around her! Golem, fire!" she ordered.
The golem opened its mouth, gathering energy around it like a storm of particles. There was a loud explosion, causing the wind to part. Like a stellar blast, the red laser fired forward, disintegrating ally and foe alike, paving a path toward Mirelle and the others.
Fabian flipped his cards in his hand. In the middle of the battlefield, just above their heads, an eye appeared—this was the General's Eye. Then, on his left arm, he flipped his next card, causing a series of snake-like green lights to rotate around him like living serpents.
"Divine Precision."
He moved as if weaving a tapestry in the void, directing the green, snake-like lasers to shoot out. The red and green lasers collided mid-air. Mages in their path were sent flying by the impact. Despite that, the red laser was unstoppable and continued on its path. But Fabian seemed unfazed, maneuvering the green lasers with his fingers. He forced them to collide again and again with the red beam. Each impact drained more of its power.
The strength of Divine Precision was its ability to never miss any target within range. It also had the unique ability to stack its range—meaning that after each impact on an enemy farther away, the unavoidable laser's range would grow, making it increasingly dangerous as time went on. By the time the red laser reached its target, it was nothing more than fading sparks in the air, its power lost after all the collisions.
Fabian had the professional look of someone completely in control.
"You'll all regret turning against us," he said, flicking his finger outward. The laser, now with the entire fountain's range stacked, ping-ponged across the battlefield with almost divine precision.
Each laser ended its course in a card mage too daring to approach. Coupled with the General's Eye, which allowed him to see everything in real time, all the assassins who managed to slip past his defense and attack from behind were soon turned into sieves of holes by the laser.
Fabian's face was dark, causing one part of his eyes to shine with a green gleam like it was made of gem, but the expression on his face was frightening to his enemies. He was like an angel of death walking towards the crowd. Each of his steps forward made his enemies step back.
Danzan was like a fish in water. Each time the ripple of the Echo Tears flickered in the area, he would move in between the enemies like lightning, his fists breaking their bones on every impact. He was so fast that the enemies could only scream in pain at his appearance.
Kaior and the other Four-Star officers' advancement was unstoppable. Swords of lightning, water cannons, and even bullet arcs rained down on Kaior one after another.
"Get out of the way!" Kaior yelled. He wasn't in the mood to be protected. Instead, armored with the Protector, he was the one leading the charge. The independent card mages all had blank expressions at his advance.
Their attacks proved unable to break past the armor of the Protector. It was like the armor could absorb all forms of damage. He was like a war machine. Each time the Protector swung its fist, the earth would crack and split under him, causing his enemies to fly away.
Nyx would use Sifa to seal the enemies before dragging them all in one perfect direction for Danzan to send them out in a clean hit. The Four-Star officers advanced on the side, using their card magic more in a supportive role.
"Despite the large number difference, we have the advantage. Our coordination and understanding of each other's magic is key. I didn't expect the captain to be this powerful. No wonder we didn't bring more people—they are enough," Kaior said, sweeping his gaze across the battlefield. He had been curious why his father had not mobilized more Four-Star officers. But from what he could see, numbers were not enough to hold these captains in check.
---
On the other side of the battlefield, all the factions had started fighting—except the Underground Card Masters. They all stood eagerly behind Selis like wolves waiting to be called out to bite.
"Boss, we are waiting for your orders…" Darwing said, his eyes locked onto Kaior with murderous intent. The incident of that ugly skeleton striking Draco was still vivid in his mind. He was eager for revenge.
"Now, Rellion, lead the charge. Get Kaior intact. I want to know what the Seruth monster murmured to him in the ears. It might be the key to our success on the island," Selis said. Her words were like the final straw that broke the lion's chains.
Darwing could not hold his anger anymore. He dashed forward and bit into his card, turning into the massive frame of Draco. His wings flapped in the air, causing winds so powerful that they blew a gale of dust across the battlefield.
All the fighters were startled, glancing up in shock.
"The Underground Card Masters," someone commented.
"They finally join the show. Want to get some fun too, Card Zero?" The Collector stood up, stretching his body. Now that the real challengers were getting into action, they felt it was time to act. Card Zero didn't reply, simply sat there observing the chaos—as if, for him, all of this held not the slightest meaning.
The majestic Draco moved toward Kaior and the others, with Rellion and the others at the charge.
"They leave their leaders out of this… Probably because of our agreement. This way, Sam can always claim it was his daughter's recklessness if they all fail. How cunning," Kaior thought. His fist sent another member of the ICMA flying into the houses, smashing them on impact.
He had noticed that, other than Sam and Selis, all the others were fighting. From Sam, Kaior had a good understanding of why he was sending Luve. But for Selis, he was clueless.
"Does she think we aren't worth it or something? How arrogant. This woman is slowly getting on my nerves," Kaior said inwardly.
The chaos was all over the place, with the captains occupied fending off the greater part of the mages. Kaior, Nyx, and the others had a smoother advance.
"Evade!" Nyx shouted. Using Sifa as a makeshift whip, she discarded the waves of needles one after the other, but the wave continued falling like an endless rain.
"Behind me!" Kaior called out. Nyx and the others all jumped into Kaior's shadow. The needles were like arrows raining down on them. Kaior used the frame of the Protector to shield his allies. The impacts were ear-piercing, causing sparkles to burst above his armor after every strike. It was like Kaior had turned into a living firework.
"That's that card—Needle Rain. They come in volleys. After each, we have a minute window to take the mage," a Four-Star officer quickly analyzed.
Nyx kept Sifa tied in her palms, hiding behind the frame of Kaior.
"He's hiding behind all the others. How will we get him?" she asked.
"If we can't, the others are going to lock you once more, and all the efforts of the captains will be in vain."
"I could use the Sand Paladin's ability to teleport me when I throw his lance. But for that, I'd have to give away the Protector. I can't. You guys have to find a solution," Kaior said loudly, ensuring his voice didn't get buried under all the impacts and fighting going on.
Before Kaior could formulate a clear plan, he saw Nyx step out of his shadow. Using her agile frame, she skidded forward, stepping left and right to evade the needle rain.
"What the hell is she doing?" Kaior's heart skipped a beat