The Titnice stood perched on the school's fractured rooftop, its snow-white body motionless, black eyes glinting as it stared down at the battlefield. Its small, childlike frame belied the raw power it had unleashed moments ago, a strike meant to shatter Kai and Kenshi. Yet, they stood with barely a scratch, their movements fluid, as if the attack had been blunted. The Titnice's mind churned—were these humans that strong? It had no knowledge of Valmer's [The Lord's Prayer], activated before the fight, halving the first damage they took. The storm clouds above cast a sickly gray light over the ruined school, the air thick with the stench of ash and blood, broken only by the distant groans of collapsing buildings.
Valmer charged toward the Yoka, his boots pounding the cracked pavement, his long black coat flapping behind him. Ariel followed close, her golden hair swaying, her hands clenched into fists. Valmer's eyes burned with resolve as he raised his voice, steady and commanding. "Psalm 60:12: With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies."
[System Notice]
Valmer Valgrace van Ruvoch has activated the skill [Holy Victory].
FP Used: 2,000
FP Remaining: 17,500
Effect: Boosts all allies' strength and speed. Reduces enemies' attack power by 200% for 2 minutes.
The Yoka emerged from Valmer's shadow, its form coalescing like ink, blue markings shimmering across its shadow-clad body. It lunged, claws extended for a stealth strike, but Ariel reacted first. She spun, her leg snapping out in a fierce kick aimed at the Yoka's chest. The Gemini blocked effortlessly, its arm rising like a dark curtain, absorbing the blow with a dull thud. "What was that?" the Yoka sneered, its voice a low rasp, blue markings flaring as it leaned forward. "An attack or a prank?"
Ariel's face flushed, her jaw tightening, but before the Yoka could mock further, Valmer's fist crashed into its chest. With [Holy Victory] amplifying his strength, the punch landed like a hammer, the air cracking with the force. The Yoka staggered, but instead of slamming into the ground, it sank into Ariel's shadow, vanishing like smoke. Valmer's fist clenched, his rosary beads clicking as he swung them around his neck, his eyes darting across the pavement. "Where's it going next?" he muttered, stepping protectively in front of Ariel, his hand hovering near his coat pocket.
Ariel scanned the ground, her blue eyes wide, fingers twisting the hem of her dress. "It's in the shadows," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. She took a step back, her boots scuffing the debris, ready to strike again.
Across the battlefield, the Dark Seraph soared into the air, its massive black wings beating with a sharp rustle, blue hair streaming like a comet's tail. Kenshi and Kai, poised to strike, paused as it climbed out of reach. Kai tilted his head, his twin swords gleaming, the dragon tattoo on his chest stark through his half-zipped jacket. "Always hard to catch a bird, no matter the type," he said, his voice calm but edged with frustration as he brushed a hand through his raven-black hair.
Kenshi's amber eyes never left the Dark Seraph, his katana steady in his grip, the skull tattoo on his temple sharp against his pale skin. "It'll have to come down to be able to attack," he said, his voice low, controlled, his fingers tightening on the hilt of his katana as he took a slow step forward, boots crunching on gravel.
[System Notice]
Dark Seraph has activated the skill [Bullet Feathers].
Effect: Shoots feathers from its wings with lethal speed and accuracy.
Sharp feathers rained down, slicing through the air like blades, aimed at Kenshi and Kai. The two swordsmen moved in a blur, Kai's twin blades flashing as he slashed through the onslaught, metal singing with each deflected feather. Kenshi danced to the side, his katana a silver arc, cutting feathers apart with precise, fluid strikes. Shards of severed feathers littered the ground, glinting like broken glass, as the two men wove through the storm, their movements amplified by [Holy Victory]'s boost. Kai ducked under a feather, his shoulder brushing a rusted car frame, while Kenshi sidestepped, his coat billowing as he sliced another projectile in half.
On the rooftop, the Mistibeast growled, its misty form flickering as it leaned forward, claws scraping the tiles. "For weaklings, they're holding up well," it rumbled, its voice a low snarl, eyes glinting with grudging respect.
The Ragumon, lounging beside it, hissed in annoyance, its blurred form twitching. "Does it matter? I just want this over so we can return to the Tower." It turned its head away, disinterested in the chaos below.
Yuna stood at the rear, her hands raised, fingers tracing intricate patterns in the air. A faint glow gathered around her, her black crop top shifting as she steadied her stance, her eyes locked on the battlefield. She muttered an incantation under her breath, her voice soft but deliberate, the spell building as she prepared to unleash a burst of light to counter the Yoka's shadows. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she brushed a strand of hair from her face, her jaw set with focus as she muttered.
"Gleam and glow, let darkness flee,
Shine so bright, the night can't be.
Spark and flare, make shadows run,
Light domain: Second Sun."A brilliant glow erupted from her hands, coalescing into a radiant orb the size of a football that pulsed with searing intensity. The light surged outward, flooding the battlefield, banishing the shadows clinging to the rusted school bus and the shattered pavement. The air shimmered, the acrid stench of ash momentarily overwhelmed by the clean, electric tang of her spell.
Yuna stood steady at the back of the battlefield, her boots planted on the cracked pavement as she lowered her hands. The storm clouds above cast a gloomy light, making the air feel heavy with the smell of ash and blood. Her spell's glow lingered, a bright dome of light stretching 30 meters around them, chasing away the shadows. The Yoka, its shadow-clad body marked with blue lines, flinched, its arms raised to shield its eyes from the blinding radiance.
[System Notice]
Yuna Lee has activated the skill [Light Domain].
MP (Mana Points) Used: 5,000
MP (Mana Points) Remaining: 55,000
Effect: Illuminates a 30-meter radius with bright light, weakening darkness and shadow-based abilities for 3 minutes.
Yuna was a mage skilled in healing and elemental attacks, so she had to stay back to provide support from a distance. With her fingers still tingling from the spell, she brushed a strand of hair from her face as she scanned the battlefield. With the shadows nearly gone, the Yoka had nowhere to hide. It was forced to face Valmer and Ariel head-on, its blue markings flickering as it staggered in the light.
Valmer didn't hesitate. He clenched his fists, his rosary beads clinking around his neck as he took a bold step forward, his long black coat flapping. "Here we go," he muttered, a fierce grin spreading across his face. His sable-rose eyes locked onto the Yoka, and he raised his fist, a soft glow wrapping around his knuckles like a holy fire.
[System Notice]
Valmer Valgrace van Ruvoch has activated the skill [Fist of Faith].
FP (Fate Points) Used: 1,000
FP (Fate Points) Remaining: 16,500
Effect: Infuses punches with holy energy, dealing 150% damage to unholy targets for 1 minute.
Valmer charged, his boots pounding the ground, kicking up bits of gravel. The Yoka scrambled, its shadowy form twisting as it searched for a dark corner, but Yuna's light left it exposed. Valmer closed the gap, his fist blazing with radiant energy. He threw two quick punches, each one slamming into the Yoka's torso with a sickening crunch. The Gemini doubled over, a spray of dark, inky ichor bursting from its mouth, splattering the pavement. It stumbled back, its blue markings dimming, claws scraping the ground as it tried to steady itself.
Ariel stood close behind Valmer, her golden hair catching the glow of Yuna's spell, her eyes wide but focused. She clenched her fists, her small frame tense, ready to jump in if needed. She took a step forward, her boots scuffing the debris, her heart racing with thoughts of Zane never leaving her mind.
The Yoka growled, its voice a low rasp, like stones grinding together. It swiped a claw at Valmer, but the light weakened its attack, and he dodged easily, stepping to the side, his coat swirling. "Nice try," Valmer said, his grin unwavering as he cracked his knuckles, ready for another strike.
With the Yoka now at a disadvantage, Yuna shifted her attention to Kenshi and Kai.
Across the battlefield, Kenshi and Kai faced the Dark Seraph, its massive black wings beating as it hovered above, blue hair streaming like a flag. Sharp feathers littered the ground from its earlier attack, glinting like broken knives. Kai spun his twin swords, the dragon tattoo on his chest visible through his half-zipped jacket, and glanced at Kenshi. "It's staying high," he said, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "We need to ground it."
Kenshi nodded, his katana steady, the skull tattoo on his temple stark against his pale skin. "Wait for it to dive," he said, his voice low, his eyes never leaving the Gemini. He took a slow step forward, his fingers tightening on the hilt as he braced for the next wave of feathers.
Celine remained crouched behind a crumbled wall across the street, her red hair spilling over her shoulders, her hazel eyes darting between her allies and the Geminis. She bit her lip, hating her fear, wishing she could be braver like Ariel.
On the rooftop, the Titnice turned his head from the horizon to the battlefield, its snow-white body still, black eyes glinting with cold interest. The Mistibeast, Ragumon, and Rocksborne stood nearby, their forms tense but silent, waiting for the Whisperkin's next move. The Whisperkin itself swayed below, its skeletal limbs twitching, its eyeless face fixed on Ariel, as if savoring her determination.
[System Notification]
[Light Domain] effect active: 2 minutes 45 seconds remaining.
[Fist of Faith] effect active: 45 seconds remaining.