Clash with the White Phoenix
The Sky Zone, 90th floor.
Like the 89th floor, this layer fell under Le Ganus's sphere of influence.
According to Giryu, Lehatna ruled from the 85th to 88th floors.
Le Ganus controlled from the 89th to 94th.
And Leysia held sway from the 95th to the 99th.
Naturally, Lehatna governed the fewest layers, followed by Le Ganus with the most, then Leysia.
With the largest territory, Le Ganus had the greatest number of monsters under his command.
That meant plenty of powerful ones too.
The creature facing us now on this 90th floor was no exception.
Though SA-rank, it exuded a presence even stronger than the owl we'd faced before Spyradonna.
About on par with me before my evolution.
The kind of being that could evolve at any moment with the right trigger.
A beautiful phoenix with pure white feathers shimmering mysteriously.
We'd barely entered the 90th floor when it detected our movement and appeared before us.
Chin held high, it gazed down arrogantly from the sky.
"Peep─…"
As soon as we faced the creature flaunting its dominance, Pelte instinctively let out a huddled whimper.
It regarded Pelte impassively before speaking.
[Visitors from above? What brings you into my skies?]
The question was directed not at me, but at Pelte.
Pelte flinched involuntarily at the voice as beautiful as its appearance, then glanced nervously my way.
The phoenix frowned at Pelte's demeanor.
[Dare you ignore my question? Carrying a pathetic ground crawler on your back... Do you wish to die?]
True to Le Ganus's wing supremacists, its tone was brutally coarse.
If only its personality matched that stunning exterior.
Tsking softly in disappointment, I tapped Pelte's nape—still eyeing me warily—with a few pats.
Pelte nodded quietly at my reassuring touch.
[Will you truly ignore me?! You seem to have noble blood, yet you dare show such insolence! I'll rip off one wing as payment for your arrogance!]
I half-ignored the furious voice and tapped Pelte's nape again.
Perfect timing—I'd spotted a suitably sized floating island.
Couldn't fight while riding Pelte, so best to head there.
[Can you make it?]
[…No problem.]
Pelte nodded heavily and beat its wings, kicking off the sky with full force.
A gunshot blast of speed hurtled us forward as the white phoenix flapped after us.
"Peeeep───!!"
A shrill cry pierced the air, followed by a fierce gale from behind.
Glancing back, I saw it cloaked in wind, charging savagely.
Even at a glance, its speed was no joke, yet Pelte kept pace effortlessly. Impressive on every level.
Giryu wasn't exaggerating—second only to him among his subordinates.
And this from a mere S-rank.
Once I had time, I should learn to fly from Pelte.
[You think you can escape me?!]
Peep───
Wind drills like awls shot toward us.
As Pelte veered sharply to evade the killing intent, I tapped its nape once more.
[I'll handle that. Just focus on getting me there safely.]
[…Yes! Understood!]
Pelte kicked the air again, accelerating further.
It could go even faster?
Impressed under my breath, I turned to face the incoming wind drills.
How to block them? As Lefty yelled to just hurry up and do it, I casually cast a spell.
Wind magic.
Facing its own element against it.
Shuuung—Boom!
The colliding winds birthed a fierce gust in midair.
The shockwave jolted Pelte's body.
Should've accounted for that and blocked differently?
Before I could ponder, its voice rang in my mind.
[A lowly ground thing dares...! How dare you look me straight in the eye?!]
Surprised I'd blocked it?
With the same magic, no less.
Fuming, it unleashed an enraged screech.
Peep─ Its cry tore through the heavens.
[That thing's annoyingly loud! Just land already—I'll make it suffer!]
Glancing at our target floating island now dead ahead, I listened to Lefty's matching fury.
[Good work, Pelte. I'll handle the landing.]
[Yes…! Good luck!]
Wishing me luck? The foe might be a tad short for that.
Even so, no letting guard down.
Too many handicaps and variables to predict the fight's flow.
'Not that I plan to lose, of course.'
If anything, this one was perfect fusion magic practice.
Stronger than the owl—should last a good while.
[Pathetic ground worm! I'll shred you with my winds!]
As I dismounted Pelte, plummeting toward the island, it flapped massively.
Thinking me defenseless, it prepared a huge attack without precaution.
Power seemed solid, but combat experience lacking?
Too easy, then?
Tsking in pity, I promptly released Inhwa's Art.
My swelling bulk flustered its eyes—delightful.
"Shaaah──!"
Gravity surged with my weight, plummeting faster.
Gauging landing time, I inhaled deeply.
Its rattled mana barely formed under panic.
A storm core—visibly weaker than intended—hurtled at me.
[All that buildup for that puny thing? Baby stuff compared to Giryu, total baby!]
Unlike Lefty's cackling mockery, it wasn't negligible, but woefully inadequate for the effort.
Comparing to Giryu was an insult to him, true.
Less opponent, more sandbag.
Slim build screamed low durability…
Hoping it holds up.
A dense white orb of compressed storm winds rushed in.
Exhaling sharply as I landed—Thud—Lefty and Fifth unleashed twin breaths, devouring the orb.
Could've engulfed it too, but no.
Adjusted to target its wings instead.
Fwoosh─
SA-rank worth: it barely dodged. Impressive.
[How dare you... scorch my beautiful wings! Lowly ground worm! Unforgivable!]
[You're the one begging forgiveness! Who's been looking down on us?!]
Lefty snarled back fiercely.
No one outdid Lefty in savage mouth.
"Shaaah─" Matching its roar, I cast again.
Main: wind.
Added: lightning.
Unlike prior ice (water) + darkness, now fire + light.
Crimson flames rode the gale.
The darkened world ignited blood-red in an instant.
Like the lava zone—amid the crimson blaze, the white phoenix flapped valiantly.
[Impossible! A wingless ground dweller wielding storms?! No!]
It desperately countered, mana surging with frantic wingbeats.
Sixth quietly activated Third Eye—Magic Eye.
[Kuh…! You worm!]
Sixth's Magic Eye: curse.
Weakens foes.
Subtle in fights, but invaluable every time.
Its already unstable mana—from my storm—dissipated like mist.
Sixth's eye helped, but main culprit: owner's rattled psyche.
Couldn't control mana unfocused.
Empty shell despite looks—like a rattling cart.
Now just pray for durability.
While reining it in, partners completed their spell.
Crimson storm engulfed it.
Could add one more element with tweaks, but tricky.
Push too hard, mana backlash risked worse self-damage.
First time since Wise Scale's lessons—nostalgic.
Couldn't dream of this growth then.
Survival first.
Lost in memories, a shrill cry pierced my ears.
"Peeeep───!!!"
Desperate wail, no thoughts audible.
Swallowed by flame storm.
Its form obscured, I licked my chops.
My "lacking" attack was overkill for it.
'No way it survives that.'
Fight essentially over.
Well-roasted—Righty'd be thrilled.
Unlike the owl feast, no real meal since; perfect to soothe Righty's pout.
As the storm ebbed, unease stirred.
[...Master, mana waves are off.]
'...Yeah. Not undeserved SA-rank, huh?'
The fading storm surged anew.
Different: not my doing.
White storm displaced my crimson, growing stronger. I licked chops quietly.
From dying flames emerged the white phoenix.
[...Amazing. Truly amazing. A wingless earth-dweller this strong.]
Its calm voice amid gales felt similar yet subtly off.
Aura too—same power, different vibe.
Speech utterly transformed.
[...Multiple personalities?]
It nodded affirmatively at my murmur.
[What? It's like us? Then why pop out now?]
[Usually dormant, but circumstances forced it. My other self couldn't handle your overwhelming might.]
[Eww— that haughty bitch suddenly polite? Doesn't suit her!]
[The strong deserve respect.]
Instinct screamed: unlike the lackluster warmup, this'd be a real fight.
The switched persona wielded its power justly.
[Ah, my other self rushed—forgot introductions. Who might you be?]
[Asking now...? Nix.]
[I see. I'm Freya. Pleased to meet you, Nix... One more question. Why enter these skies?]
[Why ask that?]
[I'd rather not fight someone so mighty... Hoping dialogue suffices.]
[Now?]
[If possible, even now.]
I pondered its tone before replying.
[Aiding Lehatna.]
[...I see. Inevitable, then.]
[Continue? Knowing my strength?]
[My duty to Lord Le Ganus demands it.]
Humm— Calm voice resonated as the lull shattered into raging storm.
I licked chops at it flapping fiercely amid winds.
No mere practice—this was proper battle.
Round two begins.