Coils of the Storm Phoenix
Mana whips the winds into a frenzy.
Thanks to the aftereffects of the previous fusion magic, the mana across the entire area had been under my control—except for one spot: right around her. Unlike her clumsy, utterly un-SA-rank performance before, this new personality of hers wielded incredibly precise mana control.
I could seize it by force if I wanted.
But she wouldn't just sit there and let me.
Why bother with a tedious tug-of-war over control? Better to crush her with raw power.
That's more my style.
"Shhh───"
I cast the spell.
Attribute: poison. Combined with wind, as before.
Given the surroundings, wind meshed best with other attributes.
A venomous gale shot forth like a serpent.
But that was just the start.
In the casting phase, my sixth and seventh heads unleashed their breaths simultaneously.
Freya flapped her wings desperately to block her retreat and counter the attacks aimed at her.
As she twisted to evade, my right head quietly activated Magic Eye.
Freya's frantic wingbeats froze mid-motion.
Of course, at her level, full petrification was out of the question—but proper flight would be tricky for a while.
That was my opening. The attacks I'd prepared slammed into her.
"Piii───"
A thin cry pierced the air as mana surged wildly around her.
The surge itself wasn't massive, but in that instant, my attacks barely grazed past.
Not a block—just a subtle deflection of their trajectories. Exquisite control.
Her mana manipulation was definitely superior to my pre-evolution self.
But maybe because her total mana pool was so small?
She'd dodged the lethal blows by a hair, but her beautiful wings bore significant wounds.
"Pi───"
Undeterred by the damage, she kept flapping relentlessly.
As she regained her balance, frigid frost howled toward her.
My left head's prepped spell had arrived.
It didn't stop there. Magic from my other heads fired one after another.
Relentless barrages gave her no respite, but she dodged with powerful wingbeats.
Even with Magic Eye or other interferences, only her wingtips or tailtip got singed—no critical hits.
Flying opponents were always tough to pin down.
If only I could bind her and pummel away.
Regret made my tailtip twitch idly.
"Shhh───"
I paused the onslaught briefly.
Wasting mana like this felt inefficient.
She'd taken some damage, but not enough relative to the cost.
I had plenty of stored energy left, but saving where I could was smart.
In that lull as I held back, Freya steadied her ragged breaths and flapped her wings—her turn now.
Did she think I'd resume any second? She prepped remarkably fast.
Fierce gales coalesced into long spears.
The speed suggested haste, but her fine control made it impressively refined for the time invested.
Her mana control rivals my current self—not my pre-evolution one.
She must have an SS-rank Mana Manipulation skill, just like me.
Shuuung—
While I admired her control, three massive wind spears hurtled my way.
Not one, but three. Made extras in that split second?
Their trajectories varied slyly.
Fifth and eighth heads fired Magic Eye at the spears from three directions: stasis and refraction.
The frontal one got offset by fourth head's wind magic.
Ninth head glimpsed the attack and pulled back.
Razor winds savagely shredded where I'd been.
The spears were decoys. This was the real threat.
"Shhh───"
I'd dodged urgently, but not fully.
The attack's vast range clipped part of my massive body.
Long scratches marred my scales. Faint red lines appeared here and there.
At the sight, a low "Pi──" cry escaped her.
Couldn't pierce my durability fully, and even if she did, I'd regen instantly.
Realizing her attacks were futile?
Freya's expression turned faintly hollow, then she steeled herself and flapped again.
This time, massive mana stirred.
Unlike before, it swiftly formed under precise control: the core of a small storm.
The same one pre-personality-shift Freya had shown once.
Back then, my breath had pulverized it effortlessly. But now, with her upgraded?
It looked far more threatening than that underwhelming SA-rank blast.
That's gonna hurt.
Compressed power like that would breach my durability, no doubt.
Even if it did, regen would handle it—no real threat. Still, no reason to tank it.
Pain was pain, Unyielding or not.
No need to play punching bag.
Counter with breath again.
Not just offset—swallow her whole.
I wanted more practice against flyers, but my supports were nearing limits.
A light tail-tap sent faint vibrations through the floating island.
She could hold longer, but not for a drawn-out brawl.
Time to wrap up.
As my six heads drew breath, Freya acted first.
In a way I never expected.
Expecting her to launch the storm core, she didn't.
Whoooong─
The quietly swirling core enveloped her instead.
Her pristine white feathers whipped wildly skyward in the gale.
"Piii───!!!"
Storm-clad, she beat her wings with all her might.
Faster than ever, she charged as a living tempest.
Melee now?
Makes sense—ranged wasn't working. But terrible matchup.
I always say it: melee's my forte over magic.
Body Reinforcement SS
Tail Strike SA
I whipped my tail at the charging foe.
Hill-sized and whip-flexible, it sliced air with a vicious whoosh.
Despite its mass, Freya veered sharply aside.
Smooth redirection, no awkwardness despite the speed.
"Shaaah───!!!"
Left head lunged at her.
Aiming to rip those wings, as always—right head and others piled on.
Freya flapped furiously to evade snapping jaws matching her charge speed.
Slipping through head-gaps with fluid grace.
Her storm shredded my body relentlessly.
So that's why melee.
Movement alone inflicted damage—peak efficiency.
Regen and ruin cycled in seconds; blood sprayed into her winds.
The area flushed crimson for a moment.
"Pi───"
Thinking she'd hurt me bad?
Her movements grew sprightlier.
Accelerating further, I flicked my tongue.
Sorry to rain on her joy parade, but matchup's still awful.
Constrict SA
Playtime's over.
I contracted my sprawled body at once.
Net-like, from all sides—it caught Freya off-guard.
In a blink, my coils ensnared her.
"Pi─… Piii──!"
She thrashed wildly, but my tangled net held firm.
Her storm raged with every twist, piercing scales and flesh, blood spurting—but I ignored it.
Tighter still.
[Cheeky bitch! Enjoyed your freedom while it lasted?!]
Left head cackled, chomping a pristine wing.
A scream tore from Freya's beak, ear-shattering.
"───!!"
Like a signal, other heads sank teeth into her.
Fangs pierced feathers into tender flesh.
Crimson sprayed, staining white plumage red.
With teeth embedded, her struggles were futile.
Her final storm-explosion raged harmlessly.
I squeezed harder, jaws clenching fiercer.
"───!!!"
Another shrill cry, then her body went limp.
Not dead, but slack. I raised my head calmly.
Our eyes met—hers twisted in agony.
[...Kill me.]
Her voice trembled despite the flat tone. Left head snickered.
[Such attitude! We decide life or death. Not 'kill me'—beg 'please kill me'!]
Left head giggled, clamping harder.
Muffled cries burst intermittently.
Harsh to say, but left head seemed the perfect villain.
A third-rate small-fry one.
[Hilarious! If I'm the villain, so are you! And third-rate? Call me Demon King if villainy!]
I ignored her prickly voice, meeting Freya's gaze again.
Golden eyes warped in pain, yet unyielding will shone through.
Thought I'd pry Le Ganus intel, but she wouldn't talk.
Her mental fortitude resisted left head's Magic Eye.
Info extraction seemed hopeless.
[Mental strength doesn't matter! Bind her, torture till she spills! Learned plenty from Toda and Ichijo!]
Torture?
She nodded proudly at my glance.
[Yeah. I'm good at it!]
[......]
Definitely a villain.
Still, as a foe who'd fought full-tilt, I wanted to grant her a merciful end.
[Kyaak─! Nonsense?! Mercy in kill-or-be-killed?]
[You lack romance, lefty...]
[True. Cruel and barbaric!]
[How can you say that to a worthy foe...!]
[Kyaak─! You all wanna die?! This is for intel, not my fun...!]
[99.99% personal desire.]
[No!]
Kyaak—irritated cries filled my mind noisily.
Couldn't rein them in once they started.
After brief deliberation, I eyed Freya again.
Limp and spent, she gazed up steadily.
Her resilient eyes made left head bite harder.
"Pi───…!"
Her body shuddered in pain.
Yet eyes unbowed.
Torture wouldn't break her easily, as left head claimed.
Fine. Grant her a painless end.
I liked her guts, and she'd suffered enough.
More would disrespect a valiant fighter.
Better head back soon anyway.
Wanted to linger, but time had passed—check-in needed.
Rest, then plan next moves.
This ruckus would surely ping Le Ganus.
As I pondered, deciding her fate—zzztzzzt— instinct screamed.
[STOP───!!!]