“ROAR, Avian Tempest!”

  Faen’s wings expao their full glory. With a powerful fp of his wings, he created a colossal vortex of wind ahers, f a monstrous, bird-shaped figure in the sky.

  The gigantic bird’s beak opened, releasing a deafening screech that echoed through the arena. It then unleashed a devastating downpour of pierg razor feathers.

  The feathers swirled and swarmed like a furious tempest, surrounding and advang upon Roselle. Each feather was imbued with Faen’s magical energy, capable of cutting through nearly anything in its path.

  Roselle’s yellow aura of lightning circled her body. Roselle raised her on and began firing back. Her shots tore through the approag feathers. The bination of her firepower and the electrifying bursts of energy effectively made a path for her withiempest.

  Roselle leaped and dashed between the swirlihers, zigzagging to avoid most of them. She theurned fire with precise shots aimed at Faen’s position high in the sky.

  Roselle’s shots made it up to the location, but they sistently missed their. Despite her, Roselle couldn’t seem to nd a hit on her agile and airborne oppo. Frustration welled up within her.

  ‘Why ’t I reach him,’ Roselle muttered to herself.

  Roselle’s mind raced as she sidered her options, her eyes never leaving Faen’s in the sky. She spoke to herself, ‘I o find a way to ground him. I ’t let him keep trolling the battle from up there. I have to think of something fast.’

  Roselle tio fire shots into the sky, but they all missed the mark, not ing close to Faen. She muttered, ‘It’s no use. I ’t think of anything. If I transform now, it won’t ge the situation, and I’ll just waste my transformation time limit!’

  In that moment of despair, a critical memory surged to the forefront of her mind. It was her battle with Roy, a Guardian of Jay. In that intense frontation, her on had shown unusual signs, funing at 200% capacity instead of the level she was using now. Roselle remembered the sensation of power and panionship with her on during that fight.

  She recalled how the on had allowed her to fire shots at maximum power without draining her energy excessively, and it had turhe tide of the battle in her favor. With this came a spark of an idea. She whispered to herself, ‘I hat pain. I o trust in my on like I did that day.’

  Roselle closed her eyes for a brief moment and whispered, ‘o’s do this together. I need you now more than ever.’

  With renewed resolve, she raised her on once more, this time with a sense of trust and unity with the on. “Show me your power, my friend!” Roselle excimed.

  Roselle squeezed the trigger, but nothing happened. Before she could react to this, the vortex of razor-sharp feathers desded upon her, relentless and unfiving. Roselle raised her arms in a futile attempt to shield herself, but the storm battered her, driving her back.

  She was sent tumbling across the arena floor. The world spun saround her until she nded hard, a distance away from her on. Pain shot through her body. Each breath she took afterwards was ragged. Her ears rang with the screeg of the monstrous bird figure in the sky.

  Grittieeth, Roselle fought to move. Her on y just out of. She began to crawl, ing toward it with every ounce of strength she could muster.

  “e on, Roselle,” she muttered through ched teeth. “You ’t give up now.”

  Roselle finally reached her on. Risebelle shouted encement from the stands, “Roselle! Don’t let him win like this!”

  Roselle steadied herself. She thought back to the versations she’d had about her on and its significe. Then, she remembered the day Rawna had destroyed her on. It had been more than just a tool for battle; it had been a part of her. Even though she could still fight without it, something had felt missing, inplete.

  She whispered to herself, “I know what I have to do now. It’s not enough to just believe in myself and this on. I o give it meaning, a purpose. It’s always been more than just a on to me. It’s my panion, my partner in every battle.”

  Roselle’s gaze was resolute as she tinued, “From this day on, you’re more than just a on. You’re my panion. That’s what I’ll call you.”

  The act of naming it filled her with a sense of unity and strength. Her resolve solidified, and she felt a newfound e to her on.

  “panion,” she said aloud while raising it into the air. “Let’s show Faen what were made of!”

  And then, in the midst of this intetle, a new message appeared within her system interface, a message she had never seen before:

  [System Message]

  Ability Unlocked: agic Level 1

  Roselle’s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly shook it off and got focused. Roselle called out, “agic, Level 1!”

  Roselle’s massive on underwent a transformation. The once bulky on took on a sleek and advanced appearas exterior was now a deep crimson adorned with golden patterns that glowed with energy.

  The on’s shots were infused with a blend of Roselle’s own energy and the on’s power. Each shot was a dispy of destructive force. With a focused thought, Roselle also activated the on’s alternate mode, which added a gleaming golden nce-like attat to the on. She aimed the on downward and unleashed a red energy beam, propelling herself into the air with incredible speed and precision.

  Faen, in the midst of his aerial maneuvers, watched in astonishment. Roselle closed the gap between them and was reag him fast. He muttered in disbelief, “What is this? How is she doing that?”

  Roselle asded rapidly and directed the energy beam that was helping her gain altitude towards him. He was too stuo evade it. A pained scream escaped from Faen.

  Then, with a victorious smirk on her face, Roselle released the nce-like attat in cle. The result was an explosion engulfed Faen. Faen was sent reeling through the air spiraling downward.

  Faen’s eyes glowed a fierce green. While he iraling downward from Roselle’s explosive attack, he began to t, “Vengeance Bird!”

  From Faen’s body emerged a spectral bird of vengeah a burning green color. It had an ominous fire surrounding it’s body. The bird fpped its wings and charged straight at Roselle, who was still in mid-air.

  Roselle was caught off guard by this sudden attaing out of nowhere from her view. The creature collided with her, enveloping her in a storm of green energy and sharp talons.

  Roselle was thrown backward from the impact. Her on tumbled away from her grip. The Roselle crashed heavily to the ground with loud thud.

  Faen, equally battered by the previous explosion, spiraled untrolbly before smming into the ground nearby.

  Both Roselle and Faen were out cold and the arena was momentarily hushed. The announcer broke the silence. “Well, ain’t that a wild finish, folks! Looks like these two ain’t holding bay punches, eve es to crash-ndings! But don’t you worry, we’ve got more sturdy barriers this time round. Let’s see if these two get ba their feet, or if this match is a !”

  The 60-sed tdown began. Risebelle turo Kintovar with a puzzled look and inquired, “What was that, Kintovar? Roselle’s on transformed! How is that even possible? My on ’t do that.”

  Kintarded Risebelle with a thoughtful look. “It’s something new, Risebelle, and even I didn’t anticipate this. It seems Roselle unlocked a unique ability reted to her on. It’s akin to those we’ve entered who wield Sword Magic, allowing them to increase their power up to three levels. Roselle has just unlocked the first level from what iv’e mao pick up.”

  Juliana looked over to Kintovar. “You should have seen this ing. We discussed this not long ago, remember? You mentiohat Roselle’s on had been ag strangely for a while, and it had formed a unique bond with her, just like those who possess Sword Magic. I always like to expect the ued, Kintovar, so I’m alrepared.”

  Kintovar chuckled at Juliana’s ent. “You’re right, Juliana. Your philosophy is something I still may g behind slightly on, though being prepared for unforeseen developments is essential these days. Roselle’s newfound ability might just be what we o push the boundaries of teology and magic…”

  The tdown reached its final ten seds. All eyes were fixed oill bodies of Roselle and Faen. The announcer boomed through the stadium, and the crowd joined in.

  “Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five...!”

  Roselle and Faen finally stirred. Their battered bodies slowly rose from the ground in unison, much to the astonishment of the crowd. The announcer excimed, “And look at that, yall! Both petitors have made it back to their feet!”

  [System Message]

  Lifeforce: 25%

  “You’re tougher than you look, Roselle,” Faen said with a weak smile f on his face. “I never expected you to pull out a trick like that. You’ve got some real fight in you, and that’s something I respect.”

  Roselle, though out of breath .managed a faint but genuine smile. She looked up at Faen and replied, “Thank you, Faen. I... I want to get stroo protect those I care about.”

  Faen nodded. “That’s a noble goal, Roselle. But remember, itlefield, no fight is truly over until it’s over. Don’t let yuard down.”

  Faen fpped his wings and surged forward with a burst of speed. His approach was swift, aiming to close the distaween him and Roselle. “You’re sweet, but you o dish out your sour more ferociously!”

  Before Roselle could fully process his words, Faen on her, using his wings to propel a series of rapid melee attacks. He nded a few precise hits. Each hit drove Roselle’s lifeforce pertage down slightly more. Despite her best efforts to defend herself, the iy of his strikes kept her on the back foot.

  [System Message]

  Lifeforce: 15%

  With a swift kick, Fae Roselle stumbling backward. Her feet skid across the arena floor. He took to the skies again, h high above her. “This is it, Roselle! The final dive!” His aura fred a vibrant green

  Roselle watched Faen’s dest. The crowd in the Grand Arena watched in suspehe announcer shouted, “Faen isn’t holding back! He’s going for the win!”

  Roselle knew she had to make her move. Roselle’s body began to vibrate with a yellow- colored energy, which shifted to red.

  “Project Mage!”

  A purple light enveloped Roselle, casting a radiant glow throughout the arena. Roselle’s hair, once flowing yellow now took on a regal shade of purple, crag with purple lightning. She now wore a small purple jacket that partially covered her chest. Her skirt was also a deep purple.

  Earrings in the shape of purple lightning bolts dangled from her ears. The massive on she had been wielding transformed into a medium-sized version with purple lightning energy pulsating from its core. She also had a unique bd purple hat that adorned her head. Roselle’s eyes took on a purple hue. Her body grew, transitioning from its childlike appearao that of a teenagers.

  Roselle gave a look of fidend decred, “Yeah, This is it, for you!”

  Roselle unched into the air. With a swift, graceful motion, she summoned her Toxic Bde to her hands. Faen, uerred by her transformation, charged down with all his power.

  Roselle met Faen’s attack head-on. With a swift cut, Roselle sliced through the air. In an instant, she appeared on the opposite side of Faeoxic Bde left a faint trail of purple lightning behind her.

  Faen hovered momentarily with a look of surprise and admiration in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak. “You’re… strong Roselle.”

  Before he could utter another word, a gash appeared across his chest. With all his energy gone, Faen dropped out of the sky, spiraling down towards the arena floor.