Ria groaned as she stretched, the flames around her shimmering in a gold red light.
"So, you're the one that guy chose, huh?"
The woman tilted her head as she observed Raki, her eyes filled with a hint of disdain.
"Though I wonder...why he chose a weakling such as yourself."
Lucia glared at the woman as she spoke, opening her mouth.
Raki sighed, putting a hand in front of Lucia.
"It's fine. Everything she's saying is true."
"But-"
"Heh, so you do have some self awareness!"
Ria cut off Lucia, a golden lion made of flames roaring to life behind her.
"Now then, time to train!"
The lion let out a loud howl as the group gulped, its golden eyes focusing on Raki, causing him to take a step back.
Kuro swung his hand forwards, a blade of shadow splitting the lion apart.
"Raki, get back."
The shadow melted under the flames as the lion swung its palm forwards, a column of fire erupting underneath the group's feet.
Ria raised an eyebrow, her eyes containing a hint of curiosity as the smoke dissipated.
"Not bad, kid."
A ball of ice slowly dissipated into the air, revealing the unharmed group.
Kuro smirked, a pitch black smoke wafting off of him as black veins spread across his body.
"Kuro, don't!"
"Lucia...I have to get stronger. and mastering this technique is the only thing holding me back."
The smoke intensified as the lion stepped forwards, tendrils of shadow clashing with tongues of flame as Kuro stepped forwards.
Ria sighed as she watched the fight, leaning against a tree as she smirked.
"So it's his grandson, huh. No wonder..."
Kuro's body slowly became covered in darkness as he stepped forwards, the pitch black shadows slowly eating into the golden lion's flames.
"But...don't you think you're underestimating your opponent a bit too much~?"
As Ria spoke, she snapped her fingers, the flames turning an azure blue as the lion roared.
The flames quickly melted the shadows as a flash of light blinded the party, causing Kuro to grit his teeth as he clenched his fists.
As Kuro's veins grew darker, the shadows reformed around him, a misty darkness enveloping the flames as they flickered out, smothered by the darkness.
"Not bad...time to ramp it up~!"
Ria smirked, snapping her fingers as several flames burst to life around the party.
As the flames slowly dissipated, several humanoid figures took their place.
Kuro's veins grew darker, the shadows lashing out at the human shaped flames, hissing as the dark whips recoiled from their bright aura.
The flames glowed a bright golden hue as their auras merged into one, slicing apart the darkness around them as they slowly approached Kuro.
"This level of control...no way..."
Raki and the others watched in shock as the flame spirits formed an army, leveling their weapons at Kuro.
Kuro gritted his teeth as the veins on his body bulged, cracks spreading across his skin like a spider web, inky drops of darkness dripping to the ground as blotches of shadow painted Kuro's skin a melancholy gray.
"That's enough."
Ria waved her hand, the fire spirits dissipating as she eyed Kuro.
"You should know your limits better, boy."
Kuro gritted his teeth as Ria eyed him disapprovingly, his eyes filled with frustration as she directed her attention towards his companions. He balled up his fists as he glared at the ground, a feeling of helplessness creeping up on him.
Ria smirked, her eyes turning back to the group.
"Anyone else wanna give a try~?"
"Me."
Raki stepped forwards, his eyes showing a hint of anticipation as he looked at Ria.
"You-"
"Calm down Lucia. He'll be fine."
As the blazing lion roared back to life, Raki stepped forwards, snow covering the ground in a blanket of shimmering white as the symbol on his hand flashed.
The lion roared, a flaming shockwave accompanying the noise as it appeared in front of the boy, its palm swinging downwards.
"Seal."
The lion roared in confusion as its palm slammed into the ground, turning to look at the boy.
Several chunks of ice floated into the air, forming a cage around the lion before it could react.
The lion roared desperately as it struggled, the freezing cold slowly extinguishing the lion's body as frost caged in the raging flames.
Raki watched the process silently, his eyes widening as the last spark erupted, blasting the cage apart. Chunks of ice slammed into the area around them, forming craters as a spray of soil filled the boy's vision.
The flames soared into the sky, forming into a phoenix as Raki took a step back, shielding himself in a thin layer of ice. The phoenix shimmered as it flapped its wings, a wave of fire sweeping across the ground as it raced towards the boy.
As the flames dissipated, the phoenix screeched as it dived down towards the boy, only to be repulsed by a massive wave of energy as the symbol on his hand flashed.
Part of the phoenix's flames had frozen solid as the glowing mark on his hand pulsed, emitting a low wave of energy as the frost crept up the phoenix's body.
Several runes appeared around Raki's body, wrapping him in a cocoon of blueish white as the glow intensified, causing Ria to smirk as she flicked her wrist, the bird of fire dissipating in a shower of sparks.
"So you aren't that weak after all."
The red haired woman flashed him a carefree smile as wings of flame roared to life behind her as she leaped up into the air, giving the group a wink as she floated up into the air.
"Well, I'll be off now. It's time I announce my return to my territory."
With those parting words, the woman smirked, leaving a trail of flames behind her as she disappeared over the horizon.
Raki clenched his fist as he watched the woman fly away, his eyes filled with desire as an ice cold wind swirled around him.
"I need to get stronger...for her."
A cold wind blew around him as his eyes filled with determination, filling his surroundings with a cold sheet of snow.