"You're dead."
Smirking, I watched my Umbral Tentacles dissipate to release a flustered Zeff.
"Yes, I can see that." He swept at his clothes before lifting his eyes. Then turned, slack-jawed after seeing the faces of my party staring back at him.
"To merge Spatial Magic with Darkness." He gasped, almost to himself. "Fascinating."
"This concludes the match." Doyle stepped in with a groan and a wave towards his peer. "Congratulations, Cooke Party. You are the winner."
While I couldn't help but grin, a confused cheer rose throughout the scattered crowd. Thankfully, Doyle was the one who stepped in to clear up the air.
"Let me explain." He bared his palms. "Or rather, I'll allow the other teams to explain what happened first."
Duke stepped forward almost immediately, waving his talons through the air like open hands. "We were attacked by members of Alpha Party. But upon realizing their target was nowhere to be found, they fled."
"Same!" Zakira chimed in. "A really bright guy tried to sneak in and then, like, ran away. Like a little bitch." She muttered under her breath.
"Well, Amun guided us to the swamp, where he set up some bait by having Peter stage a battle." Doyle beamed, mostly at Zeff. "Rhot and Snusz came to investigate. And Amun masterfully utilized the element of surprise to probe them into attacking. Those two went down as casualties in Amun's counterattack. And then…" Doyle squinted and shook his head as if his memory was sparse. "I don't know what happened. I was warped and there was an explosion."
"Then Zeke Smeal went down." Zeff surmised with a nod, then auspiciously turned his gaze just as Winston fell towards him.
"W- what?"
"After that," Doyle continued. "Everything was a blur. One moment, everyone's pinned to the ground. The next, we're here."
"Care to explain your actions for the rest of the party?" Zeff sidled towards me, throwing out hopeful nudges of his elbow all the while.
"No." I shrugged him off.
"Well." Doyle chuckled in response to Zeff's ensuing pout. "Due to your efforts. Each member of Cooke party is hereby awarded seven hundred fifty points. Five hundred for successfully defending and two-fifty for turning a defensive role into an offensive one.
"Amun?" He turned to me. "You're awarded an additional five hundred for defeating Rhot and Snusz, plus one hundred twenty-five for executing such an elaborate plan without any hiccups."
Trying my hardest to conceal my smirk, I lowered my head just a degree. "Thank you."
"Take lunch for now." Doyle stepped off with a wave. "After an hour, we'll wait another hour to give the defensive team some time to get into position. Cook Party will be the neutral team this round. What you decide to do is up to you."
Once they were out of earshot, I turned my attention to the others. "Alright." I clapped as a form of applause. "Good work, everyone! Before we take lunch, I'll tell you of my plans for the next round. Essentially, I want to capitalize on us being the neutral team and preserve our strength for the following round."
While pausing to gauge their reactions, I couldn't help but laugh at the dropped faces of Slate and Kao off to the side. Hopefully, they'd be reassured by what's to come.
"Due to the quick engagements of the last round and the fact that our defensive role is over. The party is still in top fighting shape. The same couldn't be said for the other parties. Alpha, who spent their time searching for me and Doyle. And Baker Party, who had a short skirmish with me. I want those facts to remain true into the last round. When we go on the offensive."
"And how will you do that?" Samson asked.
"After the last round, it's safe to assume that the attacking Baker Party will keep their VIP close to home." I motioned to a departing Zeff. "After warping him here, I'm able to track his location. So I plan to tail him in the hopes that both VIPs will be on the same battlefield."
"Killing two birds with one stone," Rhody mumbled into his hand as he rubbed his chin.
"Ugh! A horrible practice." Duke chirped.
"Yeah." I snorted. "The plan this round won't be to win. It's to cause chaos. So I'll be needing Urshure and Zakira to accompany me. In the meantime, we'll take lunch and build a concealed hideout for the rest of you to occupy while we're gone. Any questions?" I did a quick scan of the eager or placid faces. "Alright." I clapped again. "Dismissed."
"Oh!" I shouted. Bringing most of the scattering crowd back in seconds. "I forgot. If a storm appears out of nowhere- one that doesn't have my mana signature, scream my name into the darkness. That's all. Dismissed."
***
"Alright, here's the plan. Even if Zeff isn't with the rest of the attacking team, I have a few other party members tagged as well. When we arrive on sight, stay hidden until they start fighting. If they're already fighting upon our arrival, wait until I give the signal. When I do, we'll contain everyone in a ring of fire." I gestured to Urshure. "After that, it'll get dark. That's when I want you to jump in." I motioned to Zakira. Behind you will be the Menagerie, and-"
"The what?" Zakira flippantly asked.
"My summons." I sighed. "Anyway, I'll spawn everyone's Doppelgangers after that. Then we'll spread as much chaos as possible. Sound good?"
"It is acceptable." Urshure regally nodded.
Meanwhile.
"Sounds Fun!" Zakira beamed. "It's been a while since I had good blood!"
"Yeah I b-"
Cutting me off was a pulse of mana that spread from the southwest. Followed by another, and another shockwave of potent mana. Some familiar, some foreign.
The others- feeling it themselves, wheeled around at once to stare in the general direction with wide eyes. But I only I could see it. The expanding domes and firework displays of mana. In every color of the rainbow, they flashed. Electric blue, infernal red, solar yellow, and all the unnatural colors as well.
Closing my eyes, I turned my focus towards it and opened up my map to see the cluster of small caricatures whizzing across the 3D board. As I presumed, both VIPs were present on the battlefield. But both were at the center of whatever powerful sources of mana I was feeling.
Not worth the time to pursue. Not without completely breaking the game at least. But that would come later. So I wheeled back around to grasp my companions by the shoulder and Bamfed to the location.
We arrived at an unremarkable location. A field of tall grasses and a few trees were found at the edge of the map. Prime real estate for a battlefield such as this. A region of irregular shape, with a hundred fifty meter radii, give or take. Like many battlefields, the combat extended far above and, on occasion, deep below.
Within that realm was every powerhouse found in our class of students. Save Peter and Winston, perhaps. Arranged like the contenders in a football game, each party sought to do as much damage to the other team as possible as they made their way to the VIP.
For Alpha Party, their 'goalie' was Roheisa and a red-skinned, amber-haired individual. Both standing on either side of Olga with close eyes on the battlefield. The rest of them were scattered out in a cone before them. Save Toril and Lucia dominating the sky, and a few other notable individuals holding the front line.
Baker Party was much the same, with Silva, Jaimess, and the half-orcs surrounding Doyle while Lance, the angry dwarf, and a few Amazonians tried their best to keep the other powerhouses at bay.
And then there was us. A winged dragonborne, a royal vampire, and an elven-devil.
Being encased in shadows at the edge of such an intense battlefield, our presences were unknown to our playmates. But that would only last for a few seconds once we made our appearance.
"Alright." I turned to Urshure. "We won't have much time. So, fly as fast as possible and maintain the burn. I'll meet you in the middle."
Sneering, we waved himself away to perch atop a nearby branch. Then turned an expectant gaze back to me.
"Go!" I softly shouted.
In a soft boom of air, the two of us flew off in different directions. Not soon after, did I hear a roaring stream of white flames erupt from my left. Following it, came an intense heat that distantly bit at my exposed hand as I reached it out, pinky and forefinger extended like a rockstar to spit out a powerful torch of blue-white fire.
Through my peripherals, I saw Urshure keeping up with my pace. Following alongside me over three hundred meters away while a line of forage ignited into a burning plume beneath him.
They swelled, reaching out to touch any nearby brush or tree and engulf it too in flames that first rose. And then fell to die down in a smoldering ember.
Like a chain, the fires we were pouring out died down. Cascading back to their sources- to us.
Sneering, I averted my gaze to the center of the battlefield; or rather, just above it. To where misty pink mana swirled around a clenched fist of leathers and brass.
Wasting no time, I increased the flow of air into my torch and flicked some shadow mana into it with my free hand. Then watched with glee as the Flames of Moil spread through the embers, reigniting the ring in violet flames.
Before any of them could react, I threw more mana into the billowing clouds of darkness. Then thrusted my hands behind me to unfurl a carpet of darkness behind me.
Without waiting for any orders, Zakira leapt. And behind her came an abyssal rat, followed by an ink-black rabbit. Then a fox, two wolves, a snake, and every other member of the Menagerie.
"Alright." I grinned to myself and kicked off my perch.
Accelerating under the influence of an Artificial Well brought me through the violet flames at breakneck speed. But even then, I felt an object cutting through the ambient mana on an intercept course.
Reaching my hand out, I managed to capture an arrow in my domain just before it made contact and dragged it into an orbit. Under the relentless force of gravity, the wood composing the arrow began to creak as it wheeled around and ejected from the planetary system that was me.
Whizzing through the air, it opened a hole through the oppressive smoke. Revealing for just an instant, an elf scrambling out of the way of his own arrow.
'Hmph.' I smirked, then amassed shadow mana into my throat and shouted. "Doppelgangers, rise!"
Before the darkness could even begin to amass beneath him, the elf rolled to his feet and drew another arrow. Reflexively, I raised my hand in preparation to counter but in one swift motion, he swept his bow around and released an arrow behind a pulse of mana.
With an almost artistic grace, it sliced through the air to embed itself in Urshure's wing. Causing the hulking draconian figure to tumble out of control and plummet helplessly to the ground.
But upon landing, his rage could be felt by all.
Deciding to enter the fray, I spawned my doppelganger and made an underhanded throw in his direction.
As if I'd bowled the pieces onto his body, the plates of my Abyssal armor fell onto his flesh to seamlessly click into place one after another until the form of a small, armored devil was complete.
"Here." I threw him my daggers. "You play with the demon. Or the elf." I shrugged.
Somewhat confused, my clone turned towards the end of my gaze and immediately rocked back. "Ah. The Storm Thief."
"Yeah."
Already knowing the outcome, I lunged forward in the air to race towards Toril and flipped Susanoo's switch.
Upon feeling the surge of energy, nearly everyone froze in place to turn in my direction. Auspiciously increasing those to witness Toril swing his arm around with no hesitation.
Extended from his grip was his weapon, an intricate hand axe with a curiously long handle. Inlaid with gold atop a gray metal that carried arcs of crackling electricity over it at an ever-increasing pace until a strong pulse was emitted. And like a magnet, I felt Susanoo strip itself in my body.
In a powerful crash of electricity, the Storm Thief absorbed the entirety of Susanoo and lunged. His enraged axe held high overhead, ready to make contact with my Shadowsteel Reaper arcing right towards him.
In another flash of black and blue lightning, our blades collided. Sending back-breaking shock waves of electrons and mana scattering in every direction.
Between it all was me and Toril. Grinning to ourselves during our attempts at overpowering the other. An easy effort for Toril against this eleven body of mine.
Even then, however, Toril decided against wasting any more energy and pulled mana from his Well. In that instant, I saw a line of burning bubbles spread between us.
And then came Toril's laugh.
Letting out a laugh of my own, I pulled a fraction of arcana from my well and sent it through my own burning core to be released indiscriminately.
Being immune to explosions, heat, and light, Toril and I were flung in opposite directions- him towards the ground, to crash into a few trees before he infused his body with Gas Magic while I rocketed into the sky.
As I rose, a clear picture of the chaos we'd created started to form. Zakira and Urshure were at the center of the burning eye. Having fun and rampaging against the small fries, only being held back by Roheisa, her companion, or Silva whenever they got too close to the VIPs.
It was beautiful. But the picture wasn't complete yet.
Raising my spear overhead, I withdrew half of my Well and split it in two. From my Spiritual Body, Black Lightning poured into the Shadow. Encasing it in a shroud of abyssal arcs that; over time, began to cause the blade to glow in a violet hue.
As I began to descend, I gripped the spear in both hands to start spinning it overhead.
Like a storm-fueled helicopter, I fell- plummeted to the ground at an ever-increasing pace until I was a few dozen meters above the ground. Where I wheeled the Reaper around to cock it back and launched it towards the ground.
"Let's see you steal this!"
After bypassing Toril like a relativistic kill missile, the Shadowsteel Reaper cratered into the ground and detonated in a black flash. In its wake came a web of umbral arcs of electricity that spread in all directions to fry the weaker ones into their cocoons and cause the not-so-weaker ones to lose themselves in fear.
The strong ones, however, simultaneously turned their attention to me. Though the lesser of them still faltered after feeling my gravity mana pouring into the Reaper as I spun it overhead.
Once the others passed them. Their courage seemed to return. They lashed out alongside their comrades. Weapons held at the ready. Spells right at the precipice of being cast.
But not before I slammed the Reaper's hilt into the ground to spread a Moon Quake.
As planned, the sudden shock wave that passed beneath them served to lift many students airborne.
But before I could even move, I felt a stinging pain erupt below my shoulder blade just before a demonic voice hissed in my ear. "That hurt."
With another hiss, the searing pain withdrew. Leaving the cold, stinging feeling of open-air on flesh lingering on my back.
Turning, I saw the fiend, Zarzok, drawing a clawed hand up to his face to give it a couple of loud sniffs.
"Devil." He grimaced.
Grimacing back, I wrapped the Dial around my wrist and flicked it to the left. Then lunged with death mana spread to all my limbs.
At the last moment, I conjured an Artificial Well in front of my fist and launched it right into his pointed nose. In my dilated world, I felt the satisfactory sensation of crushed cartilage wrenching beneath my fist as Zarzok's head reeled back. In return, a potent stream of life energy came rushing back into me, supercharging the healing process on my wound by leaps and bounds.
But I wasn't finished.
I reached forward with the same arm to grab Zarzok by the back of the head and pulled- breaking the dam on another stream of Usurped Life that was soon joined by another once his face was pulled into my knee under the force of gravity.
As he reeled back again, sneering, I released my hold on his head in favor of raising my left arm and letting it fall onto his neck like a hammer.
As before, Zarzok's body folded under the force of his punch, yet his sneer continued. His hateful stare persisted. Worse, it intensified once the muscles in my arms began to bulge. My bones began to crack all over. My skin began to stretch. And then I felt it.
Real power.
In one swift motion, I stood upright and skipped forward to punt Zarzok in the chin. And this time, I felt the distinct cracking of bone that out-competed my own.
From the force of my kick, my foot was only a little damaged. Zarzok, however, had been lifted off the ground to eye-level. Where he remained suspended in his apex before began to not-so-gentle fall down. With a fat bruise on his chin hilariously resembling a goatee, he scowled at me with wide, burning eyes.
But he could say nothing. He could only attempt to perceive me infusing more mana into my two martial spells than ever before until I stomped forward with an open palm.
Upon impact, my palm depressed into his sternum like memory foam filled with Legos. His bones- crumpled and powdered, dug into my skin like rocks trapped in the grate of a waterway. They dug into my skin without relenting as if they were pressured into the act by the intoxicating strength pouring into me. All while completely disregarding the gravitational energy flowing out.
As it did, Zarzok began to reel back further and further. And once I released the dial, he all but disappeared. Leaving nothing but a stream of curses in his wake.
As I watched him go, smiling, a sudden realization came over me.
I spun around at once. Just in time to see a bright light flash into my eyes. Reflexively, I whipped my arm to the left to bring time down to a near-halt.
And then I saw it again- or rather, him.
Lance. Hardly moving in mid-strike. His eyes focused on where I'd been, even while I calmly stepped around him.
'Interesting.'
Grinning wide, I spun around and jumped and deliver a powerful, gravitationally assisted kick to his lower back. Then resumed time to watch him go rocketing through the air like Zarzok.
Within only five seconds, they'd fallen no less than 1.8 kilometers away from the battlefield. In that time, however, the wave of students who had been fighting was coming down on me.
Meters ahead of them all was a slender boy with undeniably Asian features approaching with nothing but his fists and feet. Yet, the veil of mana surrounding him was almost as thick as mine. More so, he was simultaneously using Bolstering and Projection in tandem with keeping a stream of mana cycling through his body.
In other words.
'Another monk, eh?'
Grinning wide, I weaved forward to hit him with a roundhouse. Sending him cartwheeling into a group of small fry while I infused my body with void magic.
Within seconds, the void ate away at the ground beneath me and I fell. Under gravity alone, I dove deep below the surface until my entry point was but a small pinpoint of twilight.
As if I were swimming, I swept my arms outward to spread a vast domain through the ground. And after pulling my arms back in, I began to raise them.
The ground responded with resonating cracks that threatened to pierce through my body. As the seconds passed, the reverberations grew louder. Stones began to fall from above and, eventually, the space around and below me began to expand.
As the cave grew, my body ascended. First past the layers upon layers of bedrock. Then past compacted dirt mangled with roots until, eventually, the twilight began to show through the floating balls of mud.
When my body returned to the surface, the mass of rock and earth above me had risen to over a hundred meters above the ground. Like a chunk of the moon had fallen to the ground, the chunk occluded everything beneath it in an oppressive shadow. Those not caught up in it could only crane their necks upward and prepare for the best while those trapped in its pull could only orbit around it helplessly.
Repeating my actions from earlier, I lowered my arms and then spread them apart. And as before, the chunk above responded with an earthly groan before it split into two. And then into four. And then eight. And so on and so forth until a cloud of debris and stone chunks remained suspended above the battlefield.
But they broke apart still. And as they did, I turned my focus to my companions and drew them in with an Artificial Well. One by one, they came hurtling through the air towards me. First my doppelganger, then the Menagerie, followed by Zakira, lastly Urshure.
With us all gathered, I turned my attention to the other party members and infused my voice with mana before I Bamfed us out of there.
"May the strong survive."