I think I still remember the time when I had the thought of splitting up Team Stardust. It was actually way back during the event of Magic Duel back in high school. Way early before the entire chaotic mess comes into play. I was training at the school field with the rest of my teammate. There was Blax, Rulend, Rider, Lore, Hosuke, Zone, Airi, Haz, and Zone. Each and everyone of us were hard at work training each other in preparation for The Magic Duel.
It didn't took too long until I blurted out to everyone saying this whole thing is tiring and it is wasting my valuable time. That actually made some of them pissed. But they managed to console me by the end of the day. I honestly glad that those guys were there to give me a pep talk. I should also note that my now former best friend, Sonozaki Wakana was watching us from the roof. Sonozaki told my teammates to continue training while he have a face to face with me.
"You seem tired, White. The Magic Duel hasn't started yet." He told me.
I replied, "That's just the thing, Sonozaki. I've come to a realization that this kind of activity won't work for me. I mean, I barely even know how to use my new unique ability."
At this time, it was probably around 1 or 2 weeks since I ate that Infinitum Crystal. So, I was still an infant in using magic.
"But that's your unique ability." He consoled me, "You don't master your unique ability the moment you receive it. How about your elemental magic?"
"I know the particulars but I haven't tried it out yet."
"How about now? Can you try create a fire?" he asked.
"Let's see..." I tried but nothing worked.
"Hold on, you have cyclone in your name. Maybe try a breeze?" Sonozaki looked around and pointed at something, "How about you blow that leaf there?"
"Okay..." I was not sure of it at all.
But before I was able to try out any sort of wind elemental magic, Sonozaki also reminded me,
"Listen up, White. Keep yourself calm and you will be able to get out of that block."
"Block?"
Sonozaki scratches his head and said, "Well...think of it as something imaginary that is preventing you from activating your magic. If you keep yourself calm, you may be able to open up a crack in between the darkness of that block. And then, light shall come."
"Light, huh." I laughed as I remembered that Sonozaki's unique ability was manipulating light.
Then I did what Sonozaki told me to do. I kept myself calm and focused on what I need to do and in that moment, the leaf that Sonozaki pointed earlier was in my hand.
"What happened?" I said.
"You did it. You cleared the blockade. You can use magic for real now!"
"Wow..."
That was definitely the time where I was finally able to witness true magic besides my time pausing ability that happened several days before. And just remembering that moment was what helped me in a brand new problem I was facing.
-
In just a few seconds of darkness, I broke free out of this unknown spell that was apparently used by the Chaos Champion, Mementos. All of the 'paintings' suddenly disintegrated as I broke free from his magic.
"Your trick won't work against me, Memento. Show yourself!" I shouted.
In just a few seconds later, the shed that I was standing on dematerialize itself as it was all a mere illusion all that time. Then, there he was right in front of me. Wearing the oh-so obvious chaotic purple clad robe. Just as Yumiko told me, he has an eyepatch. The eyepatch however was a living eye just like any other eye ornaments that all of the past Chaos Champions that I had encountered. This was Chaos Champion Memento.
"So glad to finally meet you, Cyclone White."
"It seems I'm starting to notice a pattern here. All of you guys know my name somehow. Did someone sent you guys to target me?"
"Target you? What are you talking about, White? We're not just targeting you alone in case if you haven't noticed yet."
"Then what?"
Memento then told me, "We're targeting all of the seven legendary dragon inheritors."
The Seven Legendary Dragon Inheritors...I assume that was what we crystal eaters were supposed to be called officially. But Memento also mentioned that there was seven of us. So there was still a few that I haven't come across yet besides Hosuke, Zenith and Lala. I wonder who was the other remaining three.
"All seven of them...But why?" I asked.
"You'd think I answer that. Would you even know that whatever I told you could just be a lie?"
I got angry, "Did you lie just now?"
"I don't know. That's up to you if you want to believe what I said. And besides...this whole virtual world...is one of the biggest lies I've ever witness so far. I'm glad to be apart of this operation, really."
"Operation, huh. Tell me, is there someone else operating The Virtual Dive right now?"
"Yes but where's the fun if I gave you the answer." He devilishly smiled as he raised his arm and began to summon dark shadowy creature that appeared from his shadow.
I quickly pushed them all to the trees with a strong windy breeze. Just as I was still regrouping from that attack, another wave of enemy approaches from the rear. I quickly paused time and 'blinked' myself out of range. I quickly got out my crossbow and loaded a special arrow. Time resumes and I pulled the crossbow trigger. The arrow quickly struck to the ground and all nearby enemy was pushed away to the trees, destroying them at the same time.
"My, my, what kind of arsenal do you have this time, Cyclone White?" Memento proudly asked me.
"That just now was a Cyclone Arrow. It releases wind magic as strong as a real cyclone."
Memento smirks, "A real cyclone, huh."
He raised his arm once again as he sends another wave of creatures toward me as I began reloading the next round of Cyclone Arrows...
TO BE CONTINUED