As another wave of shadowy creatures approaches me, a really fast black blur passed by the creatures and stop them in their tracks. The blur was actually Zee who flew in front of them. Zee then targeted one of them and plucked their eyes out with its claw. The action was vicious and brutal because Memento's creature was not from the virtual world so it doesn't dematerialized itself. During the window of opportunity, I was able to load my next shot as I once again shot out a blast of cyclone imbued magic onto a single crossbow bolt.
The enemy scattered and I put my crossbow to my back. I jumped down from the tree and took out my sword and dagger on my right and left hand respectively. I began slashing and stabbing deep into the enemies flesh. I used a short burst of wind magic to push away any enemy that tries to attack from my blind spot. I took out my enemies one by one as I follow a fighting theory that I tried out myself during my training and that was focusing on a single enemy at a time and making sure to also be aware of my blind spot for any coordinated attacks.
Around the same time as well, the ongoing battle between Violet Empire and Nova Crystalist Republic continues on as Yumiko's men tries to seize the enemy's mortar. Her main objective for the time being was to stop the mortar from continuing firing on the battlefield as it was slowing down her troops. Shiro finally arrived to the battlefield during this time. He was late because he was busy handling some last minute trading between another kingdom. In any case, he finally enters the battlefield and helped sort out the mess that was going on.
Back to the matter at hand, I've just eliminated all of the enemies that Memento sent to me. I cleaned up the blood on my blades as my eyes remained focused at the Chaos Champion.
Memento slow clapped, "That was wonderful, White. You and your little friend moved in full synchronization as if you two were dancing. Would be a shame if I take out your dance partner here."
"You'd dare do that...?"
Just as I finished saying that, a loud thunk can be heard nearby. I turned to where it came from and witnessed my feathery friend lying helplessly on the ground.
"Zee!" I fumed in anger.
Memento mocked me, "Are you serious? That thing is not even your real pet. It's an AI and you have feelings for it? For crying out loud...you're such a baby, White."
"Not real...?" I told him, "Whatever its original form is...it interacted with me and ease me during my time of needs. It was my emotional support for staying put inside this world. It helped me ease the pain of missing out my loved ones...Zee...was my companion."
"You have compassion against a non living creature...That is not something the common many would say. As much as I was merely testing you...your love to your companion reminds a lot about me and my companions...the ones that you just slashed of course."
"You have too many to consider them important." I shouted.
He shrugged and nodded, "You're right. They are just mere minions and minions acts as fodder to buy time."
"You were buying time?" I wondered.
"Who knows? I might be lying and I might be telling the true. It's up to you to believe it or not."
"Then I'll just make this quick!" I rushed toward him after that.
I tried to slash Memento but he was able to grab my sword with his armored glove.
"Puny kid. You think I'd be unprepared?"
I tried to use my dagger and stab him but he grabbed my wrist before it was able to reach his abdomen. I wasn't strong enough against a bigger man like Memento. I'm much smaller when compared against most of my batchmate. This just takes the cake because this guy is much bigger and definitely older than any of us.
He then used his knee and hit my stomach. I quickly lost grasp of my dagger as it falls to the ground. I also lose my grasp on my sword as the sword's blade remained in Memento's hand. I writhe in pain as I covered my stomach. Memento belittled me further as he decided to break my sword in half and dropped it in front of me.
"There you go. All broken up just like your friend there." He continued to belittle me.
He then snaps his finger as another group of shadowy creatures appeared from his shadow.
"How disappointing. I'd figured you would at least be able to take on a Chaos Champion on your own by now. And yet you still relied on a companion."
He's not wrong. All this time, all of the Chaos Champions I've encountered. They were all defeated through the combination force of my companions. I wouldn't get across the brilliant Escher without Team Stardust. I would not have beaten the relentless Vatherion without my ally weakening him. I didn't even defeated the all-knowing Kitsuneki as it was fully credited to Yumiko. The ferocious Silverbite was only taken down with the combination of Fitz and I. And then there's the wicked Crescendo as he was completely annihilate by three legendary dragon inheritors. This time as well, a small little feathered friend was brought into the battle against this immovable enemy.
"Take him out." ordered Memento to his creatures.
Once again, I was slowly surrounded by enemies. I thought that this would be it as I was too selfish to decide to go on my own until a small little ornament on my neck reminded me. It wasn't resonating like before or anything but just by looking at it makes me remember back what I should be doing. I smiled to myself as I forcefully pushed away all of the surrounding enemy with a strong ferocious wind.
"I came here all on my own not because I was an idiot." I told him, "I came here because I know that I can definitely do this on my own!"
I grabbed my dagger and prepared myself for the oncoming onslaught as Memento continues to summon even more bigger threats for me.
TO BE CONTINUED