When they heard that laughter, they turned in its direction. They saw a man in a black suit holding a long sword in his left hand. His face, reminiscent of a villain from a K-drama, was beautiful but scary.
"Flora, you finally escaped from that formation I set up. Looks like you got help from a friend of yours," he said with a sinister smile.
Flora was furious, not at the man in front of her but at the one controlling him. The man before her was her own brother, once free-spirited, now controlled by someone she despised.
"You coward! You can't defeat me face to face, so you're using my brother as a shield. Controlling him—how low can you go?" she said in a furious tone.
"Oi, oi, oi. What are you calling me a coward for? I have a beautiful name, Levi. Why are you calling me like that, darling?" he replied with a teasing voice.
"Darling? My foot! You betrayed me and are controlling my family members!" Flora retorted, summoning her sword and charging at him. When their swords collided, a shockwave erupted, destroying the nearby asteroid.
Levi laughed, "Oh, so you haven't improved at all. Your attacks are the same as before, textbook moves."
Flora smiled, "You are so predictable. Your taunts won't work on me anymore. You're just daydreaming."
"I see you did change. Looks like you learned from your past mistakes, so have I," he said, raising his left hand. A space rift formed, and soldiers in black armor emerged from it.
Flora looked at him with disgust. "So, you've joined hands with the outside gods. It looks like they sent some of their minions to aid you."
"My dear Flora, I joined hands with the outside gods because I knew I was weak compared to the other factions in this world. Power is everything," Levi said, signaling his soldiers to attack.
They charged at her with incredible speed. She struggled to avoid their attacks, and the wounds on her body grew. As the fight continued, her fury grew, and her body began to change. Her skin glowed red, and her wounds healed instantly. Her hair grew longer and changed to a shining blue. Her strength increased tenfold. She charged at her attackers, killing them like chopping vegetables.
As she stood among the fallen, panting but victorious, Levi's expression shifted from confidence to rage.
"You've become stronger, Flora," he said through gritted teeth. "But strength alone won't save you."
Leon, who had been watching intently, decided it was time to intervene. "Ceil, any suggestions on how to handle this?" he whispered.
Ceil responded, "Levi's strength comes from the outside gods. We need to sever his connection to them."
Leon nodded and stepped forward. "Flora, hold on. I have an idea," he said, positioning himself between Flora and Levi.
Levi sneered, "And who might you be, stepping into a fight between gods?"
Leon smirked, "Just someone who's tired of your arrogance." He raised his hand, and a barrier of shimmering energy surrounded Levi.
Levi laughed. "Do you think a mere barrier can hold me?"
But Leon wasn't finished. Channeling his primordial energy, he infused the barrier with a sealing spell Ceil had taught him. The barrier pulsed with a golden light, and Levi's connection to the outside gods began to weaken.
"What is this?" Levi shouted, trying to break free.
Leon maintained his focus, ignoring Levi's struggle. "Flora, finish this. Sever his connection while he's weakened."
Flora nodded, her eyes glowing with determination. She summoned her sword again, now imbued with her newfound power, and slashed at the air around Levi. Invisible threads, once binding Levi to the outside gods, snapped and disintegrated.
Levi screamed in agony as the power drained from his body. His once intimidating presence faded, leaving him vulnerable and weak.
Flora approached him, her sword pointed at his chest. "You've lost, Levi. You can no longer harm me or anyone else."
Levi, gasping for breath, looked up at her with a mixture of fear and hatred. "This isn't over, Flora. Others will come for you."
Flora sighed, "Then I'll be ready."
Leon stepped beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Together, we'll face whatever comes next."
As they turned to leave, Ceil's voice echoed in Leon's mind. "You've made a powerful enemy today. Stay vigilant."
Leon nodded, silently promising to protect Flora and stand against any future threats.
They left the battlefield, the remnants of Levi's army lying in defeat. Flora, now free from her chains, and Leon, armed with new knowledge and power, were ready to face whatever challenges awaited them in this vast universes.