The dense fog began to clear, revealing his formidable new form. The Firebird's gaze fell upon him, and for the first time, a flicker of doubt and primal fear crossed its fiery eyes.
The creature hesitated, its immense power momentarily faltering as it took in the Viceroy's transformed presence.
The air grew heavy with the weight of this revelation, the Firebird's once fierce determination now tinged with the dread of encountering something beyond its comprehension. In all of its incarnations, the beast of fire had never seen such a terrifying sight.
It was as if evil had personified and was standing right before it. The Viceroy's new form radiated an aura of formidable strength and unyielding resolve, striking fear deep into the heart of the Firebird and causing it to momentarily recoil.
"A... A monster... A demon..." whimpered the Firebird, unable to believe its vision.
"I'm flattered that you'd call me a demon, it was my goal to be your nightmare."
The Viceroy's voice sounded strange, and uneven, as though the Guardian's essence was intertwining with his own. With a deep breath, he unleashed a surge of power that exploded into a blinding flash of brilliant blue and black.
How could a being like this ever exist? It was as if he had been born as a nightmare and could change his form to his will...
"However, my Guardian has quite an aversion to being called nasty names, so let me set the record straight. He is the Chaos Storm Dragon of the East, a being whose wrath once obliterated over a thousand villages."
"He was sealed away for eternity due to the sheer magnitude of his destruction. That is until I came along and claimed him for myself."
The Firebird extended its flaming wings and screeched into the night with everything it had. No; this bird was no longer angry... It was downright livid.
"How dare you use that fiend against me?! Both of you are monsters without grace or nobility! Shame!" roared the Firebird.
"I have no interest in such trivial details. As long as I can indulge in the battles I crave, I'm more than willing to cast aside something as insignificant as nobility. The thrill of combat outweighs any pretense of status or title."
The enemy's flames flared intensely, illuminating nearly half of the battlefield with their searing light. As the inferno grew, the creature began to draw in more mana, its beak widening to accommodate the formation of a massive fireball.
The Viceroy watched with a calculating gaze, his expression inscrutable as he assessed the looming threat. With a dismissive shake of his head, he prepared his weapon, the resolve in his eyes unwavering.
"Hellflare; Curse The Waves," chanted Zenos as he flexed his shining weapon toward the enemy.
The intense light cut through the Firebird's defenses like a knife, leaving it momentarily blinded and disoriented. The spell's brilliance was almost unbearable, casting a stark, searing glow that disrupted the creature's senses.
Despite the blinding flash, the Viceroy remained unfazed. He launched a series of powerful waves in shades of black and greyish-blue toward the enemy, the dark energies slicing through the chaos.
In the midst of this, the waves were spread out to their fullest, methodically eliminating the remaining young Firebirds with ruthless precision. The battlefield was awash with a tumultuous blend of light and shadow, each strike contributing to a shifting tide of battle.
By the time the creature registered the attack, it was already too late. The full force of Zenos' power struck at the Firebird's core with unrelenting ferocity.
The impact was so immense that it shattered the Firebird's ability to regenerate, ensuring that the flames of its life were extinguished. After all, it was only right for the flame to be quelled by the storm.
The resulting explosion of energy sent a massive shockwave roaring through the building, shaking its very foundations and scattering debris in every direction.
The Viceroy merely sighed in boredom as he shook his blade, dusting it from the ashes of the once-powerful Firebird. This empty feeling was truly annoying for the blonde to deal with, especially so when his enemy could barely hold up against him.
It only fueled his passion and desire to fight against the dragoness again. At least she was able to give him a better sport than this overgrown bird.
The Viceroy couldn't but think back about the Firebird's words, about why he regarded so little for the lives around him. However, he thought back to why he'd even took up the scythe and entered the battlefields in the first place.
"You weren't that much of a challenge... What a pity... Another curb-stomp battle," said the Prince of Darkness as he trampled on the ashes, preparing to make his way to join Mavislin on the third floor.