With a swift motion, Tinia charged her weapon and fired a massive, crackling energy blast at Nightfall and Dusk. The air crackled with electricity as the burst rocketed toward them.
But just as the attack should have collided, something went wrong. The energy backfired, exploding violently around her, the force of the blast sending shockwaves through the sky.
Smoke filled the air, and as it cleared, a voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding.
"Hand over that deadbeat!"
Cassius turned, locking eyes with one of the GF2 captains, Ashe, who stood with a smug smirk plastered on his face.
Meanwhile, Nightfall now stood toe-to-toe with Cassia, their eyes locked in a silent challenge.
Dusk faced Helios, his emerald pupils gleaming as he regarded his opponent, the tension between them thick in the air.
Tinia, regaining her footing after the blast, felt a rush of adrenaline as she glanced between the fighters.
"Tinia, send back those three," Cassia's voice cut through the chaos, her eyes flicking to the unconscious bodies of Zane, Blaze, and the barely conscious Layla.
Tinia, grinning like a mischievous child, twirled in midair, her AI suit unscathed from the earlier explosion.
"Come on, cas— I mean, Captain! Let me have some fun with them first," she teased, her suit's armor gleaming as it absorbed the energy around her.
Her gaze then darted to Ace in Cassius' grip, her expression softening. "Besides, I need to save my beloved Ace!"
Ashe, standing calm and composed, aimed his weapon directly at Cassius while addressing Tinia.
"Young girl, what is your first general order?" His voice was steady, and calculating, his eyes not leaving his target.
Tinia's grin faltered into a look of seriousness.
"I'll obey any order given to me by my leaders!" She responded with a hint of dramatic flair, then quickly added, "Okay, fine. You better bring back my beloved Ace."
With a command,
"Red hole!"
Tinia's suit armor hummed to life, its core glowing and emanating a swirling red energy.
A red vortex materialized in the air as the energy pulsed outward. She grabbed Layla effortlessly, tossing her into the hole, followed by Zane, and then Blaze, each disappearing into the swirling mass.
Just as Tinia finished, her gaze snapped back to the battlefield. The three GF2 captains were now locked in combat with the elite Eclipse members, a brutal dance of speed and skill.
Ashe stood face-to-face with Cassius, his demeanor still chillingly casual despite the tension.
"Hand him over," Ashe commanded, his voice laced with a dangerous calm, the smile on his face adding to the eerie confidence he exuded.
A moment of silence passed, broken only by the sounds of battle behind them—cassia clashing with Nightfall, and Helion exchanging fierce blows with Dusk.
The air around them buzzed with energy, both physical and psychological.
"Talking to you is pointless," Ashe sighed, his smile never faltering. With a swift, fluid motion, he hurled his sword toward Cassius.
Cassius moved effortlessly, sidestepping the strike with Ace still limp in his arms.
"Handing over the young master is not an option!" he declared, his voice calm but firm as he spun, his leg sweeping up to block Ashe's follow-up attack.
The clash sent a gust of wind rippling outward from the impact, kicking up dust and debris.
"I see," Ashe remarked, his gaze focused on Cassius' leg holding his sword at bay. Despite the mounting intensity, he remained unruffled, his eyes gleaming with icy determination.
"Don't worry. It will be soon enough!" Ashe's voice echoed with confidence, his figure shifting back momentarily before he lunged forward, eyes gleaming with thrill as a smirk curled on his lips.
"Barrack Barrage!" Ashe roared, his sword glowing with a pulsating purple energy.
The blade became a swirling vortex of violet wind, engulfed in raw power as he swung with calculated precision directly at Cassius. The strike was swift, Cassius barely dodging it as he felt the sharp energy graze his suit armor.
A thin crack spiderwebbed across the surface, and for a moment, his brow furrowed in surprise.
"Is that all you've got?" Cassius taunted, his expression slipping into one of boredom as Ashe closed the distance between them, blade raised for another strike.
"Well, not quite!" Ashe shot back, his voice laced with amusement. Before Cassius could react, his eyes widened in shock.
He turned, just in time to see Ashe standing in front of Tinia, holding Ace in his grasp.
A smirk stretched across Ashe's lips, the gleam of victory dancing in his eyes. Cassius, taken aback, faltered for a brief moment.
"Take Ace back!" Ashe called over his shoulder, his gaze meeting Cassius's with a look of playful defiance.
Tinia, grinning, she opened her red vortex once more. With a satisfied smile, she yanked Ace and Ashe through the swirling energy portal. As they vanished from sight, Cassius's expression darkened.
"Too damn bad!" Tinia's voice echoed as she fired her blue combustion energy rifle, the glowing bullet cutting through the air toward Cassius.
The two attacks collided in a brilliant explosion of color—Cassius's red energy smashing against Tinia's blue, creating a dazzling light show in the sky. Sparks rained down like falling stars, but Tinia was already gone, the red hole sealing shut behind her.
Cassius watched Ashe intently, his eyes narrowing in intrigue as he processed how the captain had effortlessly snatched Ace from him. The lingering smirk on Cassius's lips hinted at a shift in his demeanor.
"I've underestimated you," he admitted, though the tone of his voice betrayed a lack of concern. The thrill of finally getting serious stirred within him.
In truth, Cassius didn't care about Ace or the S-1 kid. His purpose here was all about appearances.
"I'm just here to stay in his good graces, nothing more. And Nightfall's probably caught on by now, but it doesn't matter," he mused, sidestepping just in time to avoid another one of Ashe's strikes.
The blade grazed his armor, leaving a shallow cut across the surface.
"The Barrack Barrage isn't just wind," Cassius thought, his gaze sharpening as the purple energy swirling around Ashe's sword seemed to increase in intensity, amplifying his power with every strike.
It wasn't just a mere attack—it was a controlled storm.
"I see..." Cassius muttered to himself, a sly grin creeping back onto his face as his mind shifted into focus.
"Activate energy radar," he commanded internally, his suit responding with a low hum as a translucent field of light appeared in his vision.
Ashe's gaze sharpened, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Let's see if he survives this," he thought, watching Cassius closely.
The way Cassius moved—swift, calculated, with a slick precision—sent a flicker of irritation through him. His cold demeanor matched Cassius's, and the tension in the air thickened.
Ashe launched his attack, the purple energy swirling around his sword in a storm of power. But before the strike could land, Cassius moved with lightning speed, appearing behind Ashe in a blink.
Ashe's eyes widened, but there was no time to think. He spun just in time to barely dodge the blow, feeling the shockwave of Cassius's attack crash into him. The force was so powerful that it shattered his suit's helmet, sending shards of armor flying.
Blue wind energy crackled around Cassius's blade, clashing against the purple wind surrounding Ashe's sword.
Ashe smirked, feeling the surge of power as his sword absorbed the blue wind, converting it into his energy.
The purple energy grew brighter, intensifying as it enhanced his abilities, fueling his next move.
The two warriors moved in a blur of speed, their swords clashing in midair. Each strike sent ripples of energy through the air, the sound of metal ringing out as sparks flew from their blades.
Ashe swirled his sword effortlessly, spinning it with precision as he tossed it upward, vanishing for a split second before reappearing midair with his feet balanced on the hilt of his airborne sword. Looking down at Cassius, a confident smirk played on his lips.
In a flash, Ashe propelled himself downward, dashing toward Cassius with lightning speed. As he descended, he tossed one of his swords toward Cassius with a sharp flick, while seamlessly grabbing his other sword mid-fall.
With perfect timing, he launched his attack, the combined force of his purple wind-infused blade slicing through the air with lethal intent.
Cassius's gaze turned icy as he meticulously studied Ashe's every movement, his mind racing with calculations.
"I see," he thought, a smirk creeping onto his lips.
In an instant, his sword lunged forward, piercing through Ashe's defenses. Ashe's eyes widened in shock as the blade connected.
"Anyways, Welcome to my world of darkness!" Cassius declared, his voice devoid of emotion as he watched Ashe become immobilized, frozen in a state of disbelief.
"That should do," Cassius thought, satisfaction coursing through him.
"Dark, keep him in that state!" he commanded, directing his attention to the miniature hologram creature hovering beside him.
Dark flickered to life, its form shifting like smoke in the air.
"Understood, master!" Dark replied, its voice an eerie echo as it settled into position.
With a flick of his wrist, Cassius deactivated his world of darkness. Ashe stood still, a ghostly pallor on his face as he gazed blankly ahead, trapped in a mental prison. Cassius's eyes turned cold as he looked at Ace, unconscious in his grip.
"To think this was his plan to retrieve the young master," he mused, surveying Ace's vulnerable form.
"Absolutely predictable!"
Then, Cassius shifted his gaze back to Ashe, who remained expressionless, caught in the aftermath of the illusion.
A twisted smile curled on Cassius's lips; he relished the power he wielded over Ashe.
"Your ability isn't bad…" Cassius thought, savoring the irony.
"Only to nonchip holders!"