Mel shot him an unamused look. "So what? Want me to take over the Auroria Dominion too?" He was bluffing, but the threat sent shivers down their spines.
"Let's get out of here!" the boys shouted as they bolted, fear overtaking their bravado. Mel walked over to where Jake's glasses lay shattered on the ground. He picked them up, then blew a small cloud of mist over the broken pieces. The mist swirled, and in moments, the glasses were whole again, the temples seamlessly repaired. He handed them back to Jake.
Jake took the glasses gently, marveling at how they looked brand new. "Thanks, Mel."
Mel gave him a nod. "You okay?"
Jake sighed, putting the glasses back on. "They always pick on me because I'm just a white card from a kingdom of magical people. I'm here on recommendations from my teachers at my old school."
Mel said sincerely. "Magic only causes more problems."
A small smile formed on Jake's face. Just then, a thought occurred to him. "Mel, if those guys were scared of you being king...does that make you the most powerful student here?"
Mel pondered this. "I don't know, I defeated Draven but he definitely held back, I defeated Dorian. I wielded excalibur and beat Maren. But, strongest? I don't think so."
"Who's the toughest person you know?" Jake asked and Mel thought then said, "Elowen." He began walking and Jake followed behind him. "Who's the strongest person you know?"
"Draven. Why are you asking me this?" Mel asked.
Jake hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I guess I just want to know how far I am from being able to stand up to people like them… or even like you. Sometimes it feels like no matter what I do, I'll always be the weakest."
Mel slowed his pace, turning to face Jake. "Strength isn't just about power, Jake. It's about heart, too. The fact that you're still here, despite everything, that says something. Don't underestimate that."
Jake looked up, a bit surprised. "You really think so?"
"I know so," Mel replied firmly. "Everyone starts somewhere. It's not about where you are now, but where you're going."
As Mel spoke, a boy who appeared to be about fourteen, and shorter than Mel, suddenly rushed at him and aimed a punch at his stomach. Without flinching, Mel quickly conjured a small cloud barrier in front of him, effortlessly absorbing the blow.
The boy who confronted Mel is around fourteen years old, with a wiry build and a determined expression. His short, tousled brown hair falls just above his eyebrows, partially hiding a pair of intense green eyes.
He has a youthful face, still round with the remnants of childhood, but his clenched fists and tightly drawn mouth suggest a chip on his shoulder. He's dressed in the typical school uniform, but his tie is loosened, and his shirt untucked, giving him a rebellious, rough-around-the-edges appearance. Despite his smaller stature, there's a fiery energy in the way he moves, as if he's driven by something personal.
"Jake, who's this?" Mel asked, stepping aside just as the boy's momentum carried him forward, causing him to stumble and land on the ground with a small, "Ow."
Jake and Mel watched as the boy quickly scrambled to his feet, his face flushed with determination. He puffed out his chest and jabbed a finger at it, declaring, "I'm Lance Landthug! Thirteen years old, born and raised in Solstice City! I attend Arcanum Royal Middle! And I want you, Melanthius Shadowbane, son of Merlin and king of Atlantis, to train me!" His voice was firm, almost demanding, as if he wouldn't take no for an answer.
"No," Mel said casually, continuing to walk past the boy with Jake. Lance's jaw dropped in disbelief before he quickly flipped backward, landing nimbly in front of them.
"I don't think you heard me," Lance insisted, his tone unwavering. "You're a black card—you've got the potential to be incredibly strong. You're gonna need someone like me to keep you in check when you go rogue."
"What kind of twisted logic is that!?" Jake exclaimed, his voice a mix of surprise and concern. He glanced at Mel, who seemed unfazed, before turning back to Lance. "You seriously think he's just going to turn evil, and you're the one to stop him? That's completely insane!"
"Yes! I want him to fight me right here, right now!" Lance declared, his excitement evident as he performed a series of impressive acrobatic moves, including flips, cartwheels, and fluid parkour stunts.
Lance leaped into the air, executing a series of aerial maneuvers with impressive agility. Mel watched, his gaze tracking Lance's every move. As Lance landed gracefully, he reached into his bag and pulled out a three-stick nunchuck, brandishing it with a flourish.
Lance swung the nunchuck at Mel, but Mel deftly caught the stick mid-air. With a calm, focused expression, Mel murmured, "Cloud Martial Arts: Rain Aikido." In a fluid, almost graceful motion, he executed a series of precise flips, sending Lance spinning through the air. After five complete revolutions, Lance was gently but decisively brought down to the ground.
"Let's go, Jake," Mel said, and they walked past Lance, who lay on the ground. Lance's thoughts were a swirl of frustration and self-doubt: What was I thinking? I can't defeat someone like that. Maybe I should have gone to that wimp, Dorian Bloodthorne instead. He sighed and muttered to himself, "My family is rich, after all. We even make s'mores ice cream, I don't need to be a successor." He smiled, eyes closed in contentment, but when he opened them, he was surprised to see Mel standing over him. "Did you say s'mores?"
A short while later, Mel and Jake found themselves in Lance's opulent, high-tech home. In Lance's spacious room, Mel and Jake lounged on the bed, savoring a variety of ice cream from a full-fledged stand set up just for them, while Lance diligently performed punching drills.
"You're moving too slowly," Mel said between bites of his ice cream. "The Hidden Cloud Technique isn't about being invisible; it's about striking so fast that your opponent can't see the attack coming. Speed is key."
Mel lifted his foot and delivered a kick that seemed to cut through the air, leaving behind an invisible streak with a trailing wisp of cloud.
"Oh, right, I forgot to avoid using magic," Mel said, setting his ice cream aside. He raised his hand and performed a punch, this time without leaving a trail of smoke.
Jake watched in amazement. "Whoa, that's incredible. You made it look like you were moving faster than the eye could follow."
Lance, panting from his drills, looked up in awe. "So, you're saying that kick was just your natural speed? That's insane!"
"Maybe you're just too young for this," Mel said casually, drizzling sparkling fudge over his ice cream before taking a bite.
Lance, determined, tightened his fist and assumed a fighting stance. He attempted to replicate Mel's lightning-fast punch, but the sheer speed and force took a toll on his untrained body. His arm cracked audibly and dislocated with a sharp, pained cry. "Gah! I did it!" he yelled through the agony.
Mel, momentarily distracted, winced and clutched his head. "Ugh, what is this feeling!" he groaned, struggling with the sudden chill. "A brain freeze." Jake casually informed him. Mel then glanced over at Lance, noticing his dislocated arm. "What happened to you?"
Lance, gritting his teeth through the pain, replied, "I did your punch as fast as you did, but my arm… it's not as strong as yours." He winced as he looked at his dislocated limb. "I'm still learning. I'll get better."
"That's the spirit!" Mel said encouragingly. He quickly grabbed Lance's arm and expertly popped it back into place. Lance let out a sharp cry of pain.
"Wasn't that a bit harsh?" Jake winced as he heard the pop.
Mel chuckled, "Don't be silly. Mr. Goldman used to do the same thing whenever my arms popped out."
Lance frowned in confusion. "Goldman? Who's that?"
"Mr. Goldman was basically my trainer, like I am to you. He trained me back in Caldara," Mel explained, continuing to enjoy his ice cream.
"So, he was like a father figure to you?" Lance asked.
Mel shook his head, smiling. "Not really. He's dead now. If he were alive and I saw him again, I'd probably rip his head off."
Jake looked at Mel with a raised eyebrow. "You sound pretty calm for someone who just said that."
Mel shrugged, "He was a trainer, never said he was a good guy."
Lance's eyes widened, clearly intrigued. "Wow, so you had a pretty intense upbringing."
Jake nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but it seems like you're learning from the best. Just don't go ripping heads off, okay?"
Lance nodded, still a bit in awe. "Got it. I'll stick to training for now."
Mel then felt buzzing in his pocket. He pulled out his black card and pressed the button causing the holographic screen to pop up.
He opened the notification and saw a message from Goda. "My Liege, it's an emergency! Hurry!" Mel read aloud, his heart pounding.
"An emergency?!" he repeated in disbelief. Quickly, he stashed the card away and summoned a cloud. With a determined leap, he mounted the cloud and soared out of the window, leaving Jake and Lance.
As he ascended into the sky, the vast expanse of Auroria Dominion stretched out below him, its beauty momentarily capturing his awe. "It's incredible," he murmured to himself. But there was no time to linger; as he approached the ocean, he dove off the cloud and plunged into the water.
Since he still wasn't allowed to swim in the ocean, he sank towards Atlantis. An overwhelming aura of urgency compounded his anxiety. "What's happening in my kingdom?" Mel thought, his fist tightened as he braced himself for whatever lay ahead.
In Atlantis, three men stood atop the fallen bodies of the fishmen armies, their presence casting a grim shadow over the battlefield. Goda faced them, his eyes blazing with fury. He stared at the first man, whose red hair and black coat gave him a menacing air. Then, his gaze shifted to another man with long purple hair, a sadistic smile curling on his lips. Finally, he turned to the third man, who wore an elegant demeanor and had jet-black hair. They each had a spell casted on them to allow them to breathe underwater.
"You're Andrion the Devoted," Goda said, pointing at the black-haired man.
"Hawkin the Swift," he gestured towards the red-haired figure.
"And Nicolas the Cute—the three knights of the Slesan Empire. I remember how you used to meet with the former king Maren. What are you doing here?!" Fear crept into Goda's voice despite his attempts to remain composed.
Andrion cracked his metal-gloved hands, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Run along, little guppy. We're here because someone ordered us to test the king of Atlantis. He chuckled darkly, his eyes narrowing at Goda.
Hawkin drew a dagger, his expression hardened. "Enough talk," he said with a harsh edge. "I'm here for the one who caused Maren to go into hiding. That's all I care about."
"Relax, Hawkin. You'll get your chance," Nicolas said, his tone dripping with menace. He drew his sword in a swift, fluid motion, then delivered a brutal kick to Goda's stomach. "But for now, I've got my own appetite to satisfy. I'm in the mood for sashimi," he smirked, watching as Goda collapsed to his knees, fear etched across his face.
Goda looked up at Nicolas with terror. "Nicolas the Cute—he's the kind of sadist who would actually eat me! Not just me, but the entire kingdom!" His voice trembled with panic as Nicolas raised his sword.
Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the air, drawing everyone's attention to the entrance of Atlantis. There, Melanthius stood atop a massive megalodon, flanked by gigantic anglerfish. "Who is that?" the three knights exclaimed in unison.
Goda's face lit up with a mix of relief and awe. "My king," he said, his voice barely a whisper as he collapsed to the ground from the force of the kick. The knights' eyes widened in shock. "And he's furious."