Another day, another fight...
Caroline, the strongest of the elders. Appearance of a lady in her late twenties. Light brown skin. Orange coloured eyes, pink lips, orange hair. Dawning a purple robe, accentuating her rather large breasts and well toned body. Giving off an aura of a dependable but strict older sister.
Opposite her, cute little Max.
"Start!" (Igneel)
"Burning heavens!"
As soon as the match was signalled to start, Caroline didn't waste time and cast her strongest AOE attack.
Crimson flames covered the above the battle grounds and descended on the shocked Max.
{Well shit!... there's no way I'm ever gonna try anything funny with her if this is how she is when there are no hard feelings. Can't she see I'm only five?!}
Max thought while staring at the fast approaching flame that left him nowhere to run to that was within the battle ground.
...
"She's overdoing it!!". Iliana shouted while looking at Caroline's over the top attack.
"Well she has always taken everything too seriously after all" Mary replied with a wryly expression on her face.
"Well I think she's correct in her actions this time. Trust me when I say the young prince should never be underestimated.". Abel who still remember how it felt like to be toasted from the previous day supported Caroline's decision to go all out to a certain extent.
Igneel who ended up having to put up a barrier around the cabin couldn't help but catch a familiar syndrome. Looking at this tactless subordinate of his.
{This girl, what am I to do with her, can't she go easy even on a child?.. but then again, that little rogue might deserve the beating. Ah!, I know, I'll save him at the last moment and make him see how awesome his father is}
...
While Igneel was stuck in his narcissistic thoughts again, the battle continued...
"Aunt, you came up with a good tactic, I won't have anywhere to run in this situation. Not to mention that just standing here, I can feel myself getting roasted. If it was yesterday I would have admitted defeat....but..."
Without finishing his sentence Max raised his finger. Everyone looked at it curious to see what he'd do.
"Black hole"
Max only said those two little words and everyone's expressions changed.
On top of Max's finger, a hole in space appeared. It expanded until it was a meter wide. Then the most shocking thing happened.
All the crimson flames that were covering the sky and a few seconds away from covering Max too. Were sucked into the blackhole until there was nothing left.
{What?!} (Igneel, Caroline, Iliana.....everyone)
"Hehehe, I have made some improvements" seeing that he had shocked everyone again, which had basically become his favourite thing to do. Max was feeling smug, his smug laugh made everyone want to gang up and beat him up though.
"Teleport"
"Palm of the lightning god!"
Before anyone could react, knowing Caroline was stronger than those before. Max made his move, teleported closer to her and threw out his current best spell.
A large hand made of lightning extended from Max until it was above Caroline then started falling down of her. The hand was so large that Caroline appeared to be as big as a fly under it. For some reason reason this silver lightning was a darker shade of lightning than any that Max used before.
Caroline seeing the giant hand about to squash her thought to make her escape. Being a beyond peak level expert she had more than enough speed to escape from the slow palm.
Just when she was about to move, her eyes widened. Her body wouldn't listen to her, she could only look at the approaching hand with horror in her eyes, which was basically a first for her.
{Oh shit, he finished synchronization!}. With that single thought, Igneel disappeared from where he was and appeared beside Caroline and punched upwards without summoning lightning.
With that, Max's strongest attack was erased from the sky.
"Ey oldman, what are you doing?!". Max was visibly infuriated seeing his father stop his attack when he was about to win.
"Sigh, Max, it seems it's finally time we had a talk about power levels...oh and don't worry, you won this round. Now follow me". Igneel didn't directly answer Max's question. As he spoke he was walking back to the cabin and told Max to follow.
"Hhmp, whatever". Max grumpled but still followed after his father.
*Caroline, good job today, go rest for now* (Igneel)
*Yes your majesty* (Caroline)
.....
In some other part of the forest. An area with a large active volcano making the area the hottest place on the continent.
Caroline could be seen sitting in a mediation position with her eyes closed. She was surrounded by flowing lava from the volcano.
Suddenly the other four elders appeared at the edge of the hot region.
*What do you all want* Caroline telepathically asked them without moving from her position or opening her eyes.
*Is what we think true?* (Abel)
*And what's that* (Caroline)
*Don't be difficult please, you know what we mean* (Mary)
*Sigh, fine....yes, the young prince has made it to stage one, or more appropriately the synchronization between his being and his strength has reached completion* (Caroline)
*F*CK!, so it's true* (Abel)
*Yes, now go away, you're disturbing my peace* (Caroline)
*Don't feel bad big sis Carol, we all know the young prince is a monster like none even seen before* (Iliana)
*Do you think I feel bad that I lost?, well I don't. But I feel bad that even after so long I still haven't made it to the first stage yet the young master.... sigh please leave me alone"
After hearing what Caroline said, the others didn't bother her any long and left. It was because they all to some extent understood what she was going through since they were in the same situation.
....
After the others left, Caroline finally opened her eyes. Tears started rolling down he cheeks.
"When will I finally be able to make the final step?"
...
Back at Igneel's cabin....
{Sigh, I hope this doesn't bring her down for too long}
Igneel who had been secretly monitoring Caroline thought. He then took back his devine sense and looked at Max who was sitting on a little wooden chair in front of him.
"Now Max, I know you're still wondering why I stopped you from finishing the match. I'm sure you noticed that Caroline was just looking at the approaching attack without moving right?. And you probably thought she did that because she was confident in blocking it or something like that."
"Yes" Max affirmed while nodding with confusion feeling his eyes since that's exactly what he thought, so being told it's wrong would confuse anyone.
"You see child, the reason why she didn't move wasn't because she could take it. It was quite the opposite actually, she couldn't even move." Igneel seriously said while looking at Max.
"Huh?, I don't understand". Even more confusion feeled Max's face.
"Don't worry, you'll understand everything after this talk"