The city reeked of smoke and blood. Demons surged from the shattered Dungeon gate in endless waves, their snarls drowning out every desperate cry.
Marry (perched atop her scythe, laughter echoing):
"Why are humans of this era so weak, I wonder?"
Rizer (leaning on his black steel daggers): "Because this is an era of peace—people grow complacent. Add to that corrupt nobles sucking wealth from the land; they care only for coin and their own skins."
Just as the demons began to overwhelm the last line of defenders, a company of royal reinforcements thundered onto the field—knights in shining armor, archers, and battle mages forming a new bulwark.
Rizer (sheathing his sword with a weary sigh):
"Looks like it's our turn to step in—"
But before he could finish, the very roof of the Dungeon burst into flame as a roaring column of smoke billowed skyward.
Julian (eyes alight with dark triumph):
"Ah—our honored guest has arrived…"
From the haze emerged Hotaro Tsuyuki, wings of flickering embers still visible in the swirling smoke. He landed between the realm of human soldiers and the motley quartet watching from the ledge.
Hotaro (muttering):
"Great… just my luck."
He squared his shoulders and called out:
Hotaro:
"Oi! Who the hell are you?"
Julian, Bvrouz, Marry, and Rizer exchanged glances but remained silent. Hotaro's patience snapped.
Hotaro (under his breath):
"huh—no answer, then?"
In a blur, Rizer vanished into a tendril of black smoke and reappeared at Hotaro's back, daggers gleaming.
Rizer (voice low and amused):
"As expected of our honored guest."
Hotaro spun away just in time, summoning a brilliant beam of raw energy:
Hotaro:
"Technology Magic: Pulse Shot!"
A searing laser lanced toward Rizer as Hotaro vaulted aside to avoid a swift dagger strike.
But Rizer split into multiple black-cloaked clones—each identical and poised to strike.
Hotaro (grinning):
"So it's a numbers game now, is it?"
He danced between the clones' coordinated assaults, each swipe of daggers and slash of smoke narrowly dodged.
As all the clones lunged in unison, Hotaro's wings blazed from fiery feathers into crackling arcs of pure plasma.
The transformation unleashed a deafening eruption—"Phoenix Wings" detonated into a storm of plasma fire—propelling Rizer and every clone in all directions.
Hotaro (raising an eyebrow, triumphant):
"How do you like that?"
Below, both allies and enemies froze at the display of his power. Hotaro stood alone, plasma-charged wings humming, ready for whatever came next.
Marry watched Rizer and his clones sail through the air, singed and scattered by Hotaro's plasma detonation. She sighed, exasperated.
Marry (muttering):
"Sigh… I told you not to underestimate him…"
With a graceful leap from her scythe, she spun it overhead.
Marry:
"you'll regret this time"
Her scythe doubled in size and speed—"Gigantic Fall." In an instant, she unleashed a blizzard of strikes. One hundred blows rained down in five seconds, each swipe faster than the eye could follow.
Hotaro danced between the onslaught, steel ringing against enchanted air.
Hotaro (thinking):
"Shit, too fast…"
He vaulted backward to gain distance, energy coalescing at his fingertips.
Hotaro:
"Technology Magic: Hover Drone!"
A cluster of hovering drones sprang to life around him, forming a barrier that slowed Marry's approach.
Marry (scowling):
"Really?"
She called upon savage power: "Blood Magic: Thousand Fears!"
Thousands of blood-red spikes erupted in the sky, plunging down to shred the drones into slag.
Marry (smirking):
"Too easy."
With a furious roar, she rocketed through the wreckage—tearing apart drone after drone. Yet when she cleared the last one, Hotaro's weapon barrel flared with blue-white brilliance.
Hotaro (cold grin):
"Goodbye, sweet child."
He unleashed his ultimate: "Technology Magic: Omega Eradication Beam."
A beam of pure, penetrating energy tore through the chamber, shaking the dungeon's foundations.
Marry's triumphant laughter cut short as she vanished—teleported to the ledge where Julian and Bvrouz stood. She materialized in two halves—yet neither fell, held together by dark magic.
Julian's crimson eyes gleamed. Without a word, he stared at her, and with a gesture, invoked High Heal. Both halves rejoined, wounds vanished.
Julian (approving):
"Impressive power. No wonder he admires you so."
Marry blinked, bewildered but unharmed.
Hotaro, sensing their glances, raised his hand—energy crackling along his arm.
Hotaro:
"You have nowhere left to run."
A swirling portal tore open beside the shattered gate.
Julian (coolly):
"Bvrouz, bring them in."
Bvrouz strode forward and hauled Marry and Rizer into the portal. As the last of them vanished, Julian paused on the threshold.
Julian (snapping his fingers):
"Oh—nearly forgot."
A shockwave shattered the dungeon's remaining barriers into glasslike shards that drifted away. Then Julian stepped through—and the portal closed.
Hotaro fired a desperate "Pulse Energy" shot, but the portal blinked shut. His beam struck only stone.
Hotaro (grimly):
"Damn… they got away."
He surveyed the empty chamber, plasma still humming in the air.
Hotaro (muttering):
"It was all an illusion… they were baiting me."
Landing lightly, he folded his wings and sheathed his sword.
Hotaro (resolute):
"Wasted energy… but I'll find out who they really are."
With that promise, he turned and strode from the ruin— determination burning brighter than any magic.