The battlefield trembled as Victor's threads sliced through the air like invisible blades.
"Focus, brother," Victor said calmly.
Sulaiman ducked beneath a thread that nearly cut his throat and slid across the cracked stone ground.
"Malù."
His Damik answered immediately.
I'm here.
Sulaiman raised his hand and created a sword, the blade glowing with Stage 2 Raiki.
Without hesitation he charged forward.
CLANG!
His sword struck Victor's threads, sparks bursting across the battlefield.
Victor stepped back lightly, studying him with calm eyes.
Not far away, Ryo and Captain Zain stood facing the masked warrior.
Zain tilted his head slightly.
"Come to think of it… we never asked your name."
The masked man answered quietly.
"…Pola."
Ryo frowned.
"Pola? That's a weird name."
He dashed forward and punched Pola across the face, forcing him backward.
Inside Ryo's mind, Nurami laughed.
Kid… if you want to win, you'll need more power.
Ryo clenched his fists.
"How do I use Stage 3?"
Nurami replied calmly.
Just take the power. Your body will figure it out.
Suddenly the air around Ryo shifted.
Energy began gathering around him as if the battlefield itself was responding to him.
"Stage 3… huh," Ryo whispered.
Zain smirked.
"Well then, Ryo," he said, stepping back. "I'll leave him to you."
"I'll watch you and Sulaiman until the end."
Ryo nodded.
"Yeah."
Across the battlefield, Sulaiman shouted as well.
"Yeah!"
Victor dodged another strike and sighed.
"…Enough."
He stepped back slowly.
"I was saving this for stronger opponents."
He looked at Sulaiman.
"But you'll make a good test."
As he spoke, a memory returned to him.
Years ago…
Victor stood in the courtyard when a strange man approached.
Pola.
"So you're the strongest warrior in this country," Pola said.
Victor crossed his arms.
"Sorry. You're in my way. My brother is waiting for me."
Pola smiled faintly.
"I'm from Rolencia."
"Leader of the Reathagon."
Victor felt a chill run down his spine.
"Reathagon…?"
Pola continued calmly.
"We want strong warriors like you to serve Rolencia."
Victor narrowed his eyes.
"And if I refuse?"
Pola's smile disappeared.
"Then we destroy this entire country."
"I already spoke to your king."
"He agreed."
Victor's fists clenched.
"…Fine."
But Pola wasn't finished.
"You must prove your loyalty."
Victor glared.
"How?"
Pola answered coldly.
"You will kill your family."
"And give us their fortune."
Victor froze.
If I refuse… the entire country dies.
He thought about Sulaiman.
His little brother.
The promise he made.
I'll help you train when your Damik awakens.
Victor lowered his head.
"…Fine."
Tears slid down his face.
"But my brother lives," he whispered.
"Please… he's the reason I fight."
Pola shrugged.
"Fine."
"It's not like he has the fortune anyway."
That night…
Victor entered the mansion.
His mother smiled warmly.
"Well if it isn't our favorite child."
His father laughed cruelly.
"What a blessing… unlike the other one."
Victor closed his eyes.
This is for the best.
Two blades flashed.
Their heads fell instantly.
Blood spread across the marble floor.
Pola appeared behind him.
"Well done."
Victor handed him everything.
"Take it all…"
"…except my brother."
Pola nodded.
"Don't worry."
Victor returned to the present and smiled faintly.
Live a long life, Sulaiman.
He raised his hands.
"Stage 4…"
The battlefield trembled violently.
"Domain of Threads."
Thousands of threads spread across the battlefield like a massive spider web.
Explosions of Stage 3 Raiki burst everywhere.
Sulaiman reacted instantly.
"Stage 2 Creation!"
A barrier formed around him reinforced with Stage 2 Raiki.
Across the battlefield Pola glanced toward Victor.
"What is he doing?"
Ryo cracked his knuckles.
"Focus on me."
"Damn you kid! "
They clashed again.
Punches and kicks collided violently.
The ground shattered beneath them.
Ryo flipped over Pola and landed behind him.
"I found a name for this attack."
Energy began pulling toward his fist.
Leaves.
Water.
Raiki fragments.
Debris.
Everything on the battlefield was drawn toward Ryo.
Zain laughed from the sidelines.
"This is fun!"
Inside the Domain of Threads, Sulaiman realized the battlefield itself had become Victor's weapon.
Threads sliced through the air like blades.
Sulaiman began running across the air using Raiki.
"I can run on air… awesome!"
But the threads chased him relentlessly, cutting his clothes and skin.
Victor watched silently.
That guy…
When he said he was your big brother…
I hope he protects you.
Sulaiman whispered,
"Malù… one more time."
Stage 1 is enough.
Sulaiman created two daggers infused with Stage 2 Raiki.
He smashed through Victor's thread walls.
At the same moment—
Ryo roared.
"ALOVIA!"
He slammed his fist into Pola's stomach.
The impact shook the battlefield.
Both Sulaiman and Ryo shouted together.
"GO TO HELL!"
Pola flew across the battlefield and smashed into the domain wall.
Zain shouted.
"SULAIMAN! NOW!"
Sulaiman appeared before Victor and drove the daggers through his chest.
Victor smiled peacefully.
"I love you… little brother."
Sulaiman's eyes hardened.
"…It's too late for that."
Victor died with a smile.
Suddenly—
Pola stood again.
"…What a waste of power."
Then he disappeared.
Ryo stared in disbelief.
"How did that not kill him?"
Sulaiman collapsed beside Victor's body.
Zain caught him.
Suddenly Ryo screamed as the backlash of his power tore through his body.
"AAAH!"
He collapsed as well.
Zain sighed.
"I really need to teach them control."
He carried both boys back to the palace.
Afternoon
Sunlight filled the room.
Ryo slowly opened his eyes.
Before he could even sit up—
BOOM!
Sulaiman jumped onto him.
"BIG BROTHER!"
Ryo burst out laughing.
"Whoa! Easy!"
Sulaiman grinned proudly.
"Did you see me?! I'm strong now!"
Ryo placed a hand on his head proudly.
"Yeah… I saw."
"You did great, Sulaiman."
The boy's face lit up.
Zain walked into the room.
"As he should."
"How else will he get stronger?"
The door burst open.
"GOOD AFTERNOON!"
Team Z and Maria walked in together.
Ryo stretched.
"So… when are we leaving?"
"Right now," Zain said.
"I'm proud of all of you."
"You went beyond your limits yesterday."
Team Z stood straight.
"Thank you, Captain!"
Outside, Abraham raised the Team Z flag in the center of the country.
Maria smiled proudly.
"That looks good."
She looked at Abraham.
"You'll come back alive, right?"
He smiled.
"I promised."
Aisha stretched.
"So… where to next?"
"The Viola Region ends here," Zain said.
"We head to the next one."
Ryo scratched his head.
"How big is this world anyway?"
Maria answered seriously.
"About 865,000 miles."
"Or 1.4 million kilometers."
Abraham suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
Maria looked confused.
"What's so funny?"
Abraham wiped a tear from his eye.
"Ryo's question was rhetorical."
Maria blinked.
"…Oh."
Everyone was silent for a moment.
Then the entire group burst out laughing.
Maria crossed her arms slightly embarrassed.
"Well excuse me for being informative."
Ryo grinned.
"Thanks for the free geography lesson."
Maria led them to the docks.
A massive ship waited for them.
At the top—
The Team Z flag waved proudly in the wind.
Leona's eyes widened.
"Woah… there's a pool on this ship!"
Ryo blinked.
"When did you build this?"
Benjamin shrugged.
"While you guys were fighting."
"With the robots the process went faster."
Maria smiled.
"Think of this as my thank you."
"It has a training room."
"And rooms for everyone to sleep."
Benjamin added,
"The robots can repair the ship if it gets damaged."
"And they provide virtual entertainment."
Everyone boarded the ship.
Maria waved from the dock.
"Come back alive!"
Abraham stood at the front of the ship staring at the sea.
"This feels just like the pirate books I used to read."
Zain pointed forward.
"Alright everyone."
"Next stop…"
"The Liva Region."
The sails caught the wind.
The Team Z flag waved proudly as the ship sailed toward the horizon.
A new adventure had begun.