The battlefield had become a storm of chaos. Pressure weighed heavy on every side, battles erupting like sparks from dry tinder.
Then it happened—
In a flash, Seth and Isla launched a surprise assault on Vince and Mirae.
Vince reacted instantly, summoning a powerful gust of wind that roared outward and blasted them back. But Isla vanished before the gale could reach her—slipping into thin air—only to reappear behind them in a blink. Her hand brushed their shoulders.
Whoosh!
The world twisted. Vince and Mirae were ripped away, teleported to another battlefield. Seth followed in the same instant, ensuring they could not return.
Almost simultaneously, Celeb and Soren appeared from the other side, hurling a coordinated attack toward Dawn and Silver. It was only a diversion—because the next second, same teleportation power pulled them too into another place, scattering them far from the fight.
The outer battlefield was now eerily quiet. Only Vera and Renji remained, standing against Tracey and Ezren.
Meanwhile, Ari and Gray seized the opportunity. Without hesitation, they slipped away and vanished into the cave's shadows, pressing deeper inside.
Back outside, Vera struck first. Roots burst from the ground, twisting upward like serpents, snapping at Tracey with crushing force. But Tracey was faster—faster than he had ever been before. His movements blurred, dodging the roots with instinctive precision. In the same motion, he grabbed hold of one, ripped it apart, and his beastly power ignited. His fists burned as he smashed root after root, tearing them to ash and splinters.
Every attack Vera tried failed against his sheer speed and strength.
Renji fared no better. His shadow magic flickered unnaturally, disrupted by Ezren's tactics. Ezren called down massive stone pillars from the sky, slamming them into the earth one after another. Each impact created new shapes, new shadows sprawling across the battlefield. Renji's spells instinctively latched onto those nearest shadows—but Ezren stood at the center of them all, controlling their placement. The shadows bent the wrong way, slowed Renji's movements, and tangled his attacks before they could even reach their mark.
Ezren's strategy was simple, but it tilted the fight in his favor. With every stone he summoned, Renji's own magic betrayed him.
Tracey clasped his hands together, forming a gigantic fireball, molten energy spinning and condensing until it burned like a miniature sun. With a primal growl, he hurled it like a shot-put throw straight toward Vera.
The flaming sphere screamed across the battlefield, too fast and too massive for her to fully evade. Vera slammed her palms to the earth—BAM! BAM! BAM!—thick wooden walls rose one after another, desperately trying to block the incoming fire.
But Tracey's sphere tore through each wall mercilessly. BOOM! CRASH! FWOOSH! One by one, they ignited, burned, and shattered into splinters. The unstoppable sphere surged closer.
Vera's face tightened. "Tch—!"
At the last second, she slammed her hand down, a massive branch shooting upward beneath her feet. It catapulted her skyward, carrying her just out of the fireball's direct path. The heat scorched her cloak as the flames roared past.
But Vera wasn't escaping—she was countering.
As she soared, she whispered a spell, roots crawling up her body, hardening into armor. Then, twisting in the air, she curled into herself. A wooden shell formed around her entire body—a spiked sphere. She crashed down like a meteor, then rolled forward at blinding speed.
Tracey braced himself, claws flexed. The wooden sphere zigzagged toward him, changing direction with precision as Vera steered from within. The ground cracked with every impact.
"Come on!" Tracey snarled, planting his feet, flames building around his arms. He was ready to catch it head-on.
But just as the sphere closed in, it unraveled.
SNAP!
Vines and branches burst outward, revealing the sphere was empty. They spread in a wide net, snapping shut around Tracey like a web.
"Damn—!" Tracey leapt back, but too late. The vines tightened, dragging him in.
Before he could shred free, the earth erupted again. Four towering wooden walls shot up around him, closing into a square prison. Tracey snarled, smashing at the walls with burning fists. Splinters flew, but these weren't normal roots—Vera had poured her full power into them. The wood was dense, reinforced, nearly unbreakable.
Tracey's flames roared higher, but the walls refused to fall.
Outside, Vera stood with both hands raised, her fingers trembling as if she were physically holding the prison shut. Her breath came heavy, sweat dripping down her brow. Maintaining such a construct while Tracey raged within was straining even her limits.
But for the first time, Tracey was trapped.
________________________________________
Meanwhile, Ezren pressed his advantage. He raised his arms high—every boulder, every shard of rock Renji had tried to drown in shadow was now floating above, orbiting like a constellation of weapons.
With a wave, Ezren launched them.
Stones rained down like meteors, each one too fast, too heavy. Renji swung his arms desperately, tendrils of shadow reaching for them, but the shadows on the ground couldn't keep pace. One stone struck his shoulder, another slammed into his ribs.
CRUNCH!
Renji staggered, coughing blood, his body flung across the dirt. He rolled to a stop, blood trailing from his mouth, groaning as he forced himself to stand.
Ezren didn't hesitate. He surged forward, his fist cloaked in stone, ready to finish it.
But then—
SHRRAAK!
The ground beneath Ezren darkened, swallowing his feet in liquid shadow. Chains of darkness coiled up, binding him in place. His body froze mid-charge, his stone-covered fist hanging in the air.
Ezren's eyes narrowed. "Tch—!"
At the same time, Renji looked down and realized too late—his own legs were encased in solid stone. The ground beneath him had hardened like a vice, locking him completely in place.
Both fighters glared at each other across the battlefield.
Renji, coughing, smirked faintly through the blood. "So… we caught each other."
Ezren gritted his teeth, fists straining. "Whoever falters first… loses."
The air grew heavy. Both were trapped in their opponent's strongest technique, pouring all their strength into holding the other down. It was no longer just about offense—it was about endurance.
[Inside hq]
The air was heavy. Shadows pressed in from every corner of the underground hall. The walls of the Unique's' HQ pulsed faintly with energy, a place that felt more like a tomb than a fortress.
Vince and Mirae staggered as the teleportation glow faded. Their eyes adjusted to the gloom, the silence broken only by the faint hum of sinister magic.
From across the chamber, Seth stepped forward, his boots echoing against the stone. His voice was low, but it carried like a blade through the dark.
Seth: "This place is perfect. No interruptions. No distractions. Just the four of us. Right here… we'll carve your graves."
Beside him, Isla appeared,
Mirae, however, didn't flinch. She glanced at the walls, then back at them, her tone calm but edged with defiance.
Mirae: "A grave so close to your own home… fitting. Easy for us to bury you here too."
The silence after her words was suffocating—broken only by the faint crackle of Vince's wind beginning to stir.
Without wasting a breath, Vince extended his hand.
Fwoooosh!
The chamber erupted with howling winds. Cyclones spun into existence, their force rattling the stone walls of the Uniques' HQ. Air pressure thickened so violently it felt like the whole room was ready to collapse in on itself.
Vince thrust both arms forward. The cyclones merged into a raging storm and barreled straight for Seth and Isla.
But just as the gale was about to swallow them, Seth barely moved—only lifting a single finger.
The winds screeched to a halt. The cyclones twisted unnaturally, then reversed direction. In the blink of an eye, they were surging back toward Vince, faster than before.
Vince's eyes narrowed. "his puppet magic!?"
Before he could react, Isla flicked her wrist. Three glowing cards spiraled into the air and embedded themselves in the rushing winds.
BOOM!
The cards detonated, shattering into razor-sharp blades that fused with the returning cyclones. Now the storm carried hundreds of cutting edges, spinning so fast they shimmered like a wall of death.
They screamed toward Vince.
But Mirae stepped forward. Her hands whipped out—clang!
Chains of light shot from her palms, piercing directly into the heart of the cyclone. With perfect precision, they wrapped around the spinning blades, dragging them out one by one. Sparks flew as the enchanted steel scraped against the wind, shattering the deadly formation.
At the same time, Vince kicked off the ground, twisting midair to dodge the collapsing cyclone as it smashed into the floor where he had stood. Dust and stone burst upward in a violent shockwave.
Landing beside Mirae, he gave her a quick nod. She smirked back, chains slithering around her arms like serpents ready to strike again.
The fight had only just begun.
[Scenes – Another side of the HQ]
Ari and Gray sprinted down the dimly lit hallways, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone walls as they searched desperately.
Ari: "Jack has to be here… somewhere."
They turned corner after corner, scanning every door, every shadow, hearts racing.
Suddenly, a pulse of magic spread through the hall, sharp and undeniable. Gray's head snapped up.
Gray: "That's Jack's magic!"
Ari frowned, her expression tightening as she felt the disturbance more clearly.
Ari: "Wait… there's something else mixed in. Two… no, more than two presences. But that doesn't make sense—there should only be seven members in the Uniques."
The realization sent a chill down their spines. Without hesitation, they rushed toward the source.
The door flew open—
Inside, their eyes widened in shock.
Jack stood there, but not as they had hoped. Streams of raw magic were being forcefully drawn from his body, spiraling toward a floating crystal suspended in the center of the room. The crystal itself shimmered unnaturally, fractured into countless colors, glowing brighter with every pulse it consumed.
And standing beside it—calm, poised, and watching them—was Asher.
Gray instinctively raised his hand, summoning his mirror magic, shards of light forming into an attack. But before they could strike, the magic fizzled and collapsed, absorbed into nothingness.
Asher smirked.
Asher: "Ah… Gray Walhawk. What an honor. To finally stand face to face with you."
He stepped forward, his anti-magic aura swallowing the air, rendering Gray's reflection useless.
Asher: "It's a shame, really. We share the same dream—the same goal of reshaping this broken world. And yet, here you are, standing against me."
He paused, eyes narrowing as the crystal pulsed again, Jack letting out a strained cry. Then Asher extended his hand toward Gray.
Asher: "Join me, Gray Welhawk. Together, we could change everything."
The room fell silent, the crystal's hum the only sound. Ari's breath caught as she turned sharply to Gray—whose clenched fists trembled ever so slightly.
Ari – "Don't listen to him, Gray!"
Gray – "I know. I'm not that foolish."
Ari's eyes narrow, and in a swift blur she vanishes, reappearing right at Asher's back. Her blade glimmers with light magic, slicing downward in a precise, lethal arc aimed for his arm.
But Asher doesn't even flinch. With a calm smile, he raises his bare hand. Clang!
The shining edge of Ari's blade collides with his palm—and the glow sputters out like a candle in the wind. Her light magic dissipates instantly, leaving nothing but cold steel pressing uselessly against his skin.
Asher – "Impressive speed, Ari Hale… but futile. Did you forget?"
His eyes gleam, a cruel amusement flickering there. "Anti-magic makes your tricks meaningless."
Ari stumbles back, stunned by how effortlessly he nullified her strike, while Gray's jaw tightens, realizing just how dangerous this enemy truly is.
Ari stood with her glowing blade raised, light magic flowing across its edge, her breathing sharp and focused. Gray, two mercury created blades in hand, lowered his stance, his mirror aura flickering faintly like shards of broken glass in the air.
Asher: "Do you two really think… light and mirrors can cut me?"
He raised his arm, veins pulsing with power, and swatted down Ari's glowing slash with his bare hand. The radiant light fizzled into nothing, her magic dispersing like mist.
Ari's eyes widened. "Impossible…"
Gray rushed in, his blade angles perfect, striking in tandem with Ari's rebound. Their timing was flawless—light refracting off Gray's mirrored strike, doubling the force against Asher's guard. The sound of metal clashing echoed like thunder.
For a moment, it looked as if they had pushed him back. The floor beneath his feet cracked.
But then Asher grinned.
Asher: "Not bad… but still far too slow."
He swung his arm, unleashing a shockwave of raw force. Both Ari and Gray were hurled back, crashing into the stone pillars. Blood dripped from the corner of Gray's mouth, but he still forced himself upright.
Light gathered in Ari's blade once more, but this time she wove her magic into Gray's mirror aura. The fusion shimmered like a radiant prism, glowing with multi-colored arcs.
Together, they dashed forward again—Ari's strikes blindingly fast, Gray's blades reflecting and multiplying the light into countless cutting angles. For a brief instant, they overwhelmed Asher, forcing him to block. His smirk faded slightly, his hand trembling under their joint assault.
Asher (thinking): These brats… they're actually pushing me?
Then—suddenly—his eyes sharpened. He stomped down, and a dark surge of energy erupted beneath them, cracking the battlefield. Ari stumbled, Gray barely managing to pull her back with a mirrored shield.
Asher's voice thundered across the hall:
"Enough games. Let me show you what true power looks like."
The air turned pitch black, the glow of Ari's blade nearly swallowed whole. Asher's aura, wrapping around the room, sealing off every exit. The oppressive weight pressed down on their lungs, making it hard to even breathe.
Gray and Ari exchanged a glance—both battered, both trembling, but unwilling to back down.
They charged again, side by side. Their blades clashed against Asher's descending strike—light, mirror, and shadow colliding in a violent explosion that shook the entire hall.
When the smoke cleared—
Gray's blades were shattered in half.
Ari was on one knee, blood dripping down her arm.
And Asher stood in the middle of the wreckage, completely unharmed—smiling.
Asher: "…Now… shall I show you how it feels when hope is crushed?"