"Let's see you break this. Mina didn't come this far to lose to a bunny with wings."

With a snap of her fingers, Mina willed the sharpnel toward KiAera, each shard slicing through the air with deadly precision. The force was terrifying, and the range was vast. The icy mist distorted their trajectories, but KiAera could feel the energy, the sheer power being funneled into each ascending shard. The force behind them was immense—this wasn't just an ordinary attack.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

KiAera gritted her teeth, her feathered ears twitching as she calculated the trajectory of each shard. Her wings unfurled, catching a sudden updraft. She twisted her body mid-air, narrowly dodging a shard that whistled past her, causing her to hiss as its edge sliced through a strand of her fur. Another shard hurtled toward her face, but with a flick of her talons, she deflected it into the ground, where it exploded into a plume of dirt and frost.

Behind her, Saptal and Sapshorla exchanged nervous glances. "She's going to win, right?" Saptal whispered. "She's got to have a plan."

"Trust her," Sapshorla murmured, though her hands twisted anxiously around her leafy skirt. "She's always found a way before."

Big Osseod, however, wasn't watching KiAera or Mina. Its gaze was locked on Boggorc, who had moved closer to the battle's edge. The froggy-boar like creature observed the clash with an air of detached amusement, as if he were watching a play unfold before him.

KiAera felt the weight of his gaze and shot him a glance. What are you up to? she wondered. But before she could focus on the frog-boar's intentions, Mina charged again, her new weapon howling as it cut through the air.

KiAera's wings flared wide as she shot into the air, twisting and spinning to dodge the onslaught. Each shard whistled past her, grazing fur and feathers, leaving trails of shimmering sparks and spectral frost in their wake. Her heart pounded as she maneuvered through the air, shards relentless in their chase.

She's trying to pin me down, force me into a corner. Her eyes flicked to the swirling battlefield below.

From below, Mina laughed, gesturing her shattered club to manipulate the shards. "Run, little birdie! Let's see how long you can fly before Mina clips your wings!"

KiAera barely dodged the jagged spikes grazing her fur. She twisted midair and countered with a blast of [Spectral Flame], but Mina swatted it aside with her club. "You can't beat Mina like that! Give Mina a real fight!"

Would she be less persistent? KiAera gritted her teeth. She couldn't afford to hold back and Mina was beginning to grind on her nerves with those darn shards. Her wings flared, and she launched herself upward, spinning as she climbed. The vortex of flames around her intensified, switching to a searing heat to melt the projectiles, then to a bitter cold that froze the air itself.

With a sharp cry, she dove, her talons ignited in a blazing [Frostfire Slash].

Mina roared and swung upward, the spiked club meeting KiAera's attack head-on. The impact was catastrophic. Ice and fire collided with raw physical force, creating a shockwave that ripped through the battlefield, sending debris and water flying in all directions. KiAera was thrown back, her wings flailing as she fought to regain control.

Mina, however, barely stumbled. She wiped a smear of blood from her lip and laughed again. "Yes! YES! That's it! Hit me harder!"

From the edge of the field, Boggorc's attention lingered on the others. His bulbous, glistening eyes darted between Sapshorla, Saptal, and Big Osseod. His grotesque snout twitched as he sniffed the air, his lips curling into a smirk. His bloated form shifted subtly, the motion almost imperceptible amidst the chaos of the battle.

He's planning something, KiAera realized with a chill.

Her gaze snapped back to Mina, who was already charging again, her new weapon raised high. The ground trembled beneath her heavy steps, and with each swing of her spiked club, the air screamed with the force of her strikes.

KiAera folded her wings tight, plummeting to the ground in a controlled dive. She landed between the jagged spikes, her claws digging into the earth as her Spectral Flames coiled around her body like a living armor. Her ears lashed out in quick, precise strikes, shattering the nearest shards and clearing a path.

"Think you're clever?" Mina sneered, closing the distance. "Mina smash clever!" She raised her weapon high, but KiAera was already moving, her talons carving a glowing sigil into the ground.

"Let's see how you like this!" KiAera growled. Her sigil flared, and a gush of freezing energy erupted outward, consuming the battlefield in a tidal wave of frost. The shards, Mina's weapon, and even the Minokaurbo herself froze mid-motion, encased by ice.

Mina roared in fury, her muscles straining against the frost's grip. "You think… this can stop me?!"

Her horns glowed with an eerie light, the fractures in them deepening as raw energy burst forth, shattering the ice in an explosion of force.

KiAera leaped back, wings beating furiously as the shockwave pushed her higher. The battlefield was chaos. But amidst it all, her eyes flicked back to Boggorc, who was slinking closer to her companions, his grotesque throat inflating out as he whispered something inaudible.

"Boggorc!" KiAera's voice rang out. "You think I don't see you?!"

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

The Boarbogrunt froze, his eyes snapping to hers. For a moment, his grotesque features twisted into a mockery of innocence. "Me? No, no. I am merely watching. Observing the mighty." His gaze lingered on Sapshorla and Saptal, then on Big Osseod, who was nervously shifting its weight.

Mina, noticing the shift in KiAera's focus, smirked. "Distracted, bunny? Bad idea!" She lunged forward, her club swinging in a wide arc.

KiAera dove low, her heart pounding, her instincts screaming at her to keep moving. She's adapting faster than I thought. I need to end this before she overwhelms me. And that one…

"Perfect timing," Boggorc croaked under his breath. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, he began inching closer to the group, his movements shrouded in shadow. The swamp-like terrain around him seemed to ripple and bend to his will, masking his approach.

Saptal, clutching his wooden sword, shivered as a sudden chill ran down his spine. He glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing—just the twisted trees and shattered ground. "Did anyone else feel that?" he whispered.

Sapshorla tightened her leafy fingers around his arm, her gaze darting around the battlefield. "Stay alert," she murmured. "Something's not right."

Meanwhile, Mina roared, her laughter echoing through the ruins as she launched another volley of shards. KiAera dove and weaved through the onslaught. She gritted her teeth, frustration mounting as she struggled to find an opening.

She's herding me…

The Minokaurbo's laughter grew louder as she raised her hands, manipulating the shards like an orchestra conductor directing a symphony of destruction. The fragments looped and arced back toward KiAera, cutting off her avenues of escape.

"You can't dodge forever, bunny!" Mina taunted, her spiked club spinning in her hands. "Sooner or later, Mina's gonna smash you to pieces!"

The shards closed in, each one seeking to impale her from every angle.

KiAera's breath quickened as her [Spectral Flame] flickered brighter. She stretched her arms wide, her body burning with the intensity of her power. The air around her shimmered as the flames twisted and spiraled, freezing some shards in mid-air while reducing others to harmless, glowing embers. The ground beneath her crystallized as her icy flames spread outward, creating a jagged terrain of frost, flame, and mist.

Mina's grin faltered slightly as her shards disintegrated one by one. "What?!"

But KiAera was fast, her form a blur as she swooped. She struck low, sweeping Mina's legs out from under her with a powerful kick. The Minokaurbo staggered, her frame crashing to one side as KiAera circled around her.

KiAera's wings flared, and she shot upward, her body silhouetted against the swirling mist. From her vantage point, she could see the battlefield in its entirety—the shattered ground, the spiraling shards, and the faint ambience of her companions watching anxiously.

But something else caught her eye: a dark, slinking figure moving toward them.

Her eyes narrowed. Boggorc. The realization hit her like a thunderclap. He's been waiting for this moment—waiting for me to be distracted.

Without hesitation, KiAera banked sharply, diving toward the ground. Mina snarled in frustration, her shards chasing after KiAera like a swarm of angry hornets. But KiAera wasn't heading for Mina—she was heading for her companions.

"KiAera!" Sapshorla shouted. "Behind you!"

KiAera twisted mid-dive, her talons igniting with freezing flames. She spun in a tight corkscrew, her flames lashing out in all directions, intercepting the incoming shards. The air exploded with frost and heat as the shards disintegrated, their energy dissipating into the mist.

KiAera landed in front of her companions, her wings folding protectively in front of them. Her gaze locked onto Boggorc, who had frozen mid-step, his slimy lips curling into a mocking grin.

"Planning something, Boggorc?"

Boggorc chuckled, his voice a wet, guttural croak. "Planning? Me? Oh, no, no, KiAera. Just admiring the show." His bulbous eyes darted toward Sapshorla and Saptal, then back to KiAera. "But it seems you're a bit... distracted. Maybe you should focus on your real fight."

Mina's roar shattered the tension. The ground trembled as the Minokaurbo charged, her newly forged club raised high. "Turn your back on Mina? BIG mistake!"

KiAera's mind raced. I have to end this now.

With a flick of her ears, she sent a burst of [Spectral Flame] downward, igniting the frozen terrain beneath her. The flames burned with an eerie light, spreading rapidly across the battlefield. Steam rose as the ice melted into pools of water, the mist thickening until the entire area became a veil of white.

Boggorc let out a guttural croak of surprise as the ground beneath him crumbled, forcing him to leap back. The swamp-like energy dissipated, and KiAera landed gracefully, her wings folding behind her as she turned to face Mina.

"You're next," she hissed.

"Hah... Hiding, are we? You think that little trick's gonna scare Mina? Bring it on, bunny!"

But KiAera wasn't hiding. She was moving, her form a blur within the fog. Her wings barely made a sound as she circled the battlefield. She could feel Mina's presence—her anger, her raw power—and she used it as a beacon.

Closer… just a little closer…

"Enough games!" Mina roared, slamming her foot into the ground. The force sent tremors through the earth, clearing some of the mist and exposing a fraction of KiAera's glowing silhouette.

Mina grinned savagely. "Gotcha!"

She charged, her spiked club raised high, the shards converging behind her like a deadly swarm. But as she swung, the faint glow shifted. KiAera wasn't where Mina thought she'd be.

Instead, she was above her.

With a sudden burst of speed, KiAera descended, her wings folding tightly to her sides as she plummeted toward Mina like a shooting star. Her talons burned with freezing fire, and her ears, still blade-like, extended outward in a sweeping arc.

"Think again!" KiAera yelled as she struck.

The impact was explosive. KiAera's attack collided with Mina's head and shoulder. The impact resonated like a thunderclap, the flames surging through the cracks and spreading like veins of frost—the ground beneath her cracking and splintering.

Mina howled in pain. Her knees buckled as the frost spread, creeping down her horns and across her shoulders. Her spiked club fell from her grasp, embedding itself uselessly in the ground.

The Minokaurbo's breaths were ragged. "You… tricky little critter. You… actually got me."

KiAera landed in front of her, her wings folding behind her as she steadied herself. Steam rose from her talons, and her chest heaved with exertion. She locked eyes with Mina. "You underestimated me. And that was your mistake."

Mina chuckled weakly, a grin still tugging at her lips despite the exhaustion on her face. "Maybe so… but damn, that was fun. If only… I had a name…" the Minokaurbo's eyes dulled, the fight finally drained out of her. The shards of her shattered weapon clattered to the ground as the battlefield fell still.

KiAera stood over Mina's fallen form, her chest heaving as the adrenaline ebbed away. This victory was hers, but she knew it was just the start. Her gaze turned to find Boggorc, but before she could even get a glimpse of him—her head throbbed as the Chimera's Mark shimmered like a star.

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

KiAera's Status

🌀 [Uncommon] Particles of the unconscious Minokaurbo gained…

Siphoning from [Common] to [Uncommon]. Progress: 94% → 100%

Evolution from [Common] to [Uncommon]. Prerequisite to ascend have been met. Confirm Evolution into an [Uncommon]?

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

From the sidelines, she heard a squeak—Big Osseod's!

She swiftly averted her gaze to Boggorc. "Impressive, Mearcritt KiAera… truly impressive. But while you were busy showing off, I've been making my own moves."