The smoke subsided, revealing the standing, intact, burning skeleton of Ficedula. The skull's jaw moved slowly, the eerie sound echoing in the clearing, "Hahahahaha!" Ficedula bellowed. Flesh began to regenerate on the skeletal frame, piece by piece, like a grotesque puzzle reassembling itself.

"Oh come on!" Kaede exclaimed, her expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration, looking utterly defeated, as if she'd just lost the T20 World Cup. She raked her hands through her hair, the anxiety evident in her movements.

Ficedula was fully regenerated now, his glowing eyes fixating on us with malevolence. "You forgot that Cyclops regenerate," he taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "Unless you destroy me with a high amount of chi, which you don't have. It's inevitable."

"Why are you doing this?" Akira asked.

Ficedula's face turned much paler, he was in deep thought "Why I am doing this?"

Akira snuck a quiet comment, "A rock has more memory power than you." "

Why am I doing this? Right... It was to save this forest from you humans!"

Akira responded with a scoff, "Protect? You did more damage that should have been done in a millennium in a millennium seconds! You actually did more damage beyond the comprehension of a mortal mind! Congratulations! That a world record. Scratch that! A universal record."

Ficedula turned pale and looked around at the almost burnt down forest.

"Akarui, use God Force with all your might!" Kaede urged while Ficedula was still confused.

"What? No, it's too much force for anyone to handle Kaede! Well except me. You guys may get seriously hurt!" I protested, my heart racing in my chest, fear creeping in.

"Do it now!" she commanded, the urgency in her tone left no room for argument.

"Fine!" I relented, clenching my right fist and raising it high above my head. My hand began to glow with an intense energy, pulsing with raw power. "God Force!" I shouted, leaping toward Ficedula with my arms coiled back like a spring ready to unleash its energy.

Ficedula laughed derisively, "Come at me, delusional brat! Why won't you just give up." He readied his own arms, bracing for the impact, a wicked smile plastered across his face. "Oh you don't know how many times I heard that! And I won't give up!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as our fists' distance decreased with every word.

Our fists collided unleashing a massive shockwave, sending debris flying and knocking out Akira, Kaede and Sakura. "Shield! Oh this gives me PTSD!" I summoned a shield around them while they were knocked out. I could barely register what was happening as my energy was draining. We were locked in a fierce struggle, our fists pushing against each other with a force that threatened to tear the very air apart. The trees surrounding us trembled and bent, some uprooted entirely, while others ignited in flames, crackling under the intensity of the shockwave.

The heat was unbearable. I could feel it seeping into my skin, but Ficedula was suffering more—his arms began to tear apart, bit by bit, as the fiery energy consumed him. Come on! Just a bit more! I forced my fist even more desperately, focusing every ounce of my strength into the attack.

The force surged, a torrent of energy spiralling around us. I could feel my skin singeing, but the energy of my attack was consuming Ficedula, his flesh burning away. The power of the attack began to defy the rules. Yes, rules can be cancelled out/broken. (Rule: One's own attack can't affect itself. 2 attacks of the same type can counter each other harming the person who unleashed the attack also the intensity of the attack is too high it can also harm the person who unleashed it.) Damn it. This kid might actually kill me. I got to pull something

But the strain was too much for both of us. With a final, blinding flash, the force knocked us both away, creating a massive heatwave that sent us flying Tearing the top part of Ficedula's muscles, skin apart.

I lost my senses, my vision blurred, and my hearing faded to a dull roar.

As I lay there, disoriented, I could barely see Ficedula regenerating in the distance. "Did you actually think you could kill me?" he mocked, his voice booming with arrogance. "What a joke! I'll start by eating you!" His mouth gaped wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth glistening in the faint light.

I have to move. He first walked towards the others. He lifted his foot, stomping on the shield. He roared with every stomp. He could break it. "No!" I muttered with the little energy I had. He laughed and stopped, "Even the universe is telling me...First I'll eat you!" He approached me slowly, a predatory grin stretching across his face as he lifted me off the ground, bringing me closer to his gaping maw. Panic surged through me, and I struggled against his grip, my limbs feeling heavy and unresponsive. "You guys will make a good snack."

Suddenly, a sharp noise sliced through the air. A chain, tipped with a small blade, zipped toward us. The tip barely grazed Ficedula's elbow—the arm holding me—and with a sudden burst, his grip loosened.

"What?" Ficedula shouted, bewildered, as his arm was severed from his body, releasing me. I fell to the ground, gasping for breath, my heart pounding in my chest. The shield broke.

"Good job lasting this long," a voice called out from above.

I turned to see a figure squatting on a tree branch. She wore a white mask adorned with intricate designs, a flowing white cloak that fluttered in the wind, she had the same scarf as mine, and her gloves were wrapped in chains, the blade glinting at the tip. Her purplish-dark red hair exactly the same colour as my hair, cascaded around her shoulders, framing her face as she peered down at us.

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"Lemme finish this. Chain manipulation—Cage!" she commanded. Her chains slithered around Ficedula, tightening around him with an iron grip.

Ficedula struggled, the chains biting into his flesh. "No!" he bellowed, thrashing futilely, but it was no use. The chains constricted fully, squeezing him until blood squirted from the teeny tiny gaps between the chains, and then—silence. Ficedula's skin, turned to liquid, mixed with blood squirted into the sky, returning like rain.

The woman leaped from the tree, her chains retracting as she landed gracefully beside me. She turned to us, her demeanor shifting from fierce to supportive. "Good job! You managed to survive against a Cyclops this powerful. You are just first years, and you severely damaged a level 400... You have the potential to be Elites."

I stared at the gold star-shaped badge on her right shoulder, recognition dawning on me. "You are the leader of the Elites!" I gasped, awe washing over me.

"Yes," she confirmed, a hint of pride in her voice.

But my faced dulled slightly. She must have sensed my unease because she asked, "What happened?"

Kaede rubbed her head, trying to shake off the dizziness. "Do you remember January 23, 2024?"

"Yes, the destruction of one of the Porta Provectus in Tokyo. And the death of the previous Leader of the Elite, she fought something and died a hero." she replied, her voice laced with sorrow.

Sakura, still recovering from the aftermath, added, "That's his older sister." Kaede added, "And she died in an explosion, he fought the mysterious person."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I knew her." The woman said, her voice softening with empathy. "Well, the teachers should be here soon. Stay safe and good job! I need to go." With that, she jumped away, disappearing into the trees, leaving us with a mix of relief and lingering confusion.

"We have to go to the granny."

"Yeah!" Sakura agreed. We ran to the place we last saw her as fast as light. We exited the forest. We found her on the same place, "What happened?" "I'm sorry. We couldn't find him." "Oh. That's fine. Turns out he was in the toilet at home. I need to go now." Saying that she walked away. "What just happened?" Kaede asked. "I don't know."

"Are you guys all right?" We turned to see Mrs. Sakura running toward us, accompanied by the school's assist guard.

She rushed to us, wrapping her arms around Sakura and Akira. "I love you both so much!" They hugged her back tightly, relief washing over them.

Kaede leaned toward me, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "You did most of the heavy lifting."

"I know, but let them enjoy the feeling of pride. The best feeling in the world is when a mom is proud of her kids." I smiled, watching the reunion unfold, a warm feeling blooming in my chest.

I turned toward the others, curiosity piquing my interest. "Are you guys siblings?"

Mrs. Sakura shook her head. "No, but I practically raised Akira since he played with Sakura since they were one."

"Oh, cool." I nodded, appreciating the bond they shared.

Mrs. Sakura took a deep breath, calming down from the adrenaline high. "Now let's get you guys to the clinic. You all look exhausted."

I hesitated, curiosity bubbling up inside me. "Are companions allowed in the Academy?"

"Yes, of course. Did you find one?" she asked, her eyes brightening.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, excitement bubbling inside me.

"Oh nice! What is it?" she probed, clearly intrigued.

We all answered in unison, "A Chinese dragon!"

"Say what?" she gasped, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Akisada!" I called, summoning my companion with anticipation.

Golden particles shimmered in the air, swirling like a gentle storm. Akisada quickly materialized, flying gracefully in the sky before diving toward me, his scales glinting in the sunlight.

Mrs. Sakura stared, incredulous. "You guys need a lot of explaining to do! First stop—Mr. Musashi's office."

Sakura looked up, her brow furrowed with concern. "Mom, how are we going to get there? It feels like we just ran a marathon."

"Well, by the ship, of course. But it's going to take half an hour to get here," Mrs. Sakura replied, looking around for any sign of their usual transport.

"I have a better idea, Mrs. Sakura. Akisada, you know what to do," I suggested, my heart racing with excitement.

"Yes, master." Akisada's voice resonated in my mind as he made us float onto his back, his powerful form feeling comforting and secure beneath us. "Hold tight!"

We clung to his fur as he ascended into the air quickly, spiralling into the morning sky. "Ahhhhh!" everyone except me screamed, their voices echoing with a mix of exhilaration and terror.

He turned sideways, racing forward into the horizon, the world below us shrinking rapidly. Mrs. Sakura muttered in awe, "Beautiful."

I gazed down, my heart soaring. "We're here!" I called out as the clouds parted, revealing Maho Academy's majestic structure. Bright, colourful, and strong, it floated right in front of us.

"Akisada, you can stop outside the main gate."

"Yes, master." He gracefully descended, landing just outside the entrance with a soft thud.

Sakura glanced around; her eyes wide. "Mom, why is it so empty?"

"Well, classes are going on," Mrs. Sakura explained, guiding us toward the main building.

"Master, would you like me to disappear or stay?" Akisada inquired.

"You can disappear for now to avoid attention," I replied, waving my hand.

"Yes, master." With that, Akisada diffused into thin air, his form shimmering away.

Mrs. Sakura led us inside, "Well, follow me, please." Is he disappointed?

As we entered Mr. Musashi's classroom, it looked like a typical principal's office—shelves filled with books, a sturdy staff resting against the wall, and numerous medals and certificates lining the shelves. It was vastly different from the last time I'd been here, when cardboard boxes had filled the entire space.

"Welcome, my children! Good job on Heiwa Mountain. Who would have thought your first mission would be a level 400 Cyclops with an armada? So good job. No, that's too little appreciation. You deserve something that will stay with you! Your sister and father would be proud." His voice boomed with warmth, and a few tears managed to escape my eyes. I quickly wiped them away.

"Thank you, Gramps," I managed to say, my voice had a mixture of gratitude and relief.

"Mrs. Sakura, report please," he commanded, turning his attention to her.

"Yes, sir. The Cyclops is dead. The forest is 90% either blown away or burnt. And Akarui would like to show something," she explained, her voice steady.

"What is it, my son?" Musashi asked, his curiosity piqued.

I straightened, feeling the anticipation building within me. "A Chinese dragon."

Mr. Musashi went blank for a moment, his expression shifting to one of incredulity. "What?"

"Akisada, I summon you," I declared confidently.

A bright light engulfed the room, illuminating every corner before fading away to reveal Akisada, who stood majestic and proud.

"What in the world!" Musashi exclaimed; his eyes wide with shock. "A dragon! How did you even manage to—"

"I'll tell you," I interrupted, eager to share our story.

We explained to Mr. Musashi and Mrs. Sakura how we tamed Akisada and fought Jackson and Kansa. "Oh! That's how you did it! I see. And what about the Cyclops? You killed him, right?" Musashi asked, relief evident in his voice, though confusion still lingered.

"We didn't kill him. The leader of the Elite did."

"The leader of the Elite? What was she doing there?" Mrs. Sakura questioned; her disbelief palpable.

"I don't know," I responded, frustration creeping in as I realized I had no answers.

Musashi concluded, "Anyway, Akisada can be present during non-school hours unless needed in class. Now you kids run to class. Combat class will be starting in 5 minutes. If I am not wrong, you have Kalah Sigan in the combat wing training ground. And again, good job. Use Akisada to get there."

"Ok gramps!" Saying that we rushed to the door hopping onto Akisada and flying to the combat section training ground.

Mr. Musashi muttered after we left, "So you finally reunite again with him Priya... After 2 years."