“You’re Vayu. You were with Master Jingzhi. He killed my parents,” declared the Sage of the Oasis, his voice steady yet filled with the weight of old wounds.

From a distance, Zander watched, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. “Looks like Leon defeated the monster,” he muttered.

Aster, observing with a furrowed brow, thought, He beat the monster. But why hasn’t he finished the job yet.”

Vayu sneered, “You’re right; I’m Vayu, The Great Sage of the Wind. That title was bestowed upon me by my master, whom you slaughtered in his own home.”

“He killed my parents when I was just a kid, consumed by hatred. So, I went and killed him,” Leon replied, his voice shaking with the weight of his confession.

“Heh, heh, heh. Now that you admit your wrong, I can kill you without a hint of remorse!” Vayu taunted, unleashing a powerful sirocco that sent Leon sprawling backward.

Leon quickly scrambled to his feet, but before he could fully recover, the Great Sage of the Wind lunged forward and drove his pitchfork-like weapon into Leon’s leg, the pain sharp and sudden.

“The Sage of the Oasis has been hit!” one guard shouted, panic rising in his voice.

Aster stepped forward, his expression fierce. “Men, attack!”

All the guards rushed at Vayu, who met their charge with unwavering determination. The battlefield erupted into a storm of chaos as Vayu skillfully felled guard after guard, holding his ground even as their sheer numbers threatened to engulf him.

“Leon, are you alright?” Aster shouted over the clash of steel. He runs through him.

“I’ll manage,” Leon replied, catching his breath. “He caught me by surprise, that’s all.”

“Stay back. I’ll take it from here,” Aster said, stepping forward with a steady, unyielding gaze.

“Aster! Are you sure about this? You saw the fight—he’s stronger than anything we’ve faced,” Leon warned, his voice edged with worry.

“I know,” Aster said, eyes locked on Vayu. “But I will defend this city and you, no matter how powerful the enemy. I won’t falter or hesitate to do so even if it costs my life.”

Just then, Zander and Leo arrived.

“Zander,” Leon said, relief mingling with disbelief.

“We’re here to back you up,” Zander declared, his resolve sharp and unwavering.

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“Are you certain?” Leon asked, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him. “This isn’t an ordinary foe.”

“We’re sure,” Zander replied with a grin. “It’s been too long since I fought. I’m ready for a warm-up.”

Leo stepped forward. “I would like to help also. I’ve got a new tool that’s itching for action, and what better test than a beast like this?” he said.

Aster said, “All right then, let’s go and slay this devil.”

“Heh! You humans are so easy to crush,” Vayu taunted.

Aster summoned a kanabo, Zander called forth his sword, and Leo drew his massive blade. The three of them advanced toward Vayu, the sun beaming down and casting menacing shadows behind them. Vayu turned his attention to them after dispatching the guards.

“Oh, all three of you? I wanted Leon, not the three of you. So run along, and let me finish off that Leon.” said Vayu

“After beating all my men, you think we’d just run away? Today, creature, you will meet your end!” replied Aster shouting with his chest.

“I’ve still got plenty of energy left. I should save it for Leon, but why the hell not? Besides, I might just earn some credit for killing all three of you.”

The woman in the white robe watched intently. “Damn, Leon is still not dead. And that monster is fighting Aster, the gray-skinned boy, and that tiger… Wait, this gives me a chance to kill Leon while he’s down. I can’t mess this up; I want that wish, I need it badly…”

The woman in the white robe crept closer to The Sage of the Oasis. Unsheathing a katana, the blade shimmered with a deep red hue, resembling polished ruby. As she raised the katana, its ruby-like blade catching the sunlight, a hand made of sand shot up and seized her wrist.

“What?” the woman in the white robe gasped.

“I finally caught you, killer,” said The Sage of the Oasis, his voice steady. “Now, you have two choices: surrender, and I’ll take you to jail, or fight me and risk ending up dead.”

Back at the battle with Vayu, Aster, Zander, and Leo, Zander summoned five hundred clones, each wielding an axe. In unison, they hurled their weapons at Vayu. But with a swift motion, Vayu unleashed his sirocco, a powerful gust of wind that blew the axes away effortlessly.

All the clones summoned maces, swords, and axes, launching a coordinated assault on Vayu. To his credit, Vayu fought them off, sustaining only minimal damage despite the relentless attack. Meanwhile, Aster used his magic to duplicate his kanabo. His power allowed him to replicate anything within his reach, effectively doubling his strength. With both kanabos in hand, he slammed them into the ground, causing the earth to crack and tremble violently.

Vayu leaped high into the air and launched himself at Aster. The two collided in a fierce clash, the impact echoing like thunder.

“He must be incredibly strong,” Vayu thought. “To shatter the ground with such power…”

Zander noted silently, When Aster slammed the ground with those massive weapons, the sheer force made my clones disappear.

Leo leaped into the fray to support Aster, turning the battle into a two-on-one clash. As they fought, Leo aimed a powerful swing at Vayu's leg, but Vayu intercepted it, stomping down hard on Leo's sword and pinning it to the ground.

“Try again,” Vayu taunted.

Leo released his grip on the sword and lunged forward, clawing Vayu across the chest. Vayu staggered back, giving Leo just enough time to grab his sword and ready himself.

Vayu glanced up and saw Aster in the air, both kanabos poised to strike. Reacting quickly, Vayu raised his pitchfork-like weapon to block the attack, the ground shattering beneath them.

“How did he get into the sky?” Vayu muttered, eyes narrowing as he braced for impact.