Zander shouted, “Replica!” and transformed into Vayu, mirroring his enemy's form. He unleashed a powerful sirocco, blasting Vayu backward.

“The gray-skinned boy can mimic me!” Vayu exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise.

Zander and Vayu clashed, their battle evenly matched. To tip the scales, Zander summoned two additional versions of Vayu, turning the fight into a chaotic struggle.

“How can he do that?” Vayu muttered, disbelief etched across his face.

Leo's eyes widened as he called out, “Zander! How are you able to do that?”

Zander smirked. “My clones can become anything because they are me.”

“THAT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE!” Leo shouted.

“I’ll explain after the fight!” Zander yelled back, focusing on Vayu.

Vayu fought fiercely against all three versions of Zander, but their combined assault began to overwhelm him. Cuts and slashes started to appear on Vayu's body as he struggled to keep up. With a roar, he unleashed a powerful sirocco, sending Zander and his clones flying back. He then hurled his pitchfork-like weapon at one of the clones, striking it and causing it to disappear instantly.

Aster rushed in, using his duplication power to create two more of Zander's clones. “There you go, kid—more help for you.”

“Thanks!” Zander called out.

Back with the woman in the white robe and Leon, he spoke with a stern voice. “Listen, if you come with us quietly and without trouble, the ruler might show leniency and grant you a light sentence.”

“I don’t plan on going to jail,” She responded firmly.

The woman's ruby blade glowed even brighter as she raised it. “Oni Slice,” she whispered, unleashing a swift strike. Leon dodged just in time, the blade's energy slicing the air where he stood moments before.

“I plan on getting my wish,” she declared. “So you must die for me to obtain it.”

“All right then, I guess you won’t come quietly,” Leon said, gripping his weapon tighter.

They engaged in combat, their weapons clashing with fierce intensity. Sparks flew as each strike met its match.

“She’s incredibly fast,” Leon thought, straining to keep up with her relentless attacks.

“Oni Red Wave,” she shouted, sending a flurry of crimson energy slices hurtling toward Leon. He barely dodged them, the sharp waves grazing past him with deadly precision.

In response, Leon summoned a sand hand from the ground that lunged forward and ensnared the woman, wrapping her tightly in a cocoon of sand.

“Stop! You can still come quietly. There's no need to fight,” Leon urged, trying to reason with her.

The woman in the white robe sliced through the sand with her blade, emerging free. “I need to,” she replied, her determination unwavering.

She continued her relentless assault, pressing the advantage. “I can’t keep up,” Leon admitted, gritting his teeth. “My leg is still injured.”

“I have to…” Leon said, planting his polearm into the ground. “Sand Flood!”

An overwhelming surge of sand rushed toward the woman, billowing like a tsunami.

Leo watched in awe. “That’s a lot of sand! It’s like a tsunami of sand pouring in!”

Back in their city, the ruler Havasu stood atop the palace, gazing down at the chaos unfolding below. “Leon, what are you doing?” he called out, concern etched on his face.

The woman, now covered in sand, struggled to discern her surroundings. Leon seized this opportunity, ready to exploit her disorientation to gain the upper hand.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Leon swiftly moved in, disarming the woman and wresting her katana from her grasp. As he did, the flood of sand gradually subsided, settling around them.

“Got it,” Leon said, feeling victorious.

“Flash Demon,” she muttered, and in an instant, she seized her katana and appeared behind him.

“What—” Leon started, but before he could react, a deep slice opened on his chest, causing him to fall to his knees, blood pooling at his lips.

“I'll make sure your death is swift and easy, Sage of the Oasis,” she sneered, raising her blade to deliver the final blow. But just as she prepared to strike, smoke began to swirl around her.

The smoke cleared, revealing that Leon had vanished.

“What the hell?” she exclaimed, looking around in confusion.

Then she spotted Leo, standing with Leon's hands in his own.

“Leo…” Leon gasped.

“Don’t die! I want to fight you and defeat you in battle!”

Leo shouted, “Zander, make a clone!”

Zander halted his battle with Vayu, while his other clones continued to fight. He quickly summoned another clone of Vayu and dashed over to Leo.

“What is it, Leo?”

“Leon is wounded badly! Take him back to the city!”

“Got it!”

The Zander clone lifted Leon in his hands and sprinted toward the city.

As the woman in the white robe began to pursue Zander clone and Leon, Leo moved to block her way.

“Now it’s my turn to take you on,” he stated, his tone firm. “Don’t think for a moment that I’ll hold back.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, tiger,” she responded.

Vayu, now filled with rage, shouted, “Leon is escaping! Leon!!” He unleashed his sirocco, using the fierce winds to force Zander and his clones away. He thrust his weapon into one of the clones, causing it to vanish in an instant. The remaining clone lunged at him, but Vayu was quick, swinging his weapon and making that one disappear as well.

Zander transformed back from his Vayu form, but one clone of Vayu remained. He quickly summoned more clones, all of them brandishing axes, and they climbed onto the back of the remaining Vayu clone.

“Charge!” Zander commanded, and the Vayu clone surged forward, while the real Vayu braced for impact, eyes locked with determination.

Leo stood firm, facing the woman in white, smoke devices ready in his grip.

“What are these?” he had asked earlier, turning the devices over in his hands.

“They're our smoke devices,” one of the Guardians had said. “Used to gain the upper hand against our foes by obscuring their vision. In the right hands, they can be invaluable. You strike me as someone who could use them well.”

“Thank you for this gift,” Leo had replied, sincerity in his voice.

“You’re welcome, big lion,” the Guardian had said with a playful grin.

“I’m not a lion!” Leo had retorted, crossing his arms in mock annoyance.

The woman in the white robe shouted, “Oni Red Wave,” unleashing crimson energy slices. Leo blocked them and tossed a smoke device, shrouding the area. As she scanned her surroundings, Leo struck, punching her down and dragging her out of the smoke before bringing his sword down in a powerful follow-up.

She managed to dodge, rolling to the side just in time as Leo's sword struck the ground, cracking it with force. She lunged at Leo with lightning speed, her movements sharp and precise. It was an intense battle—the woman in the white robe fought with agility and precision, while Leo countered with powerful strikes and practiced skill.

Leo glanced over, catching a glimpse of Zander and Vayu colliding in a fierce clash, with numerous clones dissipating mid-air as they were struck down. Amid the vanishing clones, the real Zander hovered in the air like a cloud, surveying theVayu.

He thought, "This monster is relentless. He's taken down every one of my clones with ease. Maybe fighting him one-on-one, up here in the sky, would be the better strategy."

Zander expanded his sword to a massive size when he heard Aster’s voice.

“Hey, kid,” Aster called out.

“Aster?” Zander floated down to meet him. “What is it?”

From a distance, Vayu observed, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “What’s that boy doing? … I should strike while he’s distracted.”

Vayu charged, raising his weapon high and striking down with force. Dust billowed around as his weapon clashed against an unexpected resistance, jolting back.

“What?” Vayu exclaimed.

Zander grinned, now wielding two identical copies of his massive sword. "Two swords are better than one!" he said confidently, thanks to Aster’s duplication power enhancing his arsenal.

“There you go, kid,” Aster said with a nod. “Now go fight that monster.”

Zander then asked, “Hey, Aster, would you be willing to help out my friend?”

“The tiger? Of course. I’ll assist him immediately,” Aster replied without missing a beat.

“Thank you,” Zander said, his gratitude evident.

Now, Vayu and Zander stood, eyes locked, each one preparing for the intense final clash.

“Bring it on, monster!” Zander shouted, gripping both swords tightly.