Hot Air Balloon

As Shimisu clashed fiercely against the Tin Man and the lion, Enerida found himself facing the formidable challenge of the Scarecrow.

"Ready for round 2?" Dorothy's voice echoed with a mix of determination and wariness.

"Ahhhhh shit," Enerida muttered under his breath, bracing himself for the impending clash.

With lightning-quick reflexes, Enerida hurled a bolt of lightning towards the Scarecrow, catching him off guard.

"Heh, you think I can't dodge tha-" The Scarecrow's words were cut short as Enerida moved with astonishing speed, intercepting his own bolt of lightning with a powerful punch to his face, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"How did he-" Before the Scarecrow could finish his sentence, the lightning bolt struck Enerida, its energy being absorbed into his body. Harnessing the newfound power, Enerida propelled himself forward, delivering a devastating blow to the Scarecrow that sent him flying across the battlefield.

"Scarecrow!" Dorothy cried out in alarm, witnessing her companion's plight.

Stretching out one of his arms in a desperate attempt to retaliate, the Scarecrow found himself outmaneuvered as Enerida leaped over his arm, delivering a fierce strike that burned his appendage to ash.

"Such, agile..." Dorothy marveled at Enerida's nimble movements, her voice tinged with both admiration and apprehension.

With lightning speed, Enerida struck Dorothy with a powerful blow, sending her crashing to the ground in a stunned daze.

"Sorry, I'm not running with the bullshit today. I know you guys aren't a part of M.A.G.I.C, but right now I'm in a time of my life where I really don't think imma have a normal magic fight again," Enerida declared, his tone laced with a mix of defiance and resignation.

"My ARM!!!" The Scarecrow's anguished cry rang out as he witnessed his partner's fall.

"Looks like your partner is unconscious," Enerida remarked coolly, his gaze unwavering as he prepared for the Scarecrow's next onslaught.

"You'll pay for that!" The Scarecrow's voice brimmed with fury as he grew his arm back, leaping forward to launch a counterattack.

"Pay for what? That one was free!" Enerida retorted, his movements fluid as he effortlessly evaded the Scarecrow's assault.

"Impossible!" the Scarecrow exclaimed in disbelief as Enerida vanished from his sight.

"Too slow," Enerida's voice echoed behind him before he delivered a powerful blow that sent him crashing to the ground.

"Damn yooou!!!" the Scarecrow cursed, his resolve unbroken despite the setback.

Undeterred, Enerida continued to outmaneuver the Scarecrow with blinding speed, leaving him bewildered and struggling to keep up.

"How can someone possibly move this fast?" the Scarecrow wondered aloud, his frustration mounting with each failed attempt to land a hit.

"Training," Enerida replied simply, his voice carrying a hint of amusement as he effortlessly delivered another blow to his head.

"Damn you-" Before the Scarecrow could finish his sentence, Enerida teleported away, leaving him momentarily disoriented.

"Having trouble keeping up?" Enerida's voice taunted from behind him as he delivered yet another decisive strike.

"Straw Farm!" With a sudden burst of energy, the Scarecrow buried himself into the ground, leaving Enerida bewildered by his unexpected tactic.

"What... the actual hell..." Enerida muttered, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of his elusive opponent.

Before he could react, straw rose around them, forming a protective dome that enveloped them in an eerie silence, signaling the next phase of their intense battle.

Enerida weighed his options as he surveyed the looming threat before him. "I don't know if I should blow this up or wait to see what happens," he mused aloud, his gaze locked on the looming figure of the Scarecrow.

"Attack!!!" The Scarecrow's command was met with a flurry of fast-moving pieces of straw hurtling towards Enerida from all sides.

"Honestly," Enerida remarked coolly as he effortlessly dodged each incoming projectile, "I wouldn't get hit by that!"

Covering himself in an electrical aura, Enerida burst through the top of the dome, his determination unwavering. "Is this all you do? Use straw?" he taunted, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

To Enerida's surprise, the dome transformed into a giant Scarecrow, its massive form casting a formidable shadow over the battlefield. The Scarecrow met Enerida's gaze with determination. "I don't usually fight, so yes! This is my strongest form!" he declared defiantly.

"Good," Enerida smirked, raising his fist in the air, "I've been in need of a big punching bag!"

As the Scarecrow reached out towards him, Enerida unveiled a new move, summoning a dark cloud overhead that crackled with lightning. "Thor's hammer!!!" he exclaimed as lightning struck his fist, imbuing it with electrifying power.

With lightning speed, Enerida brought his electrified fist crashing down upon the Scarecrow's head, sending him plummeting to the ground in a fiery blaze.

"How boring," Enerida remarked, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes, "how about I make this a bit more interesting before I call it a night?"

With a surge of electricity, both of Enerida's hands crackled with power as he descended gracefully towards the fallen Scarecrow.

"I'll do this the quick way," Enerida declared, his voice tinged with determination as he unleashed a devastating blow that sent a pillar of electricity erupting skyward, engulfing the large Scarecrow in a blaze of electrical fire.

"GYAAAAAAAH!!!" The Scarecrow's agonized scream pierced the air as he was consumed by the electrifying inferno.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Enerida taunted, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he watched the Scarecrow's demise.

As Dorothy stirred from unconsciousness and beheld the burning form of the Scarecrow, a sense of horror washed over her. "Scarecrow..." she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow.

"DOOOOOOROTHY!!!" The Scarecrow's anguished cry echoed as he burned to ashes, leaving Dorothy to confront the grim reality of his demise.

"Oops?" Enerida's tone was casual, though a hint of mischief danced in his eyes as he observed Dorothy's reaction.

"You... killed him..." Dorothy's voice trembled with disbelief as she confronted Enerida, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

As Dorothy's shoes shined with a brilliant ruby aura, Enerida couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity. "What did you just do?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on the newfound power emanating from Dorothy.

"The power of my red ruby slippers is a game changer," Dorothy explained, her voice filled with determination. "The more hope I have, the stronger I get."

"So! You're a fellow power booster!" Enerida exclaimed, a crackling electrical aura enveloping him as he prepared for the impending confrontation. "This could be interesting. Let's see if you can take my times 10 charge!"

With a swift motion, Dorothy dashed towards Enerida, her movements fluid and precise. In a blink of an eye, she delivered a powerful kick to his face, drawing blood and leaving him momentarily stunned.

"She's fast-" Enerida's thought was interrupted as he quickly recoiled, flipping back to regain his footing, his hand instinctively covering his constantly bleeding mouth.

Enerida's muffled curse escaped his lips as Dorothy leapt into the air, her movements swift and determined.

"Times 50 charge!" Enerida declared, summoning his power as he teleported behind Dorothy and launched a punch towards her. However, Dorothy was quick to react, spinning around and meeting his punch with a powerful kick, causing an explosion of ruby electricity to crackle through the air.

"She's already grown as strong as my times 50?" Enerida's thoughts raced as he observed Dorothy's newfound strength, shaking off the cliché assumptions that threatened to cloud his focus.

Reverting to his base form, Enerida overpowered Dorothy's kick, knocking her foot back before delivering a decisive blow to her stomach. With a graceful flip, he followed up with a swift kick to the top of her head, sending her crashing to the ground.

"Where did... all of this strength come from!?" Dorothy exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief as she struggled to comprehend Enerida's sudden surge in power.

As Enerida landed gracefully on the ground, he pointed a finger gun at Dorothy, his frustration evident. "Dammit, you totally eff'd up my teeth, I shouldn't have let that happen!" he lamented.

"Why did you-" Dorothy began, only to be cut off by Enerida's interruption.

"Imma stop you right there," Enerida interjected, his tone firm. "Let me ask you, how useful is a multiplier if your base form is trash?"

"What? What kind of question is that?" Dorothy's confusion was evident as she attempted to process Enerida's words.

"I know you don't care, but I don't care that you don't care, so let me share something with you," Enerida continued, his resolve unwavering even as Dorothy's aura grew stronger.

If he's this chatty, I have a shot, Dorothy thought to herself, seizing the opportunity to launch a series of kicks towards Enerida. Yet, to her dismay, Enerida effortlessly evaded each strike with practiced ease.

"I was originally intending to hold back the entire fight and have this cool one-liner like, 'I wasn't even using my full power,'" Enerida admitted, his movements fluid as he continued to evade Dorothy's attacks.

"What are you..." Dorothy's voice trailed off as she struggled to comprehend Enerida's revelations, her aura weakening in response.

"But you were kicking my ass, pun intended," Enerida remarked with a hint of humor. "I trained day and night to increase my base value. My plan isn't to be as strong as I can; it's to use my potential to the fullest."

Dorothy jumped back, her aura dissipating as realization dawned upon her. "I- You're so strong."

"You've lost hope! I see this as a win," Enerida declared, his confidence unshaken despite Dorothy's faltering resolve.

"I thought I could do this on my own, but I guess I can't," Dorothy admitted, her voice tinged with resignation.

"So you give up?" Enerida inquired, his gaze unwavering as he awaited Dorothy's response.

"Of course not! I have one last trick up my sleeve!" Dorothy exclaimed, determination burning bright in her eyes.

"That sounds familiar..." Enerida remarked, his curiosity piqued.

"Ruby Air Balloon!!!" Dorothy called out, summoning a glowing ruby air balloon into the sky.

"What the hell," Enerida muttered, his surprise evident as he observed Dorothy's final gambit.

"I can do this! I might have hope, but this thing gives me hope!!!" Dorothy declared, her aura flaring violently strong as she prepared to unleash her newfound power upon Enerida.

Dorothy's declaration rang through the air like a challenge, her voice laced with a fierce determination. "You won't make it out alive!"

Enerida retaliated, firing a beam of electricity towards the hot air balloon hovering above them. To his surprise, the beam passed right through it.

"You can't do that, it exists in a whole different dimension," Dorothy explained calmly, her voice tinged with a hint of superiority.

"Well, I'll still beat you," Enerida countered, his determination unwavering despite the setback.

"You don't seem to understand what's going on here," Dorothy retorted, her aura growing ten times in size as her power surged.

"The rate that I am gaining hope is incredible," Dorothy declared, her voice resonating with newfound strength as she prepared to unleash her full potential.

"But can you-" Before Enerida could finish his sentence, Dorothy vanished from sight, reappearing in front of him with blinding speed. With a swift kick to his stomach, she sent him hurtling backward through the air.

I didn't expect there to be a difference! I guess I can't hold back! Enerida thought to himself as he somersaulted onto his feet, bracing himself for the ensuing battle.

"Times 1000 charge!" Enerida declared, his electric scarf crackling with power as his aura intensified.

As memories flooded his mind, Enerida found himself transported back to a week ago, his body bathed in sweat as he trained tirelessly under the cover of night.

"Although it's painful, the more I absorb my charges into my body, the stronger I become and the more I can sustain," Enerida reflected, his determination burning bright even in the face of adversity.

"I work through the day, and train through the night. With that cycle, I am destined to become somebody worthy of being a mage!" Enerida resolved, his resolve unyielding as he faced the challenges ahead.

Returning to the present, Dorothy's aura continued to grow stronger, her determination unwavering as she prepared to unleash her ultimate technique.

"Only one of us will come out of this fight alive!!! Heart chaser!!!" Dorothy exclaimed, her voice filled with conviction as she unleashed a barrage of ruby magic towards Enerida.

Undeterred, Enerida countered with his own technique, summoning nine electric clones to aid him in battle. However, one by one, each clone was dispersed by Dorothy's relentless assault until none remained.

"He's gone!" Dorothy exclaimed triumphantly, her confidence unwavering as she prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

But to her surprise, Enerida suddenly reappeared, launching a devastating uppercut towards her. Yet, despite the force behind his blow, Dorothy remained unfazed, her resolve unbroken.

"How... My times 1000 charge form is stronger than it was the first time I used it! Yet... She's still keeping up!" Enerida realized, his mind racing as he assessed the situation.

With blinding speed, Dorothy appeared before him once again, delivering a powerful kick that sent him hurtling through the air.

Summoning his inner strength, Enerida unleashed his ultimate technique, the "God-Compilation," unleashing a barrage of electric dragons towards Dorothy's summoned ruby dog. The ensuing explosion reverberated through the battlefield, leaving Enerida to confront the aftermath of his devastating attack.

"That thing totally broke a few bones... Nothing healing magic can't fix," Enerida muttered to himself, his determination unwavering as he prepared for the next phase of their intense battle.

Suddenly, Dorothy appeared above him, delivering a punishing kick that sent him crashing to the ground below, leaving a gaping crater in its wake. As Enerida struggled to rise from the rubble, he knew that the battle was far from over, and he would need to muster all of his strength to emerge victorious.

As Toto descended towards Enerida with unyielding determination, the air crackled with tension. With a direct hit, Toto exploded into a towering column of ruby magic, engulfing Enerida in a devastating blast. Smoke billowed from his prone form as he lay on the ground, his body wracked with pain, his consciousness slipping away.

"Time to finish the job!!!" Dorothy's voice rang out with fierce determination as she descended upon Enerida, her eyes fixed on her fallen opponent.

Darn it... No way... I lost this, Enerida thought to himself, his mind racing as he grasped for a last shred of hope. "Think of a... random number... Maybe I could... survive..."

"T...imes... billion charge..." Enerida whispered with one final, faint breath, summoning the last reserves of his strength.

Suddenly, a titanic shockwave erupted from Enerida's body, sending Dorothy hurtling upwards into the sky with staggering force. The entire sky cleared of clouds, and the ground beneath them trembled as an earthquake rent the earth in two.

"Where!?" Dorothy exclaimed in disbelief as she struggled to regain her footing amidst the chaos.

"What is he doing?" she wondered aloud, her mind racing with uncertainty as she beheld the spectacle unfolding before her.

Then, without warning, a blinding explosion of pure white light erupted from Enerida's body, its intensity growing with each passing moment. The blast consumed everything in its path, swallowing the wasteland whole in a torrent of unimaginable power.

In a matter of seconds, the once desolate landscape was transformed into a blinding sea of white, leaving nothing in its wake but the echoes of an epic clash that had shaken the very foundations of their world.

Surrounded by a circle of awe-struck villagers, Pyta and Midas engaged in a fierce duel at the heart of the bustling kingdom. Each swing of Midas's heavy sword sent gusts of wind slicing through the air, while Pyta, wielding dual swords with elegant precision, deftly dodged and parried every blow.

"Give it up, boy," Midas taunted as he launched a powerful vertical slash towards Pyta. With agility and grace, Pyta rolled out of harm's way, seamlessly transforming his swords into a formidable halberd.

"How could you do this to your own people!?" Pyta demanded, his voice laced with righteous indignation as he delivered a decisive blow to Midas's side, impaling him with his halberd.

"I'll make sure to cut you in half for this!" Pyta vowed, his resolve unwavering even in the face of his opponent's smirk.

"Tch," Pyta muttered under his breath as he withdrew his halberd and swiftly transformed it into a saber, dispelling the golden sheen that had begun to envelop it.

"I do have to say, I have only fate to blame for such a match up," Midas remarked casually, his gaze locked on Pyta. "I can't seem to turn your weapon into gold because you can transform it."

Pyta's mind raced as he realized the disadvantage he faced. I can't get a hit on him without him turning my weapon into gold, he thought grimly. Once it's gold, it's no longer a magical weapon; it's just a golden weapon.

Amidst the chaos of battle, a sudden explosion shattered the air, sending shockwaves of panic rippling through the villagers.

"What is that?" Pyta exclaimed, his attention torn between the ongoing duel and the approaching danger.

As he spotted the shockwave from Enerida's explosion hurtling towards them, Pyta's instincts kicked into overdrive. "No-" he began, but he swiftly ducked under a horizontal slash from Midas and leaped over him.

"EVERYBODY, GET BEHIND ME NOOOOOW!!!" Pyta's voice rang out with urgency as he transformed his saber into a shield and planted it firmly in the ground. With a collective gasp, the villagers huddled behind the growing shield, their safety now entrusted to Pyta's unwavering resolve.

As the shield expanded to towering heights, deflecting the deadly shockwave and protecting the villagers from harm, Pyta's heart swelled with pride. Yet, his triumph was short-lived as Midas seized the opportunity to launch a vicious attack.

"AAAGH!!!" Pyta cried out in pain as Midas slashed him across the back, leaving a deep, bloody gash in his wake.

"I get it, you're a hero," Midas taunted, his words dripping with sarcasm as he closed in on Pyta once more.

With lightning reflexes, Pyta back-flipped over Midas's reach, but his victory was short-lived as Midas swiftly retaliated, slashing him across the chest with brutal efficiency.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Midas jeered, his eyes glinting with malice as Pyta struggled to regain his footing amidst the searing pain. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the kingdom, Shimisu's hair stood on end as he spotted the colossal explosion in the distance.

"Whoa, that's... huge," he marveled, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "That's probably Enerida! Nobody else uses magic like that!" With determination blazing in his eyes, Shimisu set off towards the explosion, his resolve unshakable as he raced to join the fray.

As the blinding light of Enerida's explosion faded, Dorothy's bubble burst, leaving her stunned and disoriented. Peering down into the gaping abyss that had replaced the landscape, she felt a surge of disbelief wash over her.

"He did... all of this?" Dorothy murmured incredulously, her mind reeling from the sheer magnitude of the devastation.

A faint cough brought her attention back to her own condition, and she winced as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Suddenly, Enerida materialized behind her, his presence striking fear into her heart.

I didn't even hear him... I didn't even see him... Dorothy thought, her senses overwhelmed by the chaos unfolding around her.

As the mysterious light illuminating the abyss vanished, Dorothy found herself face to face with Enerida, his electrified form pulsating with raw power. Before she could react, every point on her body sparked with energy, and she collapsed to the ground, her strength waning.

When did he... Dorothy trailed off, her thoughts fragmented as she struggled to comprehend the unfolding events.

With a swift motion, Enerida dispatched the hot air balloon with a burst of electricity, leaving Dorothy to plummet towards the abyss below. As she fell, a realization dawned on her with chilling clarity.

"He didn't just get into the dimension... he destroyed the entire dimension," Dorothy realized, her heart sinking with the weight of impending defeat. "What am I fighting right now... I don't think I can... Win this."

Just as despair threatened to consume her, a chorus of voices echoed through the air, jolting Dorothy back to her senses.

"Dorothy! Don't give up!!!" the voices cried out in unison, their words a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

Turning around, Dorothy beheld the spectral forms of her eleven deceased siblings, their presence filling her with renewed determination.

"You can do this, big sis!" they urged, their voices a comforting reminder of the strength that lay within her.

With a surge of power, Dorothy's aura intensified, her resolve solidifying as she prepared to unleash her ultimate technique.

"You're right! This is it! This is the move that will decide it all!!!" Dorothy declared, her foot ablaze with ruby energy.

In an instant, she shot towards the top of the abyss with blinding speed, hurtling towards Enerida with unwavering determination.

But Enerida was prepared, unleashing a devastating attack of his own.

"Electric Magic: Hope Breaking Impulse Shock," he announced, conjuring a ball of purple electricity and hurling it towards Dorothy.

With lightning reflexes, Dorothy dodged the attack, only to find Enerida standing before her in the blink of an eye. Before she could react, he slammed the ball of electricity into her face, shattering her aura and dispelling the ghostly images of her siblings.

Falling helplessly towards the abyss below, Dorothy watched as Enerida's form faltered, his body succumbing to the strain of his immense power.

But just as all seemed lost, Shimisu intervened, catching Enerida and unleashing an explosion that sent him hurtling across the abyss.

"I really need to heal you! You are literally dying in my arms! I will save you, Enerida! And I will also save Falaikia, maybe..." Shimisu vowed, his determination unwavering as he fought to save his friend from the brink of death.