Bryan's Solution

"Why should I be scared of you when I nearly killed you during the fight yesterday? And your powers aren't horrid, either. The main villain we are about to face has done worse things. So having the Grim Reaper by your side isn't a bad thing at all."

"On the contrary, I am jealous that you've such an interesting spirit to help you. The personification of Death itself is helping you to live on in this world... How amusingly ironic..." I said, shaking my head at the thought of a Reaper guiding a child in the world of Magecraft.

"But I am curious to know about your plan against Astria Faust. Will you use your Original Spell, or will you use other tactics to subdue her?" I asked, looking at Duncan.

"Well, it depends. I plan to use Tartarus to provide the optimal arena to fight in if the opponent is dangerous enough. If not, I'm only relying on the scythe and the skills that I've learned from Sir Noble and Slayer Verna."

"Do make sure that you aren't spending too much time in the battle and strike at her Elemental Core when you've got the chance. Are you still on board with the idea of killing this enemy?" I questioned.

Duncan halted in his tracks before looking directly into my eyes with a newfound look of confidence.

"Yes, I am and will do without hesitation for the sake of the Mission," was the child's final reply.

I sighed as I heard those words and saw the child's expression. Duncan reminded me of when I first signed up to be in the work of an assassin. Without rebellion, arguments, or questions, we are to carry out our Missions as commanded, even if it means kissing Death on the cheek.

Now it was Bryan's turn to get questions from me. I knew that his power of the stars is formidable, as shown during our previous duel, but up against an enemy Mage without a controlled setting is another matter.

"So, Bry... How are you going to fight the Black Knight?" I asked, turning my attention to the Slayer.

Bryan was caught off guard when I asked that question since he never expected me to switch targets.

"Well... I plan to use the Constellation of Aquarius to drown the Knight. Mostly because my Aquarius is the strongest in my arsenal, I can use the other Constellations, but I'm going to rely mostly on my scythes. I want to test out some moves that Tomoe taught me," answered Bryan.

I looked at Bryan for a few seconds before checking his profile on my interface. Everything seems to weigh on the Slayer's side against the Black Knight, but I wasn't sure once the enemy takes her armor off. Most of the Undead King's stats are hidden because of her armor.

If the Black Knight decides to toss away her defense, it would be all over for Bryan since her powers may be on the level of a Founder. The armor acts as a limiter for the Black Knight's powers so she wouldn't get caught by authorities.

When that happens, I don't think the poor Slayer would even have the chance to escape, much less kill the target.

"Don't take too long, alright? You may have some fun while trying out new moves but make sure not to spend too much time. Try to kill the Black Knight before she takes away her armor since it would be near impossible to defeat her then."

"Also, if you could, please try to ask the Black Knight for information about Merlin's whereabouts. I'm interested to know more about the Dream Mage."

"Perhaps you should try asking the Founders? I think they would be a better source than the enemy itself," quizzed Tomoe, popping into the conversation.

"I want to, but I will be bombarded with questions if I'd asked the Founders. So I'd rather do my things, you know? And since you've spoken, it's your turn to be questioned on how you will take down your target. Vastra has the strongest defense out of the Five Ducklings."

Unlike Bryan's reply, Tomoe had no hesitation with his explanation of getting revenge on the Queen of Sands.

"I would be using my Original Spell's Ninth Sun; Dance Of Sun Dragon. It's one of the most intricate moves within my Original Spell, consisting of enough twists and turns to hack off all limbs of my target. My main Element is Blue Fire, a stronger type of flame that is poisonous for other Familiars."

"If you don't mind me asking, what is the name of your Original Spell?" I asked, suddenly finding that spell's name very familiar.

"It's called 'The God Of Fire's Ritual Dance.' Its native name is called 'Hinokami Kagura,'" replied Tomoe.