Dealing With The Enemy

It's still here, and I have a reason to hold on to it until the right answer we're both searching for is finally within our reach... ~ Florence Joyce

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The Knights were aware that the enemies had sensed their presence as soon as they stepped down their respective horses. They could only look at their approaching enemies whose arms grew out of blades the moment they saw the intruders.

"Get ready. I have a feeling that they're not going to hold back," Mari said as she eyed the Phantasma with narrowed eyes. She then materialized her sword out of thin air.

Rina and Chie materialized their respective weapons not long after — a yari and a long bow.

"You two deal with them on close range. I'll support you from here," Chie said, making the other two Knights nod as they looked at each other.

"This isn't going to take all day, is it?"

"Let's not make it last all day or we'll all arrive at the castle cranky and pissed."

Though it wasn't exactly the time for any of them to be joking around, it seemed like the need for it was right because they were all dealing with the Beast Knights' archenemies. Or at least, the goons responsible for them being in Shin Makoku in the first place.

The first group began dashing towards the Knights. But they all got hit with Chie's fire arrows that burned them as soon as they took the hit.

"Let's do this."

And with that, Mari and Rina began dealing with the other groups of Phantasma now approaching at a fast speed. The Wind Tiger Knight went right while the Water Swordfish Knight dealt with the ones on the left. It was as if no words were needed as they headed to their designated targets.

Mari's sword started glowing in a silver-green color and leaped up in the air before swinging her weapon.

"Wind Crescent!" One big crescent-shaped energy blade headed towards the Phantasma group and the next thing they knew, the spell cut the enemies in half before dispersing to dust.

Mari recalled that this was what happened to the other Phantasma groups that the Mazoku dealt with once hit with a powerful maryoku. But she also recalled something else in the middle of the fight. One that she had to deal with later after this ordeal was over. At the moment, more Phantasma approached her and the only thing she could do was to finish them all off -- fast.

Her sword glowed once more -- but this time, with gusts of wind surrounding the blade.

While it was happening, the blade of Rina's spear glowed a blue light as she dashed towards the second approaching group of Phantasma. She raised her weapon and hurled the blade to the ground.

"Water Blast!" The command resulted in the blue-colored energy from the blade of the spear traveling the ground and striking the Phantasma with energy blades after energy blades. But instead of dispersing to dust, the enemies dropped down one by one to the ground before turning into a liquified black substance that immediately dried.

Of course, the scene made Rina frown as she did recall a story that Hanz once told her about the Phantasma. The way they would disintegrate would usually reveal their creator's skill. She only noticed the ones turning to dust, and now being liquified. If she were to include the ones earlier that Chie struck with her arrow and ended up turning to ashes due to the fire, then it could only mean one thing.

"Someone is hell-bent on reviving their leader. No doubt about it," Rina concluded before a shriek snapped her out of her musings.

She soon noticed another group of Phantasma approaching her direction which only pissed her off. Without a word, she faced the approaching enemy as her spear's blade began to glow once again. Only this time, with the presence of water droplets surrounding it. With narrowed eyes, she faced her enemies as she prepared herself to deal with them.

From her position, Chie remained standing as she was holding a long bow in her left hand while watching her two friends deal with the charging Phantasma. But as she continued to do so, she began noticing the things that Rina also silently noticed. There was more that caught her attention, however.

The third approaching group of Phantasma.

They didn't have blades growing out of their arms. Instead, this group was peculiar in a way that their nails grew longer -- almost steel-like. And if her hunch was right, this group of Phantasma was not meant for close-range combat.

She started summoning three fire arrows from her right hand and positioned them on her longbow. Aiming toward this group was about to attack the other two Knights using those steel-like nails, she fired those arrows towards them not long after. The front group exploded as soon as the arrows hit them as if a bomb was thrown at them. Not all of the Phantasma in that group ended up exploding, however. And so Chie once again had summoned three fire arrows and shot them towards the remaining Phantasma.

But before the arrows could hit them, Chie was surprised to see those steel-like nails shot towards her position. She leaped up into the air to evade them. She couldn't help sighing in relief as soon as she landed a few meters away.

"What in the world was that? I never heard of Phantasma being able to do this," Chie could only comment as she tried her best to sense her surroundings for any more incoming attacks.

It didn't take long for her to realize another incoming attack and once more, position herself to battle. But this time, she made her longbow disappear. Chie ended up summoning more fire arrows around her next and fired them all towards the next group of Phantasma coming towards the three Knights.

As they all happened, Conrad and Yozak remained watching the progress of the battle from afar while making sure that Yuri and the others made it far from the battle site. Of course, Yuri's hardheadedness struck once again. And so, he decided to go back. But only stopped to where Conrad and Yozak were.

"Legends already stated that they're incredible fighters. But to see the three of them fight like this..." Yozak could only comment as the battle began to subside and the remaining enemies perished.

"That's because they took the threat seriously," Murata said. "Even though the war was supposed to have ended 25 years ago that caused so many losses, they were aware that the enemies hadn't been completely defeated. And so they trained the new Knights with that in mind."

Conrad remained silent as these conversations were going on. He continued watching the Knights finally wiping out what was left of their enemies and Mari looking around the debris. It looked like no one was hurt among the villagers and were able to come out of their hiding places. But what confused him, however, was the fact that only Rina and Chie proceeded to the other group's spot.

"Where's Mari?" Shori asked as soon as his two friends reached them.

"She said she had to stay for a little while to investigate. I have to agree on that since we all noticed weird things concerning the Phantasma that we defeated. She asked us to go with the rest of you to check on the reports that you collected about the previous attacks."

"Mari asked if one of you could assist her in her investigation while the rest of us would go over the reports. Clues needed to realize the enemies' motive could come up in both of them," Chie inquired as she eyed the other Mazoku one by one.

Not even a minute had passed when someone stepped forward and faced the Fire Lion Knight.

"I'll stay with Knight Mari."

Conrad's volunteering didn't come as a shock to all of them. But they knew they were all feeling the same thing for the said soldier.

Worry.

But they also knew he had his reasons. Whatever it was, they might be able to figure it out one day.