Part Ten

The battle between Isadora and Azura's team escalates, their combined assaults intensifying with every passing moment. The air around them crackles with raw energy, each combatant pushing their limits.

Azura, his aura now a vibrant cloak of energy, lunges forward with blistering speed. His approach is a blur, closing the gap to Isadora in a heartbeat. With a swift, high kick aimed at her head, he unleashes a burst of aura that distorts the air around his leg. The water beneath him splits violently.

Isadora, unfazed, tilts her head just enough to let the kick whisk past her. Her stoic expression remains unchanged, her eyes locked on Azura's form. The moment his foot passes, she retaliates with a swift, upward swing of her sword, aiming to catch him off-balance.

Simultaneously, Knox and Calder leap into action, their glowing tattoos a sign of their enhanced prowess. Knox's fists become a flurry of motion, each strike a thunderous explosion of force. Calder swings his great sword with such might that it creates gusts of wind, adding a tangible force to his attacks.

Quinn, her daggers aglow with a deadly light, moves like a shadow, aiming for Isadora's blind spots. Her strikes are swift and precise, yet she is unable to find any blind spots. 

Zephyr, surrounded by swirling elements, unleashes her fury. Flames spiral towards Isadora, water whips snap at her feet, and gusts of wind attempt to throw her off balance. The elements combine in a chaotic symphony, each one controlled with masterful precision.

Sylvie, concentrating her earth magic, causes the very water beneath them to solidify momentarily, attempting to trap Isadora's movements. The earth elements rise like serpents from the lake, seeking to bind her.

Isadora's response to this combined assault is a breathtaking display of skill and power. She moves with a grace that seems almost otherworldly, each motion fluid and purposeful. Her sword meets Knox's fists with a clash of steel and aura, deflecting his powerful strikes with barely a flick of her wrist.

She spins away from Calder's heavy blows, her movements a blur as she avoids the sweeping arc of his great sword. Quinn's daggers find only air where Isadora stood moments before, her anticipation and reflexes beyond human.

The elemental attacks from Zephyr are met with a dance-like evasion. Isadora twirls and leaps through the flames, water, and wind, her cloak billowing around her like a storm cloud. Each element is avoided with minimal, yet effective movements.

Even Sylvie's earth magic, which solidifies the water around Isadora, fails to hinder her. She uses the brief moments of solidity to propel herself into the air, evading the trap with ease.

Sylvie, frustration evident in her voice, exclaims, "Ugh... I hate this." She takes a deep breath, her tone reflecting her dismay. "She's too fast to catch off guard."

At that moment, Knox launches an uppercut aimed at Isadora, his muscles coiled like springs, ready to unleash his full power. But Isadora, with her uncanny reflexes, counters with a swift kick, sending Knox hurtling across the lake like a stone skipped over water.

Zephyr, quick to react, sighs and summons a field of wind, catching Knox mid-air before he can be thrown too far away. She grits her teeth, determination etched on her face. "Let's see just how well you do against this," she mutters.

Raising her hands, Zephyr orchestrates a dramatic shift in her elemental assault. Magic circles in the air rotate, redirecting their energy upwards. Flames burst into the sky, converging into a massive fire pillar. The sheer size of it is staggering, visible to everyone, painting the sky with its fiery glow. Zephyr's focus is intense, sweat beading on her forehead as she channels her mana into the colossal structure.

But she's not finished. Zephyr turns one hand towards the lake, casting another magic circle. The water instantly begins to freeze, the ice rapidly spreading across the lake's surface. Before Isadora can leap away, Zephyr manipulates the water beneath her, subtly pulling her down, hindering her movements just enough for Azura to land a series of punches.

"Knox, Azura! I got her, so hurry up and enhance the ice with your aura!" Zephyr calls out, her voice laced with urgency. Knox and Azura, understanding the plan, jump back and place their palms against the ice. Their auras flow into it, strengthening the ice, making it more resilient to Isadora's attempts to break free.

Knox exhales a heavy sigh, his voice reflecting a mix of hope and exhaustion. "This better work." Azura, ever the thrill-seeker, grins and adds, "I hope it doesn't."

Zephyr, her concentration at its peak, pours every last ounce of her mana into the fire pillar. To maximize its destructive potential, she envelops it in a thick layer of wind, increasing its speed and ferocity. The pillar, now a towering inferno, becomes a weapon of immense power.

Sylvie, looking up at the spectacle, can't help but express her awe. "Wow, this is amazing, Zephyr. This is the biggest one you've ever made, isn't it?" she says, admiration clear in her voice.

Zephyr, her hand clenched tightly, grunts in response, her entire being focused on the task at hand. With a forceful gesture, she propels the fire pillar towards Isadora. The pillar, guided by her will and amplified by her magic, hurtles towards its target with unstoppable momentum.

Exhausted and drained, Zephyr collapses to her knees, her breath coming in heavy gasps. The monumental effort of summoning and directing the colossal fire pillar has taken its toll on her. As the massive pillar descends towards its target, she turns to Azura, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "Hey Azura. Can she block that attack with aura?" she asks, her voice weak but laced with concern.

Azura, watching the scene with a mix of anticipation and excitement, grins widely. "None of us are at that level yet. That includes her. But then again, she's a monster, right?" His words hang in the air, a testament to the extraordinary nature of their adversary.

Meanwhile, Calder, lying on the ice, exhausted from the battle, gazes up at the fiery spectacle overhead. The brightness of the pillar illuminates the area with an intense glow, casting everything in a harsh, surreal light. He sighs deeply, a mixture of awe and fatigue coloring his voice. "It's so bright..." he murmurs, the sight overwhelming yet strangely captivating.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

-Isabella's POV

I find myself in the thick of a chaotic battlefield, surrounded by a horde of aggressive monsters. Their growls and snarls fill the air, creating a cacophony of primal rage. With a flick of my finger, I unleash a fireball, obliterating the group of monsters closing in on me. The explosion sends a wave of heat across the area, and the smell of scorched flesh permeates the air.

"Tsk, what a pain," I mutter under my breath, my annoyance evident. "Why did all the monsters fly over to us?" My gaze drifts to the remains of the massive monster corpse, a grotesque sight that raises more questions than answers. Just what was V thinking, causing such an upheaval?

Suddenly, a monster lunges at me from behind, its claws aiming for my back. Annoyed, I quickly knit my eyebrows together and cast a protective magic shield, stopping the beast in its tracks. 

Aira slices through the monster with ease. Her blade moves in a graceful arc, severing the creature's neck with a clean cut. "Just why are there so many?" she sighs, her voice a mix of exhaustion and frustration. "I've killed like 400 already; where do they keep coming from?" She doesn't wait for an answer, already moving to confront another group of monsters that dares approach.

I scan the surroundings, my senses alert to any signs of danger or anomaly. "There is a huge mana fluctuation on the other side of the corpse," I observe, trying to piece together the situation. My eyes settle on the monster's massive, yet to sink, head. Disgust and curiosity mingle in my thoughts.

Abruptly, everyone's attention is drawn upwards as a massive fire pillar illuminates the sky. The pillar of fire, reaching towards the heavens, paints the sky in shades of orange and red.

Flora voices the question that hangs in the air. "What... is going on?" Her tone is one of bewilderment, reflecting the confusion we all feel.

Smiling to myself, I recognize the distinct mana pattern emanating from the distance. "Oh, I see, I know this mana pattern," I say, a hint of realization in my voice. Quickly, I cast a magic circle beneath my feet, freezing the water below me in an instant. With a slight gesture, the frozen water begins to rise, lifting me higher and higher until I can see over the massive corpse of the monster.

Peering over the monstrous remains, my eyes catch sight of a familiar scene. "Over there, there she is," I whisper, spotting the figure I was searching for. There, on the other side, lies the source of the tumultuous mana fluctuations. I see her clearly now, that stubborn fool who refuses to accept reality. She's lying on the ground, exhausted, surrounded by her team. And there's Isadora, standing a good distance away, her figure solitary against the backdrop of the chaotic fray.

I focus my mana, enhancing my vision to get a clearer view. Through my mana-coated eyes, the scene becomes sharper, revealing more details. I see Knox, Azura, and another team member working together to harden the ice with their aura, their efforts concentrated on containing Isadora.

Isadora, on her part, stands still, her attention unwavering on the looming threat of the fire pillar. Her posture is relaxed yet alert, an enigma as always. "Hmmm...? What is she doing...?"

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

In the unfolding drama of the battle, Isadora stands amidst the chaos, her gaze directed upward, observing the immense pillar of fire as it reflects in her black eyes. The flames, a swirling inferno in the sky, cast a flickering light over her stoic face.

Looking down, she notes that from her knees downwards, she is encased in the ice that has formed around her. Determined, she envelops her sword in aura, hardening it with her will. She strikes at the ice, but as soon as her blade makes contact, the ice seems to heal itself, closing back around her legs. Isadora, unfazed, merely tilts her head, considering her predicament.

Her gaze lifts once again to the descending fire pillar, and for a brief moment, she lets out a heavy sigh. Setting her sword aside, she reaches into her pouch and retrieves a black blade. In her mind, a memory surfaces: V, in the form of a diminutive goblin, handing her the blade. "Blah Blah blah, Blah blah. It is better than the academy blades," he had said. Even though it's just a recollection, she nods as if responding in real time.

With the fire pillar hurtling downwards, radiating intense heat, Isadora does what she knows best. She channels half of her remaining aura into a protective shell around her body, ensuring not a single leak. Running her fingers across the black blade, she then raises it, adopting her stance.

The blade is then coated in a thick layer of aura, which solidifies and extends, forming a longer, aura-made blade. This transformation occurs in less than a second, a testament to her skill and precision.

Taking a deep breath, Isadora grips the sword tightly and swings it downward with full force. In that moment, everything falls silent. The swing generates a fierce wind, so powerful that it not only cleaves the massive fire pillar in half but also carves a huge, straight line across the lake. The water parts dramatically, revealing the might of her strike, a display of power that echoes across the battlefield.

The aftermath of Isadora's powerful strike against the fire pillar and the lake leaves the battlefield in a brief, stunned silence. In that moment, Isadora, the stoic warrior, experiences a rare instance of surprise. Her eyes widen for a split second, an instinctive reaction to an unforeseen threat.

Without warning, Orion, a figure previously unknown to Isadora, emerges from the chaos. With a swift and decisive movement, he strikes her from behind with his sword, channeling all his strength into the blow. The impact of his attack is monumental, shattering the ice around them and creating a massive crater.

Isadora, caught off guard by this unexpected assault, barely has time to react. In a reflexive move, she positions her sword behind her, attempting to defend against the strike. However, the force of Orion's attack is too great, sending her flying away from the epicenter of the impact.