Chapter 22: The Cycle of Battle

The forest stood silent, encapsulated in an air of suspense as Lumina, radiating determination, faced off against the mysterious hooded figure. Akira, still catching his breath, watched the unfolding confrontation with a mix of concern and gratitude.

The hooded figure, now confronted by two formidable opponents, couldn't help but feel a hint of uncertainty beneath the mask of arrogance. Lumina, holding her summoned sword with unwavering resolve, spoke with a conviction that echoed through the misty expanse.

"You won't harm my master any further," Lumina declared, her eyes gleaming with a fierce light.

The hooded figure chuckled ominously, "Two Seraphics challenging me? How amusing. Do you really think you can stand against my power?"

Without waiting for a response, the hooded figure conjured a dark energy sphere, unleashing it towards Lumina and Akira. Lumina, displaying newfound strength, swung her radiant sword, deflecting the dark energy with a burst of light.

"I won't let you harm them!" Lumina shouted, her voice resounding with a mix of anger and determination.

Akira, inspired by Lumina's courage, gathered his strength and readied his rapier. The trio faced the hooded figure, forming an unexpected alliance against a common threat.

As the battle ensued, Lumina displayed remarkable agility, dodging the hooded figure's attacks and countering with swift and precise strikes. Akira, despite his injuries, joined the fray, his lightning-infused rapier adding a layer of unpredictability to their coordinated efforts.

The forest echoed with the clashing of blades and bursts of magic, each participant pushing their limits. The hooded figure, despite his initial arrogance, found himself increasingly challenged by the synergy between Akira and Lumina.

In the midst of the battle, Lumina started to stand up from the couch and decided to walk towards Akira's location, but Risa was concerned and came over to aid her from the pain in her stomach.

"Where are you going?!" Risa said running up to her and gently holding her up.

"I have to help master..." said Lumina, but she fell to the ground wrapping her arm around her stomach with her right hand.

"Please, take it easy!" Risa said as she helped her up and sat her on the couch again.

Back at the battlefield, Akira was tired and injured, blood was dripping down from his head but he was fine.

"Damn, Lumina's probably sustaining the damage I'm taking..." Akira thought a bit sorry that she's going through the pain because of him.

"Listen! I'm sorry I interrupted your peaceful life, but I'm not leaving until I get you to soulbound yourself to Risa!" Akira shouted as he leaped off the tree branch and towards Kiyoshi with his rapier in front.

"If you're really that scared we'd use you as a tool then you're wrong!" Akira said as he clashed his rapier against Kiyoshi's cane and sparks flew across them.

"You're mine!" Akira said as he ducked under and swept his feet across Kiyoshi's footing and knocked him off his feet!

Kiyoshi was about to fall, but he caught Akira off guard by casting a spell.

But Akira caught on and saw Kiyoshi's hand sign; it indicated the fact he was about to release it.

"NOT THIS TIME!" Akira shouted as he grabbed Kiyoshi's wrist in a mere second and threw him across the field, launching him into a tree.

"GRAVITATIONAL PUSH!" Kiyoshi yelled, and all of a sudden, Akira felt a giant force pushing him back until a few seconds later he was pushed back. It was so strong that the trees and the dirt beneath Akira disappeared like thin air.

"Dark magic?!" Akira thought as he tried to cover his face from the debris and sharp things from hitting damaging his eyes or anything.

Akira landed on the ground after the spell ended and took a quick breath.

All of a sudden a giant black ball appeared behind Akira "Shit! I can't do that!" Akira thought as he tried his best either way to try to deflect it.

But then a massive beam of light shot down from above and destroyed the spell before it could explode and kill Akira.

"W-what?!" Kiyoshi and Akira were in shock, and they both looked around for who could have done that.

"Ahh, there you are....you filthy Seraphic!" a strange man shouted, and the smoke cleared up after a few seconds and revealed a strange man dressed in a black hooded cloak.

Kiyoshi and Akira assumed a battle stance, as if they started to team up.

"This guy...he seems strong" Akira pointed out.

"Should we retreat?" Kiyoshi said a bit terrified of what the man could possibly do.

The strange hooded man stood up and stood still for a minute, Kiyoshi and Akira looked at each other confused.

But then the hooded man launched himself towards Akira with immense speed from the side, Akira tried to deflect the attack, but he was too slow to react, but Kiyoshi casted a spell just before Akira could get hit.

"Slow!" Kiyoshi yelled and summoned a field that slowed the movement of the enemy.

"Huh? You saved me?!" Akira said a bit surprised.

Kiyoshi was a bit mad but ran off without Akira.

"W-wait!" Akira shouted as he chased after Kiyoshi.

Soon after the slow field broke and the hooded man slowly regained his movement and chased behind.

As Akira and Kiyoshi were running through the forest, Akira caught up and managed to at least talk to Kiyoshi.

"Who was that?" Akira asked, but Kiyoshi didn't know.

"Probably someone who's trying to capture me and use me" Kiyoshi thought for a moment.

Within a split second, Kiyoshi sensed someone heading their way; Kiyoshi pushed Akira out of the way and quickly summoned his cane in the palm of his left hand and summoned 3 black spheres and launched them in the air towards the hooded man.

The 3 black spheres flew towards the hooded man and exploded on impact, the area was full of smoke, so Akira and Kiyoshi waited for the smoke to clear up.

"Is he dead?" Akira asked, a bit suspicious and ominous if the hooded man had died from one hit.

"No, he's alive get ready!" Kiyoshi said as he landed on top of the tree branch with Akira.

"HAHAHAHA!" the hooded figure laughed maniacally and leaped out of the smoke to surprise the two.

Akira clashed his rapier with the hooded figure, as they both landed a blow Akira realized the hooded figure was fighting with hands, but something was protecting it from being cut up.

Kiyoshi took the time to appear behind him and swung his cane in a sideways motion, but the hooded figure ducked under in a split second and kicked Kiyoshi back into a tree with great strength.

"Kiyoshi!" Akira cried for as Akira used all his strength to push the hooded figure back.

Akira moved his left hand with his index and middle finger up towards the rapier's blade, the blade of the rapier started to obtain a yellow-like aura surrounding the edges.

"Shock wave!" Akira shouted as he unleashed a powerful thunder ability and launched a big electric shockwave towards the hooded figure, he managed to knock the hooded figure backward as he did.

"He can't dodge in the air! I got him!" Akira thought but he thought wrong.

The hooded man somehow shifted his body mid-air and dodged the electric shockwave that was coming right at him.

"I-impossible! He moved in mid-air?!" Akira thought in his head in surprise.

As the hooded figure landed on the ground, he jumped into the air and swung his fist at Akira.

Akira quickly reacted to the attack and blocked with his rapier, sparks flew across and the intense fight kept going on.

"This guy...he's strong!" Akira thought as he was analyzing the strength of the man; they both were holding each other in place, desperately trying to push each other back.

"You are a strong Seraphic user child...maybe I shall take your life!" the hooded figure said in a creepy and scary voice.

Within a few minutes, a voice was heard nearby. It wasn't Kiyoshi but a female voice.

"Light, hear my calls and shine judgment upon my enemies! ILLUMINATING LIGHT!" shouted the female voice as hundreds of glowing and bright balls were launched towards the hooded man.

The hooded man looked towards the right and noticed them coming towards him, he had no choice but to stop pushing Akira back and quickly backflipped out of the way so he wouldn't get hit.

Akira looked down and noticed Lumina arrived and stopped the man from potentially injuring Akira.

Lumina was tired and a bit in pain but she smiled as she looked at Akira.

"Are you okay, master?" Lumina asked Akira.

"Yeah, what are you doing here, Lumina?" Akira was a bit shocked that she came here.

"I'm here..."

Lumina summoned a big sword in her left hand and pointed it at the hooded figure.

"To kill the person who hurt my master!"

To Be Continued...