CHAPTER 74: THE CHECKMATE

Gray stood tall, the smoke of the previous skirmish still swirling around him. Captain Veyra, his uniform torn and scorched, leaned forward, barely holding his stance. His once vibrant emerald armor, marked with two shimmering stars signifying his high rank, now hung battered around his frame. Blood trickled from the edge of his lips, but his spirit refused to yield.

His body flickered with energy as he activated his Grass Drive: Second Mode. The moment he triggered it, a vivid green aura erupted from his body, whipping around him like untamed vines caught in a storm. The air thickened with magical energy. A faint tremble ran through the ground.

Gray narrowed his eyes. "So you're going all out now, Veyra?"

Veyra's smile was grim. "You forced my hand."

He slammed his foot into the ground. "Grass Magic: Roots Annihilation!"

Massive roots burst forth from the earth, snaking in rapid spirals toward Gray. Thick, bark-covered tendrils aimed to bind his limbs, crush him in their grip, or impale him straight through. But Gray was faster. He darted left, flipping over one root, spinning midair, and firing a volley of silver bullets that sliced through the enchanted vines with clean precision. The roots recoiled, writhing in agony.

Veyra snarled, spinning the twin chakrams strapped to his arms. He imbued them with his magic, transforming the simple metal rings into whirling disks of green-bladed destruction. He dashed toward Gray, spinning, leaping, and striking with elegant fury. The ground cracked beneath his feet with each step.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Gray blocked every strike with his twin handguns, rotating his wrists to parry and deflect with almost artistic grace.

"You're as powerful as the rumors claimed," Veyra panted, mid-combat. "Fighting me with just handguns… impressive. I admire your restraint. But…" He flared his chakrams and grinned. "I'd like you to bring out those swords of yours."

Gray scoffed. "You're not even close to being worth the weight of my blades."

They clashed again, metal against metal, bullets against spinning blades. Each impact sent shockwaves around them, dust rising with every clash.

"How rude," Veyra said with a mocking tone. Then he leapt into the air and hurled one chakram. "Grass Magic: Arc Slash!"

A razor-sharp wind of green energy erupted from the spinning ring. Gray's eyes shimmered.

"Mirror Magic: Mirror Wall."

A translucent wall shimmered into existence before him, reflecting the green arc perfectly. The attack bounced harmlessly off.

From the distance, Imperial and his group watched in awe.

"So that's his magic," Imperial murmured. "Interesting."

Gray's eyes gleamed. He began to move faster now. He activated his secondary spell.

"Mirror Magic: Mirror Reflection!"

Five mirrors appeared, surrounding Veyra in a pentagon formation. From outside, Gray ran in circles around the shape, vanishing and reappearing in the reflections of the mirrors. All five reflected his image, creating confusion.

Veyra frowned. "What is he doing? An illusion trap?"

He waited. Then smirked.

"Oh. I get it. He's trying to distract me with these images… and when I strike, he goes in for the real hit."

He slammed his palms into the ground. "Grass Magic: Roots Annihilation!"

Roots exploded from the earth again, targeting the mirrors. He destroyed one, and instantly, another appeared in its place. He destroyed two more, and again, replacements manifested seamlessly.

Veyra growled. "How annoying."

He raised both arms. "Grass Magic: Leaf Hurricane!"

A swirling vortex of enchanted leaves burst outward, a furious storm strong enough to tear trees from their roots. It crashed against the mirrors—but the reflective surface repelled the hurricane. The wind storm bounced between mirrors inside the pentagon, creating a deadly prison where Veyra now had to dodge his own redirected attack.

Each second, the pentagon grew smaller. The mirrors inched closer, the space to dodge shrinking.

"He's trying to crush me," Veyra muttered. "Damn… so clever. All this was to make me panic."

He made a desperate move. Spotting the only opening—the top of the pentagon—he jumped, flipping through the air, soaring up.

BOOM!

A gunshot echoed.

A bullet tore through the air and struck Veyra's forehead before he could even scream. Time froze.

His body crumpled midair and hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Silence.

"The winner is… Gray," said Silver from afar.

Tracey's eyes widened. "But… how? How did he know Veyra would jump out from the top?"

Imperial replied calmly, "Because that's what he wanted him to do from the beginning."

Ari asked, "What do you mean?"

Silver stepped forward. "The mirror reflections created the illusion of constant threat, constantly redirecting the hurricane. Veyra was never in control. Gray predicted his every reaction. When the pentagon closed in, the only escape route left was upward. Gray was already there, waiting for him."

Tracey blinked. "He's like… always two or three steps ahead. Like a chessmaster playing with living pieces."

Imperial's expression darkened. "But where's the Vice General?"

Gray suddenly looked up, eyes narrowing. "When did that bastard slip away?" he muttered, clenching his fists.

Silver stepped beside him. "For now, we've protected this town. That's the conclusion."

Gray smirked. "No. The conclusion will be when I kill you."

Silver stepped between them. "Gray, Imperial isn't in any shape to fight. You want to face him at full strength, don't you? Or are you just a coward hiding behind easy wins?"

Gray scoffed. "Tch. Fine. I'll wait."

Ari continued healing Imperial's wounds. The townspeople came out from hiding. A man approached them. "Thank you, Common Association. You've saved our town."

Silver replied humbly, "We were made for this."

A small boy tugged Imperial's sleeve. "Big bro! You were amazing! That dragon was so cool! I'm a lightning magic user too! Will you teach me?"

Imperial smiled. "It's a little early for that technique… but I'll show you some cool moves."

Other children surrounded them, laughing and cheering. The crowd's mood was light, joyous.

A woman called out, "Kids, don't bother them too much. Let them rest."

Another man added, "You can play later. For now, stay nears the pillar."

Imperial froze. "Pillar? What pillar?"