CHAPTER 69 #4
Meanwhile, Anastacio could feel his master's overwhelming mana from afar, and he couldn't help but feel proud as he watched Rassia dominate the battlefield habang hinaharap ang mga taong sumusuporta sa limang Lords.
With his enormous mana, mabilis niyang napigilan ang mga ito bago pa sila makalapit sa battlefield.
Hindi niya hinayaang makialam ang mga ito sa laban ng kanyang master.
The Six Azure Blades were tasked with removing the chains from the citizens. With the help of Anastacio's enormous mana, they quickly broke and removed the chains that had bound the people of Mysarea for so long.
Napatingin si Lord Aryo kay Ailo na tuluyan nang nawalan ng hininga. Nanatiling nakabukas ang mga mata nito na may dugo habang ang buong katawan nito ay naging violet dahil sa napakalaking mana na kaniyang inabsorb mula kay Rassia.
"Now, Lord Aryo. Your little companions are already dead. I already killed them. Ikaw naman ang susunod. Hindi ko hahayaang mamatay ka nang payapa katulad ng iba mong kasama. After everything you and your men have done to the people of Mysarea,
you really think I would simply let you walk away from this? You took their freedom, chained them, treated them like they were nothing, and made them suffer just because you had the power to do so. You enjoyed watching people become helpless because you knew they couldn't fight back.
But look at you now..."
Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Rassia kaniyang scythe nang maalala ang kalagayan ng mga mamamayan sa Mysarea.
"You wanted everyone here to fear you, Lord Aryo. You wanted them to believe that no one could ever stand against you and your little group of Lords. But you were wrong. I am standing right in front of you, and I already took down four of your strongest men."
Muli niyang itinaas ang kaniyang ulo.
"So don't expect me to give you the peaceful death you never gave your victims. You deserve to face the consequences of everything you have done."
Bahagyang natawa si Lord Aryo habang nakatingin kay Rassia. Hindi man lamang siya natinag sa pagkamatay ng kaniyang apat na kasama. Sa halip, tila lalo pa siyang naging kampante.
"You really are an arrogant little girl, aren't you? Natalo mo ang apat kong kasama at ngayon akala mo kaya mo na akong takutin?"
Mabagal siyang humakbang pasulong.
"Don't get too confident just because you managed to defeat them. They were strong, yes, but you haven't even seen what I can do. I am Number One for a reason. Ako ang pinakamalakas sa aming lima, at hindi ako umabot sa posisyong ito dahil lamang marunong akong lumaban."
A knowing smile appeared on his lips. "You keep talking about the people of Mysarea as if you actually care about them. You freed their chains and defeated my men, so what? Do you really think that makes you their savior?"
Umiling si Lord Aryo habang napapatawa.
"People like them will always need someone stronger than themselves. That's why they obey. That's why they kneel. And that's why they followed us for so long..."
Lalo lamang nandilim ang paningin ni Rassia.
This evil bastard.
Kahit sa mundong ito, hindi pa rin nawawala ang mga sakim na tao at mga hayok sa kapangyarihan.
No matter what world I end up in, there will always be people who think that having power gives them the right to control everyone beneath them...
"Then tell me, Lord Aryo. Why do you do all of this? Bakit ninyo ginagawang ganito ang mga tao ng Mysarea? Why take their freedom, chain them, force them to work for you, and make them live in fear? You have power, wealth, soldiers, and everything you could possibly want,
so why do you still need to take everything from people who have nothing?"
Bahagyang natahimik si Lord Aryo bago umiling.
"You really want to know why we do it? Because this is how the world works, girl. Ang malalakas ang kumukuha ng gusto nila, habang ang mahihina ay napipilitang sumunod. These people were already poor before we came here. Wala silang pera, kapangyarihan, o impluwensya.
We just simply gave them a system where everyone knows their place."
"So that's what you call it? ang pagpapahirap sa mga taong wala nang kakayahang lumaban? ang pagkontrol sa buhay nila at pagpapabayad sa kanila kahit halos wala na silang makain? Tell me, Lord Aryo... kung kailangan ninyong yurakan ang mga mahihina para manatili kayong nasa taas,
does that really make you strong?" Rassia gritted her teeth.
Bahagyang ngumisi si Lord Aryo sa katapangan ni Rassia.
"Tinatawag mong kalupitan ang ginagawa namin dahil hindi mo naiintindihan kung paano gumagana ang mundo. Kapag nasa ibaba ka, wala kang ibang pagpipilian kundi sumunod sa mga nasa taas."
"... dahil ang mundong ito ay hindi para sa mahihina. The strong rule, the weak obey. Ganoon lang kasimple."
Mas lalo lamang tumaas ang galit ni Rassia nang marinig ang mga salita ni Lord Aryo.
This is why I fucking hate corruption.
These people in power are fucking evil. They use their position to control everyone beneath them, then convince themselves that their cruelty is justified.
How can they look at innocent people suffering and still call themselves rulers?!
"I will fucking kill you, Aryo! I will avenge every person you chained, every family you made suffer, and every person you treated like they were nothing! Do you fucking hear me?!"
Mariing niyang itinaas ang kaniyang scythe habang lalong umiigting ang madilim na mana sa paligid niya.
Natigilan si Rassia at mabilis na tumalon, saka pumaikot palayo nang maramdaman niya ang lumalakas na mana pressure mula kay Aryo. Biglang nag-iba ang aura sa paligid nito, at sa unang pagkakataon, malinaw niyang naramdaman ang isang elemental mana na matagal nitong itinago.
Impossible...
I have the ability to see someone's abilities. I should have been able to see this from the beginning. Pero paano niya nagawang itago ang tunay niyang abilidad sa harap ko?
Napatingin siya kay Aryo habang unti-unting nabubuo ang tubig sa paligid nito.
He's a Water Mage...
Bahagyang umigting ang hawak ni Rassia sa kaniyang scythe.
A fire mage's natural enemy... water...
Bahagyang ngumisi si Aryo habang nakatingin kay Rassia.
"My, my... you're a fire mage, and I am a water mage. Walang laban ang apoy sa tubig.."
"Did you know my demonic power is anti-magic? You fool." mabilis na nagpakawala si Rassia ng isang napakalaking itim na power blast patungo kay Aryo.
Ngunit sa halip na maapektuhan, nanatili lamang na nakatayo si Aryo.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Rassia.
What?
Mabilis niyang pinagmasdan ang matanda habang unti-unting nawawala ang itim na enerhiya sa paligid nito.
My anti-magic didn't work on him...?
Fuck... I am saving my other demonic powers to fight Erishkigal. I cannot waste them on him.
I have no choice...
I'll have to trust my fire.
Aryo wore several rings on his fingers, each one enchanted to protect him against demonic powers.
Napalunok ang lahat nang magsimulang bumuo si Aryo ng napakalaking daluyong. Unti-unting umangat ang tubig sa paligid niya hanggang sa mabuo ang isang napakalaking alon na tila kayang lamunin ang buong Mysarea.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga kawal, ng mga mamamayan, ng Six Azure Blades ni Rassia, maging si Lucy Pearl.
Kumunot ang noo ni Anastacio habang nakatingin sa napakalaking tubig.
A water mage... with that overwhelming pressure, I could tell he is strong.
But Master is strong as well. She can handle it.
I will fight alongside her.
Mabilis na nawala si Anastacio at bumalik sa dimension ni Rassia, allowing her to fully use her Eternal Flame mana.
"You cannot defeat me even if you have a Sovereign Spirit," ngisi ni Aryo.
Blanko lamang ang ekspresyon ni Rassia habang patuloy na nag-iisip. Tahimik niyang pinagmasdan ang napakalaking daluyong na patuloy na nabubuo sa harapan ni Aryo.
At sa sandaling iyon, naramdaman niya ang pagbabalik ni Anastacio sa kaniyang dimension.
Master, there is only one way to fight him... use it.
A quiet smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. Ang kapangyarihang iyon ay matagal na niyang hinihintay na magamit laban sa isang kalaban.
Yes, Anastacio. I already figured it out.
Mabilis na tumakbo si Rassia sa kabilang bahagi ng battlefield. Sa bawat hakbang na kaniyang ginagawa, nag-iiwan siya ng mahahabang apoy sa lupa hanggang sa tuluyan nitong mapalibutan si Aryo.
"Don't tell me you're already thinking of running away, girl. You should understand by now that your Eternal Flame means nothing against me. You can throw every flame you have, summon your Sovereign Spirit, or bring out whatever tricks you've been hiding,
but none of them will change the outcome of this fight. I am a Water Mage, and you are a Fire Mage. Your flames will be extinguished the moment they touch my water. So go ahead, bitch. Show me everything you've got!
I want to see how long that arrogance of yours lasts when you finally realize that your precious Eternal Flame cannot save you!"
Mabilis na pinakawalan ni Aryo ang napakalaking tubig na kaniyang nabuo. The massive wave rushed across the battlefield, extinguishing the flames surrounding him.
Ngunit nanlaki ang mga mata ni Aryo nang biglang nagbago ang apoy.
The flames didn't disappear. Sa halip, ang mga ito ay naging mahahabang fire spikes na sunod-sunod na bumulusok mula sa lupa.
Isa-isa itong umangat sa himpapawid, forming a path of blazing fire that reached toward the sky.
Mabilis na tumapak si Rassia sa unang fire spike, then another, using them like a staircase as she ascended higher into the sky.
Napatingala ang lahat dahil sa tila hagdan na apoy na ginawa ni Rassia.
Umigting ang panga ni Aryo nang makita niyang bumwelo si Rassia upang atakehin siya. Mabilis siyang naghanda upang salubungin ang pag-atake nito.
Tumalon si Rassia mula sa kaniyang hagdan at sa isang iglap, bumalik muli ang kaniyang natural na anyo. Ngunit sa pagkakataong iyon, nagkaroon siya ng malalaking pakpak ng isang phoenix sa kaniyang likuran. Her body glowed in burgundy red, while her eyes shone brightly.