An SS-class mage against two injured B-class mages. Anyone who heard this would assume it would be an extremely easy battle—a grown man fighting toddlers. But this wasn't the case.
"Boss!" The knights shouted, noticing the bleeding wound on Xavier's chest.
Xavier raised his hand, eyes fixed on the warm blood clinging to his fingers. "Seriously?" He muttered, dumbfounded.
Seeing his chance, Dom yanked the spear from Xavier's grasp and aimed a kick at his side—but with a surge of mana, a powerful whirlwind erupted from Xavier's body, sending both Dom and Dae spiraling.
Dae gritted his teeth as he rolled across the ground, anchoring himself with his white sword. "Shallow," He muttered in frustration—only to flinch as Xavier suddenly appeared beside him.
Dae instinctively swung his sword, but Xavier's mind-rattling uppercut slammed into his chin, sending him airborne. Xavier grabbed him by the ankle and slammed him into the ground, which crumbled beneath the impact.
Dae's eyes rolled back, perception distorted by sheer pain.
Veins bulging, Xavier glared down at him. "Don't get cocky, brats," He grumbled, red mana flaring in his eyes.
He then dispersed a pressured wind attack aimed at his back and vanished.
Before Dom could react, Xavier drove a foot into his gut. Blood escaped his mouth—but he quickly seized Xavier's leg with one hand and thrust his other fist just as another wind blast sent him flying again.
Xavier blitzed after Dom, retrieving his discarded spear and firing bullets mid-air.
Dom barely managed to guard as the projectiles tore into his skin. The distraction allowed Xavier to position himself behind Dom, eyes locked on him as his spell's momentum hurled Dom toward him.
But beneath his guard, Dom grinned.
"Gale Kick!" He shouted, stomping his right foot and generating a wind-pressure shock-wave that slammed into Xavier while launching himself into the air.
Xavier skidded to a stop, glaring at Dom, whose body spun uncontrollably mid-air, blood spraying from his wounds like a sprinkler, before halting inverted above him.
Dom's grin remained proud and unshaken as his gaze locked on Xavier below. With a sudden upward kick, he created another shockwave, using the recoil to propel himself toward Xavier once more.
"You think this is a game?!" Xavier shouted, stabbing his spear into the ground, his fist surrounded by spiraling wind currents.
Dom drew back his own fist, closing the distance rapidly.
Xavier's muscles bulged, aura flaring. "This is a real Gale Punch," He warned, throwing a massive cylindrical whirlwind toward Dom.
With a chuckle, Dom twisted mid-air, kicking to create another recoil that pushed him to the side, narrowly evading the spell's destructive path.
"You little shit," Xavier growled, eyes locked on Dom.
But Dom kicked again with both feet, propelling himself straight back into Xavier's path with sound-breaking speed.
Xavier gritted his teeth and raised both hands, summoning an even larger air current that spiraled violently around his body. "I'll get you this t—"
He was so focused on Dom above that he didn't notice the spell hurtling toward him.
Instantly, a serpent-shaped lightning bolt tore through his back, sending a violent surge of electricity coursing through him.
Red mana flared explosively as Xavier overpowered the attack, revealing his slightly charred appearance. He turned toward Dae, smirking, steam rising from his hand.
Veins bulged across his forehead—a sign of his fury—but that expression of anger shattered into shock the moment he realized Dae had successfully distracted him, even if just for a split second.
He barely managed to turn in time before Dom's fist smashed into his cheek.
"Gale Punch!" Dom shouted, pouring every ounce of mana into his attacking arm. His shirt sleeve shredded under the force, raw power radiating from him like flames from a raging furnace.
Just like his previous fight with the Reflezard, Dom gave everything he had into this blow. But his eyes widened as something felt different.
The sheer intensity of his mana made his vision briefly flash white, veins of distorted blue spreading across his sight like roots of a tree.
Before his mind could even process it, the moment passed, and Dom's vision returned as his fist drove Xavier head-first into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the entire clearing.
Dust and debris exploded outward, rattling trees and shaking the earth beneath them.
Knights, Dae, and Lucy braced as the dust cloud enveloped the clearing, like a violent cyclone.
Seconds passed before the wind finally settled.
The spectators lowered their guards, still blind to what lay beneath the thick dust cloud around them.
"Who the hell is this guy?" A knight muttered, brushing sand from his face.
Dae remained silent, eyes scanning for movement.
Suddenly, a massive whirlwind dispersed the cloud.
He turned just in time to see Dom's body zip past him, crashing back-first into a large boulder. Cracks spider-webbed across the rock, and Dom groaned as he collapsed, trembling as he tried to rise.
Dae moved to help, but a chill ran up his spine. He followed the sound of heavy footsteps—and froze. Xavier approached, furious, hair disheveled, blood and dirt staining his torn clothes. The bruise from Dom's punch was clear on his cheek.
"You fucking little shits," Xavier growled, wiping blood from his lips.
Dae flinched, sensing the murderous tone radiating from Xavier. He reached for his sword, but Xavier pulsed his aura, a reddish haze forming around him.
The wind howled, the ground trembled, and Dae was forced to his knees, gasping for air.
"What… is… this?" Dae choked, using his hands to support himself while watching Xavier's men collapse one by one.
Dom groaned, feeling as though a massive weight pinned him to the earth. This went beyond his injuries, blood loss, and exhaustion. Something was pushing down on his body like an invisible hand.
"Dominance," Xavier explained, drawing their attention. "By outputting massive mana, you create a presence that forces weaker beings to submit. It takes an insane amount of mana control and reserves to pull off. Only a few high-ranking mages can maintain it without burning out."
He glanced at his men, lying on the dirt like corpses.
"You're still conscious because you're both high-ranking mages. But the difference in our classes is still enough to keep you from moving…."
He slowly advanced, his gaze shifting between the two struggling mages.
"The Capital sent me to capture you two," Xavier said, touching his bleeding chest while his bruised cheek throbbed painfully. "…but after this humiliation, I can't just let you live." His gaze then fixed on Dom, his eyes glowing menacingly.
"Starting with you." He muttered as he walked towards the immobilized Dom.
Dom groaned, trying to rise.
Come on… come on…
His mind screamed at his body to move, but he could barely lift himself before collapsing. His vision blurred, his skin pale, and his eyes dim as he continues to bleed out.
Xavier raised his arm, using his wind to fling his discarded spear into his grasp without a glance. "I can just kill you by pumping more mana into the spell, but…" He glanced at the fallen knights. "… I'll end up killing my men too."
"He's still holding back?" Dae whispered from the ground, powerless.
"Besides," Xavier continued, voice cold and menacing, "It'll be more satisfying to kill you up close."
"Damn… it," Dom grumbled, body barely able to struggle against the overwhelming spell.
Xavier advanced—but suddenly stopped once he noticed movement beside Dom.
Dom's eyes widened as he saw Lucy dragging herself across the crumbled boulder, each movement labored, her pale face etched with effort.
"Lu…cy," He whispered weakly.
Xavier's eyes narrowed. "For you to even move that much, you have a damn strong willpower, bitch." He commented.
Dom's glare hardened. "Her… name… is Lu—" He cut himself off as she stepped between them. "Lu…cy?"
She didn't answer. Shallow breaths shook her body, weakened from injuries and Xavier's oppressive spell, yet a fierce fire burned in her eyes as she spread her arms, shielding Dom.
Dom's eyes widened.
Xavier's brow twitched. Her defiance mirrored the way Dom himself protected her minutes ago.
"No… Don't… run…" Dom murmured, but Lucy ignored him, a low, feral growl escaping her lips as she glared at Xavier.
"Fine…" Xavier said, irritation flickering across his face. "The Capital only wants the Rapore anyway. They won't care about three brats."
He raised his spear and channeled more mana. The air vibrated with his presence, forcing Dae flat to the ground as the weight intensified. Lucy groaned, falling to her knees as the spell literally squeezed the air from her lungs.
Dom groaned, straining to push himself upright against the crushing pressure.
Xavier drew back his spear, eyes glowing with intent to strike the defenseless Dom--when a hand suddenly seized his wrist.
He spun around, face paling at the sight of a tall, old man standing before him.
The man's smirk widened as he unleashed his own red mana, forming a dark haze that overpowered Xavier's presence—and this time, relieved the suffocating pressure on the three young mages.
Gasping and coughing, they eagerly drew in the precious air.
"What… happened?" Dae wheezed, finally sitting up and locking eyes with the newcomer. His body stiffened in instant recognition.
Xavier clicked his tongue. "If it isn't the old bastard himself." He grumbled.
"And you're still a pain in the ass," The man said, his smirk twisting into a sneer that made Xavier flinch. "Settle down, boy." His voice was cold, emotionless--unyielding.
Dae's eyes widened at Xavier's reaction. This was the same man whose sheer mana had pinned him down moments ago, yet now he looked like a scared child being scolded by a parent.
Xavier reluctantly suppressed his mana, and the old man smiled, doing the same, dissolving their oppressive influence over the area.
The tense air finally settled, and the man released Xavier, calmly stepping forward.
"You know what they did, right?" Xavier called after him, gaze sharp. "They're already criminals."
"They're my subordinates. Which makes them my responsibility," The man replied.
He paused, letting the soft wind catch his long white coat, the bold, beast emblem on its back visible as he glanced over his shoulder with a teasing smirk. "Or… are you just embarrassed they actually landed a good hit on you?"
Xavier ground his teeth, frustration flickering across his face as his wounds throbbed in response.
The man chuckled as he continued forward.
Lucy knelt beside Dom, gently rubbing his back as he struggled to catch his breath.
She then flinched instinctively when she sensed another powerful presence approaching-- far more potent than Xavier's and immediately positioned herself in front of him, growling at the old man who had stopped before them.
Dom barely noticed as his consciousness wavered-- until the man spoke,
"It's been a long time, Dominic."
Dom froze.
His pale, dim eyes widened to their limits at that familiar, reassuring voice. He looked up, and despite the blur of his vision, the man's wrinkled face and now completely gray hair, Dom recognized him instantly.
"Tony," Dom whispered weakly.
Anthony folded his arms with a smirk. "Almost a decade, huh? You've grown since I last saw you. But…" He crouched, peering teasingly at Dom. "…you were supposed to get stronger, and yet I had to save you again."
Dom let out a tired laugh. "Can you blame me?" He said as he sat on the dirt, his body still trembling. "The guy's a fucking SS class."
Anthony's eyes widened slightly, then he laughed. "Even your voice and the way you talk have changed. Guess the boy back then had grown a pair, huh."
As Lucy helped Dom sit up, Anthony's smile softened, taking in the full sight of him--recalling that child frozen with fear years ago.
"This brings back memories, doesn't it?" He asked.
Dom smiled faintly, recalling the last time they had met—helpless, barely surviving an encounter with a dangerous wind mage. Almost like a remake of the past.
"Yeah… it does." Dom sighed.
Suddenly, Lucy wrapped her arms around Dom's head, pressing him to her chest while growling at Anthony.
Anthony raised a brow. "Oh… you even have a girlfriend now."
Dom's cheeks burned crimson. "She's not m—"
Lucy pressed him deeper, smothering his words in her soft curves and barking protectively, eliciting a laugh from Anthony as he backed away, hands raised in playful surrender.
"Boss!"
Their attention snapped toward the sound of approaching footsteps. Two knights ran toward them, but this time, their uniforms were marked with the number 3.
Xavier clicked his tongue in annoyance and strode away, unconcerned about his still-unconscious subordinates sprawled across the ground.