314 Climb up
A loud explosion rang out in the air as Kyle jumped out from a trembling portal.
He balanced his body mid-air and wiped the blood flowing out from his nose and mouth.
"Tsk, did he actually go crazy?"
He glanced at the beautiful and delicate flower floating above his palm. The flower petals shimmered constantly like opals, shifting colors with a soft, gentle light as if it were breathing. Kyle's palm warmed up due to the soothing energy emanating from the flower. He groaned at the tingling sensation and tossed it inside his mind space.
Behind him, the portal flared up with a loud crack and Bia rolled out with ragged breathing. She flapped her wings and hurriedly clung to his shoulder, gasping.
-'Run! Run!'
Kyle's head was ringing but the moment he saw Bia he sped up in the opposite direction. He thought killing Emion would be easy if only he tortured the latter inside the treasure island. But how wrong he was. The man was just too thick-skinned, even more so than him.
Regardless, he let out a mocking laugh when he halted in the distance and gazed at the cracking portal. After all, he managed to snatch the treasure right under Emion's nose.
Bia shuddered on his shoulder.
-'Damn it! At least, make a proper plan before infuriating someone stronger than you!'
Kyle tapped his chest with heavy breathing. Under his gaze, Emion's battered figure emerged from the portal. Bia freaked out at the blood-red eyes staring at her and her grip on his shoulder tightened.
-'Shit! I feel like he is on the verge of a mental breakdown!'
Emion pointed his trembling finger at Kyle. Crazed laughter spilled out from his throat but the movement of his throat caused him pain. He couldn't believe that he, the strongest of them all, couldn't even catch a single pesky human. The humiliation he endured within just a single day was enough to make his ancestors come alive.
No matter how much he tried just like a slippery bug, the human would run away in time to avoid a fatal attack!
Emion sucked in a deep breath to calm his nerves. But when he saw the amusement twinkling in Kyle's eyes, he lost it again.
Bia cursed under her breath. She flapped her wings and flew across the sky. Kyle flashed another grin in Emion's direction and followed behind Bia.
Emion aura soared as he chased after them but his eyes dilated when the human suddenly vanished from his spot. This was something he could not get used to no matter how desperately he tried. His wings fluttered behind his back as he spread out his senses to locate the human.
The hair on his back stood up and he abruptly turned out to attack behind him. However, his attack disappeared into thin air.
Kyle's figure slowly materialized just mere inches away from his shoulder. After using instant teleportation so many times, he discovered that if he used the skill two to three times in a row he could create a faint illusion.
Kyle's eyes narrowed at Emion's neck. He raised his sword with a sharp glint, ready to finish it once and for all. But before his blade could touch the latter neck, Emion wings shot up to cover his head.
A loud cry spilled out from the man's mouth when a large gash appeared on one of his wings. However, Kyle was also pushed back several meters due to the impact.
Kyle clicked his tongue in distaste. Even after so much, the man's defense was so strong. Still, he had been giving his all to gradually drain Emion's mana.
"It's fine we have a lot of time."
Bia's eyes flickered as she circled above their heads.
-'Hey.. Kyle?'
Kyle jumped back to avoid Emion's pointy nails and glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.
'What?'
-'I am hungry.'
Kyle dodged another attack mid-air and stared at her blankly. Bia averted her eyes with a dry laugh. She was ready for a good lecture as to how she should focus more on the life-and-death battle Kyle was facing instead of food. Yet, his answer left her dumbfounded.
'How about we finish this and find something good?'
Bia's eyes sparkled.
-'Really?'
Kyle rolled his eyes. Was he so cruel that she could not even believe his words? His grip on his sword tightened as he stared at Emion's panting figure.
'Yes, I am getting tired anyway.'
She gave him a quick nod before diving down. In an instant, a blazing sea of crimson flames erupted around her. Her mana was already depleted. That's why she just used the last bit to attract Emion attention for a few seconds.
The man raised his eyes and stared at her approaching figure. He held out his palm but before he could attack Bia's figure left the blazing sea of fire. She flapped her wings and turned in a different direction.
-'I am done.'
Kyle hummed in his mind as he watched the sea of crimson flames dancing around Emion. Instantly, he poured every ounce of his mana into his sword. The blade buzzed in his hand and the air around him quivered violently.
He held the sword with both of his hands because the mana was getting too aggressive.
Emion roared loudly as he pushed away the crimson flames around him with a rough flap of his wings. His bloody eyes met Kyle's in mid-air and a wicked grin crept across his face. He knew that if the human did not rely on his teleportation skill and faced him head-on, the human wouldn't even be able to leave a scratch on him.
With a wide grin, he sneered. Finally, he could tear the human apart.
Kyle raised a brow with a cold smile.
"Getting impatient, huh.?"
He mumbled under his breath and Emion's eyes dilated when he raised his sword.
"Ethereal Voidbreaker slash."
The air crackled with an ominous energy, and the once serene sky darkened as storm clouds gathered. Thunder rumbled through the clear sky, and then, in a breathtaking spectacle, a colossal mana sword materialized behind Kyle's back.
Emion eyes zeroed in on the faint sword behind Kyle. Shivers ran down his spine and for the first time, he was terrified. Terrified of the puny human.
He cried out in panic and flapped his wings desperately to fly in another direction. But, it was too late.
A huge rift of light and energy that obliterated anything in its path enclosed his body from all directions as the sword descended on him. His cries muffled into thin air as the light engulfed everything.
Kyle's body was flung backward in mid-air. Bia cried out and dived down toward him as he slammed into a distant mountain with a resounding boom.
She let out a shuddering breath at the huge hole plastered in the middle of the mountain.
Kyle crawled out from the hole with bloodied clothes. His hands trembled but he managed to gulp down two healing potions instantly. However, his expression darkened when he saw a tiny crack in the middle of his sword.
He dragged his stiff body and lifted his head to look at the scenery in front of him.
Immediately, Kyle sucked in a harsh breath. His eyes widened with astonishment.
The once grassy and clear ground was scarred completely into rubble. The air was still heavy with a strange eerie glow. Almost everything was destroyed.
"Huh... it's gotten more dangerous. I believe I should avoid using this move in a crowded place."
His eyes roamed around to find the familiar figure. The one who caused him a lot of trouble. After a few seconds, his gaze stopped at the few broken bones scattered between the rubble and he let out a groan.
Kyle rubbed his temples. His whole body was aching. Still, he poked the shocked phoenix flying beside him.
"It seems we are finally done."
Bia did not even notice when she held her breath. She gazed at Kyle and released her breath.
-'Are you alright?'
Kyle hummed.
"Not really. I don't think I can fight for a while."
He let out a chuckle.
"Also, I am hungry."
Bia rolled her eyes. The duo went silent for a while. They watched the burning sun for an hour before Kyle finally had some power to stand properly.
Amidst all this, the first thing he did was to wipe the blood from his body and change out from his tattered clothes.
Bia sighed when she saw his limping figure. Kyle frowned when she flapped her wings and left his shoulder.
His frown deepened when Bia increased her size. He looked around with caution.
"What happened?"
Bia did not said anything. Instead, her figure landed in front of him. With a huge sigh, she lowered one of her wings.
-'Climb up.'
It took Kyle a whole minute to process the meaning behind her words and when he did a wide smile spread across his face. Maybe getting badly injured once in a while was not bad at all.