840 Back home III
Neon whipped his head toward Kyle and glared at him. He had wagered all his mana stones on Bia and was sure she would win!
"How can you say Bia won't win? The phoenix is your own bonded beast! She will be so upset when I tell her that you said she might lose! Look at how she is beating up Nox; it's obvious she will win!"
Kyle's eyes flickered with amusement. Ray turned to him, nibbling his nails, convinced Nox would lose because Neon was right—the lynx was taking a brutal beating. Yet, hearing Kyle, he felt a glimmer of hope.
"Who do you think will win?"
Ray asked tentatively and stared at the dark-haired man who had leisurely leaned back in his armchair. Kyle tapped his chin thoughtfully while humming.
"Nox will win."
Ray rejoiced after hearing Kyle's words.
Neon stood up, clenching the supreme rank storage ring filled with mana stones that he would have to give to Ray if Bia lost.
"Impossible!"
His voice was so loud that Ohan yelled at him to speak a bit softly, or else he would face consequences. Neon murmured an 'okay' to his father and turned to Kyle.
"I mean, how can it be possible for Bia to lose? Can't you see she's winning?"
Yue and Ray also glanced at Kyle with curious eyes, awaiting his response.
He gazed up into the sky where the two beasts were battling each other fiercely.
"It's because Bia is being too aggressive. She believes she will win, which is why she isn't paying attention to the openings she's creating in her attacks. As for Nox... even though he's getting beaten up, I can see he is waiting for the right moment to trap her."
Just as he finished speaking, Bia's furious cry reverberated through the sky. Neon, Yue, and Ray's eyes widened as what Kyle had just predicted unfolded before them.
Nox had ensnared the phoenix in a sea of turbulent waters filled with fierce currents. The lynx circled around her, and before Bia could escape the water, multiple chains of energy erupted from the depths, wrapping tightly around her wings to restrain her.
The sky darkened, and crackling bolts of electricity surged from the clouds, twisting into enormous spears that pointed directly at Bia's struggling figure. She froze as one of the lethal spears aimed directly at her neck, shimmering with deadly intent.
Unlike the phoenix, who remained fine despite using so much energy, Nox was panting, blood trickling from his head. He had held back from directly hitting her like she had. A triumphant glint sparkled in his eyes as he locked his gaze on her.
"You lose..."
He could not express the amount of happiness he felt. It was as if he had finally exacted a bit of revenge for all the suffering Bia had inflicted on him! He wanted to soar through the sky and laugh out loud.
Bia laughed inwardly. Her anger was palpable. How dare this pesky... She was about to transform into her human form to tell him that the fight hadn't ended yet. How could she, the majestic phoenix, lose? But a familiar voice echoed in her head.
'Don't. You lose. Sometimes it's wise to accept defeat. Moreover, you won't be able to transform into your human form—not when a spear is aimed at your neck.'
She cursed in her mind. From the start, she didn't like this lynx one bit!
If only they had cooked him and eaten him for dinner the day they found him, it would have been so much better!
Her eyes hardened, and it was clear from the anger radiating from her body just how reluctant she was as she spoke up.
-"I lose."
Nox's eyes sparkled with glee.
"What did you say? I didn't hear you!"
Bia cursed internally and shot him a fierce glare. If looks could kill, Nox was certain he would have died many times over. But since they couldn't, he was enjoying himself.
-"I said I lose! Okay! Are you freaking deaf?"
She shouted so loudly that even the sky shook in response. Every single person in the city, and even those outside, heard it.
Those who had bet their money on the phoenix cried tears of blood.
Nox wanted to hear it one more time, but the menacing aura radiating from her was enough to send chills down his spine.
He quickly backed off, realizing this was sufficient for now. He could always exact the rest of his revenge later.
He retracted his attacks, and the chains binding the phoenix dissipated along with the spears aimed at her body.
Bia huffed and turned around, treating him like he was invisible before reverting to her smaller form to go and eat in an attempt to lift her sour mood. Nox watched her figure, feeling a bit confused about why he felt hurt that she didn't glance back at him.
He shook his body, causing his horns and iridescent scales to shimmer in the light.
However, before he could harness his spiritual energy to heal himself, someone else beat him to it. A familiar spiritual aura expanded from behind him and enveloped his body. He blinked and looked back, only to see Bia return and settle onto his back, still not meeting his gaze.
Sensing his gaze, Bia scoffed.
-"Don't misunderstand. It's not because I'm worried about you. It's because I'm the one who injured you. It's about older individuals taking responsibility for their actions. Kids like you wouldn't understand."
Nox's eyebrow twitched, but then he burst into laughter. He felt giddy when she came back and settled on his back. However, his smile faded when Bia glared at him.
-"What the hell are you hehe for? Revert back to your smaller form so we can go down to eat with the others!"
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He was the one who had won, yet she was still ordering him around? Shouldn't the roles have shifted by now?
Regardless, he complied with her request, almost as if he were accustomed to it.
Ohan and Iva had finished roasting the meat, and everyone gathered around the table Eon had set up in the garden to eat together. Neon wanted to sneak away quietly with his supreme rank ring filled with mana stones, but Kyle grabbed his shoulder and ensured he couldn't escape, resulting in him losing all his mana stones. Hopefully, next time he wouldn't wager so much.