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Chapter 282: Proposal

  Dark Whirlwind glared at Bee and sneered, "Perhaps if you had kept that mouth of yours shut, I might have spared your pathetic lives."

  With a swift motion, Dark Whirlwind formed a dark blade in her hand, pointing it menacingly at Aliana and Bee. The oppressive force of her dark aura began to hold the city in its grip.

  Not again!" Becky's frustration erupted in a fiery burst. She glared at Dark Whirlwind with her hands clenched into fists.

  "I hate this!" she exclaimed, "I've gotten stronger, dammit! Why can't I still move when she unleashes her power?!"

  The air grew heavy. The oppressive pressure making it difficult for those in the front lines to even breathe. Those with above-average magical abilities managed to move but only at a sluggish pace, as if wading through thick mud.

  Gaiza, struggling against the pressure, looked over at Aliana apologetically. "I'm sorry, Aliana. Elena and I can't move. We're stuck."

  Aliana, too, felt the immense power of Dark Whirlwind's power slowing her movements to a crawl.

  Bee, meanwhile, was nearly frozen in place Dark Whirlwind's energy threatened to pin them where they stood, but they remembered Aliana's words and their own resolve. With sheer willpower, Bee forced their body to move, inching forward step by painstaking step.

  Dark Whirlwind's aura transformed into a swirling mass of deadly blades. Time seemed to slow momentarily. Then, Dark whirlwind vanished from her spot. Aliana's eyes widened, "She disappeared."

  Closing her eyes for a moment, Aliana focused her senses, reaching out for the telltale signature of Dark Whirlwind's blackened energy. The oppressive aura was elusive, flickering in and out like a shadow in the night. Then she felt it—a dark presence near Becky.

  Dark Whirlwind reappeared beside Becky with her blade poised dangerously close to Becky's neck. Becky's eyes widened in shock.

  "Tengoku!"

  Aliana released a cascade of ice crystals along the ground.

  The ice surged forward, racing towards Dark Whirlwind with a speed that defied the slowing effects of the oppressive aura. "Please make it in time," Aliana whispered under her breath

  The icy crystals reached Dark Whirlwind before the blade could cut her head off. They erupted in a brilliant, frozen explosion, forming a protective barrier around Becky and forcing Dark Whirlwind to retreat momentarily.

  Aliana surged forward with her and clash against Dark Whirlwind who raised up a dark blade.

  Dark Whirlwind smirked. Her blades that hovered menacingly around her were commanded to strike at Aliana from all angles.

  Aliana took a calculated step back. With a sweeping curve of her blade, she released a powerful wave of ice, the chill radiating outward in a crescent arc. The ice wave collided with the approaching dark blades, freezing them in mid-air and shattering them into glittering shards that rained down like icy confetti.

  Dark Whirlwind transitioned into her Sword Mode. The air crackled with an ominous energy as a multitude of swords materialized around her. These blades were a fusion of darkness and light that danced around her.

  The cityscape now transformed into a surreal arena filled with swirling blades. Dark Whirlwind stood at the center taking the pose of a maestro orchestrating a play.

  In a swift motion, Dark Whirlwind launched a barrage of blades toward Aliana. The Ice Queen, quick on her feet, danced through the onslaught, evading the lethal blades.

  Aliana's eyes narrowed in concentration. “I’ve heard of this," she muttered to herself. "The Dance of Blades—a move said to be one of Dark Whirlwind's deadliest. I have to be careful."

  Dark Whirlwind, reveling in her performance, conducted blades with a flick of her wrist. They charged at Aliana in a relentless pursuit. Aliana wove through them with grace and attempted to counter by launching crystals of ice at her foe.

  But with a swift motion, Dark Whirlwind raised her hand, encasing it in a shroud of dark energy. The barrier deflected an ice crystal that was aimed for her heart. She gave a dark grin towards Aliana.

  The surprise of the deflection caused Aliana's guard to falter momentarily which caused one of the swirling swords to slip through her defenses. It cut through her side with a sharp, burning pain. Aliana gritted her teeth, feeling the warmth of her blood mingling with the cold air.

  "I have to stay focused," she admonished herself. "I can't let her control the pace. I need to get in close, but every step feels like an eternity."

  Aliana gathered her resolve, eyes locked on Dark Whirlwind's dance. She lunged forward, attempting to breach the swirling blades and deliver a decisive strike. However, a sudden shock jolted through her body when she thrust her blade.

  Aliana lunged forward. Dark Whirlwind observed her with an amused sneer. “You’ve played around too much, Ice Queen… Facing the inevitable, you should have used your Sword God form immediatley. But, of course, you don’t want anyone to get hurt with your power.”

  Her words were laced with disdain. “That’s the thinking of a weak mind. People can easily get hurt… allow me to give you an example!” Dark Whirlwind flicked her wrist to send her swords toward the gathered citizens who had armed themselves to fight.

  The swords moved with terrifying speed. The people who had rallied alongside Bee and Aliana were caught off guard. Those unable to move took the brunt of the attack. Cries of pain rang out before they fell. Some of them were killed on impact. The ones who could barely move managed to deflect the swords but hung by a thread.

  Aliana gasped. The sight of her people suffering ignited a fire within her. Her icy composure melted away to reveal a blazing wrath. She charged directly at Dark Whirlwind.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Dark Whirlwind sent a barrage of blades at Aliana, but she pressed forward and took them blades head-on. The sharp edges bit into her flesh. But she pushed past the pain. Her actions caught Dark Whirlwind by surprise.

  With a primal scream, Aliana channeled all her strength into a powerful downward slash.

  "No, no, no! The attack is too fast. I'm going to be too late!"

  A blade, swift and unyielding, descended toward Aliana's neck. She felt the imminent threat, the cold metal inching closer with every passing moment.

  "I can't put up a barrier in time.... Is this how it ends? Is this how I die?"

  In that desperate moment, a voice rang out, clear and defiant: “Charge, Izuka!”

  Bee stood with their sword radiating a brilliant icy aura. Bee managed to muster their strength and launched a flurry of ice shards toward Dark Whirlwind.

  Dark Whirlwind barely had time to react. The ice shards struck her with surprising force that forced her to retreat momentarily.

  “What’s this?” Dark Whirlwind growled. Her eyes narrowed while assessing Bee. “This kid has the same strength as Aliana.”

  Bee’s attack had bought Aliana precious seconds, allowing her to regain her footing and face Dark Whirlwind with renewed resolve. Aliana’s heart swelled with pride. “You’ve done well, Bee.”

  Dark Whirlwind, turned her attention to Bee. “I’ll just have to eliminate the kid first,” she declared with disdain. With a swift motion, she charged at Bee, releasing a barrage of swords.

  Aliana leaped into action and deftly slashed the incoming swords away with her ice leaving a trail of frost in their wake. “Bee, be careful!”

  Bee managed to get in close and swing towards Dark Whirlwind with a desperate strike, but Dark Whirlwind raised her hand. A mass of dark energy coalesced around it to block Bee’s blade effortlessly.

  “Such potential,” Dark Whirlwind mused while pushing back against Bee's attack. “To possess such a high magical level at your age. …it’s such a shame that your hopes and dreams will die here with you.”

  Bee gritted their teeth, slashing at Dark Whirlwind with rapid, furious strokes. Each attempt was met with a dark mocking laughter from Dark whirlwind who easily deflected the attacks.

  Then, with a sudden, brutal motion, Dark Whirlwind reached out and grasped Bee by the neck, lifting them off the ground. Bee gasped, struggling against the iron grip. Their sword fell from their grasp and clattered to the ground.

  “Bee!” Aliana cried out. With a sweeping motion, Aliana unleashed a flurry of ice crystals, aiming them at Dark Whirlwind with pinpoint accuracy. But Dark Whirlwind, unfazed, surrounded herself in a swirling, dark aura which formed a barrier that shattered the ice before it could reach her.

  Dark Whirlwind tightened her grip around Bee’s neck. “You should be honored, Bee…you’re about to receive a very special death compared to the other people iv’e killed.”

  A seething mass of darkness coalesced in front of Bee's face from Dark whirlwind’s hands. The oppressive energy began to seep into Bee's skin, and Bee's body involuntarily twitched in response; however, just then, a shadow crept into one of Bee’s eyes which started to overtake it. One of their eyes also flashed red briefly.

  “What...?” Dark Whirlwind muttered but quickly shook her head. “No matter…”

  Before she could proceed, the battlefield was suddenly bathed in an intense blue light. Blue flames streaked through the air, blazing with such power that they shattered Dark Whirlwind’s barrier in and forced her to release Bee from her grasp. Dark whirlwind was sent flying her backwards. She wore a look of shock.

  Bee felt the constriction around their throat vanish and, before they could hit the ground, they found themselves caught in a pair of steady arms. Looking up, they met the familiar face of Dj, their older brother. His signature blue Mohawk gleamed in the light of his own blue flames, and his sunglasses reflected the chaos around them. He wore a casual shirt and jacket that seemed ordinary yet somehow stylish.

  “Yo, Bee,” Dj said. "You didn’t think I’d let you have all the fun, did you?”

  Bee's eyes widened in surprise and relief. “Dj!” they gasped.

  Dj set Bee down gently, keeping his gaze locked on Dark Whirlwind.

  Becky's heart raced on seeing him. "DJ!" Becky shouted. Sybil looked on in amazement.

  The DJ raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses. “Seems like Dark Whirlwinds stirrin’ up trouble again, huh?"

  "Someone else wants to get themselves killed,” Dark whirlwind remarked.

  DJ raised an eyebrow, his smirk unwavering behind the sunglasses. "Nah, just passing by. Don't like the way you do things, Dark Whirlwind. Where's your spirit of competition, fun? The way you go about it, you just take from everyone, leaving them with nothing."

  Dark Whirlwind scoffed. "Fun? Competition? Those are for the weak. I take what I want, and I leave nothing behind."

  DJ shook his head. “See, that’s where we part ways. I’m all about the thrill of the fight, the challenge, and giving folks a chance to prove their worth. Your approach? It’s just a one-sided show.”

  Why don't you participate in the Eastern Annual tournament?" DJ suggested, crossing his arms with a smirk. "Win the 7 Star Crimson Blade fairly. That'd be more impressive than causing chaos, don't you think?"

  Dark Whirlwind scoffed. "I don't need some tournament to prove my strength. I take what I want when I want."

  DJ's smirk widened and leaned against an imaginary wall. "Sure, but imagine the glory of winning that tournament. A fair fight, opponents giving their all, and you coming out on top. Now, that's a story people would talk about.

  If you're as powerful as you think, then why not prove it on the grand stage? Face opponents at their best, not caught off guard in a chaotic situation. Show the world there's no equal to Dark Whirlwind."

  Dark Whirlwind looked thoughtful while Dj continued. "And hey, if no one manages to defeat you, you can destroy the entirety of East Jancito. What better way to flex your power?"

  Dark Whirlwind's laughter echoed through the surreal battlefield. "Well, well, DJ… You've got a mouth on you. The so called 'Eastern Annual Tournament', huh? I'll entertain your little idea. But remember this: if it bores me, I won't hesitate to destroy the entire arena and everyone in it."

  DJ grinned behind his sunglasses. “I’m sure the tournament organizers will be thrilled to have you."

  Dark Whirlwind raised a finger. "But I've got my rules. Anyone who loses to me won't get off easy. No exceptions, no second chances. They die, plain and simple.

  DJ's grin faltered. "The tournament barriers won't allow killing. You know that, right?"

  "You probably misunderstood me when I said ‘no second chances’," Dark whirlwind said with a wicked grin. "I'm not just going to destroy East Jancito. I'm going to destroy the entire world. Once it's reduced to rubble, I'll rebuild it as my own domain—a world where technology no longer exists, and magic reigns supreme. Remember this, DJ, and all of you," she declared. ”Magic is the most powerful force in the universe."

  With those ominous words, Dark Whirlwind vanished into the shadows, leaving the paralyzed city in a state of fear and uncertainty.

  Bee muttered, "Who does Dark Whirlwind think she is anyway?"

  DJ ruffled Bee’s hair. "Well, kiddo, Dark Whirlwind is a force to be reckoned with. But don't worry, you've got time to get stronger before the tournament. You'll need to awaken your Sword God Form, though."

  Aliana looked at Dj skeptically. "That's impossible. Bee is only at Sword Magic level 1. They've made fast progress, but becoming a Sword God is not easy. It takes time and dedication."

  Dj, with a sigh, responded, "Unfortunately, time is a luxury we don't have right now. The tournament is approaching fast, and Dark Whirlwind won't wait for anyone to catch up."

  Becky hurried over to DJ, shouting, "Hey!" When she finally caught his attention, she stammered, "I... uh, I wanna get stronger too, strong like you."

  DJ looked Becky up and down. "Nice new outfit you’ve got there. You’re rockin’ that look and I dig the vibe. Getting stronger, huh? I can help with that."

  Dj, leaned in. “Becoming a Sword God used to be one of the toughest feats, with only a few ever pullin’ it off. But things have shifted lately. More folks are hittin’ that level than ever. And yeah, I’m one of ‘em.”

  The group looked at Dj in astonishment, Dj continued, “I’ve figured out how to unlock the Sword God form in folks with the right potential. It’s not gonna be a cakewalk, but with some serious dedication and the right guidance, you two,” he said, pointing at Bee and Becky, “can tap into that hidden power inside.”

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