In her Project Mage form, Roselle exhibited newfound power and agility. Chalcon, wielding his Sanda Colossus Thunder Dragon Sword, approached her with a grin. The two opponents cshed with incredible speed and precision. Roselle’s poison bde met the electrified strikes of Chalcon’s sword. Sparks flew as their weapons cshed.

  Chalcon unleashed a rapid barrage of swift sshes. Roselle’s agility allowed her to evade some of the attacks, but the boy adapted quickly, using his own enhanced speed to keep up with her. After another csh of bdes, he recognized her heightened abilities and decided to shift his stance and unch a deceptive strike.

  In that moment, everything around Roselle faded to bck, and the world seemed to slow down, leaving only Chalcon’s body illuminated against the darkness. She could see it all—his intention, his next move, every detail etched clearly in her mind.

  She whispered to herself, “I know exactly what he’s going to do.”

  With this newfound crity, Roselle moved with precision, sidestepping Chalcon’s feint and countering with a quick ssh of her poison bde. Chalcon was barely able to block it the counter ssh of Roselle and showed signs of straining against her force.

  Chalcon then pulled back and swept his bde towards her. Roselle jumped over his bde . When the darkness fell once more and she gained another vision of his attack, she murmured, “In the shadows, I can Strike at the right moment!”

  Roselle’s Poison bde sshed across Chalcon’s chest. A look of shock took over his face. He staggered back and muttered, “No way...”

  But then, the true effects of Roselle’s Poison Bde began to take hold. Chalcon twisted with discomfort and felt an insidious poison coursing through his body. His movements grew sluggish, and his strength was fading.

  With a calm and focused demeanor, Roselle expined, “This is my Project Mage’s Toxic bde. It’s not just about its sharpness; it carries a deadly poison that weakens anyone it cuts. I’ve never really caught anyone with it in battle before because I usually rely on my companion, my Cannon. But you…you wanted a Sword fight.”

  Chalcon’s face began to contort with a combination of pain and anger. “This is bullshit!”

  In response to his mounting anger, a powerful aura of lightning crackled and surged around Chalcon. The sheer intensity of the electrical energy created an overwhelming force that radiated from him. Roselle, realizing the danger of this surge, quickly raised her hands to cover herself, protecting against the potent lightning aura that threatened to engulf her.

  Chalcon, fueled by anger,shouted with authority, “Yellow Dragon Strike!”

  The arena crackled with electricity as a yellowish dragon manifested itself around him. He moved with lightning-fast precision and closed in on Roselle. Roselle responded by invoking her own power.

  “Volt Barrier.”

  A protective shield of lightning enveloped her. Chalcon’s Yellow Dragon Strike cshed against Roselle’s Volt Barrier, creating a struggle of energy in the arena.

  Roselle strained to maintain her Volt Barrier, but the sheer force and power of Chalcon’s Yellow Dragon Strike were overwhelming. Roselle was overpowered, and the Volt Barrier shattered. Roselle was hit dead-on with the attack afterwards, which sent her flying backwards. She nded with a hard thud to the ground a distance away.

  Despite the damage she’d taken from the attack, Roselle managed to push through the pain and get back on her feet. She had cuts and bruises, but wore a confident yet pained smile on her face. “You’re strong, Chalcon.”

  Chalcon wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled.“And you’re dangerous, Roselle. But….”

  Despite the poison sapping his strength, Chalcon’s face was one of exhiration. He took a deep breath, channeling his energy, and let out a mighty roar that echoed through the arena, resonating with the spirit of his sword magic.

  “This poison ain’t nothing anymore!” he shouted. A surge of lightning fred around him, causing his aura to glow even brighter. His muscles tensed, and the air crackled with renewed intensity.

  On the sidelines, Cha watched the fierce battle between Roselle in her Project Mage form and Chalcon with a keen interest. Beside her, Risebelle and Runebelle stood, equally engrossed in the fight.

  Cha leaned toward the two sisters and engaged in conversation. “This is quite the showdown, isn’t it?”

  Risebelle nodded, her focus never leaving the arena. “Yeah...Roselle has shown incredible growth in this battle... She’s getting even stronger...”

  Runebelle had her usual sadness in her eyes yet, she raised two fists infront of her. “Sisters fight together.”

  Risebelle observed her sister’s stance and raised a curious eyebrow. “Runebelle, you’ve been acting a bit differently during this battle. It’s like you’re more focused on this fight than usual…”

  Cha, nodded thoughtfully. “It’s clear that Roselle has a strong connection with Runebelle. Maybe she’s drawing strength from that bond.”

  Runebelle spoke again, “Sisters fight together. I want Roselle to win...”

  Risebelle gnced at Runebelle curiosity. “You’ve never been this vocal before. It’s like Roselle’s fighting spirit is bringing something out in you.”

  Runebelle, still with her fists raised, nodded solemnly. “Roselle’s strength inspires me. She never gives up, and neither should we.”

  Cha, watching the two sisters, smiled warmly. “That kind of support can make all the difference. Roselle knows she has her sisters behind her, and that’s a powerful motivator.”

  Risebelle considered the bond she shared with her sisters. Despite their differences and past struggles, there was an unbreakable connection that tied them together. “I guess we’ve all grown in our own ways....”

  Cha gave Runebelle and Risebelle a warm smile. “It’s wonderful to see sisters supporting each other like this. However...”

  Cha’s gaze softened. The cheers and gasps from the crowd faded into the background. She slipped into a memory of her own, which was when Chalcon was around eight years old.

  She remembered one particur day when Chalcon had been particurly rough, throwing the meanest insults he could muster in his frustration. He’d shouted that he didn’t need her, that he could do everything on his own. He even threatened to run away and leave her behind. It was a hollow threat, but it struck Cha’s heart nonetheless.

  She remembered sitting on the porch of a house that she resided in. The Younger Cha was watching the golden hues of the sunset, when she heard the soft patter of small feet. Chalcon’s eyes were red from crying and his fists were clenched tightly. He moved hesitantly towards her.

  Without a word, Cha had opened her arms and showed a smile. Chalcon ran to her, burying his face in her chest. He sobbed and his tears soaked her shirt.

  “It’s okay,” Cha whispered soothingly, stroking his hair. “When I said I’d always care for you, I meant it. There’s no need to cry, Chalcon. We’re going to be together, no matter what. So cheer up.”

  Back in the present, Cha shook herself from the memory and focused her eyes on Chalcon with a wide smile. Risebelle and Runebelle waited expectantly for Cha to finish her sentence, sensing there was more she wanted to share. But Cha simply returned her focus to the arena where Roselle and Chalcon cshed with renewed vigor.

  Slightly confused by her abrupt pause, Risebelle and Runebelle exchanged puzzled gnces. However, they decided not to press her. Instead, they turned their attention back to the arena themselves.

  The battle raged in the ring. Roselle fired a barrage of shots from her medium-sized cannon at Chalcon. Chalcon moved with lightning speed to evade the incoming shots. Each dodge left a trail of lightning in his wake.

  In the blink of an eye, Chalcon closed the distance between them, and the csh of their weapons was fierce. Roselle swiftly transitioned to her poison bde to block his next strike, but the sheer force behind Chalcon’s blow sent her sliding back.

  The Announcer shouted, “What a spectacur exchange we just witnessed, folks! Roselle, in her Project Mage form, and Chalcon, wieldin’ that incredible Sanda Colossus Thunder Dragon Sword Magic, are pushin’ the boundaries of their power in this here battle! The arena’s charged with electrifyin’ energy, and I’ll tell ya what, it’s impossible to predict the outcome of this intense showdown!”

  Roselle, amidst the heated battle with Chalcon, briefly gnced at the timer within her Project Mage form.

  [System Message]

  Timer: Transformation (4 Minutes remaining)

  Roselle whispered to herself, ‘I can’t keep this up any longer. I have to find a way to finish this now, somehow…’

  Roselle and Chalcon locked eyes in an intense staredown. Chalcon’s eyes narrowed. He assessed his opponent with ferocity. Meanwhile, Roselle’s gaze was just as fierce, keeping a keen eye on him.

  The crowd fell silent, captivated by the standoff between the two formidable fighters.

  A purple aura enveloped Roselle. She stared at her opponent and said, “There’s something new I haven’t tried yet, something I’ve been hesitant to use due to my limited mastery over this transformation. But now, I have to give it a shot…”

  Roselle, in her Project Mage form, stood poised in the center of the Grand Arena. She closed her eyes momentarily. She then opened them and shouted loudly,

  “Elemental Fusion!”

  In a brilliant dispy of power, fmes engulfed her limbs, radiating intense heat. An aura of ice encased her, creating an icy chill around the arena. The ground trembled beneath her feet as rocks and boulders formed a protective swirling barrier of energy around her body.

  Roselle stood transformed with a fusion of fire, ice, and earth. Her eyes glowed with purple fire, and she procimed with authority, “This is the true power of Project Mage!”

  Juliana leaned in closer to Kintovar and whispered, “You know, I’ve seen Roselle look like this before. It was back on the Mystical Isnd during that battle with Mystimona. She transformed like this, and it was breathtaking.”

  Kintovar raised an eyebrow and replied, “It’s still creepy how much you know about things you weren’t there for, Grandmother. It’s like you’ve been watching my every move.”

  Juliana grinned mischievously. “What can I say? It’s in my nature to be curious, well-informed, and prepared at all times.”

  Kintovar pced one hand towards her chin. “Though you’re right....This is the form Roselle originally used when she didn’t have any control over her transformation. It’s strange how that’s now a secondary form. Yet, at the same time, her first stage falls in line with how the other Projects transform.” She paused thoughtfully. “Just like Risebelle and Runebelle with Project Zab and Project Rune.”

  Juliana gave her granddaughter a knowing look. “It’s all about adapting, isn’t it?”

  Kintovar smiled. “Yes, and she’s doing just that. Roselle’s mastery over her abilities is proof of her dedication and experience. She’s setting her own rules now.”

  Chalcon locked eyes with Roselle and said, “So, you’re showing me your hidden power, huh? Well, I won’t hold back either. I don’t want to disappoint you, Roselle.”

  With that decration, Chalcon’s aura intensified, surrounding him in a whirlwind of yellowish energy and lightning particles. He held his sword high and shouted, “Sword Magic Level 3, Sanda Collosus!”

  Cha, who was still observing the battle alongside Risebelle and Runebelle, couldn’t hide her excitement. She became starry-eyed. “Sanda Colossus at this level is incredible! Chalcon isn’t holding back anymore!”

  Cha leaned in closer to Risebelle and Runebelle and whispered, “Chalcon doesn’t unleash Sanda Colossus Level 3 unless he’s truly considering his opponent a rival. This is a show of respect and acknowledgment of Roselle’s power.”

  Risebelle nodded in understanding. “So, he’s taking this battle seriously. He’s not holding back anymore.”

  Cha smiled knowingly and added, “Exactly. If Roselle manages to win this, it could very well mean she’s becoming a formidable contender, even against someone like me.”

  Risebelle folded her arms. “But Cha, you’re the champion….though, you and Chalcon do use the same Sword Magic, so maybe…Why is that, anyway?”

  Cha smiled at Risebelle’s observation. “The Sword Magic, Sanda Colossus, is the result of us unlocking our powers at the same time. We both heard the same voice, granting us this power. It’s a bond that goes beyond just training or technique.”

  She paused. Her face turned serious and her gaze went back to the arena. “But that’s all I’ll say about it for now.”

  Risebelle nodded slowly. “I guess something like that would create a special bond. It’s almost like you’re two parts of a whole, but you’re the stronger half...”

  Runebelle, who had been listening quietly, said softly, “Sisters and brothers… bonds make us powerful.”