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The newly awakened Phoenix fought against the darkness of the outside world, this woman-shaped evil that was entirely made of obscurity. His flames were powerful and could burn through her darkness, yet she had several aces below her sleeve, and used them all in succession, debilitating the Phoenix in the process.
However, ultimately, the Phoenix came on top, unleashing the power given to him by the dungeon, it destroyed the evil darkness… however, it paid a big price, weakening itself enough that it felt like it would require several hours to recover his health completely.
The Phoenix required rest, but the underlings of this darkness remained, hiding beneath his eyes within the dense woods below. The Phoenix watched down, seeking them to quickly take them down and be done with this ordeal… It had done enough, and required to rest or it would simply end up in the same situation as before.
Although it couldn't talk, there was always a personality and thoughts within his mind.
"Where is the darkness' underlings…?"
The enormous Phoenix thought, as he flapped his blazing wings, seeking them viciously.
However, it suddenly came in front of something, a small wyvern that had fled behind him without him even realizing the creature's presence until now.
"Huh?"
"GRAWR!"
Suddenly, the small Wyvern's eyes shone with a bright red light, reaching the Phoenix!
FLASH!
"CRAH!"
The Phoenix felt surprised, as his own Stats began to go down by a bit!
The furious blazing bird attempted to catch the small wyvern and defeat him, but the winged lizard flew down, hiding in the woods.
Although his flames went through the trees, he could not find the culprit behind the strange curse it was inflicted upon him.
FLASH!
And then, as it sought such a creature and ended distracting himself from his original plan, another similar sensation encompassed his body and soul!
"Ungh?! Again?"
His entire strength, magical power, defense, and more, suddenly began to go down even more, as his stats lowered temporarily. A sudden feeling of weakness and exhaustion took over the wyvern's entire body and soul.
"Enough!"
He unleashed his flames, forming an enormous storm of holy fire.
FLUOOSH!
The enormous explosion of flames surged from the ground, taking over the entire forest and burning it. The figure of an underling of the darkness, or Partner, showed up, shrouding herself in shadows and suddenly running away by jumping over the trees that had yet to burn.
"You can't escape from my fury!"
The Phoenix furiously flew towards Partner as his wings were completely encompassed on holy flames, burning through everything, and devastating anything in his path!
However, Partner suddenly smiled as she reached a certain place, a strangle clear and calm area of the forest, where the Phoenix unleashed his flames, taking over everything furiously.
FLUOOOOOSH!
"Burn! Burn you all- Eh?!"
FLASH!
However, as the monster found himself unleashing all of his blazing powers, a sudden magic circle emerged before his very eyes! And it was indeed Maria who had activated it, to boot!
"What?!"
The Phoenix couldn't speak, but it was surely surprised about what had happened! Not only the presence of the "Darkness" as he referred Maria was not gone yet, but she had intensified in strength!
The truth was… Maria was far from dead, but she was still too weakened to even fight. Nonetheless, that didn't meant she couldn't bring out some sort of strategy! By using all the fragments spread over the forest, she devised a very simple yet risky one.
Each fragment of herself used their magic in unison, forming a magic circle of an enormous size, and by absorbing the Mana from the environment such as the trees and anything else alive nearby, a special magic circle was created!
And this magic was not something within Maria's Skill repertoire, but something she had created herself, True Genuine Magic!
"Abyssal Darkness Magic: Gate of the Underworld!"
TRUUUUUMMM…!
A tremor reverberated across the surroundings of the Phoenix, as he felt his entire body being wrapped around by countless hands made of darkness. All of them quickly wrapping around his entire body, and trapping him on the spot!
"CRAAAAH! (What is this?!)"
The Phoenix cried in pain. Although his Holy Flames were powerful enough to devour the darkness of Maria's magic, now that he was so weakened, he wasn't able to do it in time for him to free himself completely.
And that wasn't all, right in front of him, he noticed something! It was Maria's allies, a gigantic dragon who held on top of him a boy holding a… fishing rod?!
Mana and magic flowed towards the boy from the little girl at his side, alongside the Elf with him too. The Light Spirit of the Elf blessed the boy with Spiritual Essence, as his Fishing Rod suddenly took a golden color, suddenly turning completely into water, merging with the boy's Water Magic.
This boy was… of course, Takeshi!
The boy was young and had gone through his fair share of many hardships. Now that he was finally able to find people that cared for him and a family with him and had the opportunity to go on an adventure with his new mother, there was no way he was going to disappoint her!
After all, as he leveled up, his Unique Skill [Fisher] new ability included something that has yet once more enhanced his power… the ability to merge with Magic! And the boy's special element was, of course, Water Magic.
Even at Level 2 as it was right now, thanks to all the Mana being given to him, and the power of his own imagination, the thread of his Fishing Rod suddenly shapeshifted, changing into the shape of an enormous and menacing creature.
"GROOOAARRRRR…!"
The eyes of the Phoenix were filled with despair, his health bar was too low, his body was incredibly exhausted, and his stats were lowered through the curses of two mischievous allies of Maria… and in front of him, an enormous dragon made of water emerged out of Takeshi's Fishing Rod thread, roaring furiously with an otherworldly power that only Unique Skills could possess! And it wasn't just Takeshi, but Laura had imbued the power of her [Detonation] into Takeshi's fishing rod, turning it into a truly deadly Spell!
"CRAAAAH! CRAAAHHHH!!! (God…! GOD, HELP ME!)"
The Phoenix cried while despairing, asking for the aid of his god.
But he heard nothing on response.
He was abandoned!
BOOOOOMMMM!!!
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