Black was the warm and mighty back of her father.
White was the gentle and beautiful impression of her mother.
Following Ais's injury, the black storm behind her showed faint signs of instability. It was as if a truly furious father was blaming himself for failing to protect his daughter.
It was then, as bright light ignited in Ais's eyes, that the ink-like blackness behind her rapidly dissolved, becoming faint, calm, and bright.
A sheet of snowy white light quickly occupied half of the large dark cloud.
They did not occupy separate halves like oil and water, mutually exclusive.
Instead, they relied on each other, tightly bound together.
Black and white intertwined, generating an effect greater than the sum of its parts, giving Ais's weakened state an unprecedented surge!
Whether it was the self deep within her heart or the portrait of her parents, this power was ultimately under Ais's control.
Her brow furrowed, and the silver light on her longsword shone ever brighter. That was the stronger magic control brought by the white wind.
Now, the wind across the entire arena was under Ais's command.
"Is this..."
"The final state?"
Countless exclamations erupted in the crowd. They had no understanding or comprehension of the source of this power they had never heard of.
In fact, even the Three Greats who knew about Ais's past and the flame of revenge in her heart couldn't figure out how she had managed to awaken this brand new power.
The ability to perfectly fuse the holy white with the heavy darkness—it was precisely because of this that Finn decided to fight Ais to the finish.
If this power truly surpassed everyone's imagination, then Ais was the true Child of Destiny.
It perfectly echoed Eugene's actions on that day: she would be the crucial stroke in the future war against the Black Dragon!
"So strong! Both her aura and magic are much stronger than before!"
Lefiya finally couldn't help but gasp. She clearly sensed that the purity of the magic radiating from Ais was slightly superior even to that of her mentor, Riveria!
What kind of power source could it be?! It could even make the noble Elven Royal Family concede defeat?
"It's coming!" Tiona and Tione held their breath simultaneously. Last time Ais displayed this state, she defeated her formidable opponent in just a single move!
And it was an utter, overwhelming victory where the opponent had no chance to fight back!
Crackling...
Just standing still made the surrounding space strain under the pressure. The aura Ais emitted made Finn feel as if he was staring directly at a god who had unleashed their divine will.
"Spirit power, is it... The favorite of the gods is truly no joke."
He muttered. Although his heart was pounding fiercely, he still adopted his final stance!
"Come on! How can you win against me by just standing there?!"
The figure of the small boy radiated an intense fighting spirit. His burning mindset once again pushed Finn's combat power to its absolute peak!
Goddess Fionna...
He sought courage from the legendary dwarf hero goddess he had adored since childhood.
No matter what towering mountains, dangerous obstacles, raging seas, or fierce storms lie ahead.
Please, grant me the light to pursue victory!!
Clench!
The hand gripping the spear shaft rang out. Finn took a step, tilting his spear to lift the other spear that was embedded in the ground.
The two spears crossed in his hands, resembling a crucifix of execution!
To end the opponent, or to be ended by the opponent. Everything depended on this next strike!
Yes!
One strike!
Facing the current Ais, Finn no longer had any intention of engaging in a drawn-out battle.
His thumb was trembling, the intense pain signaling that the area ahead was an inviolable forbidden zone!
Would it be a deadly entanglement of wind blades? A sudden vacuum? Or being swept away by a disorienting storm?
In any case, he couldn't advance any further. He must settle the outcome right here, right now!
He had to pour all his strength into this one strike!
The heat around Finn's body surged again. In his hand, he felt as if he was clasping a red-hot iron block. Fierce magical and physical energy surged into it, causing the entire spear to vibrate.
Throwing Magic—Tír na nÓg!
This was the strongest assault Finn, as the vanguard of the team, could unleash!
Stacking all his abilities, and releasing all his magic along with them—it was, in the truest sense, an attack poured from his entire being!
It was said that even the mighty Ottar couldn't meet the edge of this divine throw head-on.
Such a powerful technique was capable of flattening an entire street. It was undoubtedly one of the fastest and strongest attacks in this labyrinth city!
"Is he going to use it?"
"It's finally come to this!"
Gareth, Loki, and Riveria simultaneously sighed in admiration at Finn's decisiveness.
The rest of the crowd was thrown into confusion by this battle that surpassed all comprehension!
It was too thrilling, too exquisite, too fast! Every movement, every counter, was enough for them to study for a long time.
And following all that massive information, what came next was a head-on clash that discarded all strategy and tactics!
Like the final battle in a movie or the last act in a play. Every member of the Loki Familia widened their eyes, unwilling to miss a single detail.
In the swirling black-and-white tempest and Finn's smoke-like surge of fighting spirit, they were about to witness the conclusion of this battle!
Whoosh—
The longsword in Ais's hand moved silently. The wisps of wind made the sweeping sword shadow look like silver flowers.
She cleared her mind, feeling the warm and powerful support behind her.
And with the sword in her hand, she recalled the man who, on that day, even facing a hopeless situation against her, had charged forward.
...Thank you.
My unfamiliar loved one.
The wind gently brushed her bangs, and then, it continuously converged and compressed forward.
Ais, having overcome her past, realized that life was like the different stages of a storm.
She had lost her way in one part of it, unwilling to face the colder, harsher truth.
And Eugene had broken through layers of lightning and thunder, regardless of the wind and rain, to appear before her and clear the fog.
So, she walked forward. Like passing through one squall after another.
"I am no longer who I was."
Ais's sword made a firm sweep forward. Following it was a massive wall of sword-infused wind, like a tsunami!
No side was visible, and no top could be seen!
Even though people were far away, they were still scattered by the wind, helpless like wild grass in a downpour!
And Finn, facing this immense shadow, let out the roar of a hero and charged headfirst!
Boom!!
He hurled the spear in his hand, like throwing a god-slaying, penetrating missile! The terrifying speed of the spearhead forcibly tore open a teardrop-shaped vacuum around it!
Go!! Magic Spear!!!!
The war cry of the dwarf race stirred the heart!
Puff!!
Accompanied by a dull thud and an intense flash of light, the strongest shield and the strongest spear collided.
There was no prolonged process, only an instant outcome!
Boom!!
A shockwave, the strongest people had ever witnessed, erupted from the center of the arena.
The nearby guards, who had prepared in advance, immediately opened the large shields on their backs, struggling to protect their already scattered comrades.
However, they had underestimated the power of this impact. Adventurers below Level 4 were knocked back after barely one second, falling backward like uprooted tree stumps!
"Waaahhhh!!"
Even hiding behind Gareth's broad, rock-like back, Loki covered her head and cried out. And Lefiya barely managed to keep her footing under Riveria's protection.
"Damn it!"
Bete forcefully leaned his body forward until he was at a Michael Jackson-like angle just to maintain balance. The Amazon sisters simply huddled together for stability.
Rumble...
The wide and imposing training grounds were completely ruined by the aftermath of this single strike.
Accompanying the shock was a massive cloud of dust rising into the sky. Adventurers with insufficient perception could no longer see anything.
Finn's expression was grim. His arm was throbbing numbly.
The full-power throw had countered the wall of wind.
However, that did not mean the battle was a draw! He was currently in an overload state.
And on the other side of the arena, Ais's aura had not diminished at all!
Hiss—
Sure enough!
Finn's pupils contracted. A sharp airflow instantly cleared the path between the two.
Ais's figure stood straight, her posture as steady as a mountain.
The black and white magic swirling around her showed no signs of fading; in fact, it seemed to be even more lively!
Truly a genuine monster...
Looking at that young and beautiful figure, Finn felt as if he saw the staircase leading to the future.
But to concede now, as an elder, would be too embarrassing!
A smile curved his lips. Finn forcefully lifted his exhausted hand, gripping the spear tightly!
As long as life endures, the fight continues. That was the only thing he could do now.
The two stood in silent opposition. In their eyes, there was no doubt a sense of respect and admiration for their opponent.
Well then, I'm coming.
The silent exchange came to an abrupt end.
Ais took a step.
Chak.
She moved.
Hiss.
She arrived.
Clang!!
The sword struck!!
"New Model: Gust."
It was just one strike.
The long spear in Finn's hand—the one that symbolized courage, command, and supreme power—split into two, starting from its brilliant golden head!
Ais's longsword slowly lowered.
It was over.
Huu...
With her simple breath, the pair of wings behind her subtly fluttered, and the wind that swirled up swept away all the lingering dust.
...It's over?
The crowd, whose vision was restored, looked at the two figures who were no longer fighting, completely bewildered. How many seconds had that been?
As if to answer everyone's doubts, Finn let out a long breath and smiled in relief. He loosened his grip.
And so, the long spear, like a mountain that had been split in two, slowly fell to the sides.
Thud.
The light sound of the spear hitting the ground resonated in the ears of the crowd like a genuine landslide!
Finn had been defeated!
The Captain had lost!
Level 6 lost to Level 5!
People didn't know how to react. Although they had prepared themselves for one side to fall from the altar of their gods, when the result was actually confirmed, everyone felt helpless.
That was Finn! The soul of the Loki Familia, their most core existence!
Clap, clap, clap, clap...
Just as everyone fell into a daze, applause broke the silence.
Gareth, Riveria, and Loki—three figures no less important than Finn—simultaneously offered their congratulations for the battle's result.
"Everyone, there is no need to be confused."
"As you can see, I have lost."
"And I accept it wholeheartedly!"
"However, this will not be my end. Rather, from this day forward, I will have an even stronger drive to advance!"
"As your Captain, I sincerely hope to witness the growth of my juniors."
"And as a senior, I naturally hope to forever stand at the peak myself!"
"For me personally and for the Familia, what I have gained is far more precious than a mere defeat!"
"So, lift your heads and cheer for the victor!"
"Lift your heads and cheer for the future of the Loki Familia!"
His voice was rousing, his emotion passionate, resonating deeply within everyone. And so, the light in every eye reignited.
They offered their heartfelt cheers to the angelic girl who had formally crossed the great mountain and entered the ranks of the strongest!
"To Ais!!"
"Oh—!!!!"
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