Chapter 7.18 - Rika - A Magic Duel

With all of our friends handling the monsters behind us, the rest of us vanguards was finally able to reach the entrance to Nova's Fortress. From then on however, was the real challenge for all of us. Someone was waiting for us right in front of the entrance.

He was wearing a set of black knight armor. There was a black great sword on his back. He was also holding his black helmet. All black, this could only one thing. It was Blax Tank, one of the members of Team Stardust. Currently the leader of Team Stardust after White puts his position down. He was also known as The Black Berserker.

"Hold on, ladies." Blax stopped us all.

Mei then asked him, "What's going on Blax? Isn't this the time for Team Stardust to save White?"

He nodded, "It is the time to be saving our friend. But the methods however is a bit different for us."

Izzy didn't understood it, "What does he meant by that?"

Blax explained, "You guys haven't properly met Nova yet. So of course you guys would be confused about what's going on."

Zenith then talked to him, "What? Are you serious, Blax? You were somehow convinced with whatever Nova told to you guys?"

He shakes his head, "No, I do not condone whatever the hell he is planning. But I do know one thing. That I am trusting this path I've chosen as the definitive path that our leader have laid out to us."

Yumiko sighed, "It's too late, girls. He's lost to the dragon already. God damn it."

"Where are the rest of Team Stardust?" Mei asked.

"They already left for something else. Something that our leader have told us." He calmly replied.

I scratched my head, "I don't get you boys...but...what's it going to be now? Are you letting us in?"

"I would...But I have to make sure that you guys are ready..." He took out his great sword from his back and prepares himself. "So...is there anyone interested to taste the metal?"

Everyone looks at each other. I notice that Zenith was getting anxious. She wants to do it. But then I grabbed her shoulder and looked at her with a faint smile. She finally calmed down as soon as she understands what will happen next. I looked back at Blax and walked forward.

"Let's fight then, Blax..." I declared myself.

"Rika Lightning." He looked glad, "I figured someone else would be starting this off but to immediately fight against you. Now this just makes it interesting."

I wondered, "What exactly do you mean by that, Blax?"

"It has something to do with the past of course. I just wanna know something. So I'll ask...Since you will be fighting me. Does it mean that this is our rematch?"

"Rematch?" I tried to remember any past fight against him. But there was none. "I haven't fought you personally before this."

"Of course you don't. I'm talking about The Magic Duel." he told me.

I finally understands what he meant as I replied, "I see. If you think it like that. Yes, this is indeed a rematch for that 'unfair' fight we had during The Magic Duel."

Blax chuckled, "So you admit that it was unfair. I respect that." He prepares his sword. "Now then...you ready?"

I nodded, "Certainly."

The two of us shouted together, "LET THE MAGIC DUEL, BEGIN!"

Blax suddenly zooms like an eagle towards me. I quickly used my electrical charges to push myself up into the air in order to dodge his first strike. I landed safely someplace else but as soon as balanced myself up, Blax was already behind me as he swings his great sword to me. It hit me, but only the blunt part of the sword. I was flown a couple of centimeters away from him as I hit the dirt.

"Gotten a bit sloppy, aren't you?" Blax then advised, "You should know by now that everyone is also getting stronger. I can't just let all of you guys in there without making sure you guys are ready to face Nova."

I replied, "Is that why you didn't try kill me? That was an easy blow to cut me in half. But instead you used the blunt part."

"Like I said, I'm only testing you guys."

Then I yelled, "If you really want a rematch, then do it like its a rematch, Blax!"

I discharged a bright electricity that blinded everyone including our spectators. It was blinding. Just like when a thunder struck the ground. As soon as everyone's vision were fixed, Blax couldn't see where I was as he looked around.

"Where is she." He searches for me until he heard electrical charges from the ground.

Blax immediately slashed the ground below him with his great sword, electrical charges sparked out from the ground. His sword absorbed the electrical sparks as everyone sees that Blax's great sword was electrocuted. Somehow, that electrocution stopped just at his sword and not at him.

But that wasn't really my plan, as I ended up revealing myself hiding behind Sam Maximus's cape. With lightning speed, I ran and dropped kick him from behind. Dropping him down and separating his great sword from himself. But that dropkick only did minor damage as he was able to quickly get up from that.

"How were you not electrocuted by my lightning?" I asked.

He explained, "It's not cheating if you're wearing an all elemental resistant armor. You can still do damage, but it won't hurt much."

"Then I'll just have to increase the intensity." I began to intensely charged up an even powerful electrical energy all over me.

My hair have even started to float together with the rocks near my feet. Blax grabbed his great sword and braced himself as a black miasma started to exudes out of his armor. With all of the electricity flowing all over my body, I finally released it and hurled it toward Blax. Blax had been anticipated my attack as all of my electricity was only focusing on his great sword. But I wasn't done yet as I continued to go further as I increased the amount of electrical strikes.

One of them finally touched Blax but it was only that one. But I wasn't letting myself down until suddenly, Blax dropped his great sword as his body was sent flying a couple of meters away.

"How about that? Good enough for you, Blax?" I asked him.

Much to my surprise, he was able to reply to me quickly, "Not bad...But it's going to take much more than that, Rika Lightning."

The black miasma that comes out of his armor has started to look more visible as more of the miasma coming out. Blax got up as he slowly and menacingly walked toward me. I took out a coin and flip it into the air. As it about to fall down, flick the coin with my electrically charged thumb and created a rail gun-like attack. It was the same attack that I did against the demon when we entered the campus area days ago.

It was able to hit Blax and I can hear him groaning from the attack. But...he continued to move. Slowly. The coin didn't went through him. It was stuck on his armor like a magnet. Blax continues to move as he groaned in pain from the rail gun attack I just did.

"How are you still standing even after that rail gun attack?" I shouted at him.

Blax responded, "I'm not really standing for real, Rika...This is how The Black Berserker Armor works...it will keep on moving and moving. It'll absorb all of the damage it can take. And use it against its foes."

"Against?"

As soon as he said that, Blax's black miasma started to form into the shape of a clawed hand. The black miasma hand captured me. The hand was big so it was able to wrap around me. The black miasma begins to squeeze me tight as my feet left the ground. As I was starting to leave the ground, the black miasma immediately slammed me to the ground with all its might. And after that, it raised me to the air and slammed me once again. And again. And again. My face, hair and clothing was already a mess with all of the dirt that I caught.

Blax has finally reached his great sword and grabs it. I tried to use my electrical magic over all of my body just to try and electrocute the miasma. But the miasma was not affected by it at all. As the situation was getting tense however, Blax notices something.

"Hey! What's the big idea!" Blax saw Yumiko and the others were already at the entrance of the fortress.

Yumiko then replied, "You know, seeing you guys fight feels like just a waste of time. And I'm putting my trust on miss lightning here to handle it."

"No! This is not the way!" The miasma let's go of me as the miasma traveled toward the girls.

But as soon as it was about to reach them, it stopped.

"You remember the electric trap on the ground?" I told him. "I didn't just put one. There's more. And you're standing on one of them, Blax."

The ground below Blax began to spark up as a blast of electrical explosion electrocuted him. The miasma returned to his position as it happened.

I yelled at the girls, "I'll be fine over here, girls! You guys take care of Nova and The Champions of Chaos inside."

"Curses!" Blax was not definitely not happy.

The girls left me as they all went inside the fortress. Zenith stopped and looked at me for the last time before entering the fortress.

"Good luck, you two!" Zenith told us.

I nodded and smile as Blax also turned his head toward Zenith and slightly nudged his head.

"Since everyone has gone... Perhaps we can take this up a notch, Blax Tank."

Blax then shifted his mood as he happily replied, "I've been waiting for this. Ever since your team defeated Team Stardust in The Magic Duel."

"Alright then." electrical charge sparked on my left hand. "Here I go!"

If you were to watch from the hills like Faith Rayna was doing, you will see that there was strong thunder that struck near the fortress. The sound of the thunder could be heard all over the hill area...dark clouds are coming and this was only the beginning...

TO BE CONTINUED