Return to Arbok City (90)

Merlin walked up to Akasan. "You mentioned something about getting back to Arbok. Mind I ask what for?"

Akasan looked at him. "A guy called Jack the Ripper took over the city. I have to take it back from him."

Merlin nodded understandingly. He started walking away, waving his hand. "If you ever succeed, give me a call, we should talk more sometime."

Akasan nodded. "For sure!"

Fiorra clapped her hands then held them in Akasan and Judah's direction. "Magic Art: Gentle Breath."

A soothing breeze went over Akasan and Judah's faces. They healed up completely.

They stood up straight, feeling relieved.

Annya folded her arms. "So? What now?"

Akasan looked at Judah. "Judah. You said that you wanted to be King of Titania. But I'll need your help to take back Arbok. All of you guys. Please." He bowed, saying this to Judah, Annya, and Kawa.

Annya smiled. "I'm in."

Judah looked at Kawa. "How do you feel about all this?"

Kawa looked up at Akasan and looked away shyly. "I'll go wherever you go, so it's your choice."

Judah stared Akasan in the face for a few seconds, then smiled. "It'd be an honor to fight with you."

Akasan nodded and clapped his hands together. "Transport!" A green magic circle took all of them back to Montaro's library.

Mayumi was the first to see them. "Akasan!" She ran to give him a hug.

In the middle of her embrace she peeked at Annya on Akasan's left. "Who's this? Are you cheating on me?"

Akasan was taken aback. "Hey!! I was never in a relationship with anyone!! Besides it's not like that!"

Mayumi scowled and stuck her tongue out.

Narumi and Montaro came downstairs. "Ah! Akasan! You've returned! Wonderful!" He looked at Judah and the others. "And I see you've brought friends with you!"

Narumi walked up to him. "How was it?"

Akasan scratched his head. "Brutal to say the least. Speaking of, I'm starving."

Shiro walked in from a back room. "Do you want to eat before you leave?"

Akasan shook his head. "There's nothing left for me to do here. I've learned how to use magic. And I've got a new form that I'm confident in. I'm ready to go home."

Montaro nodded. "I'm sure you are. Mayumi, you know the spell right?"

She nodded.

Montaro walked up to Akasan and shook his hand. "I wanted to personally welcome you into the Magi. We should feast together when you're open. You three as well." he said to them.

Akasan nodded. "Definitely."

Mayumi placed her hands together. "Transport. Return!"

A green circle formed and took the group back to Arbok City.

They reappeared in the same spot they left.

Akasan looked around him. Reality quickly set itself back in.

He's been living in what felt like a fantasy world for nearly an entire year.

Zetsubo was completely destroyed along with the majority of the northern side of Arbok City.

"How long was I gone?" Akasan asked dreadfully.

"Seven months." Narumi said.

Akasan scowled. He turned around the other way.

There were no moves being made to even attempt at rebuilding the city.

Judah scouted the area. "Isn't that your palace?"

He pointed to the palace, only a black flag was raised at the top of it with a logo Akasan didn't recognize. But he was sure it belonged to Freedom.

Akasan ran as fast as he could. He jumped on top of the building, pulled out his black sword, and cut the steel flagpole. The metal rod fell to the ground with a loud clang.

Freedom guards ran outside of the building. "Who's there!!" they yelled.

Akasan jumped down to the entrance and looked them in the face. He made sure that none of them were faces he recognized. Then he knocked them all unconscious.

Judah looked at Narumi. "Looks like he's got that under control. What should we do?"

"Take out all of Freedom's forces. They wear similar outfits to what just showed up over there. Black and gray. Go through the entire city."

Judah nodded. "Let's go. Kawa."

She nodded.

They ran off.

"And you." she looked at Annya. "Secure the city's perimeter please. Make sure no one leaves the city, and don't let any Freedom members get in or out."

Annya nodded and used flight magic to fly away.

--

The walls on the inside of the palace were black. Everything changed.

Akasan ran down the corridors, looking frantically left to right.

Nothing was the same anymore.

He headed straight for the throne room. Akasan threw open the doors. The throne was empty.

Narumi and Mayumi ran inside after him.

"He's not here." Narumi said.

Akasan scoured the room up and down. He looked behind the throne.

Akasan froze. "This is my fault..."

Narumi ran over. She was taken aback by the sight. There was a bloody girl sprawled out on the floor beaten so bad that they couldn't even recognize her.

Narumi patted Akasan on the back.

Mayumi let out a muffled scream when she saw it.

"It's not your fault, okay?" Narumi said softly.

Akasan balled his fists. "Yes. It is. If I hadn't failed the first time, I wouldn't have had to leave..." He turned around to walk away.

Narumi knelt down and inspected the body. "She's still alive!"

Akasan kept walking. "Good. Then I need to find Jack. Now."

Narumi lifted the girl up. "I'll find somewhere to put her. You go ahead."

Something metallic hit the floor with a small clink.

"What was that?" Narumi asked.

Mayumi picked it up. "It's a ring. It's really beautiful actually."

Akasan's eyes widened out of shock when he looked back at the ring Mayumi held. She felt Akasan's bloodlust spike tremendously. She quickly turned around. "Akasan! Are you okay?!"

Akasan was breathing heavily. His heart felt so heavy that he thought it'd burst. He held out his hand. "Give me that."

She hurriedly walked up to him and placed the ring in his hand. It was a platinum ring with an engraving around it.

Only the glow was gone.

Akasan looked at the body. "That's..." Tears streamed down his face. His eyes turned a dark purple.

"Akasan!! Calm down! Remember what happened the last time you went into a fit of rage!" Narumi exclaimed.

Akasan gave her a sharp look. "I know."

The girl in Narumi's arms looked at Akasan walking away. "Akasan... I'm so glad... I knew you'd come back..." She fell unconscious.

Akasan grit his teeth. He refused to look back. Tears continued to fall.

Akasan searched the entirety of the city. He soon ventured downtown. The city was bone dry. No one was walking outside.

Usually the city is full with life and noise, but now, it was basically dead.

Akasan looked up at the skyscrapers.

He peered into the windows.

He saw a shadow he recognized.

A man in a top hat. He appeared to be talking with some other people.

Jack looked out the window and locked eyes with Akasan. "So you're finally back... took you long enough."

Jack's Eyes of Realms started spinning. He appeared on the roof of the building.

Akasan's Kamigen turned on.

Jack's smile left. "Ah... you still haven't matured enough. Don't come before me without the Kamigen in both eyes boy."

Akasan placed his hands together. "For nearly the last year, I've only been practicing the same few kinds of magic over and over again. Just for today. Just for this moment. Just so I can come back and kill you."

Jack chuckled. "Magic, huh? So that's what this was all about? Learning magic? So you haven't improved your fighting skills at all? What a shame."

Akasan started floating in the air. "Nuclear Fusion, Magic Art: Atomic Mass."

Dark aura enveloped Jack. "Atomic Mass? If I recall, that's an ability that originates with nature users. Each time it's activated the user's body weight increases a hundred fold. But what good will that do against me?"

Akasan clenched his teeth. His skin cracked open and glowed orange, letting out steam. "I invented this myself... a spell that'll turn my body into a star!!"

Jack's eyebrows raised. "What did you say?"

Akasan's body combusted with bright orange fire, where he gave off extreme levels of heat. "Star Form."

He disappeared from view and reappeared with his fist punching Jack in the stomach. The force shattered the entire skyscraper below, broke the ground along with it, and knocked Jack all the way out of the city, deep into the wastelands, and into a mountain, blowing out its side.

Judah looked over his head as an orange streak of light passed over his head. But he had his own problems to worry about.

One of the hooded Freedom members wasn't weak like the rest of them. He pulled off his hood to reveal white-yellow spiked flowing hair and a neutral, nonchalant expression. He started charging with a deep yellow flame that shone like precious gold. "In the name of Freedom, I shall kill you both."

Judah's hair glowed green. "Kawa. Watch yourself." She nodded, placing her hands together. "I've got it."