The announcer boomed through the arena, “Alright, folks, buckle up and get ready, because it’s time for the next electrifying clash in the Western Practice Tournament! In one corner, we’ve got the high-flyer Faelan! And in the other corner, the dazzling Roselle! This is gonna be one heck of a showdown!”

  Roselle stepped onto the arena floor. Her long yellow hair was now tied into twintails.

  Faelan stood on the opposite side of the arena from Roselle. He had a bird-like appearance. His jet-black hair had a glossy sheen, and his sharp features resembled a raptor.

  The announcer exclaimed, “Folks, this bird-like wonder over here dazzled everyone in his last match, taking down Alder with those razor-sharp feathers of his! That performance had the whole crowd on their feet! Let’s see if he can keep that feathered fury going in this showdown against Roselle!”

  Faelan eyed Roselle with a bird-like curiosity. "So Look who's my next opponent. You must be Roselle, right?"

  Roselle nodded and gave him a light smile."That's me! I'm looking forward to our match."

  Faelan's feathers seemed to ruffle with amusement. "You seem like a sweetheart, Roselle. Just remember, in the arena, it's not always about being sweet."

  Roselle grinned. "I'll keep that in mind, Faelan. But I hope we can have a good fight."

  Faelan smirked. "Oh, we will, Roselle. I promise, it's going to be a real hoot."

  The battle began. Faelan called upon his powers. With a flourish of his hand, Faelan’s body seemed glow, and then a burst of colorful feathers surrounded him. These feathers swirled around like a whirlwind, creating a barrier that could deflect attacks.

  On the other side of the arena, Roselle acted quickly. She summoned her trusty cannon and aimed it at Faelan. With a resounding blast, a powerful energy shot out from her cannon at the avian opponent.

  Faelan relied on his feather barrier to protect him from the incoming attack. The energy shot collided with the swirling feathers, causing a brief explosion.

  Faelan swiftly closed the distance between himself and Roselle. When he drew nearer, Roselle continued to fire from her massive cannon, but Faelan effortlessly swatted away the wide shots with his feathers.

  With a cocky grin, Faelan remarked, "These shots are too soft, Sweethart. Not enough intensity. You've got to step up your game if you want to impress anyone here, sweetheart.”

  Roselle furrowed her brow. She adjusted her aim and prepared to fire a more concentrated blast; however, before she could do so, Faelan unleashed his feather blast at point-blank range. The blast struck Roselle directly, sending her a distance away on the ground. She winced in pain for a moment, managed to regain her footing.

  Roselle infused her cannon with a vibrant yellow lightning, causing the energy to crackle and surge within her weapon.

  Roselle unleashed the enhanced blast and declared, "You want it, you got it!"

  The yellow lightning raced toward Faelan from her cannon. The bird-like fighter tried to block the attack with his feathers, but this time, the intensity of Roselle's attack pushed him back.

  Faelan grinned and said, “Now we're talking."

  Roselle sent another Powered-up Shot at Faelan. He swiftly responded by creating a powerful windstorm with his feathers. A constant gust of wind swept toward Roselle. The winds were so forceful that they pressed against her and pushed her backward. This made it challenging for her to maintain her stance.

  Roselle gritted her teeth. She fought to maintain her ground and focused on keeping her cannon steady.

  Faelan, with a mischievous grin, moved in swiftly through the gusts of wind to close the distance between them. He then directed his feathers to strike at her with precise, razor-sharp precision. Each feather darted toward her like knives slicing through the air.

  Roselle did her best to dodge and block the relentless feather attacks, but Faelan's skill and control over the wind controlled the area in which Roselle would move. She felt the stinging pain as some of the feathers made contact, leaving shallow cuts and bruises on her arms and legs.

  Faelan showed no signs of letting up as he continued to press his advantage. He effortlessly dodged Roselle who desperately attempted cannon fire.

  With a taunting grin, Faelan called out, "You're still not getting it, Roselle! You're too slow and too predictable. You need to adapt to the flow of the battle, not just rely on raw power."

  While speaking, he used his feather ability to send whirlwind of gusts toward Roselle, making it even more challenging for her to stabilize her aim.

  Roselle struggled against the relentless wind and the sharp, slicing feathers of Faelan's attack. She dropped to her knees, but kept her cannon gripped tightly in her hands. The pain from the feather strikes was sharp and persistent.

  She closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying to shut out the noise of the crowd and the relentless onslaught from Faelan. Her thoughts drifted to her sister, Risebelle, and how she would approach this fight. “What would Risebelle do?” Roselle mused.

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  But then, she shook her head. “No, that’s not right,” she muttered to herself. “Last time I tried to mimic Risebelle, it didn’t go so well. I have to think for myself.”

  Roselle’s eyes snapped open. She still needed to find a way to counter Faelan’s overwhelming wind and feather attacks. She scanned the area and then gained a plan.

  As Faelan unleashed another feather attack, creating gusts of wind, Roselle seized the moment. She harnessed the wind's energy and timed her shot carefully. When Faelan moved in for an attack, she fired a concentrated blast from her cannon, aiming precisely at his path.

  The shot collided with Faelan's feathers, creating a powerful explosion that sent him hurtling backward

  Faelan, though surprised, quickly recovered and commented, "Not bad, but can you keep up like that?"

  Roselle decided to take a bold step. She dropped her cannon, allowing it to remain where it was, and moved forward with the assistance of the wind. Faelan attempted to stop her by sending feathers at her feets, but with a swift jump, she leaped into the air, leaving Faelan wide-eyed. A yellow aura of lightning enveloped her. With confidence, Roselle declared, "I can keep up, and more!"

  Faelan’s eyes widened. Roselle shouted,

  "THUNDERCLAP, SUUUURRRGGEEE!!!!!!!!"

  Roselle called upon her power. A powerful burst of lightning arced outward from her, forming a rapidly spinning fan of crackling electricity. The fan homed in on Faelan, tracking him with pinpoint accuracy. An explosion of electrifying energy erupted around him. He was consumed by the overwhelming power of Roselle's attack.

  When the smoke cleared, Faelan lay on the ground. His bird-like features was smudged with soot and his feathers were ruffled and charred. He struggled to get back on his feet, looking dazed from the sheer force of the Thunderclap Surge.

  The crowd watched in awe. Some cheered for Roselle's impressive display of power, while others gasped at the aftermath of the explosion that had rocked the arena. The announcer's boomed over the speakers. “Wowza! Look at that! Faelan’s all ruffled up and scorched! Roselle just unleashed a Thunderclap Surge like you wouldn’t believe! That’s some serious fireworks!

  Roselle landed gracefully on the ground with the help of her yellow lightning aura. Her aura gradually faded once the Thudnerclap Surge settled. She watched as Faelan, though battered and charred, manage to get back on his feet.

  Impressive, Roselle,” he said. “But let me give you a little analogy. You see, just like a bird’s flight is not merely about flapping wings, magic isn’t just about raw power. It’s about the grace and control behind it.”

  Roselle looked puzzled. “What does a bird’s flight have to do with magic?”

  Faelan smiled. “Think of it this way: A bird doesn’t just flap its wings wildly. It maneuvers with precision, using the wind and its own body to guide its flight. Magic works similarly. You should try to control it, direct it with finesse. And just like a bird that soars higher with each flap, mastering magic means reaching new heights with every spell you cast.”

  Faelan’s eyes glinted with a fierce resolve as he began to shed his feathers, revealing a layer of glowing reddish energy beneath. The transformation was both mesmerizing and unnerving. His wings expanded and pulsed with a fiery radiance, and the once sleek feathers took on a more vibrant, almost metallic hue. The transformation was complete, and Faelan now embodied a more powerful avian form. With a triumphant flourish, he declared, “This is my extreme magic: Blackwing Rebirth!”

  With a powerful beat of his new wings, Faelan lifted off the ground, hovering effortlessly above the arena. The announcer spoke with awe. “Whoa, hold onto your hats, folks! Faelan’s just gone through a jaw-dropping transformation! Those wings are blazing with energy, and he’s flying high like a phoenix reborn!”

  Roselle watched in awe as Faelan soared above her with elegance.

  Faelan’s carried pride while he spoke. “Extreme magic is the pinnacle for most mages. It’s the limit of their abilities. But even with this power, I’m constrained by its rarity and its inherent limitations. Very few have ever reached Zenith-level magic, and those who do are almost mythic.”

  He glanced down at Roselle with a glint of ambition in his eyes. “But this is not where I stop. I intend to break through these limitations one day, to surpass even this level of magic. The world is full of untapped potential, and I plan to explore every bit of it.”

  Faelan’s wings flared with a renewed brilliance. “So, Roselle, are you ready to face the full might of Blackwing Rebirth? Because I’m not holding back!”

  Roselle gazed up at Faelan with a sense of wonder. The way the light caught his transformed feathers and the majesty of his flight left her momentarily entranced.

  From the stands, Risebelle cut through the air with urgency. “Roselle, snap out of it! He’s coming! Shoot that bird down!”

  The clarity of Risebelle's words jolted Roselle back to the present. She focused intently as Faelan began his descent. With a swift and calculated swoop, Faelan aimed directly for Roselle's cannon. His talons reached out, and he successfully grabbed the massive weapon, lifting it high into the air.

  Realizing her cannon was in jeopardy,Roselle wasted no time. She called upon her yellow lightning to boost her speed, propelling herself upwards with lightning-quick reflexes. Once in close distance, she unleashed a surge of concentrated lightning, targeting his arm.

  The crackling energy struck Faelan’s arm with precision, causing him to wince in pain. The intense jolt forced him to release his grip on the cannon. The weapon plummeted back towards Roselle, who deftly caught it in mid-air with a swift motion.

  Roselle landed gracefully with her cannon securely in her hands. She locked eyes with Faelan” Nice try, Faelan, but you’ll have to do better than that!”

  Faelan hovered above. “Impressive reflexes, Roselle. Let’s see what else you’ve got!”

  Roselle took aim and fired her cannon once more, sending a barrage of powerful energy shots at Faelan. Faelan maneuvered effortlessly through the air, avoiding each shot as if he was dancing through the air.

  Faelan teased. “Practicing your aim, Roselle?”

  Roselle’s irritation flared. “I’m not practicing! I’m trying to hit you!”

  Faelan smirked. “Well, you see, I’ve noticed a pattern. Your cannon’s shots are powerful, but they’re also predictable. They’re large and can vary in speed, but there’s a delay of about four seconds between each shot.”

  While speaking, Faelan’s wings flapped steadily. He continued to evade Roselle’s attacks.

  Roselle gritted her teeth. “That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to dodge everything I throw at you!”

  Roselle closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to center herself. "Stay calm," she muttered, "figure this out. Don’t let him get to you. I just need to find a way to get him out of the air.”

  When she opened her eyes again, Faelan was nowhere to be seen. Panic began to creep in. She scanned the arena and could barely see the avian in the sky. Roselle wiped sweat from her brow. “What’s he up to up there?”

  From his lofty vantage point, Faelan echoed down to her. “Roselle, you’re too much of a sweetheart for this battlefield. Even now, you’re holding back. I plan to take advantage of this and defeat you before you have the chance to transform.”