"ROAR, Avian Tempest!"

  Faelan's wings expanded to their full glory. With a powerful flap of his wings, he created a colossal vortex of wind and feathers, forming a monstrous, bird-shaped figure in the sky.

  The gigantic bird's beak opened, releasing a deafening screech that echoed through the arena. It then unleashed a devastating downpour of piercing razor feathers.

  The feathers swirled and swarmed like a furious tempest, surrounding and advancing upon Roselle. Each feather was imbued with Faelan's magical energy, capable of cutting through nearly anything in its path.

  Roselle’s yellow aura of lightning circled her body. Roselle raised her cannon and began firing back. Her shots tore through the approaching feathers. The combination of her firepower and the electrifying bursts of energy effectively made a path for her within the tempest.

  Roselle leaped and dashed between the swirling feathers, zigzagging to avoid most of them. She then returned fire with precise shots aimed at Faelan's position high in the sky.

  Roselle's shots made it up to the location, but they consistently missed their. Despite her, Roselle couldn't seem to land a hit on her agile and airborne opponent. Frustration welled up within her.

  ‘Why can't I reach him,’ Roselle muttered to herself.

  Roselle's mind raced as she considered her options, her eyes never leaving Faelan's in the sky. She spoke to herself, ‘I need to find a way to ground him. I can't let him keep controlling the battle from up there. I have to think of something fast.’

  Roselle continued to fire shots into the sky, but they all missed the mark, not coming close to Faelan. She muttered, ‘It's no use. I can't think of anything. If I transform now, it won't change the situation, and I'll just waste my transformation time limit!’

  In that moment of despair, a critical memory surged to the forefront of her mind. It was her battle with Roy, a Guardian of Jayla. In that intense confrontation, her Cannon had shown unusual signs, functioning at 200% capacity instead of the level she was using now. Roselle remembered the sensation of power and companionship with her Cannon during that fight.

  She recalled how the Cannon had allowed her to fire shots at maximum power without draining her energy excessively, and it had turned the tide of the battle in her favor. With this came a spark of an idea. She whispered to herself, ‘I need that power again. I need to trust in my Cannon like I did that day.’

  Roselle closed her eyes for a brief moment and whispered, ‘Cannon, let's do this together. I need you now more than ever.’

  With renewed resolve, she raised her cannon once more, this time with a sense of trust and unity with the weapon. "Show me your power, my friend!" Roselle exclaimed.

  Roselle squeezed the trigger, but nothing happened. Before she could react to this, the vortex of razor-sharp feathers descended upon her, relentless and unforgiving. Roselle raised her arms in a futile attempt to shield herself, but the storm battered her, driving her back.

  She was sent tumbling across the arena floor. The world spun saround her until she landed hard, a distance away from her Cannon. Pain shot through her body. Each breath she took afterwards was ragged. Her ears rang with the screeching of the monstrous bird figure in the sky.

  Gritting her teeth, Roselle fought to move. Her Cannon lay just out of. She began to crawl, inching toward it with every ounce of strength she could muster.

  “Come on, Roselle,” she muttered through clenched teeth. “You can’t give up now.”

  Roselle finally reached her Cannon. Risebelle shouted encouragement from the stands, “Roselle! Don’t let him win like this!”

  Roselle steadied herself. She thought back to the conversations she’d had about her Cannon and its significance. Then, she remembered the day Rawna had destroyed her Cannon. It had been more than just a tool for battle; it had been a part of her. Even though she could still fight without it, something had felt missing, incomplete.

  She whispered to herself, “I know what I have to do now. It’s not enough to just believe in myself and this weapon. I need to give it meaning, a purpose. It’s always been more than just a Cannon to me. It’s my companion, my partner in every battle.”

  Roselle’s gaze was resolute as she continued, “From this day on, you’re more than just a Cannon. You’re my Companion. That’s what I’ll call you.”

  The act of naming it filled her with a sense of unity and strength. Her resolve solidified, and she felt a newfound connection to her weapon.

  “Companion,” she said aloud while raising it into the air. “Let’s show Faelan what were made of!”

  And then, in the midst of this intense battle, a new message appeared within her system interface, a message she had never seen before:

  [System Message]

  Ability Unlocked: Cannon Magic Level 1

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Roselle's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly shook it off and got focused. Roselle called out, "Cannon Magic, Level 1!"

  Roselle's massive cannon underwent a transformation. The once bulky weapon took on a sleek and advanced appearance, its exterior was now a deep crimson adorned with golden patterns that glowed with energy.

  The cannon's shots were infused with a blend of Roselle's own energy and the cannon's power. Each shot was a display of destructive force. With a focused thought, Roselle also activated the cannon's alternate mode, which added a gleaming golden lance-like attachment to the weapon. She aimed the cannon downward and unleashed a red energy beam, propelling herself into the air with incredible speed and precision.

  Faelan, in the midst of his aerial maneuvers, watched in astonishment. Roselle closed the gap between them and was reaching him fast. He muttered in disbelief, "What is this? How is she doing that?"

  Roselle ascended rapidly and directed the energy beam that was helping her gain altitude towards him. He was too stunned to evade it. A pained scream escaped from Faelan.

  Then, with a victorious smirk on her face, Roselle released the lance-like attachment in close range. The result was an explosion engulfed Faelan. Faelan was sent reeling through the air spiraling downward.

  Faelan’s eyes glowed a fierce green. While he was spiraling downward from Roselle's explosive attack, he began to chant, “Vengeance Bird!”

  From Faelan’s body emerged a spectral bird of vengeance with a burning green color. It had an ominous fire surrounding it’s body. The bird flapped its wings and charged straight at Roselle, who was still in mid-air.

  Roselle was caught off guard by this sudden attack coming out of nowhere from her view. The creature collided with her, enveloping her in a storm of green energy and sharp talons.

  Roselle was thrown backward from the impact. Her Cannon tumbled away from her grip. The Roselle crashed heavily to the ground with loud thud.

  Faelan, equally battered by the previous explosion, spiraled uncontrollably before slamming into the ground nearby.

  Both Roselle and Faelan were out cold and the arena was momentarily hushed. The announcer broke the silence. "Well, ain't that a wild finish, folks! Looks like these two ain't holding back any punches, even when it comes to crash-landings! But don't you worry, we've got more sturdy barriers this time round. Let's see if these two can get back on their feet, or if this match is a wrap!"

  The 60-second countdown began. Risebelle turned to Kintovar with a puzzled look and inquired, "What was that, Kintovar? Roselle's cannon transformed! How is that even possible? My cannon can't do that."

  Kintovar regarded Risebelle with a thoughtful look. "It's something new, Risebelle, and even I didn't anticipate this. It seems Roselle unlocked a unique ability related to her cannon. It's akin to those we've encountered who wield Sword Magic, allowing them to increase their power up to three levels. Roselle has just unlocked the first level from what iv’e managed to pick up."

  Juliana looked over to Kintovar. “You should have seen this coming. We discussed this not long ago, remember? You mentioned that Roselle's cannon had been acting strangely for a while, and it had formed a unique bond with her, just like those who possess Sword Magic. I always like to expect the unexpected, Kintovar, so I'm always prepared."

  Kintovar chuckled at Juliana's comment. "You're right, Juliana. Your philosophy is something I still may lag behind slightly on, though being prepared for unforeseen developments is essential these days. Roselle's newfound ability might just be what we need to push the boundaries of technology and magic…"

  The countdown reached its final ten seconds. All eyes were fixed on the still bodies of Roselle and Faelan. The announcer boomed through the stadium, and the crowd joined in.

  "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five...!”

  Roselle and Faelan finally stirred. Their battered bodies slowly rose from the ground in unison, much to the astonishment of the crowd. The announcer exclaimed, "And look at that, yall! Both competitors have made it back to their feet!"

  [System Message]

  Lifeforce: 25%

  "You're tougher than you look, Roselle," Faelan said with a weak smile forming on his face. "I never expected you to pull out a trick like that. You've got some real fight in you, and that's something I can respect."

  Roselle, though out of breath .managed a faint but genuine smile. She looked up at Faelan and replied, "Thank you, Faelan. I... I want to get stronger, to protect those I care about."

  Faelan nodded. "That's a noble goal, Roselle. But remember, in the battlefield, no fight is truly over until it's over. Don't let your guard down."

  Faelan flapped his wings and surged forward with a burst of speed. His approach was swift, aiming to close the distance between him and Roselle. “You’re sweet, but you need to dish out your sour more ferociously!”

  Before Roselle could fully process his words, Faelan was upon her, using his wings to propel a series of rapid melee attacks. He landed a few precise hits. Each hit drove Roselle’s lifeforce percentage down slightly more. Despite her best efforts to defend herself, the intensity of his strikes kept her on the back foot.

  [System Message]

  Lifeforce: 15%

  With a swift kick, Faelan sent Roselle stumbling backward. Her feet skid across the arena floor. He took to the skies again, hovering high above her. “This is it, Roselle! The final dive!” His aura flared a vibrant green

  Roselle watched Faelan’s descent. The crowd in the Grand Arena watched in suspense. The announcer shouted, "Faelan isn't holding back! He's going for the win!"

  Roselle knew she had to make her move. Roselle’s body began to vibrate with a yellow- colored energy, which shifted to red.

  "Project Mage!"

  A purple light enveloped Roselle, casting a radiant glow throughout the arena. Roselle's hair, once flowing yellow now took on a regal shade of purple, crackling with purple lightning. She now wore a small purple jacket that partially covered her chest. Her skirt was also a deep purple.

  Earrings in the shape of purple lightning bolts dangled from her ears. The massive cannon she had been wielding transformed into a medium-sized version with purple lightning energy pulsating from its core. She also had a unique black and purple hat that adorned her head. Roselle’s eyes took on a purple hue. Her body grew, transitioning from its childlike appearance into that of a teenagers.

  Roselle gave a look of confidence and declared, "Yeah, This is it, for you!"

  Roselle launched into the air. With a swift, graceful motion, she summoned her Toxic Blade to her hands. Faelan, undeterred by her transformation, charged down with all his power.

  Roselle met Faelan's attack head-on. With a swift cut, Roselle sliced through the air. In an instant, she appeared on the opposite side of Faelan. Her Toxic Blade left a faint trail of purple lightning behind her.

  Faelan hovered momentarily with a look of surprise and admiration in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak. “You’re… strong Roselle."

  Before he could utter another word, a gash appeared across his chest. With all his energy gone, Faelan dropped out of the sky, spiraling down towards the arena floor.