"Weren't like, the ashes of our forefathers in there or something!? Are you sure this is safe!?" I asked and turned towards the room.
However, not a single person seemed phased. Was I seriously the only one worried about interdimensional travel through a magician's hat!? A magician that has hell and a gigantic horse inside his hat!?
"It'll be fine," Zack assured and walked over to the hat. "Probably."
Zack winked and hopped into the hat. There was the sound of a splash that followed after him, as he just vanished from sight.
"No time to waste. I'll just burn what gets in my way." Leo replied and literally dove into the hat!
"Leo! Seriously!?" I yelled.
"Oh! I have socks just in case! Wait up Leo!" Penelope called out and followed up after him.
Now, just leaving me.
"Well, maybe you should explain the specifics of-"
Wiz snatched his hat.
"No time! Precious magicka being missed!" Wiz complained and leaped up at me.
I summoned a blade, but it was too late. He shoved the hat on my head and pulled it all the way down on me.
It was like diving into a freezing pool, but when I gasped, I could still breathe. I tried to swim around, but I couldn't see anything. Just as fast as I was consumed by darkness, I was immediately embraced by the warmth of the light.
Suddenly I was dropped in the middle of a cave. There was an opening above me that revealed the blazing sun and the clear blue sky.
I looked over my body and started rubbing my chest.
"I guess I made it in one piece then.."
I looked up and my eyes locked with Rexes. He had an unamused look on his face and took a glance over at Wiz. Who was hugging his friend Sun. She was a bit different than the hat call. Wiggling around with joy behind her was a bright orange tail, and her forearms were thick with ginger fur.
"Interesting..." Rex mumbled.
"Oh me? Yeah I know, the mighty destroyer of worlds can have a rather imposing aura in person." Zack chuckled triumphantly.
However, his smug laughing would stop once he noticed Rex was completely ignoring him.
"Hey! I'm talking to you Snow white!" Zack roared.
"Snow white?" Rex asked with a tilt of his head.
"Oh! You're here!" I heard a girl squeak.
I turned around and saw the Sun girl running over to Leo. Her ocean blue eyes were wide with excitement, and her tail wagged with joy. While Leo looked like he was debating lighting her on fire.
"Wow, you're even cuter with blonde hair!"
She giggled and stopped in front of him.
Leo squinted his eyes at her, then closed them. Flames came out as he took a hard breath and opened them again.
"S-so, you must be Sun Wukong, S class right?" Leo grumbled.
S class!? This chick was S class!?
"Mmhhmm, did you want me to protect you! Maybe put in a good word for you?" She chirped and reached out for Leo's hand.
I saw something snap in Leo's eyes and he smacked her hand away.
"Don't patronize me." He snarled.
She giggled and smirked.
"Oh? But I watched your fight with Jormungand, you looked like you needed some help."
Leo glared and bared his fangs. However, his anger suddenly faded. Leaving behind a more, puzzled expression.
"How did you...?"
"The goddesses sometimes let us watch fights. So I've seen what you all can do. You're just high B-Tier right? Why not let me-"
"Don't look down on us, we might just take your rank." He growled.
"Tellem Lizard breath!" Zack called out.
"Wow, can I just have you!?" Sun squeaked.
"No, you cannot!" Penelope blurted out.
White smoke suddenly swarmed around Leo. I instinctively reached for my blade, but I paused when the smoke began to change. Then, I was at a loss for words. There were now suddenly twenty Suns all around Leo. One was leaning on his head, another had his arm while the rest were just crowding around him.
"But he's so adorable!" All the clones cheered.
This was the first time I've ever seen Leo's face like this. His mouth was open, and his eyes seemed glazed over. He stared at the ground, and I saw steam coming off of his body. Was she trying to trigger him!?
Before Leo had a chance to go nuclear, Rex walked over to them. He walked over to the clone that held Leo's arm and stared down at her. All the clones turned toward rex with a look of horror, then Rex promptly karate chopped her head. A shock wave of air rushed over us and every clone vanished at once.
"Ah! Master that hurt!"
"Don't call me that." He sighed.
"Rex, this is nice and all. But I'd like to get started already." I demanded and took my blade out from its sheath.
He looked puzzled. I smirked and planted my foot back. Good, he only saw me and Zack fight Jormungand then. He has no idea about the blade then.
"Right, I didn't come here to help Leo's harem!"
"Sun, I'll be quick. Don't cause any issues, while I'm busy."
I smirked.
"Oh yeah? Let's see about that then."
A wide grin etched itself on my face.
"Don't be afraid to call your fairy godmother for backup." Zack snickered.
Rex's eyes weren't trained on us however, they were on the group around us. Something about that really pissed me off. I leaned down and activated my strength. Just before I leapt forward I saw Zack coming over to me.
"Stryder I think we-"
I don't want to wait! I ignored him and leaped at Rex, aiming my blade for his face.
Once I grew close, he easily dodged my strike by moving to the left. I smiled, I can cut loose! Finally! I let my strength consume every part of my body. My bones ached and my skin burned. I activated my eyes and prepared myself.
Let's go!
I charged back in and started aggressively slashing at him over and over again. His eyes were shining, and he managed to dodge my strikes. However, I could tell there was a lot more pressure than before.
I used what I learned from Weis, and tried to strike where he was going to be rather than where he was at. He suddenly leapt away from me, and a vine shot out from the ground. I summoned a spear and immediately hurled it at him. A bright light appeared in front of him and burned away my spear, then something behind him as well. Creating a huge cloud of red mist, did he just kill bean!?
"The same tricks won't work twice on me wizard." Rex called out.
I went to run in, but stopped at the sight of fifteen Zack's surrounding him.
"Oh yeah snow white?"
"Well let's see how you like this trick!"
"I'm gonna beat you so bad your hair turns red!"
The clones all kept yelling insult after insult at Rex as they charged in at him. However, Rex dealt with them one by one with ease. I was about to rush in and help, but I saw another Zack drop from the sky.
"Whose not worth it now dork!?"
Zack held out his hands and smiled sadistically. Rex then vanished from the fight and appeared right in front of Zack in the sky. Before I knew it, he blasted Rex with a dazzling green explosion.
Rex crash into the ground and I leaped in at him. I charged up my blade and sent a large energy blast toward him. It sliced through the ground and aimed to slice him in two. However, as it got close, the blast exploded on contact. When the dust cleared, I saw a glowing white shield in front of him. He didn't have a scratch on him, but he was dusty from the ground. So at least Zack did catch him off guard, he never summoned a shield before.
"If that homeless up there can hit you, so can we!"
"Yeah you must be trash! Ol melted ice cream head!"
The rest of the clones roared and all ran in at Rex, while I assumed the real Zack landed next to me.
"Zack did you figu-"
"Ya know, if you were paying attention I'm sure you'd know by now."
"What?"
"I'm glad you're embracing your rage or whatever, but you need to focus."
"Are you seriously telling me that!?"
"If I recall your the one that blindly ran in, didn't even ask what I can do, nor did you wait on me."
I opened my mouth but shut it immediately after. He was right, I didn't think about any of that.
"Rex is an S class, we need to work together."
Before I could respond, Rex appeared in front of Zack. He grabbed his face and darted forward. Slamming his head into the rock wall, then, Zack went limp.
"That was disappointing, and here I thought you were a challenge." Rex sighed
I activated my strength and darted at him. Zack was right, I let my lust for combat consume me. This match was more than just a fun time, we were supposed to learn about him! Dammit!
Without missing a beat, Rex turned and simply back fisted me away.
"I thought you were the one who challenged me?"
I flew back and crashed against a rock, all the air getting knocked out of me.
Damnit! We're gonna lose because of me! Because I can't control myself!
"Not exactly snow white! Don't forget I'm here!" Zack roared.
I looked up and saw Zack rapidly blasting fire at Rex. The lingering clones followed his lead, and they all tried to jump him. However, Rex dealt with the clones just like before. All using every magical power they had.
Once I had enough focus to move, I dashed in, enhancing myself to the max. Most of the clones had vanished, and I tried to strike immediately after he back fisted one in the stomach. His eyes grew wide once he saw me. My bones were cracking, but I just ignored it. I needed to give it my all! I'm the one who let Zack down! I needed to make up to him.
I slashed over head at Rex and he dodged easily, even though it was easy. He still looked cautious. Maybe Zack wore him down. I continued to barrage him over and over again. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere, I stumbled. Rex capitalized on that and punched me in the face. But it wasn't as strong as the back fist earlier.
I held my ground and glared at Rex. I kicked his hand away before he had a chance to blast me, and spun around to stab him.
Before I had a chance to thrust, I was blasted in the chest from Rex's eyes. This freak has laser vision too!? I was sent flying back and crashed into the wall. I looked down and sighed with relief. I summoned a chest plate over me just in time. It's weird, his blast was way more intense then before.
"Stryder, the homeless wants you to attack the boulder over there."
I jumped when I heard Zack's voice. I turned and I saw his clone.
"What?"
"Just do it piss head!" He roared.
"Are you sure you're even an A tier?" Rex sighed.
I forced myself up and stumbled. Come on Stryder focus. I activated my strength again and darted at the stone. Rex moved to react, but paused when I ran away from him.
I charged my blade and kept all the energy inside. I'd only let it out when I finally strike. I'll trust Zack. I put all my strength into my swing and went to blast the boulder. My knuckles cracked, yeah after I striked I'd definitely break my hands.
I looked over and I saw Zack coming from the opposite side. His hand was lit ablaze and even burned my eyes when I looked at him. This must be it then, our final push. Just as we were about to collide with the boulder, it vanished. Then Rex was in its place. I smiled at first, what the hell did Zack just do!?
Before I got too excited, I realized I was face to face with Rex's hands. My blade was pressing into his palm, however, it was met with a white light. Then all of my momentum stopped, and I was blasted away. It was like getting hit by a wave! The wave engulfed me and I was hurled back into the wall. Everything burned and everything hurt. I couldn't even feel my wrists.
I looked up and saw Zack on the other side. We locked eyes and he had the, let's jump this guy look. I tried to sit up, but rex pointed up.
Crap, was he dropping the sun again!? I looked up, and I saw something much more tamed. It was a singular glowing white blade. I looked over to Zack, and I saw one above his head too.
"Alright, I wasn't disappointed." Rex said.