Vaizer found himself speechless as he witnessed the magnificence of Aloe Vida.
Around her were sparkling Mana Cores, numerous in number like little stars.
The larger, special grade Mana Core was on her right hand, and her right hand held what seemed like a scepter.
A crown of glory floated on her head, sharp on the edges like a razor-like halo. The mere presence of Aloe made everything around he melt, and other than her, the entire area was a dull grey.
'I... what's going on here?'
Vaizer felt stuck. He could hardly move. Even his heart felt like stone.
He was hardly moving.
"Don't bother. I took your speed. The motion around has been collected."
Currently, the only one who could really move was the overpowering entity above him.
'Isn't that unfair?' Vaizer found himself thinking.
He couldn't even speak at this point.
"Tell me, Vaizer. Is this the best you can do? I want to experience more."
It sounded condescending, but Aloe Vida wasn't being arrogant at all. The fact that she was able to grow into something so spectacular because of a challenge.
Her current state had now overcome that barrier, and now...
... She desired more.
'The arrogance!' Former Beast King Vaizer growled internally.
As a matter of fact, he indeed had a trump card. He was still learning its workings since had been bestowed this power just recently. However...
'It looks like I'll have to use it, after all. My Arcana.'
>SHIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGG!!!<
A bright glimmer surged from Vaizer—something that shouldn't have been possible. It radiated with him as the focal point, thus restoring color to his body.
"Haaa, much better." The dragon beastfolk grinned, feeling his body return to normal.
Everything about him felt great, though the environment was still a faded dark color.
"I didn't think I'd have to use this. But, I guess it all worked out in the end."
His opponent, Aloe Vida, scrunched up her face in slight confusion.
"What's going on? I can't take away your 'motion'... how?"
"Hehe, it's simple... though you don't need to know that."
Vaizer's secret weapon, his Arcana, was the only thing that could make something like this possible.
'With [Justice], I have the ability to turn any unfair situation around. If my opponent is stronger, I can bring us to the same level. I didn't use it before because there's no point...'
Despite the Arcana in his grasp, Vaizer knew he couldn't completely utilize its phenomenal power. The best he could do was simply turn his body's situation around, granting him a fighting chance.
Now that he was no longer stuck in slow motion, and his opponent could not interfere with his ability to fight, he was in a far more advantageous state.
'This much is enough... I'll crush you!'
>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!<
In an instant, Vaizer launched a fiery crimson breath at Aloe Vida. The intensity scorched the air, sending a trail of devastation in it's wake.
Aloe simply stretched her scepter, completely nullifying the strike.
In an instant, it completely disintegrated.
"Not bad!" Vaizer was now in the air, directly behind her.
As he launched his fist, she flipped her scepters edge and used it counter.
"I should be much faster than you, yet you can keep up?" Aloe murmured.
"Hehe. Speed is relative, after all."
The Arcana [Justice] was making things fairer, and that only meant Aloe Vida's advantage was slowly disintegrating.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing that was vanishing.
"U-urhhh..." A sharp pain suddenly surged through her heart.
Her body suddenly began throbbing helplessly, giving Vaizer the perfect chance to launch a follow-up strike.
>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!<
Aloe fell to the ground in a loud crash, crating a crater of cold, rocky debris.
Her light transformation became undone, and she was in a half conscious state. Her tone slurred as she struggled to keep her eyes opened.
"Hehehe... Hahaha... I should be asking you now, human. Is this the best you can do?" Vaizer declared from his height, now descending to the crater where Vida helplessly lay.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he kicked the paralyzed woman, causing her to fly a far distance ahead.
Swiftly, he followed her, giving another deafening blow that sent her falling straight to the ground.
>BOOOOOOMMMM!!!<
Now standing atop her body, like the victorious one he was, Vaizer grinned in victory. He had, once again, triumphed.
"This is the power of [Justice]!"
Aloe Vida's eyes were closed at this point, and there no longer remained any strength in her to fight back.
She was spent.
"You weren't a bad opponent. I relished the fight."
Vaizer was in a great mood. Thanks to his battle with Aloe Vida, he had realized something critical.
'With the power of this Arcana, I can defeat just about anyone.' So long as [Justice] was on his side, wasn't that simply the best?
He would always win!
"I didn't think it was possible before, but now... I'm certain! I can finally rise to the top!"
Even though it was ambitious of him, Vaizer thought of the first person he would challenge.
'The First Seat. He stole my prey from me. How dare he...'
It is said that power makes one drunk. That was probably what afflicted Vaizer, as his hubris started making him generate thoughts grander than he dared to imagine in the past.
"Now, then... to finish you." He stared down at the helpless woman.
After he was done with her, he would kill off the others and hope the Arcana would appear.
'Come to think of it, I haven't seen that little shrimp in a while...'
As Viazer's thoughts trailed, he noticed the lady beneath him stirring as she smiled weakly.
'Why is she smiling? I won, didn't I?'
"I... did it..." Aloe's voice trailed.
The beastfolk, still in his draconic form, was confused. He was the victor, and she was the defeated. Yet why did she seem awfully pleased with herself.
"... Mission complete." As she made that final statement, Aloe Vida fell unconscious, leaving Vaizer with nothing but confusion.
"Still thinking you're better than me after losing? This bit—"
>BZZZZTTTTTTZZZZZ<
Suddenly, a strange sensation pulsated throughout Vaizer's body. His entire being felt numb, and then... what came next...
... was PAIN!
