This Monster… No, this Machine….Why was this monstrous machine here?
Its ability to absorb Arcane energy made it nearly impossible for anyone to defeat it—anyone except him, with his power over Clarion Energy.
Could this really be a coincidence?… Or had this creature been placed here deliberately, waiting to wreak havoc on the empire?
Was this the beginning of the destruction that everyone had whispered about?
The so-called ‘The Beginning’? If so, the devastation was inevitable.
But was that his role—to prevent it?
Was Aether created for this very purpose?
The only one able to wield both Arcane and Clarion Energy without succumbing to backlash.
Why would the Mother Goddess seek to destroy her own creation?
Was he being manipulated again, or… had he stumbled onto the truth?
His mind buzzed with uncertainty.
“A-Aether… how did you do that?” The Principal’s voice, laced with astonishment, broke his train of thought.
Snapping back to reality, Aether gave her a mischievous grin, “I’m special, didn’t you know?” He flashed a cheeky smile, though his mind was still heavy with unanswered questions.
[+3000 AP]
The Principal scowled playfully at his cocky attitude, her lips twitching in mild annoyance. She turned her attention back to the metallic behemoth, now slowly rising from the ground.
Despite Aether’s powerful attack, there still wasn’t a single scratch on its impenetrable black metal body.
BAGRUUUUUUUHHHHHAAAAAA!!
The elephant’s rainbow-coloured eyes gleamed with fury as it locked onto Aether, charging at him with a newfound rage.
“Looks like you really pissed it off,” the Principal remarked with a smirk, cracking her knuckles in preparation, “I’ll handle it physically, and with your magi—”
But Aether’s grin widened dangerously. “You stay here, Isa… I’ve got something to take care of.”
The Principal froze for a second, frowning as his words sank in, ‘Isa? Did I ever tell him my name?’ She narrowed her eyes, watching as Aether’s body erupted into a blaze of purple flames. His figure streaked through the air like a comet, hurtling toward the charging beast.
SSSSSHHHHHHhhhhhh!!
The purple flames intensified, surrounding the monstrous elephant as its massive body began trembling under the intense heat.
“You feeling that now, huh?” Aether muttered, weaving in and out of the elephant’s attacks. It responded with a laser beam from its tusk, but Aether dodged effortlessly, moving like a shadow.
“You feeling it now… ah” Aether mumbled before he dodged the firing laser from the tusk!!
BAGRUUUHHHHAAA!!
The creature lashed out, its thick metal trunk swinging violently toward Aether. In an attempt to crush him, it wrapped around his body, tightening its hold, but—
“You still don’t feel it?” Aether’s voice turned ice-cold, his flames surging even hotter, blazing with unrelenting fury…. The elephant roared in agony, its trunk searing under the heat, and it was forced to release him, flinging him aside in desperation.
BAGRUUUHHHHAAAAAAA!!
Aether slid across the ground but quickly regained his balance.
Before he could react, the creature was already upon him, its tusk mere inches from piercing his chest.
GRIP!
He caught the tusk with both hands, gritting his teeth as he pushed back with all his might. The ground beneath him cracked as he slid backwards.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSRRRRRRRRRRR!!
Until his feet braced against the wall.
Ssnoorrrtt!!
The elephant snorted in frustration, annoyed that such a small opponent was still resisting. Its body trembled with indignation, as though insulted that something so insignificant dared to stand against it!
Aether grinned, but the satisfaction was short-lived… The elephant’s trunk struck him from the side with full force, sending him crashing through the air like a ragdoll.
He barely managed to twist his body in time to brace for impact, but the hit still sent him skidding across the rocky terrain.
He staggered to his feet, his vision blurred, only to find the elephant already looming over him, its immense form blocking out the sky.
“It’s getting faster?” Aether muttered, frowning in disbelief.
SLLLLAAAAAMMMMM!!!
The elephant’s colossal foot slammed down, and crushed him to the ground just like before… However,
“Looks like you need my help, brat!” she shouted, grinning as she grabbed hold of the elephant’s tail, holding it tightly as if she was waiting for Aether!
Aether was barely centimetres away from the huge foot.
His hands shook as he stared at the foot… memories of past battles flooded his mind, threatening to overwhelm him.
But,
“Motherfucker!!” Aether roared, his voice echoing through the valley as his hand muscles infused with Clarion Energy and,
BAM!
BOOM!
BOOOOM!
Throwing punch after punch, each strike infused with explosive energy.
With every hit, the elephant was forced back, its massive form trembling under the relentless barrage of power. The ground quaked with each impact, until finally, with one massive blow—
BOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!
The elephant was thrown back, its towering body crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust and debris, the force of Aether’s attack leaving deep craters where he lay.
The Principal watched in astonishment as Aether stood up, bloodied but resolute, with an intensity burning in his eyes that resembled a predator eyeing its prey….
[+4000 AP]
The small dent he had managed to inflict on the elephant’s metallic foot was enough to make her grin.
However,
BAGRUUUUUUUHHHHHAAAAAA!!
The monstrous elephant bellowed in pain, its massive ears flapping violently, creating gusts of wind that forced both Aether and the Principal to back off.
SSshhh
ShhhhhSsss
Shhhhssss
But, What’s more shocking was,
Her eyes widened in disbelief, “That thing can fly?” she muttered, utterly taken aback as she watched the metal beast rise into the air, defying its heavy appearance.
Aether, on the other hand, wasn’t surprised. A sly grin tugged at his lips. ‘Of course, it can fly… the bolts and screws from the previous timeline weren’t falling from the sky for nothing.’
“Come at me, bastard!” Aether roared, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth and slamming his chest, taunting the beast to come closer.
“Aether, stop!” the Principal yelled, sensing the irrationality in his actions.
She could feel that his mind was driven by something far deeper than the battle itself.
But Aether was beyond hesitation—he shot forward!!
In the blink of an eye, Aether grabbed hold of the elephant’s massive tusk, trying to drag it back down. But the creature responded with brute force, pushing him toward the ceiling with incredible power.
BAGRUUUUUUUHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
The elephant’s sheer strength was overwhelming, and before anyone could react, it rammed Aether into the ceiling, drilling him into the stone structure.
“AETHERRRR!” the Principal shouted, her voice filled with both frustration and concern as she watched the beast drive Aether deeper into the collapsing stone above. The walls began to crumble, stones and debris raining down around her.
“Tsk!” she clicked her tongue, irritated by the chaos, “This is why I hate brats!!” she grumbled, just about to leap toward the hole the elephant had created when—
“Massstteerrrrrr~”
Snowflake appeared, hauling an enormous sack over her shoulder. The Principal glanced at her briefly, then ignored the glare Snowflake shot in her direction as she grabbed her, launching herself toward the tunnel the elephant had carved into the ceiling.
Her frustration was mounting, but concern for Aether outweighed it.
“If that idiot dies, I swear I’ll kill him myself,” she muttered under her breath, her teeth gritted in anger as she ascended rapidly. She burst through the top of the structure and into the open sky, the bright red light blinding her for a moment before the scene unfolded before her.
The elephant was soaring through the sky, its body marked with scratches and damage from Aether’s previous attacks…. But there, in the distance, was Aether—floating, bloodied, and covered in wounds, but very much alive.
“Aether, stop now and come back!” the Principal yelled, her voice dead serious, her tone leaving no room for argument.
But Aether didn’t turn. His eyes, blank and focused, remained locked on the flying creature. “I’m sorry, Isa… but this is m-my fight,” Aether said, his voice distant and full of resolve, “I-If I don’t conquer this… this motherfucking FEAR will never leave me alone!!!!!”
His hands rose toward the sky, purple flames swirling around him, building into a vortex of destructive energy. Without another word, he unleashed the flames in a concentrated blast aimed directly at the elephant.
BAGRUUUHHHHAAA!!
The elephant soared toward him, its tusks glowing as it absorbed the flames with ease. The Principal’s frown deepened, confusion crossing her face, ‘Why is it absorbing the flames now?’
But then, she saw it—the answer unfolding before her eyes.
“Hehe….”
