Revenge pact

The next day

In an empty space stood two teenagers that differed in both size and features.

To the left, a petite teenage girl with flowing brown hair stood solemnly. Her luminous silver eyes gazing into the emptiness in anticipation.

Resting in Marie's right hand, was a sharpened spatha, poised to cut through any advesary that dared to approach.

On her right, stood a much larger teenage boy, his long brown hair cascading gracefully, complimenting his wild beauty.

He too stood prepared, although unlike Marie, he opted out of wielding a blade.

Tarzy instead used a pair of brass knuckles.

"Are you ready princess?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

[Marie Jupiter and Tarzy Goliath...Bird Simulator, Beginner. ]

[Begin!]

Hearing the automated voice, Marie and Tarzy tensed up, preparing for battle.

In a brief swirl of mana, a single bird like magic beast appeared.

The dove-like creature that emerged was rather small, charcterized by its pristine white feathers and delicate horns.

The magic beast differed from ordinary doves; its large wings adorning sharp claws at their tips.

Upon manifestation, it unfolded its wings and spread them ceromoniously, and opened its beak, unveiling a menacing array of razor-sharp fangs.

"KOOO KOOO!"

Wasting no time, the Kolumba darted forward determined to kill both magic knights.

Responding appropriately, Tarzy threw a sharp cross toward the Kolumba's body.

Flapping its wings violently, the Kolumba swerved out the way rather easily.

WHOOSH

Deciding to counter the boy's attack, the Kolumba used its clawed wing to strike the boy's outstretched arm.

SPLURT

"Fuck!"

Helping her comrade, Marie swiftly swung her spatha, slicing through the distracted magic beast with relative ease.

SLASH

"You okay?" Lowering her blade and focusing her gaze on Tarzy's wounded arm, Marie frowned.

"Yeah, it's nothing crazy."

"I'll heal it when we're done."

"You don't have to do that. " Tarzy smiled gently.

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KOOO KOOO!"

This time, two Kolumbas emerged and they were just as aggressive.

Wasting no time, the White Rank Magic Beasts zoomed through the air.

WHOOSH

No longer underestimating the creatures, Tarzy acted cautiously, coating both fists in Earthly Aura he struck fiercly.

Sending his left fist soaring through the air, Tarzy grinned, sure he would make contact soon.

WHOOSH

While its bredrin adeptly evaded Tarzy's strike, the other magic beast glided through the air, targeting his temple.

Acting swiftly, Tarzy ducked and furrowed his brows in frustration.

Taking advantage of her childhood friends crouched position, Marie leaped into the air, using his large body as a platform.

SLASH

Her spatha slashed through the air, aiming for the beast's body.

However, the creature evaded rather easily, skillfully dodging as well.

"They're really fast." Tarzy growled.

"They sacrifice speed for strength and durability, if we strike them once they're dead."

"Seems easy enough..." Tarzy grinned.

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KOOO KOOO!"

Returning swiftly, the magic beasts targeted the two's backsides.

"Pests!" Tarzy pivoted his body, swinging his arm in the beasts' direction aggressively.

Following suit, Marie swung her spatha.

BAM

SPLURT

Both Rising Stars successfully made contact, obliterating the beast's in one blow.

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KRAAAAA!"

Upon the demise of the previous magic beasts, three additional ones materialized from the strange mana swirl.

Surprising both combatants, a different magic beast emerged alongside the other two, increasing the grand total to three.

The third magic beast to emerge sported jet-black feathers, dwarfing its comrades in size.

Its horns were much longer and deadly than its companions', capable of penetrating the thickest hides. While the beasts varied slighlty in both shade and shape, they shared a common feature: the milky hue of their sharp eyes.

"KOOOO!"

"KOOOO!"

Leaving the Korvus in the dust, the Kolumbas eagerly approached Marie and Tarzy.

WHOOSH

Employing their weaponized wings, the magic beasts tried to slash Marie and Tarzy's throats respectively, leaving no room for mercy.

"Where's all this energy coming from?" Tarzy complained, taking a step back to avoid the onslaught.

Grunting loudly, Tarzy grunted a terrifying uppercut, destroying the magic beast.

SPLURT

"The Korvus in the back's buff ability, 'bloodlust.' "

Identifying the cause of the heightened aggression, Marie slashed through the magic beast.

SLICE

"Its like they got faster, they're attacking with no regard for their lives."

"They di-"

"KRAAAA"

Coming from behind, the Korvus pierced through Marie's leather armor using its talons.

SPLURT

"Ahh!" Due to the intense pain in her shoulder Marie stumbled forward.

"Princess!" Tarzy propelled his fist forward, aiming to destroy the beast.

"KRAAAA"

Evading the giants fist rather easily, the magic beast performed an expert maneuver, slashing his forearm with the tips of its wings, outspeeding Tarzy.

SPLURT

"Fucking sky rat!" With his blood steadily boiling, Tarzy conjured a magic circle on his chest. Its green runes shifting and changing shape with every moment, performing the necessary calculations.

"Transformation magic: Partial Transfiguration."

Tarzy willed his wounded arm to enlarge and change hues, abandoning its tanned complexion. A low growl escaed his lips, as he observed the sharp quills that sprouted from his pores, elongating and strengthening.

"Eject!" Not even allowing the transformation to complete, Tarzy thrust his arm in the direction of the magic beast, shooting three quills directly at it.

WHOOSH

SPLURT

Failing to evade the quills, the magic beast fell straight out the air, its body turning to mere mana particles.

"You son of a bitch." He grumbled, still not satisfied by the Korvus's death Tarzy grumbled.

"Get ready... The next one's coming." Marie placed her hand on her injured shoulder, her hand glowing with a vibrant yellow.

DIMMMM

Aided by Holy Aura, her shoulder slowly repaired itself, the muscular and skin tissue mending itself.

"KOOOO KOOOO!"

"KOOOO KOOOO!"

"KRAAAA KRAAA!"

"KRAAAA KRAAA!"

Following the same pattern, four magic beasts manifested themselves: two Korvuses and two Kolumbas.

The Kolumbas darted forward, their speed and strength enhanced by the two Korvuses that stayed put.

"KOOOO KOOOO!"

"KOOOO KOOOO!"

"Gravity Magic: Ton zones!" Marie summoned numerous purple magic circles, each pulasating with mana, causing the gravity in the space they occupied to instensify.

SPLURT

SPLURT

Being caught in the gravity zones, the two magic beasts exploded, unable to withstand the pressure.

"Watch out." She warned.

"KRAAA KRAAA"

"KRAAA KRAAA"

On cue with Marie's warning, the Korvuses swiftly moved behind the pair, their talons poised as they aimed for the napes of their necks.

Snapping his head backwards, Tarzy glared at the two magic beasts.

He immediately slammed his transformed fist into the magic beast, reducing it to mana particles.

Reacting slightly slower than her comrade, Marie swung her spatha at the crow-like magic beast.

WHOOSH

Dipping below her blade to evade the assault, the magic beast attacked her sword arm.

"Huh?"

SPLURT

After grazing her arm with its talons, the Korvus ascended out of the princess's range.

"KRAAA KRAAA" It cackled.

"I've got it princess." Tarzy lifted his arm in the magic beast's direction, aiming his quills.

"No..." She shook her head, her silver eyes slowly becoming brighter.

DIMMMM

"Gravity Magic: Heavenly Burden."

Infusing her Gravity Magic with Holy Aura, heightening its potency, Marie amplified the strength of gravity around her.

The effect reached both the magic beast as well as her comrade, enveloping them in its intensified force.

"P-princess?" Tarzy immediately fell to his knees, folding to the strength of her magic.

SLAM

SPLATTER

Reacting in a more extreme manner, the Korvus plummeted to the ground, reverting back to its orginal form of mana particles upon impact.

"Princess?" Shakily standing up, Tarzy shot Marie a complicated expression.

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KRAAA KRAAA!"

"KRAAA KRAAA!"

"KREEEEE!"

Not giving the two a chance to rest, five magic beasts manifested themselves infront of them: Two Kolumbas, two Korvuses and the boss of the simulator, an Akuila.

An Akuila, a Pink Rank Magic beast resembling an eagle but with distincitve characteristics.

The magic beast boasted a snow colored head and an onyx torso. Larger than the typical bald eagles, its wingspan nearly doubled the size.

While bird-like in nature, this magic beast stood apart with a few unique traits. Large horns adorned its head, pointing forward, ready to impale anything that approached; instead of the usual yellow beaks eagles sported, this magic beast displayed a vivid pink hue. This striking color scheme continued in its eyes, setting it apart from mudane eagles.

Leading the onslaught as usual were the eager Kolumbas.

"KOOO KOOO!"

"KOOO KOOO!"

Bloodlusted, the dove-like magic beasts rushed towards both magic knights, ready to use their small horns to bash into both.

"We must be careful this time..." Marie whispered.

'The princess has been off lately.' Still slightly discombobulated by Marie's prior actions, Tarzy managed a small nod.

Reacting immediately, Marie lathered her spatha in Earthly Aura, and with practiced grace, she effortlessly eliminated both threats by slashing through the two magic beasts.

SLASH

SLASH

Now familiar with the Korvuses' pattern, Tarzy encased his transformed arm in Earthly Aura and swiftly pivoted, fully prepared to eliminate the sneaky magic beast's.

"KRAAA"

"KRAAA"

Thrusting his arm forward, Tarzy hammered one of the magic beasts, his sharp quills piercing its skin upon impact.

"KRAAA"

Witnessing its counterpart fall in a single strike, the remaining Korvus intensified its aggression. With swift precision, it struck Tarzy's untransformed arm using its sharp talons, drawing more blood.

SPLURT

"Argh!"

"KREEEE"

Unexpectedly joining the party, the Pink Rank Aquila glided toward Marie at a frightening speed.

TSU

"Huh?"

Before the princess could react, the Aquila drove its sharp beak into her thigh, creating a deep wound that severely limited her mobility.

SPLURT