"Ash Phantom: The Legend Reborn"

Violet smiled and said gently, "Rose, now… Place your hands on the box."

Rose nodded. "Okay…" She grasped the transparent box with both hands.

"Now repeat with me," Violet whispered. "Ova, ova, daro saki, ova, ova, daro saki, ova...

The box began to glow—light traveled from her fingertips up her arms, pulsing through her chest.

Rose's eyes widened. "Wow… I felt something."

Violet smiled proudly. "Yes, Rose. That's your power resonating."

Suddenly, the transparent box faded and vanished into light.

"Close your eyes now," Violet instructed. "Can you sense her?"

Rose closed her eyes. "Yes… I can feel her. A cat… she's jumping, she's happy."

"Now summon her," Violet said softly.

"How?" Rose asked.

"Just think… wish for her to be here."

Rose nodded. Okay… I'll try.

A soft sparkle of light burst beside her. A beautiful, tiny white cat appeared, glowing faintly, with eyes like golden suns. It leapt up to her cheek, nuzzling warmly.

Rose gasped. "She's soooo cute!"

She scooped the cat in her arms, cradling her like a baby. "You're… magnificent," she whispered, hugging it tightly.

Auren chuckled. "Wow! Can I hold her just once?"

Rose looked up, grinning. "Who are you again?"

"What?! Did the cat make you forget me?!"

Violet burst out laughing. "Hahaha! This is going to be fun."

Meanwhile…

Aster walked alone through the empty streets of the Scholar Plateau, boots echoing on stone.

"I'm just a good guy… I have a good eye… My eyes never lie…" he hummed softly, his voice unsettling in the silence.

Behind the mountain edge, where the last mage troops had gathered…

Troop A: "What should we do…? We can't defeat him…"

Suddenly, Evon appeared, stepping into view, his voice sharp like lightning:

"You said we can't defeat them? Then die with that belief."

Everyone turned.

"But if you want to LIVE like legends—then stand with me!"

His voice rose.

"This Ryuki City was built on the blood of the great Ryuki himself! If we can't stand against this demon, we have no right to call ourselves his descendants!"

He raised his sword. "I would rather die facing my enemy… than live hiding from my legacy."

Tears filled the eyes of many soldiers.

Evon roared, "Win or die—either way, our ancestor will be proud in heaven!"

The troops clenched their fists.

"No regrets… no fear!"

"WE WON'T MISS THIS CHANCE!!"

The cry echoed. The ground shook beneath their march.

Troops charged down the street—eyes blazing, hearts unified.

Aster stopped, hearing the noise.

"Oh? Voices?" He turned slowly.

"How did you little mice grow teeth?" he grinned. "This should be fun."

Evon shouted, "Stop there, Aster!"

Aster raised an eyebrow.

Behind him… the city was waking up.

Aster: "So… you've chosen death."

Evon: "No… we've chosen happiness."

With a war cry, the Ryuki mages charged forward, the street trembling beneath their roar.

Aster smirked. "So be it." He raised his lava blade, the flames dancing like serpents.

BOOM—!!

Some mages launched skyward, firing enchanted arrows from rooftops. Others rushed through the streets, blades drawn, magic surging.

Evon pulled back his giant bow, firing an arrow as long as a tree—thoom! The shot screamed through the air.

Aster twirled his blade, slicing through the arrow with ease. Lava splattered across stone walls. Towers collapsed. Streets burned. Ryuki was turning into a hell zone.

He danced through the chaos like a devil—cutting necks, piercing bellies, one strike—one death.

Blood painted the roads crimson.

Then—a flash of green.

A pair of emerald sticks shot from the rooftops, forcing Aster to leap back.

Aster: "Oh? So the green pest shows up. Took you long enough."

Viny leapt from tower to tower, flipping through the burning skyline. She landed smoothly—crack—her feet hit the ground beside Aster.

She stood tall, her green sticks glowing.

Viny: "Sir… allow me. I'll handle these rats."

Aster glanced ahead toward the Scholar Plateau tower.

Aster: "Do it fast. I don't have time to waste."

Without another word, Aster walked forward—toward the heart of the tower.

And behind him, Viny smiled with silent rage.

Viny gritted her teeth. "Damn that cyborg… left me bleeding, but here I am. Still standing." She spat to the side, wiped the blood from her cheek, and faced the street full of enemy mages.

Evon stepped forward, sword glowing with blue light. "You're strong—but not unstoppable."

Behind him, the Ryuki troops charged, arrows flying from rooftop mages.

Viny's emerald sticks spun—a blur of motion. She dashed between towers, gliding through the air like a leaf in a storm. Fssh! She slammed one stick into the rooftop, launching a blast of wind forward.

Wind Turbine Strike—the same attack she once used to crush the Cyborg.

The wind spiraled down the street, toppling walls, tearing signs, and flattening everything in its path.

Suddenly—snap! An arrow clipped her cheek midair.

"Gahh—damn…" she hissed, spinning in the air to locate the sniper. Up on the east tower, a mage took aim again.

Without missing a beat, Viny twisted her stick, pointing at the tower. Wind Turbine Strikes Again.

Fossshhh—!!!

The entire tower exploded, swallowed in whirling gusts and broken stone.

Then—another arrow, from a different rooftop, grazed her shoulder.

Viny's eyes blazed now.

"That's ENOUGH!"

She launched herself high, spinning like a tornado.

Ultimate Wind Turbine—360° Surge!

Her entire body became the eye of the storm. The wind screamed louder than any roar. FWWOOOOOOOSHHHH!!!

A massive wind shockwave burst outward, slicing through the skyline.

Towers collapsed. Walls shattered. Every rooftop sniper was blown away.

The battlefield around her turned into a dusty, broken wasteland.

Viny hovered for a moment midair—eyes wild, hair flying like a green flame.

Below her… silence.

And then, a single soldier whispered, W-we can't stop her…"

While the battle raged, troops falling left and right…

A sudden BOOOOM echoed—thunder roared from the side of the mountain.

Viny turned. "What the hell was that…?"

Above the mountain ridge, crackling with electricity, a tiny cat stood.

Lightning danced from its tail.

Viny squinted. "A… cat?" Her eyes widened.

"Wait. This… this cat—I've seen it before… where…?" A memory flashed. "The Bazaar... That girl…!"

Her heart skipped.

"Sia?"

BZZZZZZZT!

Another thunderclap—a figure descended from the mountain.

It was her.

Sia—Ryuki's elite. Wrapped in storm-blue cloth, her eyes glowing like charged crystal.

She jumped from the mountain to a tower, then from tower to tower—her lightning cat darting beside her.

She entered the battlefield like thunder itself.

Viny whispered, If she's here… that means she's healed. That means... she used Critical Wound Recovery."

Mage troops gasped. "Sia… is back?!"

The winds howled. The battlefield shook again. And Ryuki… had new hope.