Without any hesitation or retreat, the team rushed forward with all their strength toward the site of the massive explosion. Worry and panic were written all over their faces — they were anxious about their comrade, Teel.
As they advanced quickly toward the place where they had left him, all that appeared before them was thick smoke rising into the air and tongues of flame spreading throughout the area.
At that moment, Carlos began to change — the mutations of transformation started to appear.
Carlos, who was a third-stage mutant, unleashed all of his power. His blond hair grew longer, and his ears became pointed like those of an elf. Surrounded by fierce winds swirling around him, he opened his eyes wide — his gaze roared with power.
Soon, a massive storm formed above him, and it seemed as though Carlos was controlling it. He redirected it toward the area covered in smoke and dust.
A wave of powerful wind struck the entire region, sweeping away all the smoke and dust. The storm quickly faded at Carlos's command.
As the haze cleared, the scene that had been hidden beneath the smoke was revealed — it looked as though a meteor had struck the ground. The earth was cracked, and the remains of shattered rocks surrounded a deep crater.
But that wasn't the reason they had come.
Carlos turned right and left, searching desperately for Teel. At that moment, Ryan rushed toward the center of the crater, shouting:
— Teeeel! Teeel! Where are you? Can you hear me?!
Tala: Answer us, Teel! Where are you?! Can you hear us?!
Tala was shouting at the top of her voice, calling for him.
Meanwhile, a faint and eerie voice echoed from above. Murmurs whispered through the air:
— "So… you're the ones who caused all this chaos on my land?"
Something fell rapidly from the sky. Ryan and Carlos both noticed it before it hit the ground.
Ryan immediately dashed toward it, already realizing what it was — their comrade Teel, falling from the sky in a miserable state.
He caught him just before he hit the ground.
— Haaah... that was way too close!
Ryan carried Teel, who was unconscious and in terrible condition, a little farther back. He handed him to Tala and said:
— Tala, you know what to do. Take Teel and find a safe place to hide.
— Got it.
At that moment, two powerful auras began to collide — violently and unnaturally. Carlos's aura, swirling like a raging storm, clashed with a disgusting black aura seeping down from above.
Carlos looked upward, as if recognizing the source of that vile energy.
Even without seeing the one who emitted it, he knew exactly what it was — dark magic, without a doubt.
Anger burned in his expression, while the sinister laughter of his enemy echoed through the air.
The black mage slowly descended to the ground, wearing a twisted smile beneath his mocking laughter.
— Hahahahaha! Isn't this a fair punishment, you mutants? You invaded my land and spread corruption! Don't mourn your fallen friend — your turn will come soon enough!
Those words only fueled Carlos's rage even further.
He replied with a mocking tone:
— So, you've finally decided to show yourself instead of hiding behind your pet rats. But know this — your fate won't be any different from the rest of your kind!
As soon as he finished speaking, Carlos charged forward with all his might toward the black mage.
— Hmm… So you wish to taste despair before your death, mutant? Very well, come closer — death is all that awaits you!
Sharp blades of wind shot from Carlos's hands toward the mage. The black mage responded by summoning a massive wall of stone that rose from the ruined earth, blocking the attack.
The rocky barrier held against the strike before crumbling to pieces, but by then Carlos had vanished from the mage's line of sight.
A brief look of confusion crossed the mage's face — he couldn't sense his opponent's position.
That confusion didn't last long; soon he felt Carlos behind him.
Carlos had attempted to ambush him from the rear, but the mage noticed in time.
Carlos unleashed even stronger blades of wind this time — yet at that very instant, black tendrils burst from the ground, grabbing hold of Carlos's leg. The sudden restraint caused his attack to veer off course.
The wind blades shot off wildly and slammed into a nearby mountain, blasting a chunk out of it.
Carlos struggled fiercely to cut the tendrils clinging to his leg while the mage tried to pull him closer. After a desperate struggle, Carlos managed to free himself, leaping backward to create distance.
But the black tendrils chased after him, forcing Carlos to slash through them midair, both combatants racing — the tendrils against Carlos's twin daggers.
After a relentless exchange of attacks, the mage withdrew his tendrils while Carlos stepped back twice, gripping his daggers tightly, preparing for the next wave.
Then, in that fleeting calm before the storm, a blazing fireball descended from the sky straight toward the black mage.
The mage looked up in shock, his face tense with alarm.
There was no time to evade — he had no choice but to face it head-on.
A small black sphere formed in his hand and shot upward to meet the fiery mass.
The two collided violently, unleashing a massive explosion that shook the entire battlefield.
Even Carlos staggered from the force of the blast.
End of Chapter.