I Can See Evolution Paths

Across another part of the clearing, Mithra was facing Melo. The sight alone made her hesitate.

Melo stood several meters away, her five tails spread behind her as dream mist curled around her body, the silver moon patterns on her fur glowing faintly while purple light moved through the mist like something alive.

Mithra tightened her grip around Kusa. "Melo," she called carefully. "It’s me."

Melo’s ears twitched. For a moment, Mithra thought she had reached her. Then Melo’s five tails suddenly swept outward.

The surrounding forest changed. The trees seemed to stretch taller, the ground beneath Mithra’s feet becoming covered in silver mist, and for an instant she was no longer standing in the ruined Everglades. She was standing in a forest filled with endless paths.

Mithra immediately recognized it. "Dream Weave."

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a breath. When she opened them again, several versions of Melo were standing among the trees, one to her left, another behind her, three more appearing between the trees, each watching her silently.

Mithra smiled faintly. "You really are making this difficult."

All five Melos moved at once. Mithra stepped backward as one tail swept across the space where her head had been, turned with the motion and slipped past another strike, her golden sword cutting through one of the illusions, which dissolved into silver mist.

Another Melo immediately appeared behind her, and Mithra spun and caught the incoming tail with Kusa, the force pushing her several steps backward. "Melo, I’m not going to hurt you."

Melo didn’t respond. Instead, the dream mist thickened.

Mithra’s expression became more serious. She knew what Melo could do. Dream Weave wasn’t simply an illusion. If Melo wanted to, she could reshape the battlefield into something almost impossible to distinguish from reality. But Mithra also knew Melo. She knew how protective the fox was. She knew how much she hated seeing others suffer. And she knew that Melo was still holding back, the attacks precise, but none aimed at Mithra’s vital points.

Mithra noticed it after the third exchange. Every time Melo had the opportunity to strike her directly, she changed the angle at the last moment.

Mithra’s eyes softened. "You’re still trying not to hurt me, aren’t you?"

Melo’s tails suddenly froze. Only for a fraction of a second. But Mithra saw it.

Then the dream mist surged again, and Mithra barely moved in time, five tails sweeping across the space around her, forcing her to leap backward. She landed on a broken section of stone and immediately jumped again as the ground beneath her transformed into a field of enormous roots.

Mithra flipped through the air and landed on a tree trunk. She looked down. Melo stood below her, the purple glow remaining in her eyes, but she still hadn’t attacked with her full strength.

Mithra slowly lowered Kusa. "Melo."

The fox’s ears moved.

"You know me."

Melo suddenly rushed forward.

Mithra sighed and raised her sword. "I guess we’re doing this the hard way."

Mithra disappeared, her Flash movement carrying her across the battlefield in an instant, passing between Melo’s tails, twisting around another illusion, and appearing beside the real Melo. Kusa stopped just short of Melo’s neck.

Mithra could have struck. She didn’t. Instead, she turned her blade and struck the ground beside Melo, the impact disrupting the dream mist and forcing Melo backward without cutting her. Mithra immediately followed, using the opening to grab one of Melo’s tails and pull herself closer. "Melo!"

Melo’s eyes widened. Mithra wrapped an arm around her. "Come back."

For a brief moment, Melo stopped struggling, her five tails lowering, the purple light in her eyes flickering.

Mithra smiled. "That’s it."

Then the purple energy suddenly surged, Melo’s dream mist exploding outward, and Mithra was thrown backward and rolled across the ground before stopping beside a fallen tree.

She slowly sat up, her hair covered in dirt. Mithra looked at Melo, standing several meters away, breathing heavily.

Mithra laughed softly. "You really don’t want to make this easy for me."

Melo’s tails rose again.

Mithra stood. "Fine." She raised Kusa. "But I’m still bringing you back."

...

Arthur heard the explosion behind him. He glanced toward it for only a moment before Vedas attacked again.

Arthur raised Dusk, and the golden spear collided with Vedas’s weapon, the impact sending a wave of force through the surrounding trees. Arthur gritted his teeth as he was pushed backward. Vedas was stronger than before, not simply because of the purple energy. Something about the way he moved had changed, his attacks faster, more direct, and strangely relentless.

Arthur blocked another thrust and immediately recognized the technique.

[Armor Piercing].

Golden energy gathered along Vedas’s spear. Arthur’s eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what was coming. He twisted Dusk sideways and avoided the center of the attack, and the golden shockwave tore through the trees behind him instead, splitting several trunks in a straight line.

Arthur looked at the destruction.

Vedas charged again, and Arthur met him head-on, the two golden spears colliding repeatedly as they moved through the clearing. Arthur didn’t simply rely on his strength but watched all of Vedas movement.

The next attack came before Vedas even moved. Arthur stepped aside, and the spear passed beside him, and Arthur countered with the shaft of Dusk, striking Vedas’s armor and forcing him to stagger.

Vedas immediately recovered and swung again. Arthur ducked underneath the attack. Then he struck Vedas in the chest.

[Magic Burst].

Golden mana detonated at point-blank range.

BOOM!

Vedas was launched backward through the remains of a tree, and Arthur immediately chased after him. "Vedas!"

Vedas landed heavily.

For a moment he remained still. Then he slowly stood, purple energy crawling across his golden armor.

Arthur’s expression tightened. "You’re really not going to make this easy."

Vedas raised his spear. Arthur did the same. Then both charged.

The two golden figures collided again. Vedas swung first, and Arthur blocked. Arthur thrust, and Vedas twisted aside. Vedas used his spear to sweep toward Arthur’s legs, and Arthur jumped over it and immediately brought Dusk downward, but Vedas caught the shaft with his weapon.

The two stared at each other. Arthur could see the purple glow in Vedas’s eyes. But underneath it, something remained.

Arthur pushed harder. "You’re still in there."

Vedas suddenly roared.

[War Cry].

The sound shook the surrounding trees, and Arthur’s body froze for a fraction of a second, invisible pressure seeming to lock his muscles in place. Vedas raised his spear. Arthur’s eyes widened. The attack was coming straight for his chest.

He forced his body to move. Golden light exploded around him.

[King Aura].

The force broke the paralysis just enough for Arthur to twist sideways, and Vedas’s spear passed through the edge of his armor instead of his chest. Arthur grabbed the shaft. For a moment, neither moved. Then Arthur pulled, and Vedas stumbled forward, and Arthur drove his knee into Vedas’s stomach and followed with the hilt of Dusk against his helmet.

Vedas staggered.

Arthur could have followed with another attack. Instead, he stopped. "Vedas."

The purple glow flickered. Arthur saw it. Just like Athena had seen it with Athy. A tiny hesitation. A trace of recognition.

Arthur’s expression softened. "That’s right."

Vedas suddenly raised his weapon again.

Arthur sighed. "You’re making me work for this."

Vedas charged, and Arthur shifted his grip.

He didn’t want to defeat Vedas.

He wanted to stop him.

Rather than attacking Vedas directly, he began redirecting every strike, using Vedas’s own momentum against him, and whenever an opening appeared, Arthur struck the armor rather than the body, knocking Vedas away without causing serious injury.

Vedas became increasingly aggressive. Arthur continued defending. Another strike. Another block. Another counter. The battle carried them across the ruined clearing.

Then Vedas suddenly raised his spear high, golden energy gathering around it. Arthur’s expression changed and he raised Dusk.

[Guardian Shield].

A golden barrier appeared around him just as the spear infused with King Aura and Magic Burst smashed into The summoned spear struck.

BOOM!

The impact shook the entire clearing.

Arthur remained behind the barrier, and when the light faded, Vedas was already moving again.

Arthur looked at him. "So you’re using everything."

Vedas didn’t answer.

Arthur slowly smiled. "Then I guess I will too."

Golden light gathered around Arthur’s body, and for an instant his presence disappeared.

[Guardian Conceal].

Vedas stopped, his eyes searching the clearing. Arthur was gone. The purple glow in Vedas’s eyes flickered as his instincts tried to locate him.

Then Arthur appeared behind him, striking Vedas’s weapon aside rather than his body, and the spear flew from Vedas’s hand. Vedas turned immediately and swung his fist. Arthur blocked it, the impact still forcing him backward. Vedas followed with another punch, and Arthur caught his wrist. "Got you." He twisted, and Vedas dropped to one knee.

Arthur reached for him.

Then a faint voice came from behind them. "Stop."

Arthur froze.

Vedas froze.

Even the surrounding fighting seemed to hesitate for a moment.

Arthur slowly turned. The little girl was standing, still unsteady, her blond hair falling around her face as she looked across the battlefield, her eyes wide. She looked frightened. But she wasn’t looking at Arthur. She was looking at the purple fog.

Then her hand moved toward the small backpack she had been carrying.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed. "What...?"

The girl pulled something from inside. A mirror. It was small enough to fit within both of her hands, the frame covered in strange markings.

Arthur’s heart stopped. He had seen that shape before. The robed figures. The Memory Crystal. The ancient carvings. The Mirrors.

The girl’s fingers tightened around it. She raised the mirror toward the sky. Golden light suddenly filled its surface.

Arthur stared. "A Mirror..."

The girl whispered something he couldn’t hear. Then the mirror flashed, a massive wave of golden light erupting outward, sweeping across the clearing like a tidal wave. The purple fog recoiled instantly, the strange mist pushed away from the group, dissolving as the golden light passed through it.

Vedas’s body suddenly froze.

The purple glow in his eyes flickered.

Then it disappeared, and his weapon fell from his hand.

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