After the fight with the ice serpent, Ace diligently cleared the battlefield, ensuring that no traces of the formidable creature remained. He had grown accustomed to this routine, as he had done with the other monsters that Blue, his trusted partner, had helped him defeat in the past. Ace carefully stored the massive corpse of the ice serpent in his storage ring, a testament to his resourcefulness.
Once the task was completed, Ace and Blue ascended into the skies, their wings carrying them effortlessly towards their destination. Ace couldn't help but ponder the intentions behind the emperor's summons as they soared through the air. Thoughts and speculations raced through his mind, forming a whirlwind of possibilities.
"I wonder what he really wants from me," Ace mused aloud, his voice carried away by the wind. The weight of the unknown pressed upon him, causing a mix of curiosity and cautiousness to flood his thoughts. Despite his many experiences, Ace couldn't shake the flurry of ideas that swirled within his mind, each one suggesting a different motive for the emperor's summons.
Meanwhile, as Ace was on with his business, the females in his family were currently in another part of the world, fighting a monster that guarded them a treasure that could potentially make them contact Ace if exchanged at the right price or make them powerful.
Lily and Agneya stood side by side, their eyes locked on the towering figure before them. It was a massive tree man, its bark-like skin rugged and weathered, roots extending from its feet, firmly planted in the earth. They knew that the treasure they sought, a sacred fruit with immense power, was guarded fiercely by this ancient guardian.
Drawing upon her nature magic, Lily closed her eyes, connecting with the vibrant energy of the surrounding forest. She could feel the pulse of life within the trees, the flow of sap coursing through their veins. With a whispered incantation, she summoned tendrils of vibrant mana that encircled her outstretched hands.
Agneya, her mother, stood ready by her side, her own magic crackling with anticipation. Extending her hand towards Lily, she channelled her air magic, creating a gentle breeze that swirled around them.
As the tree man lumbered forward, its massive limbs reaching out to strike, Lily unleashed her nature magic. The tendrils of green energy shot forth, entangling the creature's limbs, seeking to restrain and immobilize it. The tree man roared in frustration, its branches thrashing against the magical restraints.
Seizing the opportunity, Agneya focused her air magic, directing gusts of wind towards the tree man. The powerful gusts buffeted its massive form, causing leaves and debris to whirl around it. Agneya's wind currents disrupted the creature's balance, making it vulnerable to Lily's magic.
But to their surprise, the tree man proved to be more formidable than they had anticipated. It summoned its own innate power, shaking off the entangling tendrils of Lily's nature magic with a thunderous roar. The creature's sheer strength and resilience were unmatched, and it retaliated with a forceful strike of its colossal limbs.
The impact sent both Lily and Agneya sprawling backwards, their bodies crashing against the forest floor. Leaves and branches rustled in the aftermath of the tree man's attack, a testament to its overwhelming power. Pain radiated through their bodies, but determination burned in their eyes.
Agneya swiftly recovered, her air magic surging with renewed intensity. She conjured powerful gusts of wind, creating a cyclone of swirling currents that encircled the tree man. The violent winds buffeted the creature, attempting to disrupt its movements and weaken its defences.
Meanwhile, Lily tapped into the depths of her nature magic, channelling her energy to the roots of nearby trees. The roots responded to her call, springing forth from the earth and entwining themselves around the tree man's massive form. The earth itself seemed to come alive, aiding Lily's efforts to subdue the creature.
But the tree man fought back with an unyielding determination. It summoned its own elemental powers, causing the ground to tremble beneath its feet. Vines erupted from the earth, lashing out at Lily and Agneya, forcing them to dodge and weave to avoid being ensnared.
Despite their best efforts, the tree man's onslaught was relentless. Its towering presence and sheer strength gave it an undeniable advantage. Agneya's winds wavered under the force of the creature's counterattacks, while Lily struggled to maintain control over the entangling roots.
As the battle raged on, Lily and Agneya found themselves on the defensive, their powers tested to their limits. The tree man seemed to draw strength from the surrounding forest, its connection to nature empowering its attacks. The ground shook violently beneath their feet, making it increasingly challenging to maintain their balance.
Agneya's winds faltered under the onslaught of the tree man's elemental powers, and she was forced to redirect her focus towards shielding herself and Lily from the barrage of debris and projectiles. She conjured a protective barrier of swirling air around them, deflecting the relentless assaults with all her might.
Meanwhile, Lily desperately fought to regain control over the entangling roots that held the tree man. She channelled every ounce of her nature magic, infusing it with her unwavering determination. The roots responded to her call, tightening their grip around the creature's massive form, attempting to immobilize it once again.
But the tree man was not so easily subdued. With a surge of energy, it broke free from the entanglement, splintering the roots with a mighty display of strength. Its limbs thrashed with renewed fury, striking the ground with earth-shattering force.
Lily and Agneya knew they had to adapt their strategy. They needed to combine their powers in a way that would exploit the tree man's weaknesses. With a wordless understanding, they shifted their focus and synchronized their magical energies.
Lily and Agneya exchanged a determined glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They knew that to overcome the indomitable strength of the tree man, they would need to tap into their deepest reserves of power and unleash a combined assault.
Agneya, summoning all her air magic, created a whirlwind that enveloped the battlefield. The gusts of wind grew stronger, forming a vortex of raging tempest around the tree man. The cyclone whipped with tremendous force, tearing at the tree man's bark-like skin and disrupting its balance.
At the same time, Lily drew upon her nature magic, feeling the life force of the surrounding forest surge within her. She focused her energy, channelling it into a single, focused burst. With a primal scream, she unleashed a torrent of vibrant green energy, charged with the essence of growth and vitality.
The surge of power emanating from Lily's magic collided with the cyclone created by Agneya. The combination created a spectacular display as the raging winds merged with the swirling energy, forming a cyclonic tempest infused with the life-giving force of nature itself.
The immense power of their combined magic assaulted the tree man from all sides. The winds tore at its form, while the vibrant power source seeped into its core, disrupting its very essence. The ancient guardian roared in agony, its defences crumbling under the onslaught.
As the tempest intensified, the tree man's movements became sluggish and uncoordinated. It stumbled, its massive limbs faltering as its connection with the forest weakened. Lily and Agneya seized this moment of vulnerability, pressing forward with unwavering determination.
Lily commanded the roots of nearby trees once again, their growth accelerated by her intensified magic. The roots sprang forth from the ground, wrapping themselves around the tree man's weakened form with a renewed vigour. They tightened their grip, constricting the creature's movements and further draining its strength.
Agneya, feeling the momentum shift, redirected her winds to add to the assault. The cyclonic tempest became even more ferocious, tearing at the tree man's limbs and battering its weakened form relentlessly. The air currents carved through its bark-like exterior, exposing the vulnerable core beneath.
With a final surge of power, the tree man let out a thunderous roar, its form disintegrating into motes of dust. The once-mighty guardian collapsed, reduced to nothing more than a pile of weathered debris. Silence descended upon the forest, broken only by the fading echoes of their victory.
Lily and Agneya stood, their bodies bruised and battered, but their spirits unyielding. They had prevailed against the formidable guardian and secured their path to the sacred fruit they sought.
Lily and Agneya stood, their bodies bruised and battered, but their spirits unyielding. They had prevailed against the formidable guardian and secured their path to the sacred fruit they sought.
"It's funny how we fought strong monsters just because of how special a few fruits looked like, Mom", Lily uttered with a smile filled with exhaustion as she and her mother moved close to the remains of the tree man.
"Hahahaha. Hopefully, it's worth it", Agneya uttered as the hope in her eyes intensified.
On the hand, the two who were about to have a meeting had time to draw them close soon.
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