Deep purple and blue light shone from James's figure as he continued to walk forward, until he stood right before the peak stage expert.
His power bubbled up in intensity as more of those markings came to life on his skin and soon his hair changed color until portions of them held the same colors he radiated.
James's eyes turned black while his irises gained a yellow color creating a strange scene. His clothes crumbled and were replaced by black battle armor possessing deep purple and blue markings.
An incredible and menacing aura fell on the world around them, as Noah had to protect the others utilizing his mental waves.
James' power seemed to cross the higher stage and went deeper into it. A dark one-edged blade featuring strange markings on its sharp edge manifested in James' grip and another wave of pressure landed on the environment.
Noah stepped back as even he felt the weight of the being before him. He activated the systems inspecting function.
[James]
[Tier: 4[Mid]]
[Title: Imperial knight. Bloodline-wielder]
[Affinity: Water]
[Current status: Empowered by beast bloodline activation[Dark Phoenix]
"Interesting," Noah commented, creating distance between him and his old friend.
The peak stage tier 4 expert chuckled at the display before him. He liked what he saw but in truth, he had his eyes mostly on the stunning silver and white-haired man. Something about his presence made him tremble.
James noticed that the man's gaze had stopped falling on him so he moved.
"I'm your opponent!" He roared charging forward at magnificent speeds. James' voice had undergone a significant change. He sounded less human and more beast-like.
The area trembled at James' acceleration as he chased after his opponent who flickered from his position the moment he charged forward.
A chase unfolded at the point, but a powerful bang resounded into the world soon after. James' figure streaked down from the sky only to crash into the terrain below. Shattering it in the process.
"You're not man enough for battles at this level. Whatever strange power you have been given cannot-" The man's words were cut short when James abruptly appeared before him.
His eyes widened, but he bent his head to the side, evading the fist his opponent had thrown. A massive bullet of compressed air barreled forth in that direction, traveling as far as the immense strength could carry it, before dispersing.
The expert clicked his tongue as his shining orange eyes bounced from gaze to gaze, following the flurry of blows James unleashed on his figure but never managed to land a hit.
The man on the other hand threw a fist that landed directly on James' chest piece. The power in his blow remained insufficient to dent the armor but was enough to send James shooting toward a distant region at terrible speeds.
The man folded his arms behind his back and his orange eyes landed on a spot close to the group, he narrowed his gaze as something became known to him and a wide grin appeared on his aged features.
The expert looked to be in his mid-sixties, his face featured lines caused by stress, but his eyes remained as vibrant as any youth. He also possessed a head-full of short brown hair and was donned in a simple light-green garment.
"I almost missed your presence. Impressive." The expert's profound voice rang out and that group shuddered due to lack of understanding, except Noah and Erolia.
The man remained ready to step forward toward the invisible woman when he frowned and turned to point his right palm at empty space.
Fifty huge golden swords flickered into existence to streak toward their target.
James who was on his way back saw this and decided to get even more serious. He allowed his blade to appear in his grip again and he waved it at the huge offensive rushing towards him.
A massive slash of shining blue intensity manifested to swallow those giant blades.
James shot out of his slash to appear before the man again. This time he delivered a kick at his face, which the man caught, but in quick succession to that event, he opened his mouth now riddled with sharp teeth and a purple light appeared from behind his throat.
The peak stage expert saw this and felt danger for the first time, he let go of James' leg to cross his arms whilst shields of golden light emerged into existence before him.
James let out a huge jet of purple-black flames making a spectacular heat barrel out into the world.
He ended up destroying the man's defensive measures., but the expert managed to escape before too much damage was done to him.
James coughed violently after that attack. Although he wasn't at the peak of the higher stage, his flames could touch that level qualitatively, and it hurt his throat.
He had barely spent five years with that power. There remained too much he had not completely understood.
The dark phoenix had more powers than he had mastered, but he could die if he exerted himself too much. Still, he had seen the peak of those who mastered their bloodline abilities. All Imperial knights had one. This was what made them imperial knights.
Those who died during the integration phase simply died, but those who managed to survive were immediately made imperial knights.
Lucky enough for James he had not only survived the process but had survived the process of one of the rarest beasts. There were only three others like him.
James held onto his throat in utter pain. It burnt, but his healing ability kicked in. One of the details that allowed him to even survive the activation of his bloodline.
'I still need more time.' he concluded inwardly. 'After I defeat him.'
The moment he allowed those words to flow in his mind James watched a pillar of golden light rise to the sky. The expert's real ability wasn't even the golden light. Those were simply born from his mastery over certain types of magic bestowed upon him by the order.
"You have managed to harm me. I applaud you for that. But I haven't even begun this fight." The man's deep voice shook the region.
The golden pillar suddenly saw cracks appearing on its structure, and soon it shattered into an innumerable amount of golden shards that refused to disperse, however.
The man's humanoid figure appeared before the eyes of the world, he was now donned in a battle armor made out of his golden light, but the earth beneath him trembled to give birth to giants armed with golden clubs and spears.
Those earthen giants numbered twenty, and they all possessed sturdiness in the higher stage.
The expert floated behind his small army of giants as he commanded them to charge toward James.
Preparing another invisible attack, James decided to take out those giants first before focusing on their maker.
Astonishment appeared on his features, however, when the ground suddenly saw silverish-blue ice spreading on its surface. And massive spikes of ice exploded from the ground to impale those giants, shattering them.
James felt a subtle drop in ambient temperature and felt shocked again to find that Aiden now stood behind him.
'How did he bypass my senses!' He exclaimed inwardly, even if his presence cooled him. Literally.
"I said you should go." James gave a defeated expression, he had not unleashed all that he could, but from the looks of things, it was clear that he struggled.
"I have sent them away," Noah responded pointing at the distance. He put those experts on a wind serpent and sent them away from the region. Even Erolia.
"I will help you battle him," Noah stated seeing James' expression. His eyebrows now held purple shades too.
James nodded at that point when his instincts shook and he flew away from that position.
"Two against one. That's not fair. But the end is the same. Death." The man announced when huge spears of golden light tried to hit the duo.
James escaped but Noah remained. He stretched his right hand forward, stopping the massive spear. The event generated a powerful bang.
"No. Death will be your end." Noah responded, increasing the intensity of his grip on the golden spear, until he caused cracks to spread in its figure and it shattered Into nothingness.
Unfolding his aura, Noah ignored the stunned gazes of the three individuals on that battlefield.
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