The ground shattered beneath Azure's kick, but Enrico barely managed to avoid the blow. The creature spun its body and launched another kick toward him, but Serenya reacted quickly and used her control magic to pull it backward. Taking advantage of the movement, she also controlled her own body in the air for a brief moment and landed a direct kick to the zombie's neck, sending it flying to the side.
Enrico watched the exchange with a serious expression.
'Damn... I managed to evolve, but I still can't fight them without a strategy.'
He quickly checked the Flaming Heart Ring and realized that its energy was almost fully charged.
'I didn't think it would take this long to charge the first time... at least now it will only take one day.'
Serenya tried to continue the combo, but Azure appeared in front of her and landed a direct punch to her stomach, sending her flying backward. Enrico took advantage of the opening and appeared behind the creature, landing a flaming punch against its face. Then, he raised his hand and detonated a fireball directly against the enemy's head.
'He just evolved, so he shouldn't be as strong as Crimson.'
Enrico and Serenya combined their magic at the same time. Serenya enlarged Enrico's fireball, causing the flames to increase in size before striking the place where Azure was. However, when the explosion disappeared, the zombie simply passed through the flames and reappeared in front of the two.
"Did he just become intangible?"
Before they could react, Azure punched Enrico and sent him flying backward. Immediately afterward, he charged at Serenya with a kick, but she managed to cross her arms and barely block the blow, being pushed several meters backward.
"Concentrated Control!"
Serenya's magic struck the ground, causing the surface to crack violently and sending Azure flying backward. Enrico took advantage of the moment and charged forward, landing a kick wrapped in flames against the creature's body.
Serenya's eyes widened when she noticed the new technique.
"Another new technique?"
Enrico spun his body, concentrated a fireball in his hand, and launched it at Azure.
"Come on, it's not that impressive. It's the same thing I do with my hand. I'm just using my foot now."
"...You're right."
Azure disappeared again, becoming intangible before the attack could hit him. The next instant, he appeared between the two and grabbed Enrico and Serenya by the faces. With absurd strength, Azure pulled them downward and smashed both of their faces against the ground.
"Your speed is annoying."
"Subordinate, hold on tight."
The two grabbed Azure's arm at the same time and, coordinating their movements, kicked him upward while reinforcing their legs with magic. The creature was launched into the air, but in the middle of the movement, its legs grew slightly and began to glow with an intense blue light.
Azure's speed increased once again. In an instant, he crossed the platform and grabbed Enrico and Serenya by the arms, trying to throw them off the structure.
Serenya, however, refused to give in. Using her control magic, she pulled her own body back onto the platform together with Enrico.
"Gah!"
Azure appeared in front of her again and landed a direct kick to her stomach. Serenya spat blood and was sent flying backward, while Enrico immediately fired several fireballs to create distance.
Azure simply passed through all of them.
"Damn it!"
A punch struck Enrico and lifted him off the ground. Even as he felt the impact travel throughout his entire body, he managed to grab the creature's arm and used its own movement against it, throwing it off the platform.
Azure fell into the void.
For a moment, Enrico thought he had succeeded, but mentally hit himself for thinking that.
'Don't be stupid. Of course not.'
It was then that the creature touched the side of the structure and used the wall as support to change its trajectory. It jumped against another surface and, the next instant, returned at maximum speed.
'This is really bad...'
Azure struck Enrico head-on, making him roll violently across the platform.
"Come on... come on..."
Enrico tried to stand up while breathing with difficulty. Then he noticed a light flashing on his hand.
The Flaming Heart Ring was finally charged.
"Finally."
Enrico put the ring on his finger, clenched his fist, and activated its power.
[Name: Enrico Solcren Ferreira]
[Magic: Fire — Circle 0 — 55% + 5%]
[Mana: 46/91]
[Unique Ability: None]
[Soul: 58]
Azure appeared behind Enrico in an instant, delivering a direct kick against his back. Enrico noticed the movement and responded with another kick, wrapping his leg in flames before the impact. The two attacks collided, and the force of the clash forced Azure to retreat several meters.
The zombie tilted its head, observing Enrico with a curious expression.
"A... little... stronger..."
Enrico smiled upon noticing the change.
"Surprised? Percentage bonuses really do help."
Above Azure, enormous pieces of concrete began to float. It was Serenya's control magic. She kept the fragments suspended for a few seconds and then lost control all at once, causing them all to fall onto the zombie.
A cloud of dust and smoke engulfed the platform.
Serenya brought a hand to her nose and wiped away the blood running from it. Controlling that much concrete at once was requiring an absurd amount of mana.
"You evolved again, Subordinate."
Enrico maintained a neutral expression, although he knew the real reason for that change was the ring.
'Actually, it was the ring...'
He turned his eyes toward Serenya.
"Serenya, I want you to try using Mental Control."
Her eyes widened, clearly surprised by the suggestion.
"But Mental Control can only begin to be used at the Fifth Circle!"
Enrico pulled Serenya down at the exact moment the smoke began to dissipate. Azure passed by the two of them like a blur, and the wind from the movement made Serenya's hair flutter.
"Not on him. On yourself."
Serenya looked at Enrico as if he had just lost his mind.
"What? First, control magic is horrible to use on yourself. I had to train a lot just to be able to manipulate my own body. Second, it would require at least the Third Circle to even think of something like that!"
Enrico fired several fireballs at the ground, opening craters that made Azure's movements more difficult and forced the creature to constantly change direction.
"I just want you to give yourself an order. You don't need to control your entire body. Just give a command to your brain."
Serenya remained silent for a moment, trying to understand the idea.
"What kind of command?"
Enrico ran to intercept Azure before he could reach her.
"Whatever you think is best. I trust you."
Enrico and Azure resumed exchanging blows while Serenya remained still for a few seconds, still surprised. That trust in the middle of a battle like this was something she had not expected. As she watched Enrico's back while he fought, Serenya realized how much he had gradually changed since that Sunday.
'Subordinate...'
Serenya lowered her head and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate despite the chaos around her. The pressure of the battle and Enrico's words continued to run through her mind, making it even harder to remain calm.
'I need to be perfect. I need to be perfect...'
Sweat began to trickle down her forehead as she tried to find a way to apply control magic to herself without losing control. Then, a powerful impact caught her attention.
Enrico received another blow from Azure and was sent flying, rolling across the platform until he managed to regain his balance.
Serenya's eyes widened when she saw him.
'No...'
Worry made her breathing quicken, and her concentration began to disappear even further.
"Enrico!"
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
Azure launched himself toward Serenya, but Enrico moved to intercept him before he could reach her. The creature quickly changed direction, veering to the left and passing Enrico to reach Serenya with his fist already raised.
Enrico reacted at the last moment, grabbed Azure's arm, and used the creature's own momentum to throw it against the ground. Azure rolled across the platform, but stood up almost immediately and charged again.
The two began moving at high speed around Serenya. Azure tried to find an opening to strike her and interrupt her concentration, while Enrico remained between them, intercepting every attempt by the zombie.
'A zombie trying to take down my leader and me acting like the perfect subordinate to protect her... I never thought I'd act like this.'
Enrico smiled slightly as he blocked another attack from Azure. Even though his body was still suffering from the previous attacks, he would not allow the creature to reach Serenya.
Sweat began running down his forehead from the concentration, while Serenya grew increasingly nervous. The pressure of successfully performing something that, in theory, was still far beyond her level caused her mind to become trapped in a single thought. She was so nervous that she ended up whispering the next words, but Enrico managed to hear them even amid the sounds of battle.
"I need to be perfect..."
Enrico grabbed Azure's arms and prevented him from advancing for a few seconds.
"You don't need to worry that much about it, leader."
Serenya raised her eyes, surprised to see him holding Azure's hands right in front of her. Once again, the confidence Enrico displayed caused something strange to arise within her. Then, unable to hold back the doubt, Serenya asked:
"But what if I fail?"
Enrico smiled.
"Did you forget that I'm your subordinate? Even if you make a mistake, I'll be here to protect your back. Never forget that."
After saying that, Enrico returned his attention to the battle and pushed Azure as far away as possible, once again creating a safe distance between the zombie and Serenya.
She remained still for a few seconds, watching Enrico's back as a memory passed through her mind. It was an old memory, from when she still truly trusted no one and could never have imagined hearing those words from someone.
At the Malquess mansion, Serenya was kneeling before her mother. The woman held a whip in her hands, and her gaze remained cold as she stared at her daughter.
"You need to be perfect. Nothing less than that. Whenever you fail, this is what awaits you. Understand? You are not a commoner. You are a noble. Nobles must be perfect."
It had always been this way throughout her entire life. Even when she entered Astrong Academy, she was punished for failing to make the top ten. Still, at least at the academy, she was free. There, she treated others the same way her mother treated her. She had her two subordinates, had a court jester who made her smile, and believed she was superior to everyone — and, to some extent, she still believed that.
'All commoners were tolerable to me as long as they obeyed me.'
Until the day Enrico began to change. His words affected Serenya in a way she had never expected.
"After being mistreated by my parents, I wondered... is this how the people I mistreated felt?"
It was at that moment that she began moving away from that path, because, incredibly, she did not want to become like her own mother. And now, seeing Enrico fight like that and hearing those words, a question arose in her mind.
'Does he really trust me that much?'
She could not disappoint her subordinate.
Serenya took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to push away all her doubts as she focused on her own magic.
"Let's see... what if I try this?"
With Enrico, he used his fire magic to cause an explosion beneath his own feet, propelling himself forward and striking Azure head-on. The impact sent the zombie flying backward, and its neck bent unnaturally from the force of the blow. However, the creature simply grabbed its own head, repositioned its neck, and disappeared in an instant.
'Zombies are annoying.'
The next moment, Azure reappeared beside Enrico and grabbed his arm. Before Enrico could react, the zombie pulled him downward and smashed him against the ground.
"Gah!"
Enrico spat blood, but did not release the creature's arm. Using his free arm, he grabbed Azure and did exactly the same thing, trying to pin him against the ground. However, the zombie's body became intangible, causing the attack to pass completely through it. Azure escaped the hold and reappeared several meters ahead.
Another attack came immediately.
Enrico managed to withstand it and countered with a flaming punch, forcing Azure to retreat. The two continued exchanging blows, but Enrico's breathing was becoming increasingly heavy.
'I only have twenty mana left...'
He gritted his teeth while keeping Azure at a distance.
'I need to buy time.'
Azure prepared to charge again, but suddenly collided with something invisible. A crack appeared in the air, as if the very surface of space had been broken. Enrico and Azure looked upward at the same time, from where a very powerful magic was coming.
Serenya was walking through the air.
Her eyes were cold and completely fixed on Azure.
"You've hurt my subordinate enough. Now it's my turn."
She raised her hands, and Azure felt something seize his feet. His body was slowly lifted into the air, as if he were being pulled by an invisible force.
Enrico immediately began forming his fire bow while watching the scene with interest.
'Interesting. She's using control magic in a unique way. Since she still can't fly, she's manipulating the mana particles in the environment and condensing them at fixed points to create invisible platforms.'
Azure tried to move, but collided with another invisible barrier. He tried to escape to one side and found another. Then he tried to change direction again, but it was useless. Serenya had created a kind of prison around him, preventing any movement.
Blood began to trickle from Serenya's nose due to the effort. Even so, she did not avert her gaze. She slowly brought her hands together, and the next instant, an invisible pressure began compressing Azure from both sides.
The creature gritted its teeth as its body was crushed by the force of her control, and Serenya squeezed her hands even harder.
"Now, Enrico!"
She smiled at him. It was a bright smile full of confidence, making Enrico smile slightly in response.
"When my leader calls me like that... I can't disappoint her. All twenty points into this arrow!"
Enrico pulled the bowstring to its limit and released the shot.
The flaming arrow crossed the space at an absurd speed and struck Azure head-on, piercing through his body and splitting him in half. The impact revealed the hidden core beneath his arm. The small core fell onto the platform as Azure's body began to disappear.
Serenya lost her strength and began to fall, but Enrico moved quickly and caught her before she hit the ground. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized she was fine.
"You were incredible. What command did you give your brain?"
Serenya leaned against Enrico's shoulder, still smiling despite her exhaustion.
"To think more clearly so I could create a new spell."
"Hahaha... you're really incredible, Serenya. You must be exhausted."
"Look who's talking. You're exhausted too... but..."
She raised her eyes toward Enrico, observing him for a few seconds before continuing.
Serenya slowly stood up, still resting one hand on Enrico's shoulder because of her exhaustion. Enrico became serious and looked at her, already knowing what she was about to say.
"Yes... there's still more. Can you keep going?"
Serenya tilted her head and gave a confident smile.
"Of course. I still have two subordinates to rescue."
"Then let's go."
Enrico picked up Azure's core, carefully stored it, and began searching for a way out of the platform. As he observed the surroundings, before continuing, he heard Serenya call him.
"Enrico... just so you know, you've moved up in my ranking. Now you're my right-hand man."
Serenya pointed at him proudly, as if announcing a great achievement. Enrico remained surprised for a few seconds, but soon smiled.
"I'd be crazy to refuse."
"Hohoho, that's right!"