Chương 65: The cold leader

King and Tony soared through the ruined streets of the Fairy Kingdom. King flew effortlessly, his wings carrying him between the remains of shattered buildings. Tony, meanwhile, was clinging desperately to his back.

"Why are we flying this fast?!" King glanced over his shoulder.

"Because we're in a hurry."

"The quicker, they're defeated, the quicker we can have this dealt with.."

"I know that! But, if you go any faster, I might fall off!!" Tony's ears were flattened against his head.

"Put me down!"

"I'm slipping off!!" King sighed.

"You're unbelievable, you know that Tony?" Tony tightened his grip.

"I'm a dog! I'm not built for the skies you know!" King smirked.

"Keep complaining. I'm sure the robots will wait patiently for us." Tony's eyes widened.

"Wait, they will?" King giggled.. Tony then realized..

"HEY! you're pulling my leg aren't you?" King suddenly stopped in the air. Tony nearly fell off.

"Whoa!" King descended toward the street below.

"There." The two landed in the middle of a destroyed plaza. King immediately looked around. Nothing moved. No sound answered him. King's expression turned serious.

"RoboY should have been here." Tony hopped off his back and began surveying the area..

"Maybe he ran away or something..." King shook his head.

"Unlikely." A low mechanical grinding echoed through the plaza. King froze. Tony's ears perked up. The sound came again, closer this time, something shifting beneath the rubble ahead of them. King raised his spear.

"Tony. Get behind me."

"I'm already there." Tony pressed himself against the back of King's legs. The rubble began to shift. Then something enormous rose from beneath it. A massive mechanical hand pushed through the debris, followed by another, and the machine pulled itself upward out of the wreckage. RoboX emerged from beneath the ruins. He didn't leap. He didn't shout. He simply stood, his metallic body streaked with dust and hairline cracks from the destruction around him. His glowing eyes locked onto King.

"Target identified." King's grip tightened around his spear.

"RoboX?" RoboX slowly turned his head toward him.

"Fairy Guard captain. King." King's eyes narrowed.

"So..."

"It's been time.." RoboX"All known combatants have been catalogued." Tony peeked out from behind King.

"That's really creepy." RoboX's eyes shifted toward him.

"Secondary target identified." Tony immediately vanished behind King again.

"Never mind. I don't like him." King ignored him.

"Where's RoboY?"

"He should of been here according to the previous attempts to defeat you.."

"RoboY has been reassigned." King frowned.

"Reassigned?"

"Correct." RoboX took one heavy step forward.

"A tactical reassessment was required." King lowered his spear slightly.

"Why's that?" RoboX answered without hesitation.

"Your group possesses the lowest collective magic power of the three teams." King blinked.

"What?" RoboX's eyes shifted toward Tony.

"Your companion is the primary contributing factor." Tony's head slowly emerged from behind King.

"Excuse me?"

"Your magic output is negligible." Tony's jaw dropped.

"Negligible?!" King covered his mouth, trying not to laugh. Tony spun toward him.

"Don't you dare laugh mister!" King lost it.

"I'm sorry!"

"You're supposed to defend me." RoboX continued speaking as though neither of them existed.

"RoboY was calculated to have a higher success probability against this group." King's expression hardened.

"So you sent him somewhere else because you thought we were weak?"

"Talk about hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby""Correct." Tony puffed out his chest.

"Hey! I may have low magic power, but I have other qualities!" RoboX stared at him.

"Such as?" Tony opened his mouth. He paused.

"Uhm..."

"I'll get back to you on that one okay?" King sighed.

"Tony..."

"What?"

"You're not helping."

"I'm trying!" RoboX took another step forward.

"The reassignment was made to maximize overall combat efficiency." King's expression grew more serious.

"So you're stronger than RoboY."

"Correct." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

"And you think sending yourself against us gives you the best chance of winning?"

"Correct." King's eyes narrowed.

"You're pretty confident for someone standing in the middle of my kingdom." RoboX's head tilted slightly.

"Confidence is irrelevant." He raised one arm.

"Calculation is sufficient." King smirked.

"Well, I've got a calculation of my own." He spun his spear once before pointing it directly at RoboX.

"You're not getting past us!" Tony stepped out from behind King.

"Yeah!" King glanced at him. Tony swallowed.

"We're not getting past you." King sighed.

"Tony."

"What? I'm being realistic!" RoboX stared at them both.

"Resistance is expected." His fingers slowly curled into a fist.

"The outcome remains unchanged." King's smile disappeared.

"Then let's change it." Green energy began gathering around his spear. Tony's ears lowered.

"King..." King glanced back.

"What?" Tony swallowed before forcing a grin.

"Let's kick this robot's ass!!" King smiled.

"Now that's more like it." RoboX lowered himself into a combat stance.

"Engaging." The air around the plaza grew heavy and still. King prepared himself Tony braced himself. RoboX wasn't here to fight for the sake of it. He was here because he had calculated they were the easiest team to eliminate. And King intended to prove that calculation wrong. King moved first.

"Alright, let's get this started!"

"Magic skill: Evergreen Arrow!" A glowing green bow materialized in his hands. He drew the string and released it, the arrow tearing through the air toward RoboX. RoboX didn't move. The arrow struck his chest. Nothing happened. King's eyes widened.

"It didn't work?" RoboX looked down at the arrow before pulling it from his own chest.

"Artificial magic system detected." He crushed the arrow in his fist.

"Your debuff is ineffective." King clicked his tongue.

"Figures..." RoboX vanished. King's eyes went wide.

"He's fast." RoboX appeared directly in front of him, his fist already closing the distance. King barely raised his spear before the impact struck, and the force sent him flying across the plaza. He crashed through a stone wall, the impact swallowing him in a cloud of debris.

"King!" Tony immediately reached into his bag. RoboX turned toward the rubble.

"One target disabled." King slowly pulled himself upright.

"Not quite."

"You can't just dismiss me off that easily.." RoboX was already in front of him. A punch caught King square in the stomach, folding his body around the blow and launching him backward. He hit the ground hard, skidding across the broken stone. Tony stared, horrified.

"King!" RoboX walked toward him, unhurried.

"Combat capability insufficient." King forced himself onto one knee.

"Shut up." RoboX raised his fist. King's spear glowed green.

"Magic skill: Mystic Guard!" A translucent barrier formed around him just as the fist came down. The barrier shuddered under the impact, holding for a moment before cracks began spreading across its surface. King gritted his teeth. RoboX pushed harder.

"Defensive skill detected." The barrier gave way entirely, and King was thrown backward again, crashing into the ground hard enough to leave a shallow crater. Tony stared in horror.

"Okay, this guy is way stronger than I thougt..." RoboX approached the crater.

"Elimination imminent." King tried to move. His arms trembled. His vision blurred at the edges.

"Damn it." RoboX raised his hand.

"Terminating target."

"Wait!" Tony suddenly stepped forward. RoboX's eyes shifted toward him.

"Secondary target." Tony pulled a small portable cauldron from behind his back.

"That's right!" RoboX stared at it.

"What is that?" Tony grinned.

"My portable cauldron." He quickly set it down on the ground. RoboX stared at him blankly.

"You intend to fight me with a cooking utensil?" Tony's grin vanished.

"It's not a cooking utensil! It's my secret weapon!" RoboX raised his arm.

"Irrelevant." Tony hurriedly stirred the mixture inside.

"Come on, come on." The potion began to glow. He pulled out a bottle.

"Yes!" RoboX fired a blast toward him. Tony dropped flat, and the shot tore through the building behind him instead. He grabbed the bottle and sprinted toward King.

"Drink this!" King eyed the strange green liquid.

"What is it?"

"It's a healing potion! Just drink it already!" King swallowed it without hesitation. For a moment, nothing happened. Then green energy spread across his body. His wounds began closing. His breathing steadied. The tremor in his muscles faded. King stared at his hands.

"You healed me?" Tony proudly set his hands on his hips.

"Of course I did. I'm not completely useless afterall huh?" King smiled.

"I never said you were.."

"But this is great.. how many more can you make?" Tony let out a confident grin"I'd say enough for you to out last that cyborg until his magic runs out.." RoboX watched the entire exchange with clinical interest.

"Healing capability detected." His eyes fixed on Tony.

"Priority target updated." Tony's smile disappeared.

"Uh oh." RoboX vanished. King's eyes widened.

"Tony!" RoboX reappeared directly behind him. Tony screamed. King thrust his spear forward.

"Magic skill: Mystic Guard!" A barrier snapped into place between them, and RoboX's fist crashed against it, the shockwave rattling loose stone from the surrounding walls. The barrier held, barely. King gritted his teeth.

"There's still a large power gap between us.."

"Tony, get back!" Tony sprinted away.

"Gladly!" King pressed forward, forcing RoboX a step back, then raised his hand.

"Magic skill: True Bloom!" A gigantic green sphere materialized high above RoboX. RoboX looked upward.

"Energy concentration detected." King kicked the sphere downward.

"TAKE THIS!" The sphere plummeted and burst apart, sending hundreds of glowing green strands raining down in a relentless barrage. RoboX was swallowed beneath it, the ground shaking under the sustained assault. King landed heavily, his breathing already growing ragged.

"Did that do it?" The smoke cleared. RoboX stood in the crater. His body was scorched and dented, but he remained upright.

"Damage: minor." King's expression fell.

"You've got to be kidding me." RoboX charged. King raised his spear to meet him, blocking the first strike, but the force nearly tore the weapon from his hands. RoboX struck again, and King dodged, then ducked beneath another blow, then jumped to avoid a low sweep, only for RoboX to catch him mid air.

"Got you." RoboX slammed him into the ground. King coughed, the air driven from his lungs, as RoboX raised a fist above him. King desperately activated Mystic Guard again, but this time the barrier shattered on the first strike and King was sent flying once more. Tony watched from a distance, panic rising in his throat.

"King, oh no!" King landed hard and tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him. Tony grabbed another bottle.

"Don't worry, I've got another one!" He ran toward King. RoboX turned toward him.

"Healer detected." Tony froze mid step.

"Why did you have to say that so calmly?" RoboX charged. Tony screamed and bolted.

"King, potion!" King reached out. Tony threw the bottle, and King caught it, drinking it down while rolling across the ground. Green energy surged through him a second time, closing his wounds. He rose to his feet, unsteady but standing. RoboX stopped in place.

"Repeated recovery confirmed." King spun his spear once. Tony stood beside him, out of breath. RoboX's eyes glowed brighter.

"Tactical adjustment." King narrowed his eyes.

"What?" RoboX pointed toward Tony.

"The healing unit will be eliminated first." Tony's face went pale. King stepped in front of him.

"Then you're going to have to get through me." RoboX stared at him.

"Accepted." King lowered his spear, his expression hardening.

"Tony."

"Yeah?"

"Keep making those potions okay?" Tony nodded.

"How many?" King smiled faintly.

"As many as it takes for me to beat this guy..." RoboX charged, and King rushed forward to meet him. This time, he wasn't fighting alone. He had something to protect. And as long as Tony kept brewing, King could keep getting back up. King's breathing had become ragged. His spear hung loosely in his hand. Across from him, RoboX stood almost completely still. Despite everything King had thrown at him, the robot barely looked damaged, only a few scratches marking his armor. Tony rushed toward King with another potion.

"Here, drink this." King took the bottle and swallowed it. Green energy flowed through his body, easing the pain and giving his muscles just enough strength to hold him upright. Tony managed a smile.

"See? We're still in this." King looked toward RoboX.

"No." Tony's smile faded. King tightened his grip around his spear.

"We're not."

"Not yet.." RoboX stepped forward.

"Your recovery rate is temporarily increased." His eyes glowed brighter.

"However, your offensive capability remains insufficient." King's teeth clenched.

"Then I'll just have to hit harder." He raised his spear.

"Magic skill: True Bloom!" The massive green sphere appeared above RoboX once more. King leapt into the air and kicked it downward.

"Go!" The sphere exploded, and hundreds of green strands rained down, striking RoboX again and again as dust swallowed the plaza whole. King stared into the haze.

"Come on."

"More, more, faster!" The dust slowly cleared. RoboX was still standing. King's eyes widened.

"No." RoboX looked down at his damaged armor.

"Damage: seven percent." King's grip tightened.

"Seven percent!?" His breathing grew heavier. RoboX raised his arm.

"Counterattack." A concentrated blast formed in his palm. King immediately recognized the trajectory, and his stomach dropped. Tony was standing beside his cauldron.

"Tony!" RoboX fired. The blast tore across the plaza and threw Tony backward. The portable cauldron burst apart, metal and shattered glass scattering across the stone. Tony crashed into the pavement with a pained groan. King froze, his eyes locking onto the wreckage of the cauldron.

"No." He looked toward Tony.

"Tony!" Tony groaned from the ground.

"My cauldron." King's expression changed. That cauldron had kept him standing. Every potion. Every second chance. Gone. RoboX calmly lowered his arm.

"Primary recovery resource destroyed." King's hands began to tremble.

"You." He looked at RoboX.

"You destroyed it!" RoboX said nothing. King's breathing grew heavier. His body was exhausted, his muscles screaming, his magic reserves nearly drained. Every rational thought told him to stop. But then he looked at Tony, lying in the rubble. No more potions. No more recovery. No more safety net. King slowly raised his spear. RoboX stared at him.

"Your physical condition is deteriorating." King stood.

"Yeah."

"Your magic reserves are nearly depleted."

"Yeah."

"Your probability of victory is less than one percent."

"I GET IT! SHUT UP!" King's eyes sharpened.

"So what? You think I'll sit down and wait for death?"

"So what if I have only a one percent chance?"

"Then I'll make that one percent count." Green energy began gathering around him. RoboX watched closely.

"Additional energy detected." King's spear began to glow, but something felt different this time. The magic wasn't gathering around the weapon. It was gathering around him. King closed his eyes. His breathing slowed. One breath, then another. He thought of the Fairy Kingdom, of the people he'd sworn to protect, of his comrades. Of Tony. His grip tightened.

"I've been trying to beat you with what I already have." The green aura around him intensified.

"But that's not enough." RoboX raised his arm.

"Anomalous energy accumulation." King opened his eyes.

"So I'll use something I've never used before." The ground around him began glowing with green magical symbols. Tony slowly lifted his head.

"King?" King's spear trembled in his hand. He could feel his body reaching its absolute limit, his magic screaming at him to stop. He pushed further anyway.

"Come on. Just a little more." More energy gathered. His knees shook. RoboX prepared another blast.

"Energy output unsustainable." King gritted his teeth.

"I don't care..." The entire plaza flashed green. Eight enormous magical apparitions materialized behind King, floating in a perfect line, each resembling a strange turret etched with glowing green markings and slow rotating energy rings. Tony stared.

"What are those?" King looked behind himself, genuinely surprised by what he saw. Eight weapons, floating behind him, each humming with an enormous amount of magic. King smiled slowly.

"I made those?" The apparitions rotated into position. RoboX stared at them.

"Unknown magic skill detected." King raised his spear. The eight turrets aimed at RoboX.

"Then let's see what they can do." The energy inside them began building rapidly. RoboX raised his arms.

"Defensive protocol." King's eyes narrowed.

"Magic skill: Millennial Barrage!" The eight apparitions opened fire, a relentless storm of green magical blasts consuming RoboX entirely. The barrage was so dense that the plaza itself seemed to disappear beneath it. King's arm shook as he held the technique steady.

"Keep firing!"

"CMON!!" The turrets fired faster still, and RoboX vanished completely beneath the storm. Tony stared in disbelief.

"He's actually doing it!" King's expression hardened with determination.

"Keep going!" The ground shattered beneath the sustained force. The nearby buildings lit up with the constant flashes of green light. Finally, King lowered his spear slightly. The turrets began to fade. The smoke slowly cleared. King stared forward, his breathing almost gone entirely.

"Did I get him?" The smoke disappeared. RoboX stood in the middle of the crater. His armor was scorched, several pieces cracked open, but he remained standing. King's eyes widened.

"No way..."

"After all that.." RoboX looked down at himself not saying a word.. King's face went blank. His legs gave out beneath him, and he dropped to one knee, his spear slipping from his grip. He struggled to breathe as the magical apparitions disappeared completely. RoboX began walking toward him.

"Offensive output increase confirmed." King's vision blurred.

"Damn it." He pressed one hand against the ground, his body completely spent. He looked toward Tony, who was still lying beside the wreckage of the destroyed cauldron. King's expression softened.

"Tony." His voice barely came out.

"Are you okay?" Tony slowly lifted his head.

"I'm fine." King closed his eyes for a moment. At least Tony was alive. That was enough. RoboX stopped in front of him.

"Combat capability critical." King tried to stand. His body refused. He remained on one knee, exhausted, barely conscious, but still refusing to surrender. RoboX raised his arm.

"Final elimination sequence."