Me And My Pet Mico

Arth looked up at his tamed beast.

"Impossible!"

Both he and Zarn had been moved by the guards when the explosion erupted, now standing at the entrance of the Local Hub with the guards flanking them.

Arth wasn't the only one shaken. Kendrick and Nathaniel exchanged uncertain glances. Their judgment had been wrong. This time, the consequences weren't dire, but what about next time?

Their eyes shifted from the Phoenix hovering in the air to Mico, who stood firm, flames flickering around his body as he watched his opponent's every move. Finally, they looked at Zarn.

If we were wrong about the beast… then what about the boy? The same thought ran through their minds. Is he really just some slum kid?

Zarn, however, merely tilted his head, observing Mico. He really is that strong? He had known Mico was strong, but how strong? Mico on the other hand had stated that he was more than strong enough.

Skrrrrr.

The Phoenix's screech shattered the momentary silence.

Skrrrrr!

This time, it was deafening. Windows trembled. Doors rattled. Across the neighborhood, people stirred, stepping outside to see what was happening. Yet, no one dared approach. The boss had given his orders—no one was to interfere.

Skrrrrr!

A third screech, sharper than the last. It wasn't just a cry; it was a sonic attack.

The Phoenix spread its wings, golden flames bursting forth. The fire twisted and contorted until it formed a colossal, flaming silhouette—an ethereal double of the Phoenix itself.

"Calling Rebirth, Fire Phantom," Arth muttered, determination sharpening his voice. He had decided to end this quickly. "Release it completely. No holding back."

"Sir Arth," Kendrick called out hesitantly, sensing the battle tipping into dangerous territory. "I don't really think—"

"I don't remember asking for your opinion," Arth cut in coldly before turning to Zarn. "My beast is about to go all out. It might get dangerous, but don't worry—I'll hold back just enough not to kill yours."

"That's kind of you," Zarn said indifferently. His gaze lifted to the blazing Phoenix. "You're not bad for a young master. I like that. So, in return, I'll tell Mico not to kill your beast."

Arth's smirk faltered for a split second. Did Zarn actually believe Mico could take on something like this?

The Phoenix shot upward, breaking through the ceiling. The fire phantom followed, leaving a gaping, scorched hole in the warehouse.

From above, the Phoenix looked down at Mico before screeching once more.

Skrrrrr!

Its aura flared, pouring an overwhelming surge of fire into the phantom. The flames intensified, expanding until the fiery doppelgänger loomed as large as the warehouse itself.

"You see that?" Arth said, confidence dripping from his voice.

Zarn nodded, his expression unreadable. "Strong." His gaze shifted to Mico. "Don't hurt it too much. No permanent injuries."

Mico responded with a single nod, his blue flames flaring in acknowledgment.

Arth frowned. Was Zarn serious?

Mico crouched low, his flames intensifying. His mane became a roaring inferno, claws igniting with searing energy.

"Strike down, Plasmic Meteorite," Arth commanded. The Phoenix merged with its phantom, ascending rapidly before diving back down like a celestial spear of fire.

"End it, Mico. Decimation."

Mico didn't move—he waited. The moment the Phoenix closed in, he launched himself skyward, the force of his leap leaving a crater in the ground.

---

At the City Outskirts

Elizabeth and her brother had come to the outskirts for a simple picnic beneath the night sky.

Standing by the cliffside, they gazed at the cityscape, their view closer to the slums than the main district.

"Is that—?" Elizabeth's eyes widened. A massive bird, its body wreathed in golden fire, loomed in the distance. "A Phoenix!"

"Yeah," her brother murmured. His expression remained neutral. "But it's fighting something even stronger."

Elizabeth's lips parted in awe. "It's beautiful... Wait, it's flying higher—it's an attack!"

The fiery bird plunged downward, an infernal streak against the night sky.

Then, from below, a streak of brilliant blue shot upward.

Fast.

The moment the two forces collided, the night erupted in a blinding explosion of gold and blue.

BOOM!

The shockwave rippled outward, strong enough that Elizabeth and her brother felt the wind buffet their bodies.

"Woah! Let's go check it out!" Elizabeth urged.

Her brother, unimpressed, shook his head. "Pass. This fight is nothing serious."

Elizabeth blinked at him. "You're saying that wasn't serious?"

"They're holding back," he said flatly. "Neither of them has shown their real power."

Elizabeth hesitated, then sighed. "Fine, fine. See you later."

She turned and mounted her Skytreader Golden Eagle, ready to see for herself just how "unserious" this battle really was.

---

The night sky above the slums.

A storm of golden fire, shaped like a mighty bird, descended from the clouds, its full wrath unleashed. The air in its path warped, shimmering under the sheer heat it radiated. Then, from below, a streak of blue light shot up to meet it.

Unlike the blazing inferno above, the blue streak was a compressed force—raw momentum and unimaginable physical strength packed into a single burst. Compared to the sheer, radiant power of the firebird, it seemed almost insignificant. But appearances could be deceiving.

The blue streak moved nearly three times faster, a blur against the night sky.

BOOM!

First came the sonic boom, a deafening crack that split the air. Then, the collision—two forces slamming into each other with a devastating force. And finally, the explosion.

Golden fire and blue energy detonated in the sky, creating a brilliant, searing flash that momentarily turned night into day—for those right under it. A shockwave rolled outward, its winds tearing through the slums below like a silent warning of the battle above.

Yet, for all its might, the explosion never reached the ground. The true clash remained high in the sky—far from the city, far from the people. A brilliant result.