Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 446: The Phoenix vs The Whale

Chapter 446: The Phoenix vs The Whale

Feenie burst through like a golden god, her wings ablaze even under the pouring rain. Dimming yet alive and well. Her claws slammed into the skull whale, a clash of titans, and the phoenix won out. The phoenix forced the humongous skeleton whale countless feet back.

Jules sat perched on the back of the phoenix, the reins naturally connecting to her gloved hands. She could not grip or ball her hands into fists after all. Behind her, Matty held onto the saddle, shield raised.

"Good girl," Jules said, the reins flickering. She pet Feenie’s flaming neck as if she wasn’t hot enough to sear steel. "I know this rain is hard on you. Please, bear with it."

Feenie whimpered and nodded.

The Red Bake-kujira recovered. Amongst the churning waves, movement was difficult for it unlike its Blue Counterpart. Steam poured from its open mouth.

Hissss!

In a screeching sound, the infant generated its countless deadly missiles toward its new enemy: two pesky humans and a phoenix. With every attempt, it was getting better and stronger.

"Feenie, charge it!"

Jules issued an order and the phoenix plunged upward in a blur, moving so quickly that even the Bake-kujira’s echolocation struggled to lock onto her. The steam missiles relied on that echolocation. They had no idea where to go. Feenie rose up, up, up then dived down. Once in range again, the steam missiles shot forward in rapid succession. This dive was easily telegraphed, easy to counter. Feenie herself did not roll, focusing purely on gaining speed and power and turning this into a smashing dive.

Matty was already doing what he had to. He crushed a stone in his hand and slammed his fist against his shield. Cue an otherworldly golden light. "Shango, King of Thunder, hear my call. Let your power rise, let no harm befall. Shield me with your fiery might—Ìdáàbòbò!"

The rain around them bent unnaturally as a result of the golden light from his shield. The first missile slammed into the shield—and nearly shattered it. The second missile crashed and destroyed it entirely.

"Ìdáàbòbò!"

Another cast. Another glow of light. Two more missiles struck.

So did Feenie, heading right into the left eye socket of the skeleton whale—

Boom!

Causing an explosion. Feenie missed her original target ever so slightly due to movement and caused a huge black dent just under the eye area. The phoenix was in a state of flickering fire, rising up high and then diving back down. The Red Bake-kujira could not turn or react in time and it was slammed by the spine.

Boom!

Not enough. They needed to be stronger. Faster.

"Let’s get away from the rain!"

In these conditions, it would be impossible.

Feenie screeched again, this time with an ear-splitting pitch that even caused her riders to wince. Her form glowed brighter than ever, a bright shade of yellow matching the hidden sun, and she launched downward like a flaming meteor. Her talons raked across the Bake-kujira’s side, building more and more speed. It zipped past the skeleton whale, it zipped past the lake. It went faster, faster, faster, and faster—

Until it was hovering above Matsu Castle.

No rain. No weakness. It recovered what power it could. Not all of it but much of it.

Another shriek.

Another charge.

Feenie went from Matsue through the lake and dove straight into the creature’s flank. Twelve kilometers of distance in three seconds.

Boom!

The explosion blew the Red Bake-kujira from its stationary position and suddenly it was bouncing along the lake like a skipping stone. It crashed into the Blue Bake-kujira and the twins bounced off, separated once more.

Kazi would handle the Blue one. Jules would handle the red.

"Again!"

Back to Matsu Castle they went. Back to a place where Feenie could spread her wings and exert some of her full power. Unfortunately, as long as the rain existed, Feenie could never function in her absolute form. As fast as she was, she could not outrun the rain.

But this way, at least one of her attacks could come close to it. Sixty or seventy percent, Jules ventured.

Zoom!

Twelve kilometers. Three seconds. Matsue Castle. The Saint Daimyo and his nephew went wide-eyed.

"Grandfather...?"

"Do not be afraid, young Lord. This...is what it means to serve the gods and to protect the land. Do not fear it."

Three seconds. A blazing orange bird. A slam right into the Bake-kujira’s side.

"Blazing Comet!"

The moment of contact sent shockwaves rippling through the lake. For the first time in its life, the baby Bake-kujira was plunged into water. It struggled to breathe. It did not know how to. It was but an infant wishing for its mother and being wholly ignorant of its instincts and functions.

So did Feenie who shrieked and flew up high. She wanted to be far, far from the lake and its rage. She couldn’t handle it. She just couldn’t. This lake, this rain, it went against her instincts and functions. All she wanted to do was curl up and run. Its bright, orange fire was gone, dimmed and wet and weak.

"Feenie, I’m so sorry." Both the Mythical Beast Trainer and her partner were wet from the brief dip in the lake. Jules looked over her shoulder. "Matty, I’m sorry for asking, but can your shield protect her from the rain? She’s so cold. At this rate, she’s going to pass out."

"I can’t. The blessing only takes active pursuing threats into account. So oxygen and rain, things that are helping me and harming her, they don’t count."

This was a blessing from the gods. The same way Kazi Hossain was supposed to be blessed with the skills of Drona, Matty was not only offered it but accepted it. A shield from a God of Thunder with conditions. In this case, all of his mana and the crushing of rocks struck by lightning.

"Haah..." Matty drew in a breath. "Without this rain, I would already be bottomed out. We need this, Jules."

Jules’ fingers flexed and the reins tapped Feenie’s neck twice. "I’m so, so sorry, Feenie, but I’m going to have to keep pushing you." The Red Bake-kujira had not come out. She could not see what was happening down there. Whatever it was, she couldn’t think too deeply about it. "I’ll have to activate its Burst Form—"

"Don’t," Matty said. "The bombs. Let’s use them now."

"B-but..."

"These things can’t use all their powers like their mother. Steam missiles for the Red Bake-kujira and..." A glance at what lay over their shoulder a short kilometer away. "...the Blue Bake-kujira uses mist of acid and possesses immense speed. But so far, no signs of the monsters being summoned."

"Um...you speak too soon, I think."

"Huh?"

Down below, the Red Bake-kujira was lifting itself from the lake. It was no longer trashing and desperately learning to breathe, it was now being propped up and supported by fish. No birds, however, only fish who clammered together in numbers surpassing hundreds. Together, the ludicrous weight could be supported.

"Where’s Booker?"

"Over here."

Poof, poof, poof. His feet were blurry and in constant rapid movement. He hovered, bobbing side to side with a suitcase in hand. "The Ember Hives are not big ass explosions intended for a single target. They are three bombs that, together, cause tiny explosions and can kill an army of enemies. What I’m saying is to back-off as quickly as possible when you drop. Only the phoenix has the speed to get away."

Jules nodded. "Understood."

*****

"The teenage phoenix is a creature unlike any other I have faced. They are a paradox—awkward yet majestic, still learning their strength and immortal in the sun, and already possessing the power to burn entire forests to ash. I’ve encountered a few in my years, and each battle has left me humbled, my body singed, my pride smoldering.

A juvenile phoenix is not the untouchable inferno of its elder kin. Their flames burn hot, yes, but they flicker with the unpredictability of youth. They lack the precision and control of an adult, lashing out wildly when provoked, their fire consuming everything, often including themselves. And yet, it is this very lack of control that makes them so dangerous. They fight like cornered beasts, their wings igniting the air with every frantic flap, their talons capable of cutting through steel as though it were parchment.

For all their fiery might, the phoenix has a curious relationship with water. They are not extinguished as easily as one might hope. Rain, I’ve found, can dampen their flames but not their fury. In a downpour, their fires dim to a glowing ember, casting faint red light through the haze. It is not their ideal condition, and they weaken with prolonged exposure, but they can still fight—oh, how they fight.

When tamed, I have witnessed their loyalty. In my opinion, I believe a phoenix can only achieve its full potential when aided by a master. The nature of a phoenix is to rise and fall. That nature is shifted with a master. They are to rise and fall for their masters. Same concept, perhaps, but different intentions. Do not underestimate them. Although Class Four at birth, they very rapidly gain in strength. Phoenixes are TRULY strong."

- Legendary Journal of Raoul, Leader of the Monster Hunters, ??? HE