?

BOOM!

CRASH!

I fell on my back after I was pummeled through what I felt were at least three walls. Pain and adrenaline shoot through my entire body, and I can even feel that a few of my bones have been broken...but it doesn't matter. I feel my ribs and my left arm snap back into place before I rise to my feet, facing my opponent. This bastard is going to pay for what he did to Mizore. I've thrown everything I have at this man, but he's shaken it off like it was nothing. Not to mention that he keeps looking at me with that condescending grin on his face.

Why can't I get so much as a single scratch on him?! What is he?!

"I must say," the dark-haired man walks through the crumbling hole in the wall, dusting off some of the dust that stains his long coat. "I expected much more from you. Even with this...grotesque ability of yours, I can feel you holding back. But I understand that's not your fault. After all, you're half...human."

"Shut up!" I growled. "I am far more than just some weak 'human'! You have no idea who or what I am!"

"Oh, but I'm afraid that I know exactly just who you are...Blessed Child, Elijah Everett."

I'm taken back by the use of my full name out of the blue. "How the hell do you know my name?!"

"My Organization has its ways," He maliciously smirks. "And might I add, you have rather disappointed me in more ways than one. You are but a mere decimal of what your predecessor was. At least Merlin had a true sense of unfathomable power in his presence. But all I feel from you...is nothing. You could join us. Every human you slaughter would be rewarded tenfold."

"Fuck you!"

The man only laughs at my angered roar. "I take no pleasure in this. Really, I don't. But you must understand that you and your friends can't win. You see, I hold all the cards."

"Then why are you afraid?!"

"...Excuse me?"

"Oh, yeah," I smirk underneath the darkness covering my skin. "I can see right through you! It's faint, but it's there. You're afraid."

"...Perhaps." The man simply shrugged. "But I sense a greater fear within yourself, Elijah Everett. Perhaps like your Snow Fairy companion...maybe I should see if that sweet Succubus is willing to succumb to my wishes."

"RAAAHHH!" I leap forward at the man who violated Mizore and just threatened to do the same to Kurumu. I'm going to tear him apart for insulting me. But no matter how fast I was, no matter how string my blows were...I couldn't even make him bleed. "I'll rip the flesh from your bones!"

"You lack discipline," He dodges another one of my attacks. I ended up breaking a hole in another wall instead. "Your control is all over the place, and worst of all," Another quick dodge leaves me wide open, the man smirks down on me as he raises a fist toward me...with an evil grin forming on his lips. "You're sloppy!"

POW!

DMDMDMDM!

"Augh!" I was sent through more walls. But when I got back up again...I was surrounded by nothing but darkness. "Huh?" I looked down at my hands, finding that the black ooze covering my skin was entirely gone. What the hell is going on? Wasn't I just in the Snow Village fighting that Fairy Tale man? What about the others? My mind wraps itself with loads of questions that I can't even begin to answer as a voice rings out through the darkness around me.

"You can't keep hiding forever, Young Man. Not when the fate of your world is at stake, not that it was ever yours to conquer, after all."

Conquer...?

"Show yourself!" I call out and search through the darkness. My voice...is now my own again. What the hell is going on? "I know you're out there!"

"Of course, we're out there, Blessed Child. But what will you do once the time comes? After all," I could just hear the smirk in that voice. "You can't even protect the people you love with the power you now lack."

"..." How does he know about that? This can't be real. I must be having a nightmare or a vision of some kind!

"A nightmare it may be, but our existence is very much real, Mr. Everett." I frantically looked around as my thoughts were put into words by someone else's tongue. Finally, in an eerie red glow coming deep from within the darkness, Miyabi shows himself...along with two other figures, but I can't make out their faces. "You and your friends cannot escape us forever. The world as you know it will come to an end, and a new world shall be born from the ashes."

"No! I won't let you win!"

"Oh?" Miyabi tilts his head with amusement. "Who's to say we haven't won already?"

"What?" I follow his pointing finger down to my feet. I could feel my heart coming to a stop when I saw...my friends dead at my feet. Each of them lost the light in their eyes as their lifeless bodies were in a pool of their own blood. "W-What...? No...no... NO!"

Tsukune... Moka... Yukari... Mizore... Ruby... Kurumu...

"This isn't real!" I cry out but my eyes can't hold back their tears. "THIS ISN'T REAL!"

"Maybe not, but it will be soon enough." My angered glare meets Miyabi's evil smirk. The two figures standing by his side were now in clear view, but their faces were completely blank. On his left was a tall woman with short blonde hair...and glowing red eyes. On his right, a much shorter woman with raven-black hair tied into pigtails...and her eyes match the other woman's. "It's only a matter of time until we meet again...Young Man."

"NO!"

For what I fear is the now twentieth time, I shoot up straight in my bed in a cold sweat. Relief settles in as I realize that what I saw was just another nightmare...at least, I think it was. I know for sure that I saw Myiabi, but who were those women?

HOO! HOO!

"I say, Young Everett!" An annoyed caw calls. "What's with all this ruckus?"

"It was just another nightmare, Archimedes," I explain with an exhausted sigh.

"Another one?" My owl friend tilted his head. "Was it about that dreadful parasite again?"

"No," I shook my head. "Well, kind of. I was back in the Snow Village fighting that man who violated Mizore." Archimedes' softened expression speaks volumes as he recalls that unfortunate day that feels so long ago. "He knew exactly who I was, even going as far to say my full name. But that wasn't all I saw. There were these women by his side, one blonde and another with raven black hair. Does that sound familiar to you, Archimedes?"

"I'm afraid not. I only ever heard the foul deeds of Fairy Tale, but the ones in control are all but a mystery to me."

"I thought so," I sigh. "Hell, Kokoa didn't even know that her older sister was involved. Who knows what kind of other powerful beings those people have under their fingers..."

"Elijah?" I guess Archimedes saw the distant look in my eyes. "You seem troubled. Is something wrong?"

"I can't keep ignoring them forever," I say as I get out of bed before sitting myself on the floor. "Fairy Tale is a threat and I, no, we," I correct myself. "We all need to be prepared for what happens next. We must be better than we were if we're to be better than the last time we faced them." Crossing my legs and clearing my head, I prepare for another attempt to call out to the ancient power within me. More specifically, the remnants of an old but wise Wizard.

Merlin... I need your wisdom... Can you hear me? Fairy Tale poses a serious threat; my friends and I are not strong enough to face them again. Please, I need your help.

But my silent calls were met with silence once again. While this isn't shocking to me, it still frustrates me that I can't even talk to Merlin anymore. Is this some test, or am I still suffering the consequences of being under control for so long? It can't be the latter because I feel fine, and I can still use my magic. The only difference now is that only my eyes glow blue instead of my full transformation.

"That's it." I stand from my meditation position with a newfound determination. I look over to my clock, seeing that it's close for me to get ready for the day anyway. "It's time to stop hiding away and living in comfort."

On my way to the Academy, I quietly went over my plan. I need to find either the Headmaster or Ruby and see if we can all get some free time away from class so we can begin our training to face Fairy Tale. I'm sure the Headmaster will understand the severity of the situation and will gladly agree to my terms. Guess I'll just have to find out for myself.

"Elijah! Hold up!"

"Huh?" I turned back and found my best friend running towards me. "Oh, hey, Tsukune."

"It's a good thing I found you," He said through exhausted pants. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"What's up?"

"So you know how we've been readjusting back to school life and everything?" I nod. "Well, I don't think it's good for us, and we need to be stronger."

"Huh..."

"What?"

"I was thinking the same thing," I chuckle, patting Tsukune's shoulder. "I was actually on my way to see the Headmaster to see if he can allow us some time away from class so we can start training. Feel like coming with me so we can make a good case?"

"Right behind you, pal." As we walked along the dirt path, I could feel myself getting...tired? I look over to Tsukune, and he himself lets out an exhausted yawn. "Man..."

"Did you even sleep last night?"

"Yeah. Weird..."

"It is weird. I felt fine this morning...but now...everything...feels..."

Before I could even finish...everything went black.

?

When I woke up, I couldn't even think at first. I was surrounded by tall blades of grass underneath a strange yellow sky. What the hell? I looked around and found Tsukune passed out beside me. "Tsukune! Wake up!" I shake him by the shoulder, smacking him in the face a few times just to be sure. "Wake up!"

"Ngh... Huh?" Thankfully, he rises to a sitting position and groggily rubs his eyes. But they soon widen once they see the strange surroundings we've found ourselves in. "What the?! Where are we? How did we even get here?!"

"I don't know!" I share his confusion. Alright, think, Elijah. I woke up, tried to meditate, got ready for school, then I ran into Tsukune, and then we got really tired all of a sudden. Now...we're here. "But it doesn't matter how we got here; that's not the most urgent issue."

"Right. I'm more interested in where we are!" Tsukune exclaims, throwing his hands out in the air. "I'm not even sure if we're on earth anymore!"

"Calm down!" I yell at him. "We can figure this out."

I take another look at my surroundings. From what I can tell, this is definitely not a part of Yokai Academy. At least, not one I've ever seen before. I can feel a strange and powerful magic here, used in the surrounding sunflower-yellow sky. Behind the clouds, I can make out what looks like a giant planet that is too close to the atmosphere for comfort. Besides that, I also see a few satellites along with...

Is that a flying whale?

"Okay, something is seriously not right here."

"Hello!" Tsukune called out, hoping that someone else was here with us. "Excuse me! Is anyone else out there?!" But before he could walk any further, Tsukune was held back by...a chain cuffed to his right hand. The same limb that holds his Holy Lock. "What the? Why is this chain on me?"

"Okay, this is getting-" I cut myself off as I heard metal clanking...and I felt something on my left wrist. I looked down and saw that I was cuffed to a chain as well. "What the hell?"

"Yeah..." Tsukune backed away with his hands raised, an uncomfortable look gracing his face. "Um..."

"Don't look at me!" I say, pointing an accusatory finger at him that tugs the chain on my wrist. "For all we know, you could be the fuckin' weirdo in your sleep!"

"Hey, could you guys not pull so hard?" A familiar voice calls to us in slight pain. Tsukune and I turn our heads and our eyes follow where our chains lead to...and we find that they were wrapped around Ruby and both lead to a choker around her neck. "The chain is squeezing me..." She says in a small, pleasured whisper.

"RUBY?!"

"What's going on?!"

"What happened to you?" Tsukune adds.

"O-Oh!" Ruby focuses on us, finally coming to her senses. "Elijah, Tsukune... I'm sorry." She shifts in the chains shyly. "I was waiting for you guys to wake up, and I was bored, so..."

"So you wrapped chains around yourself because you were bored?" Tsukune finished her sentence. I was equally baffled.

"Mhm," Ruby nods with a small blush on her face. "You know, like when you play with the twirly part of a telephone cord?" The Witch makes a small twirling motion with her finger.

Who still owns a rotary phone these days?

"Is anyone else here?" I ask. "Why is it just us? You know what? Never mind. Let's just get these chains off of you."

"No!" Ruby scooted back before I could take another step closer to her.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"This chain links all three of us together." Ruby stands, and the chains wrapped around her body fall to the ground, freeing her. "You guys must never remove it, this chain is our lifeline."

"'Lifeline'?"

"What are you talking about, Ruby?"

"I'll explain in a moment, but first," She turns to Tsukune. "Hold out your left hand, Tsukune." The human does as the Witch says and hands him...

"A whip?" He asked.

"Yes." Ruby nods. "But don't worry, I'm not asking you to hit me with it." Thank God. "Allow me to explain. This whip is named 'Belmont'. It was formerly used by a legendary monster hunter, it possesses magic canceling abilities. Try it, and everything will become clear. Just give the whip a light swing."

"Like...this?" Tsukune pulls back and swings the whip over his shoulder. The leather weapon lets out a loud crack in the air...but that wasn't what grabbed my immediate attention. When Tsukune cracked the whip, an overwhelming presence of power overtook him...and his eyes were glowing red.

ZZTT!

I look down at our chains. Electricity was flowing from Tsukune's chain, and it was heading right up Ruby's and mine. Pain shoots up my entire left arm as I am electrocuted. Ruby cries out on equal pain, feeling the same amount. I remain standing as Ruby doubles over onto her knees.

"Elijah! Ruby!" Tsukune comes over to us in major concern. "Are you guys okay?!"

"Not really," I say. "That fuckin' hurt!"

"That means it's working," Ruby says, getting back on her feet. "Did you feel it, Tsukune? The supernatural powers rushing out of your body?"

"What do you mean?"

Tsukune, you're a Human, but Moka's blood still courses through your veins. The powers inherent in that blood are normally suppressed by the Holy Lock you're wearing," Ruby points to the trinket and then to the whip. "But the magic canceling powers of Belmont break the Holy Lock's ability and free the supernatural power within you."

"So that means..."

"I can use the power of a Vampire as long as I'm holding this whip?" Tsukune finishes my question.

"Pretty much," Ruby nods. "But if your power overflows, you could be transformed into a Ghoul. The chains linked to Elijah and I work as a grounding wire, it conducts all of the excess power into us. In other words, Elijah and I substitute for the Holy Lock."

"So, every time I use the whip, you guys will get an electric shock?"

"You're catching on!" Ruby cheered. "That's good!"

"But what's the point of all this?" I ask. "And why do you need me here?"

"Ah, right. Elijah, I would like you to use a spell. Specifically, any offensive spell will do. But use your right hand to wield it." Though I'm confused by her request, I do as Ruby says and use a simple fireball spell. The flaming ball shoots up to the sky, and Ruby is shocked once again. "Ah, ow..."

"Ruby!"

"Crap. Are you okay?"

"I'm...I'm fine. It just means it's working for you, too." I wait for Ruby to stand up straight again so she can explain what she meant. "Elijah, your chain has been modified so that every time you use any offensive abilities, the leftover energy from said spells will be converted into an electric shock...into me." She finished that sentence with a small blush, which I ignored. "As long as you don't overuse your abilities, I should be fine."

"But why am I affected when Tsukune uses the whip?"

"That's a good point, Ruby."

"I'm glad you asked. Since you two have trained together for quite a while, I utilized a way to make your training just a little more challenging. Tsukune, you need to focus on harnessing the power within you so you can avoid hurting Elijah and me. And Elijah, you have to avoid hurting me as well as learn how to focus even while under taking a blow."

This is all starting to make sense, but I still have one more thing to ask. "What exactly is the point of all of this?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want to help you two train harder so we're prepared for Fairy Tale's return." Ruby's words shock us. To think we were coming to find her and the Headmaster to discuss the same thing. "It's critical that you both gain your full strength again. Tsukune, you have to be able to draw out your power whenever you need to, as well as focus it. You've done it before, but you were lucky you didn't lose yourself. If you don't control it, I'll get shocked. I'll be acting like your feedback loop. You'll be able to tell right away if you're doing it right or not. Got it? As for you, Elijah. I realize that it's been a while since you've utilized your magical abilities in combat ever since the 'Symbiote Incident,' as I call it. Tell me, does your connection to magic feel...off?"

"..." She's pretty much right on the money with that. "Yeah, it does."

"That's because of the mental turmoil you went through, but don't worry. With my help, I'm sure we can get you back on track. All you need to do is focus and don't overuse any spells. The backdraft will be sent to me in an electric shock." I can't believe how much she's thought this through. I guess I wasn't the only one who wanted to be one step ahead. It makes me...kinda happy to know that she's here to help. "On another note," Ruby continues. "We're inside an alternate dimension created by the Headmaster."

"Alternate Dimension?"

"Like...a pocket dimension of sorts?"

"Yes. That's right," Ruby confirms my question. "The Headmaster doesn't mind how much havoc is caused here, so it's the perfect place for us to train."

"So, you're the one who brought us here?" asked Tsukune. "For us to train?"

"I'm sorry," The Witch bows her head apologetically. "I know that this is sudden, but the Headmaster made me. But I also believe that all of us need to be ready for whatever Fairy Tale throws at us. So..." Ruby looks back up at us with a determined smile. "I guess the three of us are going to be together for quite some time."

"...Well, then," I start off, returning her same smile. "Let's get started."

Kurumu

God dammit. Where are they?

The Succubus, along with the rest of the girls, found themselves searching the school grounds all morning once they learned that their human and wizard friends were missing. Moka was the first one to realize their disappearance since she regularly walks to Yokai Academy with Tsukune. As for Kurumu, she got up earlier than usual to join her best friend in the walk to the school, only to find that he was nowhere to be found. So after finding the rest of the girls, they split off and searched everywhere for the two boys.

"Moka!" Kurumu and Mizore joined back with Moka. Yukari was with her as well. "Did you two find them?"

"Uh-uh," She said, shaking her head. "I'm guessing you two didn't either?"

"No."

"Nothing," Kurumu sighed with frustration. "What in the world could've happened to them? How could they just vanish on the way to school? I mean, it's not like them to not tell us if they were going somewhere." I mean...at least I hoped it wasn't like that anymore...

"This is getting ludicrous!" Yukari shouts. "Where are they?!"

"What's the point of coming back and making things normal again if they're not even going to be around?" asked Mizore.

"...Well," Kurumu hesitantly spoke, hoping that this topic wouldn't have to be discussed for a while. "Elijah has been acting strange ever since he's gotten back on his feet after..." She trails off, not wanting to mention that parasite even in the slightest.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, but it feels like his smile is a lot more...forced than usual. But I can feel the way his heartbeat is not as...full as before."

"Now that you mention it." Yukari brings a finger up to her quizzical chin. "Both he and Tsukune have been kind of down lately. I figured it was just school life getting the better of them."

"Maybe they're still upset about what happened in the land of Snow Fairies?" Moka brings up that possibility, knowing that it was a touchy subject for everyone. "Wherever they are, I just hope they're okay. Tsukune most of all..." She muttered that last part to herself.

"They're probably just off training somewhere." Much to everyone's surprise, they find Kokoa sitting on top of a tree branch high above them. She had been silently listening to their conversation. "I bet Tsukune is all depressed about how weak and fragile he is while that Elijah guy is moping about how that parasite basically made him his bitch. Either way, why do you care where they are? It's Kahlua who beat the crap out of us, you should be steamed about that!"

"Kokoa..."

"I know I'm steamed about it!" Kokoa hops down from the tree. It makes me want to get stronger! A lot, lot, lot stronger! I mean..." Kokoa's voice goes from confident to shy, a faint red color taking over her cheeks. "You guys want to get stronger too, don't you? So, um... What I was thinking was... You know..."

"Go on, Ms. Kokoa!" Ko squeaked a hushed whisper.

"...D-D-Do you want to train with me?!" The youngest Vampire sister managed to ask, crossing her arms over her chest in the process. "I'll bet I could help you train!"

"...Anyways," Kurumu turns to the other girls, ignoring what Kokoa had to ask. "Where do you think they could've wandered off to?"

"We could always ask Ms. Nekonome to help."

"Good idea."

"Hey!" Kokoa shouts. "Pay attention when I'm talking to you! Do you have any idea how hard it was to work up the courage to ask you?!"

"Hmph," Mizore huffs, whispering over to Kurumu. "'I'll bet I could even help you train,' she says."

"Yeah," Kurumu laughs in mockery before she speaks up to the young Vampire. "You just don't want to train all by yourself, right?"

"Uh..."

"Why don't you just say what you mean next time?"

"It doesn't matter," Mizore says. "We need to find Tsukune and Elijah before we do anything anyway."

"AUGH! It's always the same with you guys! 'Tsukune' this, 'Elijah' that! Don't you people talk about anything else?!"

"So, you're all looking for Elijah Everett and Tsukune Aono, are you?" A low and commanding voice grabs the attention of all the girls, finding it that it belongs to none other than...

"Headmaster?" The man in hooded white robes is being escorted by two gentlemen dressed in black suits.

"Both young men are fine, they're with me. I have Ruby with them in a special place for the time being, for training purposes."

"Training?" Kurumu asked. So...that's what they're really doing after all?

"But why now, all of a sudden?" Moka adds.

"Hahaha." A high-pitched voice lets out a soft chuckle, eventually revealing her small stature upon the Headmaster's shoulder. It turns out that the small voice belonged to the mirror spirit, Lilith. Once a formal troublemaker but now she works for the Headmaster. "I hear that you had a little run-in with Fairy Tale during your trip to the land of Snow Fairies."

"Lilith?"

"What are you doing here?"

"As you're all aware," The Spirit goes on with what she has to say. "Fairy Tale is a terribly dangerous organization dedicated to causing turmoil in the human world. They're practically the exact opposite of Yokai Academy and its mission of coexistence. They've made their first move back in the Snow Village, we can't afford to wait any longer."

"If something untoward were to happen," The Headmaster adds more. "We would need as many skillful warriors as we can find. That means all of you, including Tsukune and Elijah."

"But, Headmaster," Lilith flew up to the man's ear. "Wasn't it a little too early to send them...there? After all, that place is a paradise for monsters!"

"A WHAT?!"

Elijah

"Are you two ready?"

"Yeah."

"Ready."

"Alrighty, then." Ruby opens her grimoire and raises a small black slip of paper up to the sky. After a soft utter of a spell comes from her rosy lips, the paper metamorphizes and takes the form of two massive crows. "Black Magic: Puppet Crows!" The magic birds caw at me and Tsukune before they fly straight for us. As Tsukune readied himself with the whip, I prepared a simple Sparks spell that shouldn't be too much to hurt Ruby.

"HA!" Tsukune cracks the whip against the crow flying on the left and it immediately disintegrates back into paper. "Oh, shoot!" Unfortunately for me and Ruby, he used too much of his power and the feedback is sent right through the chains.

ZZTT!

"AH!"

"AUGH!" Getting shocked by the link between the three of us causes me to accidentally let too much lightning strike the other crow. While I was able to get rid of the second bird, I still hurt Ruby in the process.

"Ruby! Elijah! Are you guys alright?"

"I'm fine," I say, managing to stay on my feet despite the pain. "Ruby," My Witch friend had fallen on her back thanks to receiving two shocks back to back. I offered her a hand to help her up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," I manage to get her to a kneeling position, and I can see her blushing face much clearer now. "In fact...it felt kind of good."

"Ruby!" Oh, come on! Please don't be a masochist right now!

"Don't worry, you and Tsukune are getting the hang of it! Keep going! Tsukune, use your whip! And Elijah, use more spells and give me another jolt!"

"What?! That's not the way you put it earlier!"

"This not what we signed up for! Now, stop driving us crazy!"

Ruby dramatically gasps at my words; her expression kind of reminds me of a classic anime I've seen as a kid. "But...don't you like me? Don't I give good private lessons?"

"That's not what we meant!"

"Yes, I like you, Ruby, but not in that way. I just... Augh!" I throw my hands up in the air in frustration, finding the right words of how I need to say this. "Look, it's not your fault that we're so...out of touch. Right, Tsukune?"

"Yeah," He nods. "I mean, after all the trouble you're going through to help us..." Tsukune sighs. "I've personally been really frustrated lately. Kuyo... Hokuto... Myabi... Kahlua... It's all been just one ridiculously powerful enemy after another. Each and every one of them rubbing my nose in how...weak I am. Even you pointed it out in our...fight."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay," Tsukune pats my shoulder. "I know it wasn't entirely you...but still... I haven't been able to protect anybody! Mizore... Moka... Kurumu... Yukari... Not even you two...nobody at all." He looks down at his clamped fist, it shakes with how hard he has it gripped.

"Tsukune..."

"I understand," I add. "Even after gaining my sense of self again, or even before that, I still wasn't strong enough to beat my enemies. Even when I did...it wasn't entirely me doing it. But it doesn't matter now. What matters is that we all have to be better than we were before, right?"

"Yeah," Tsukune nodded again...but now his eyes were glowing red. "We have to get stronger. We have to. And I really appreciate you teaching me, Ruby. I'm just not a very good student, that's all."

"We'll get it right," I say. "You can count on us."

"...You know," Ruby smiles, looking around and taking in the strange yet beautiful surroundings. "It's so quiet, this place... It was created by the headmaster, it's his own image of paradise. Tsukune, Elijah... I'll do my very best to give you both the best training I can. I'll make this place your own training paradise!"

"Thank you, Ruby."

"We won't let you dow-" Tsukune's words were cut short by something wet falling onto his head. When all three of us looked up, we were shocked to find that it had been drool...coming from the jaws of a massive two-winged...dragon. "What the?!"

ROOOAAARRR!

"Watch out!" The three of us barely get out of the way of the overgrown lizard's snapping jaws. It doesn't look too happy that its potential meal isn't so willing to let itself be food, letting out a guttural hissing sound as it raises its head high over us. "A fucking Dragon?!"

"This place has Dragons?!"

"I had no idea!" Ruby exclaimed, sharing mine and Tsukune's shock. "I thought this 'paradise' would be a safe haven!"

"Apparently not!" I point at the Dragon. "Because those things are supposed to be extinct!" This specific species of Dragon, otherwise known as Wyvern, went extinct centuries ago along with the rest of the world's Dragons. They were considered the strongest beasts on Earth and feared by all, even by the most powerful monsters. This two-legged Dragon with smaller wings was one of the most fierce of its time. Despite being less intelligent due to its smaller stature and brain, it makes up for it with its agility, swiftness, and viciousness. "Why the hell is it here?!"

"Forget asking why! We need to get out of here!" I don't really want to run but I can't exactly fight properly with this damn chain on me. "This way!" Ruby and I follow Tsukune further into the woods...but only to find ourselves surrounded by lesser mindless monsters. From what I can see, there's a giant ant, an overgrown spider, a large beetle-like creature with sharp mandibles, and a few other slimy monsters that I can't exactly recognize. "Oh, give me a freakin' break!"

The Girls...

"So let me get this right... You sent Tsukune and Elijah to a 'Paradise for Monsters'?!"

"That's right," The Headmaster confirms Moka for the third time. He has led the entire group of concerned girls down into the heart of Yokai Academy, the very place where Elijah, Tsukune, and Moka had fought Hokuto. Only now, the Headmaster leads them to a large, decorated golden door that stands between two pillars. "It is a sanctuary for wild, endangered, and...uncontrollable species. Quite nightmarishly dangerous, actually," He smirks, "making it the ideal place to train those boys...and all of you as well."

"Are you crazy?!"

"You're going to get them killed!"

The Headmaster ignores Moka and Kurumu and opens the door by mumbling a soft mantra. "On the other side of this door lies a dimension of my very own making, a sort of 'storage space' as some would put it." He looks back to the girls with his glowing white eyes, a smirk on his face never faltering. "If you pass through it to the other side, I cannot guarantee that you'll return alive. So, are you all still willing to go?"

"..."

Ruby...

CRACK!

The beetle monster chitters in fear after being struck with the enchanted whip Tsukune wields, and the other surrounding monsters cower and share the beetle's initial fear. I...I think I can handle this. Tsukune thought. They're afraid of the whip!

"Hey, guys! I might be able to drive them away if-"

"Ow..."

"G-G-G-Can't...focus..."

"Oh, crap!" Tsukune sees the aftermath of losing control over the whip has caused both Ruby and Elijah to undergo more waves of electricity.

"Watch...out!" Elijah, ignoring the pain in his entire body, shoots a lightning bolt from his hand, causing an approaching spider to screech in pain and back away from the human.

"AHH!" Ruby groans in pain after Elijah's spell backlashes into Ruby through his chain. "So much...electricity..."

"Just hang on, Ruby!"

"This is getting us nowhere!" Elijah cries out. "I can't do a damn thing if you keep using that whip!"

"I'm trying!"

"Just keep going, you guys..."

"Seriously, Ruby?!"

"We can't keep hurting you like this!"

"Don't worry about me! You guys don't have a choice! Tsukune must learn to control his power in actual battle, and you have to focus on your abilities, Elijah. I believe in you guys; just keep going!"

Both boys look at each other, sharing an initial look of uncertainty. But the surrounding monsters quickly cause them to give each other a determined nod, so Tsukune and Elijah take their defensive stance in front of Ruby. A few of the monsters snarl and growl at them, but they don't move a muscle. Tsukune raises the whip, and Elijah produces a small blue flame in his right hand.

"Come on!"

"Come and get us!"

CRACK!

VHOOSH!

"That's it!" Ruby cheers the boys on. Unfortunately, she was still on the receiving end of being shocked as Tsukune cracked his whip and Elijah utilized his offensive abilities. "Don't worry about me, guys! Just keep up the good fight!"

Dammit! I'm still hurting them! Tsukune groaned to himself, his grip becoming tighter on the whip in his hand.

"Ngh..." Elijah tries his best to keep going, the muscles in his arm spazing out thanks to being on the receiving end of Tsukune's overuse of his power. Just...keep...going! Despite their circumstances, Tsukune and Elijah have to give it their all if they are ever to become stronger. Even so...

"Ah! Oh... Ow..." While the shocks were initially painful for the Witch, Ruby couldn't help herself from feeling a small amount of pleasure from it. Oh, my... Their power is only getting stronger... Why does it feel so good? What is wrong with me?! Panting heavily, her heart pounding, and her face growing hotter by the second, the pain from the electricity becomes completely numb for the Witch and turns into...pleasure. Their power only grows stronger... Why does it feel so...good? What is wrong with me?! I can hardly stand it! I'm...I'm... Ruby throws her head back, her eyes clamping shut as another wave of pleasure passes over her. I'm going to Paradise for real now! "AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"And just what do you think you're doing?!"

"Huh?-" Ruby was on the receiving end of being struck with a metal baseball bat wielded by Kurumu, who had just appeared along with the rest of the girls. She, along with the others, shared a look of shock but also a small amount of blush on their faces.

"We just can't leave you alone, can we?!" Kurumu goes on. "Play the innocent card all you want, Ruby, but that doesn't change that you can be a kinky freak underneath all that innocence!"

"Wh-What...?"

"You can explain later." Kurumu turned away from the Witch, raising Ko over her shoulder since he was the literal bat now. "After we clear out these monsters!"

"HA!"

"Watch yourself!"

"Wait! Stop!" Ruby stops the rest of the girls from joining Tsukune and Elijah in the fight. She noticed that something was happening...something good. "Everybody stop!"

"Huh? Why?"

"This better be good, Ruby!"

"If we don't hurry, they'll-"

"Look!" Ruby points to the boys who are continuing their fight. "They're so fouced they don't even realize that you're all here! And the shockwaves from the release of their power..." Ruby looks down, her eyes following the chain all the way back up to the choker around her neck. Tsukune is cracking the whip all over the place, and Elijah is still using magic...but none of their excess energy is getting channeled through me!

Tsukune took a few deep breaths, focusing on his next opponent, a giant spider. Concentrate... Control all the power flowing through my body... The whip is in my left hand, and the chain is in my right. If I focus all my energy toward the left side of my body, I can prevent it from flowing into the chain and hurting Ruby and Elijah! And that's exactly what the human did. Tsukune channels the power of the Vampire blood within him and lets it flow through the entire part of his left body; this causes the girls to be blinded by the sight of the human's rise in power.

"He's gathering all his energy into his left hand?!"

"His power is building up, too..." Mizore adds.

"He's so strong!"

"No way... This is too fast..."

"What do you mean, Ruby?" Moka turned to her witch friend in confusion.

"I just started training him today! How can he have mastered this already?" Tsukune...what are you?

"HA!" The whip snaps in the air, the giant spider falls to the ground after being rendered completely immobilized by the power of the enchanted piece of leather.

"Watch out!" Elijah jumps behind Tsukune as a massive fly monster comes straight for him. "Whirlwind Cloak!" The flying creature is sent flying back once it closed within hitting range of Tsukune and Elijah.

"Huh?"

"Why isn't he using any sort of destruction magic? That's what he always does!"

"So he doesn't hurt me..." That's it, I think he's starting to get it!

I understand now. Elijah thought as he counted the remaining monsters he and Tsukune had to take down. He didn't even realize that the others had arrived. This isn't about me getting back in touch with my power, not entirely anyway. I'm always the one who's on the offensive, the first one on the front lines...but that's not always going to be the case for me. That's why Ruby has me chained to her and Tsukune. I have to trust in the others to be able to rely on themselves. I must master my abilities to support my friends on the battlefield as well as take the lead!

CRASH!

"Look!" Tsukune points to the tumbling trees. The Wyvern Dragon had found them again, and it roared up to the sky. Tsukune's knuckles turned white as his grip on the whip grew stronger. "You ready, brother?" The Human turns to his best friend with a knowing smirk.

"Right behind you!"

"Hah...hah..."

"Hah...Whoo!" Elijah wiped the sweat from his head as he looked down at Tsukune, who was now on the ground. "Didn't think you had it in you, bro."

"What's...that supposed to mean?"

"Nothin', just didn't know you could last this long..."

"Well, it's no good. I can't even stand up right now, can't even move..."

"I'm surprised I'm still standing..."

For the last thirty straight minutes, Elijah and Tsukune had been fighting not only the Dragon but other appearing monsters that heard all the commotion from their battle. Now that it was over, all the hostile creatures had been either immobilized by the whip or simply knocked out by one of Elijah's defensive spells.

"It's no surprise you're both exhausted." Ruby comes along, and a proud smile forms across her lips. "You're not used to your powers, Tsukune. You've expended too much energy. And Elijah, you haven't seen combat or utilized your true abilities for quite some time, but it's natural that you would have to get used to using so much of your magic again."

"...You know?" Tsukune smiled, looking up to the unnaturally yellow sky. "This place might be paradise, after all."

"Hmm?"

"There's something here I've always longed for," He explains. "And I think I managed to get a hold of it...only for just a moment ago..."

"I get what you mean," Elijah agrees. He took a few breaths before turning to Ruby with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Ruby."

"H-Huh?"

"It's because of you that Tsukune and I are finally getting back on track, all because you put yourself in danger for us. Thank you, Ruby."

"Elijah..." Ruby blushes immensely at Elijah's words and his smile, the Witch can't help herself from allowing a few happy tears to fall from her reddish-pink eyes. "I...I don't know what to say."

"No fair!" Kurumu cuts herself into the conversation between the magic pair by purposely getting in between them...mostly out of jealousy, but she covers it up with a different excuse. "How come you guys get to do all the badass training?! I wanna get stronger too!"

"Oh?" Kokoa smirks. "So you wanna train after all? Then let's do what I suggest and all train together!"

"I'm training too."

"Me too!"

As the rest of the girls shared the same enthusiasm for wanting to train, Moka found herself distracted after finding the whip Tsukune was using lying on the ground. The Vampire picks up the enchanted weapon from the grassy ground...only for something miraculous to happen. "Hmm...how interesting." The others turn after hearing the sudden change in Moka's voice. "An artifact that cancels magic spells and spells, if I'm not mistaken..."

"What? Inner Moka?!"

"Moka? How is this possible?" Tsukune asked her in equal chock and slight awe. "I didn't even take off your Rosary." Wait... If I remember right, the whip works by canceling magical abilities. So that means by picking it up, Moka can break through her seal.

"Hmm..." Inner Moka smirks at Tsukune. "I see. You were learning to control your power with this, isn't that right, Tsukune? Do yu wish to become a monster, too?"

"H-Huh? No, I just-"

"There's no rush for that. I guarantee you'll grow strong. After all," Moka's cocky grin only grew wider. "It is my blood that flows through your veins. But if you're impatient, why don't I train you?"

"...What?"

"Well?" The Vampire tilts her head, flapping the whip around. "You want to become powerful, don't you? Who better to teach you than me?"

"What about me?" Elijah steps forward. "You always said you wanted me as a sparring partner, and I'm tired of standing by and waiting for whatever comes next."

"So, you want to train with me, too, huh?"

"Yes." Elijah doesn't hesitate with his answer. "Tsukune?"

"...Y-Yes. Please, Moka, train me too!"

"...Hahaha." The boys' enthusiasm makes Moka chuckle. "Very well, then. But I warn you both, my training regiment is strenuous. If either of you aren't focused and giving it your all...it could be fatal. So...do you still agree?"

Moka didn't even have to ask twice. Both Elijah and Tsukune knew that they needed to be better now more than ever...no matter what it takes. "YES!"