Outcast Hunter

All of them went inside the Boss' room, they were welcomed.

Unlike any other dungeons that Leo had gone so far, the Phoenix's room was one of a kind. It was like that room was made solely for her.

The inside of the room had decorations that suits her image. She's even laid eggs, lying on a nest.

The Phoenix was flying around and flapping her wings. It looks like she got tired and landed on the nest. She's.caressing her babies and spoke.

"I can't put my babies in danger, you humans would not mind, if I move them to safety, right?"

Even her voice sounds feminine.. She covered the eggs by her wide wings and chanted a skill.

By the time she was done, the three eggs was gone too. She had it put somewhere, only she knows where.

"I'm ready now. You humans can come at me anytime you humans want"

Leo could feel their bodies trembling at the sight of the Phoenix.

'You guys need to calm down'

Zero stepped forward and faced his comrades. He cleared his throat and let out a deep sigh.

"Come on, guys! We can do this! We've come this far, are we going to throw it away?! Our opportunity?!"

Zero slapped them some words to wake their resolves once again.

"Leader's right! We need to do this! We're on with this together!"

One by one, Zero's comrades had supported his words and yell their lungs out.

"It seems that your resolves had not waver and remain steel. For that, I shall grant your bravery with a painless death"

She began flapping her wings and flew. She widened her wings and cast her spell.

'Gleaming Glitters of the Blue Flame Wings]

Blue tiny glittering flames came out of her wings and were aimed towards them.

It had filled the area and burned everything it touches. It won't extinguished, not until the person or thing are burnt to ashes.

"Everything shall be burn down"

Zero refuted her.

"No! Everything shan't be burn! Hey, Five!"

Five nodded and cast a barrier.

Leo was pushed out of the magic barrier and told.

"You'll be our hero and our saviour!"

Zero was the one that pushed him out of the circle.

[Magical Barrier is ready to use. The Predators group had been recognized as enemies. Copying their used skill are now available.]

The Phoenix's decorations had been burnt down to ash. Everything, even the rocks and stones were on fire.

Blue flame's hotter than the usual flame. So, the inside of the room's hot and is getting hotter.

"Really, humans are so despicable and selfish. To think that that's the first thing I'd, right after waking up from a deep slumber. I was getting bored, it has been a year, since I last fight humans. And did you humans, know whose presence had woken me up? It's him, the one you lots had excluded inside your barrier and team"

They don't have a single idea what the Phoenix was talking about Leo. Sure, he's strange and somewhat weirdly powerful, but they don't see a reason, why his presence had woken her up.

That's what they are thinking as of right now.

Leo also cast the magical barrier to shield himself from the tiny flames.

'Does she knows something about my arrival?'

The barrier was neutralizing the tiny flames, so the Phoenix had stopped showering them with her tiny blue flames.

They also dispersed their barrier and watched the Phoenix from afar.

They won't move from where they are nor attack the Phoenix.

"These bastards! Humans really are a hopeless creatures"

Leo took out his sword and acted like he's gonna fight the Phoenix, alone.

"I'll leave you be, for now and take care care of them"

'Ignition'

'Heavenly Blue Flames'

Her whole body is covered in fire and when she used Ignition, her flames had gone strong and hotter.

Blue flames came out of her mouth and she aimed it to the Predators.

"Shit! Our meat-shield was spared! Time to fight guys!"

The barrier's still cooling down and can't be use. They have to evade the ball of flames.

"Everybody, move out!"

Splash! Boom!

A huge explosion of flames had almost engulfed the Predators, if not for their quick thinking.

"Damn! We almost got burn to crisp! Damn you, I'll turn you into my dinner!"

"Idiot! You can't eat her, can't you see, she's already enveloped in fire, but she's still alive! How are you gonna cook her?!"

"R-right, how am I gonna cook her? No, I'll eat her raw and made omelettes out of her eggs!"

Leo felt the changed in the Phoenix's emotions. She became angry, when Four said that he's going to cook her babies.

"Insolent humans! I'm taking back what I have said! I'll give you, humans, the most painful death you'll ever get!"

She's lost her temper and began flying towards them to attack them.

[Ignition is ready to use]

'Dancing Blue Bird'

She flew above them and swam around the air and drops her blue flames. She went along with the swing of the wind and looks like a free bird swimming in the air of freedom.

"Five and Eight!"

They blocked and neutralized her flames and fought back. Fighting her in the air is impossible for them, no one has the ability to fly.

"I'm not done yet, humans!"

Instead of Leo, the one who should be watching the scene was them, the Predators, not Leo, who should be the one, fighting the Phoenix.

'Blue Rose, Courageous Flames'

The blue flames that did not extinguished had bloomed and turned into blue roses.

"Are you a magician now?!"

Petals by petals, stems by stems and thorns by thorns. The three main parts had separated.

The petals had covered them, encircling the Predators and the thorns flew towards them.

"Ow, ow, ow! AHhhHH!!!"

They had no idea where the thorns were coming from and when to dodge. It had pierced through their clothes and armors, even scraping their skins.

Next was the stems, it also flew towards them. It has a precised accuracy, because, it has traveled through the holes of their clothes, the one that the thorns made.

The stems was like, planted once again to their bodies, the thorns also went back to the stem and attached themselves to it.

Lastly, the petals. Just like what the thorns did, it had attached themselves yo the stems and the blue rose was once complete again.

"Die!"

They felt excruciating pains all over their bodies. They were bleeding like crazy, the healers had treat to every one's wound, but it was futile.

They even tried pulling it out but, the thorns of rose was on the way. They felt pain every time they tried to pull it out.

"BLOOM!"

I think she meant Boom! Because, the rose planted on their bodies had exploded and made a splash of the Predators' blood.

The dust had cleared and the Predators' bodies had been shown. They are all dead, except for Zero, Five and Eight, who cast a shield on themselves.

"Y-you damn bird!"

'Gleaming Glitters of the Blue Flame Wings'

The three was still standing up, bloodied and their clothes torn.

She showered them with her tiny flames.

It falls off from her wings and the tiny flames had touched their skins.

Little by little, the fire had began engulfing them.

"Ack! ArghhhhHHHhHhh!!! H-help us!"

Zero reached out his hand to Leo as he was slowly dying by the flames.

"UwaahhHhHhhh!!"

The Phoenix extinguished her fire and landed in front of Leo.

"I suppose you're the next one to inherit the power of Death"

Leo ease up and stored his sword back inside his inventory. He sensed that the Phoenix had no ill intentions towards him.

"Hmm, then I can also assume that you're one of Grim's"

"Yes. I am sent here by Death, a few decades.ago and was told to wait for the next one on the throne. Gri- I mean Death,"

'She was gonna say Grim'

"He is the owner of my mother and I am one of her nestling. We Shadow Phoenixes had been serving the past Deaths, since all lives had started"

'They will be loyal pets'

"I am not told to fight you, but I was told to test you if, you're worthy of my loyalty"

"So, what's the plan?"

'Blue Rose, Impossible Into Possible]

"Close your eyes and let your mind take control of your thoughts"

Leo closed his eyes, as the Phoenix told him to. He cleared his thoughts and let his mind control his imaginations.

A series of images flashed inside his head. It was all of the memories that had happen in the past.

"Let us turn you back to where you are when you have nothing, but your family"

His childhood memories had flashed through his mind and he's back to when his mother was still with them.

"Leo, Leo!"

Leo came back to his senses and saw his mother in front of him, with Tom eating in the table.

"This kid, you've been staying up late again! How many time do I have to tell you not to sleep so late at night?!"

"M-Mom?! Is that you Mom?! Mom!"

Leo immediately stood from his seat to embrace his mother. He hugged his Mom so tight he has don't plan on letting her go.

Leo caught her mother by surprise and has no idea what was going on with him.

"Ehh?! What's gotten with you? Mou, this kid, really, you're so hopeless!"

Leo's mother leaved him be for a while.

"Mom, I missed you so much! Mom, I'm sorry! It's my fault that... that-"

Leo began crying. His emotions welled up as he embraced his mother tighter. His mother also began caressing his hair and his back.

"Hush, hush, why are you apologizing? I'm here and will always be here, so don't cry now. You're a teen now"

"Mom, I don't know why, but I also feel like crying"

Tom's tears were already flowing as he watched the two. He later joined his older brother's crying session.

---

'I was inside a dungeon and was talking to the Phoenix, when she told me to close my eyes. So, I did and here I am, back with my Mom and young Tom"

His room had not changed after all the years that passed. It was the same as usual. And Today is Saturday for Leo.

"If I remember correctly, this is the time when Dad had been reported missing and was later reported that he's Dead'

His mom was calling for him. He immediately went to ask what it is.

'This test ism't so bad, after all'

---

Leo and Tom had dressed into their finest clothes. They are going to the Amusement Park. It was Tom's request, his mother's also on her day-off.

His mother's so beautiful for a widow who already have two child and looks as young as ever. His mother's name is Marie Angeline Nicholas. Leo and Tom took on their mother's surname and their middle name is Kritanta.

---

Leo was having a lot of fun with his mother. He forgot why he was brought back to the past bu the Phoenix.

Days and days had past. Leo couldn't be more happier than he was.

---

He woke up one day and that scene had.crossed his mind.

'Isn't this the day where Mom had an accident?!'

~