Chapter 141

In the northern district of Magnolia, where the old clock tower cast long shadows, two ice mages were locked in their usual rivalry.

"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray's frozen spears shot toward Lyon, who dodged with practiced ease.

"Is that all you've got?" Lyon taunted, already forming his own counter. "Ice Make: Eagle!"

The ice bird swooped down at Gray, who was already stripping off his shirt without thinking. "Ice Make: Shield!"

The two creations collided in a shower of frost, and both mages prepared their next attacks.

"Ice Make: Floor!"

"Ice Make: Ice Geyser!"

They moved in perfect sync, their years of rivalry creating an almost choreographed dance of ice magic. The street between them became a frozen battlefield, with icicles and ice sculptures appearing and shattering with each exchange.

"You're still using those basic techniques," Lyon said with his usual smirk. "Ur taught us both better than that."

"Says the guy who's been using the same eagle for the past five minutes!" Gray shot back, his hands already forming another spell.

They were so focused on each other that neither noticed the shadow growing beneath their feet.

Until it was too late.

"Dark Hole."

The ground beneath both ice mages turned pitch black. Before they could react, the darkness pulled them down like quicksand, swallowing them up to their waists.

"What the—" Gray struggled, but the darkness held firm.

Lyon's eyes widened as he recognized the magic. "This is—"

"Yami Yami no Mi," came a calm voice from the rooftop above.

Simon dropped down gracefully, his Honedge floating beside him. Darkness swirled around his hands like living smoke, and his expression was completely neutral.

"You two were so busy fighting each other, you forgot this is a battle royale," Simon said. "Everyone's a target."

Gray tried to form an ice spell, but the darkness around his hands absorbed the cold energy before it could manifest. "My magic—it's being pulled in!"

Lyon gritted his teeth, trying to use his one-handed ice magic. "Ice Make: Snow Tiger!"

The ice construct formed and lunged at Simon, who simply raised his hand.

"Kurouzu—Black Hole."

A swirling vortex of darkness appeared in his palm. The ice tiger was pulled into it, crushed by the gravitational force until it shattered into nothing.

"Impossible," Lyon breathed. "That was one of my strongest techniques!"

Simon's Honedge moved on its own, floating toward the trapped ice mages with its blade gleaming. "You should surrender. There's no shame in losing."

Gray's jaw tightened. "Like hell we will!"

He looked at Lyon, and for once, there was no rivalry in his eyes. Just understanding.

"Lyon."

"I know," Lyon replied, his smirk returning despite their situation. "Temporary truce?"

"Obviously."

The two ice mages locked eyes, and in that moment, years of training under the same master created perfect synchronization.

"Ice Make: Ice Geyser!" Gray formed the spell with his remaining free hand.

"Ice Make: Eagle!" Lyon's one-handed spell launched simultaneously.

But they weren't aiming at Simon. They targeted the darkness itself, flash-freezing the black mass holding them. The sudden temperature drop disrupted the gravitational pull just enough for them to break free.

Simon's eyes widened slightly. "Smart."

"We trained under Ur," Gray said, landing beside Lyon. "We know how to work together when it counts."

"Even if he is an annoying pretty boy," Lyon added.

"Says the guy with a bird obsession!"

"Can you two save the bickering for later?" Simon's darkness spread across the ground like spilled ink. "I'm not done yet."

Both ice mages immediately went back-to-back, their rivalry forgotten.

"Alright," Gray said, his hands already moving. "Let's show him what Ur's students can do!"

"Ice Make: Freeze Lancer!" Lyon's spell created multiple ice spears that shot toward Simon from the left.

"Ice Make: Hammer!" Gray's massive ice construct came from the right.

Simon didn't move. "Liberation—Gravity Sphere."

The darkness around him condensed into a spherical barrier. Both ice attacks hit the sphere and were instantly crushed, pulled inward by the gravitational force.

"Your magic can't reach me," Simon said calmly. "The gravity is too strong."

"Then we'll just have to get creative!" Gray charged forward, using the ice beneath his feet to slide at high speed.

"Ice Make: Battle Axe!" A massive ice weapon formed in his hands as he swung at Simon.

The axe shattered against the gravity barrier, but Gray was already moving, creating more ice constructs in rapid succession. Each one broke against Simon's defense, but they were buying time.

"Ice Make: Ice Cannon!" Lyon launched a concentrated beam of ice magic from the other side.

Simon turned to block it with his darkness, and for just a moment, his barrier weakened.

That's when Gray struck.

"Ice Make: Ice Hammer—directly beneath you!"

The ice formed under Simon's feet, launching him upward and out of his protective sphere. His Honedge immediately moved to defend him, but Lyon was ready.

"Ice Make: Prison!"

Ice walls formed around the sword Pokemon, trapping it momentarily.

Gray didn't waste the opening. "Ice Make: Lance—multiple!"

Dozens of ice spears formed in the air, all aimed at the airborne Simon.

But Simon's expression never changed. He simply extended both hands.

"Dark Matter."

Pure darkness erupted from his body in all directions. The ice spears were pulled into the gravitational field and crushed. The ice prison around Honedge shattered. Even the frozen ground beneath Gray and Lyon began to crack and lift toward Simon.

"This is the difference," Simon said quietly as the darkness condensed around him like armor.

The darkness surged forward like a tidal wave.

Gray and Lyon tried to resist, forming ice barriers, but the gravitational pull was too strong. The darkness swallowed their defenses, pulling them closer.

"Dammit!" Gray struggled against the pull. "We can't—"

"Ice Make: Rampart!" Lyon created a massive ice wall, buying them seconds.

"We need a plan!" Gray said, his hands already forming another spell.

"I'm open to suggestions!" Lyon shot back.

They watched as Simon's darkness consumed Lyon's ice wall like it was paper. 

"He's not even trying that hard," Gray realized, sweat dripping down his face.

"None of Aiden's students ever do," Lyon muttered. "Until they decide to end it."

As if on cue, Simon's voice cut through the darkness.

"Black Hole—Unlimited."

The gravitational pull intensified a hundredfold. Both ice mages found themselves being dragged toward Simon, unable to resist. Their ice magic scattered before it could even form.

"This is it," Simon said, darkness swirling around his hand. "Do you surrender?"

Gray gritted his teeth, still trying to form ice despite the pressure. "We... we can still—"

"Gray," Lyon said quietly. "Look around."

Gray glanced up and saw the truth. They were completely surrounded by darkness. Every escape route was blocked. Every attack they'd tried had been nullified.

They'd lost.

"Fine," Gray said, his shoulders sagging. "We surrender."

Simon nodded, and the darkness immediately released them. Both ice mages collapsed to their knees, breathing hard.

"You fought well," Simon said, extending his hand to help them up. “Ur-san  would be proud."

Lyon took his hand, then glanced at Gray with a small smirk. "Guess we make a decent team when we're not killing each other."

"Don't get used to it," Gray muttered, but there was no real heat in his words.

Simon's Honedge floated back to his side as he turned to leave, heading toward the sounds of other battles across Magnolia.

Behind him, Gray and Lyon sat among the shattered ice and fading darkness, both thinking the same thing.

Aiden's students really are monsters.