Regulus drew a slow, steady breath, his armored shoulders rising and falling like a great forge bellowing to life, before clapping his palms together with a sound that resonated like thunder through the cave, a deafening collision of metal and flame that echoed long after its initial impact. From between his pressed gauntlets erupted an inferno of blinding, white-hot flames, torrents of fire cascading forth like a volcanic eruption, roaring outward in a furious tide that filled the cavern from edge to edge, illuminating every shadowed crevice in a fleeting blaze of light before being devoured again by the oppressive darkness summoned by Chaos.

  Yet, even as the darkness hungrily swallowed the flames, Regulus revealed no hint of disappointment or frustration, for this was never intended to be his true assault. Instead, with unerring precision, he began to focus the sprawling inferno, drawing the fire inward, condensing it into a single, concentrated point of unimaginable heat between his clasped hands. As more and more flames withdrew into his armored palms, his armor turned a blistering, brilliant yellow, molten veins of heat tracing along the edges of his gauntlets, rippling outward in molten pulses of raw power.

  Then, in a single fluid motion, Regulus slammed both burning hands downward, plunging them into the glassy surface beneath his feet, shattering it instantly and releasing a blinding surge of flame that coalesced into a single, magnificent weapon. From the smoldering earth arose a sword of pure, molten flame, a gargantuan blade blazing so brightly, it devoured every lingering shadow, consuming even the unnatural darkness that had previously resisted all illumination.

  Elsie, coiled tightly around Celestine’s arm within the rapidly melting icy barrier, gasped audibly, her serpentine mouth dropping open in sheer disbelief. Her senses, attuned keenly to the flow of Sol, reeled at the overwhelming torrent of energy radiating from the molten sword; its presence alone seemed to eclipse everything she had ever encountered, dwarfing the combined power of their entire party, surpassing even the immense Sol of the mighty Jericho that had carried them here. "Impossible..." she hissed softly, her emerald eyes wide and shimmering in awe, "That sword alone...it carries more Sol than Kaiser, Aria, Ivan, Mia, and that entire metallic dragon combined!"

  Chaos observed the spectacle with disdainful calm, unmoved even by the dazzling, godlike power radiating from Regulus’s weapon, his monstrous eyes narrowing with cold amusement. His voice dripped scorn and twisted pity as he mockingly addressed the blazing knight before him, "Such a tragic day for the Northern Liberatorium, to lose their precious Phoenix to foolish bravado. All that strength, Regulus, yet you choose to waste it here, against inevitability."

  Regulus, utterly unfazed by Chaos’s biting mockery, lifted the burning blade slowly and deliberately, its immense weight seeming no greater to him than a feather, the roaring flames that cloaked his form now withdrawing, drawn inward again to further fuel the brilliance of his weapon. As the last remnants of loose fire vanished back into his armored figure, an explosion of incandescent flame erupted through the slits of his visor, illuminating his faceplate with the raw, white-hot intensity of a newborn sun.

  "I tire of your empty taunts, Chaos," Regulus thundered, his voice reverberating through the chamber like the rolling boom of a distant storm, the flames around him rippling in rhythm with each measured word, "Let this strike speak clearly enough for us both."

  With a deceptively gentle swing of his gargantuan blade, Regulus released a cataclysmic torrent of fire, an uncontainable flood of raw destructive force surging outward in a wave that consumed the very air around it, roaring toward Chaos with terrifying inevitability.

  The cavern shook violently as half of its vast expanse was engulfed in a hurricane of incandescent flame, sand beneath the blaze instantly liquefying into bubbling rivers of molten glass, transforming the entire landscape into a surreal, fiery hellscape that defied reason and comprehension.

  Celestine, her wounds mostly healed but her strength still depleted, gasped softly behind the cracked barrier of melting ice, her voice strained yet filled with quiet reverence, "Such...unimaginable power. Sir Regulus truly is the phoenix reborn..."

  The frozen knight, his strength ebbing but resolve unwavering, allowed himself a weary, proud smile beneath his frosted helm, whispering solemnly, "And now, Chaos, witness the flames of justice. You have chosen your fate—be consumed by it."

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  Chaos stood utterly unbothered as the tidal wave of flame surged toward him, his monstrous form looming eerily still amidst the chaos, the inferno reflecting ominously in his blazing crimson eyes. As the wall of searing fire crashed toward him, his maw yawned impossibly wide, revealing rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth as the darkness itself appeared to stretch and distort around his open jaws, devouring the light itself. The roaring flames poured into that abyssal mouth, vanishing completely without a trace, as if sucked into a void of absolute nothingness, leaving only echoes of disbelief ringing through the cavern.

  Regulus froze mid-stride, his fiery aura flickering momentarily in stunned silence, his burning eyes widened behind his visor as he watched the last flickers of his attack slip helplessly into Chaos’s unnatural maw. The realization that this being had just swallowed his most devastating strike without even flinching sent a wave of cold disbelief through his veins, chilling even the fire in his heart.

  Clicking his tongue sharply, Regulus steeled himself and launched forward, aiming to seize back the advantage before it slipped completely from his grasp. He barreled toward the wall of shadows, his molten sword held high, ready to strike at the monster hidden behind the veil of flames he himself had conjured.

  Yet, just as he prepared to deliver a decisive blow, a thick, shadow-forged chain shot violently through the flaming wall, coiling itself viciously around his weapon and abruptly halting his charge. Before Regulus could even react, the chain whipped violently to the side, hurling him brutally into the cavern wall, the impact sending shattered stone and burning debris scattering across the chamber.

  As Regulus crashed into the wall, the last of his fire was fully devoured, plunging the cavern once again into an oppressive gloom. Chaos’s laughter emerged from that darkness, cold and malevolent, resonating with cruel mockery. "You have my thanks, Phoenix," he rumbled with sinister amusement, his voice a symphony of cold iron scraping against stone, "It’s been so terribly long since I've had such a delicious meal."

  From the smoking wreckage, Regulus emerged slowly, his armored fists seizing and melting chunks of stone as he forced himself back onto his feet. Despite the setback, his voice was clear, sharp, and defiant. "Careful, Chaos. You might not be as invincible as you think."

  Chaos’s blazing eyes flickered with amusement and perhaps the barest hint of curiosity, yet his smug demeanor cracked slightly as he noticed a bright, molten glow emanating from the chain still coiled in his grip. As the metal links rapidly melted into molten slag, dripping like candle wax onto the ground, Chaos chuckled darkly, almost appreciatively.

  "Color me impressed, Phoenix," he conceded mockingly, releasing the melting chain and allowing a fresh, identical one to slither forth from the shadows of his sleeve like a serpent awakened from slumber.

  Regulus stepped confidently out of the smoking crater in the wall, shaking molten stone from his gauntlets in a flourish that sent sparks dancing through the darkened air, drawing a gasp of admiration and excitement from Celestine, who despite her wounds, was watching the fight with eyes wide and full of awe.

  Ignoring the molten remnants of the chain that pooled on the glassy floor, Regulus raised his chin defiantly, the intensity in his eyes brighter than ever. "You’ll find I burn brighter under pressure," he declared fiercely, his voice reverberating through the cavern as though fueled by the unyielding heat of his spirit.

  Chaos laughed again, his voice echoing mockingly through the darkness, a haunting challenge that sought to undermine Regulus’s resolve. "Why struggle so desperately, Phoenix? Why burn your feathers into ashes for those who cannot repay your sacrifice?"

  Regulus’s gaze flicked momentarily toward the weakening icy sphere protecting Celestine and the frozen knight, his fiery resolve briefly faltering as he observed the barrier’s melting surface, understanding all too clearly that even his own flames, meant to protect, were now causing unintended harm.

  His heartbeat quickened, thundering within his chest, and to his horror, he saw a faint trace of shadow begin to creep up from his clenched fist, a corruptive darkness undoubtedly born from the malevolent aura Chaos radiated. Regulus clenched his fist tighter, dispelling the shadow for now, his breath heavy but unyielding. Sweat beaded on his forehead, evaporating instantly in the immense heat he radiated.

  Yet, just as his spirit wavered, he heard a clear, resolute voice from behind the faltering ice barrier. Celestine’s voice rang out clearly, brimming with emotion and unwavering trust, cutting sharply through his doubts: "Your fire belongs to us all, Regulus! Burn brightly for all of us!"

  At her words, Regulus straightened, his resolve solidifying instantly, his flames igniting brighter than ever before, driving the encroaching shadows away as he found his purpose renewed. With a final defiant nod, he turned fully toward Chaos, his burning sword raised high, a fiery beacon of defiance and hope amidst the darkness. "If my flames can light the way to an age of peace," he said resolutely, the molten fire swirling fiercely around him, "Then my feathers are a small price to pay."

  And with those words echoing through the chamber, Regulus charged once again toward Chaos, flame and shadow poised to clash in a battle that would decide far more than merely their own fates.

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