Although Jason's defense was very strong, Fitoria was certain it was impossible for him to take her blow easily.
"Is it because of the power enhancement brought about by the curse's influence?"
Fitoria instantly guessed the true reason, but a sharp pain soon erupted in her right foot.
Jason had stepped on the Shield of Wrath, and the flames it carried burned her.
"This is really troublesome!"
The next moment, Fitoria stomped forcefully on the Shield of Wrath, spinning swiftly mid-air, using the momentum to kick Jason's shoulder again.
Jason didn't dodge. The murderous aura surrounding him surged even higher. Ignoring Fitoria's kick entirely, he swung a fist in retaliation.
"Iron Block! Crushed!"
His fist, wrapped in flames, exploded with power.
Jason was launched off his feet by Fitoria's kick, smashing into the nearby trees.
However, Fitoria wasn't left unscathed. Jason's fiery punch landed on her abdomen, sending her soaring into the sky, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Mid-flight, Fitoria spread her wings and stabilized herself.
She glanced at her right foot and abdomen, now blackened from the curse spreading through her body.
Compared to Jason's explosive punches, the curse embedded within the Shield of Wrath was far more insidious and difficult to suppress.
Fitoria frowned and began chanting.
A curtain of light surrounded her, purging the curse from her body, and even her scorched dress was restored to its original state.
Meanwhile, the trees Jason had smashed into began to burn. A raging fire spread, thick smoke billowed, and frightened Filo birds scattered in panic.
Raphtalia, Jack, and the others watched anxiously, regretful that they were too weak to assist Jason.
From the sky, Fitoria closely observed the fire below.
Amid the raging flames, a figure began to emerge. Everywhere the figure stepped, the flames intensified as if fueled by its presence. Within the inferno, a vague, demonic face seemed to form.
Boom!
The figure stamped the ground, sending tremors through the earth. Flames scattered, and the figure fully revealed itself—it was Jason, the same person Fitoria had kicked away moments ago.
Still engulfed in flames, Jason's form was unmistakable.
"Kill them if you can—Raphtalia, Jack, and Irene. You can't touch me right now, and I can't do anything to you, but when the time comes, I'll slaughter every Filo bird in existence until this entire world burns to the ground!"
The flames surrounding Jason flared higher, and the sheer intensity of his murderous aura radiated outward, suffocating everything nearby.
No one believed he was bluffing.
Fitoria hovered in mid-air, deep in thought.
She quickly calculated the situation. If she killed Raphtalia and the others, could she prevent Jason from enacting his revenge on the world?
For reasons unknown, her previous seals on Jason had lost their effect. However, a barrier still encased him, making it difficult for him to escape.
"I could revert to my original form and use abilities I shouldn't… maybe then I could stop him from fully succumbing to the curse."
"T…"
Fitoria shook her head. Even if she fought with everything she had, Jason still possessed a dangerous trump card—the Dragon Emperor Fragment he had taken from a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
If Jason absorbed another fragment, his strength would surge further, but at the cost of losing more of his sanity to the curse.
Yet, given his current state, it seemed Jason no longer cared if his mind was consumed.
"Don't kill Raphtalia or the others!"
Assessing the situation, Fitoria exhaled deeply and relented. With a wave of her hand, the vacuum cage trapping Raphtalia and the others dissolved.
She began chanting once more, summoning a gust of wind that smothered the forest fire.
"It seems you've conceded."
Seeing this, Jason suppressed his murderous aura, and the Shield of Wrath reverted to its original form. Truth be told, he had no real desire to fight Fitoria.
"Well, as you said, you can't deal with me, and I have no reason to continue with you. For now, this ends here."
Fitoria slowly descended from the sky as she spoke.
Raphtalia, Jack, and the others sighed in relief.
They knew Fitoria was the legendary queen of the Filo birds. Witnessing her clash with Jason had been terrifying, and they hadn't dared intervene. The fact that the fight had ended without further escalation was a blessing.
"You've exceeded my expectations," Fitoria remarked as she landed before Jason, tilting her head slightly.
"I have no doubt your power will continue to grow. At this rate, you may become the strongest hero in history—perhaps even more than that."
"To be honest, although you've praised me, I can't say I'm happy with the way things are right now."
Jason shrugged, his expression seemingly relaxed, but inwardly he remained on high alert, prepared for any sudden attack from Fitoria.
However, his caution turned out to be unnecessary. Unlike the deceitful nobles of the human kingdom, Fitoria stayed true to her word and held firm to her principles.
She bowed slightly. "I apologize for my earlier rudeness."
Just moments ago, she had been intent on fighting and killing him, and now here she was, offering a sincere apology. Jason found it hard to understand what was going on in her mind.
Then again, considering Fitoria had lived for countless years as a Filo bird, it was understandable that normal logic might not apply to her.
"I don't need an apology—how about some real compensation instead?"
Jason exhaled, speaking bluntly.
Given Fitoria's age, she had likely accumulated numerous treasures over the centuries. Having wasted so much energy and been dragged into a fight, Jason wasn't about to walk away empty-handed.
Although he lacked the strength to force anything from Fitoria, he made it clear that without compensation, he and Raphtalia would make themselves comfortable here—eating and drinking freely as they pleased.
"Of course, you will receive compensation."
Fitoria nodded, but there was a pause before she continued. "However, may I ask you one more question?"
Jason raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed but curious. Since she had agreed to compensate him, it wouldn't hurt to hear her out.
"What is it? Just say it."
Fitoria's indifferent expression shifted into one of solemn seriousness.
"Are the other three Heroes as powerful as you?"
At that very moment, across the kingdom, Motoyasu, Ren, and Itsuki all felt a sudden chill—an inexplicable sense that something ominous was stirring.