Darius put away his bow and fully equipped his two daggers.
The former knight rushed straight toward Graihan and launched series of powerful slashes at the 4-star.
My middle-aged comrade could not land a single hit on the agile lycanthrope.
But Darius was fully committed fighting Graihan head on.
As the fight continued, the lycanthrope began to overwhelm my comrade.
Darius started to receive some wound as Graihan delivered his swift assaults.
It was then that a knife flew toward Graihan's flank.
The lycanthrope parried the projectile with one hand and used his other one to block Devisha's sudden kick descending from mid-air.
Darius used the opportunity to thrust his dagger toward Graihan's open torso.
The lycanthrope leaped backward to avoid the assault.
But the Tsahanam assassin sent more knives flying toward him.
Her attack was so sudden that it caught Graihan by surprise. One of her projectiles managed to graze him.
['Devisha (★★★)'s Dagger Throwing has levelled up to level 6!]
Keeping the momentum, Devisha pressed on alongside Darius.
The archer went straight at the lycanthrope while the veiled woman dashed to his flank.
Darius attacked Graihan using powerful straightforward movement. While Devisha speedily stabbed at any opening her comrade created.
Graihan received a couple more wounds from this intense pincer assaults.
['Darius (★★★)'s Basic Dagger Technique has levelled up to level 6!]
['Devisha (★★★)'s Basic Dagger Technique has levelled up to level 7!]
['Devisha (★★★)'s Weakness Detection has levelled up to level 2!]
"Haha! That's more like it!"
The lycanthrope shouted in excitement.
As the three continued battling fiercely, Shanny swung her sword at Ulrica once more.
Clash!
The Near-Kin's axe blocked the former maid's powerful strike.
Shanny pulled her sword to launch another attack, but Ulrica immediately drew an arc with her axe, forcing the former maid further back.
My comrade charged at the Near-Kin once again.
A giant axe sped to her flank.
The former maid quickly poised her shield to block.
Clang!
Ulrica easily swept Shanny away with her overpowering move.
My comrade attempted another charge.
But Ulrica disrupted her momentum with a forceful downward swing.
Shanny dashed to the side and avoided the attack.
She pierced her sword toward Ulrica's unguarded oblique.
But the Near-Kin saw the attack coming and immediately made a strong diagonal arc with her axe, parrying Shanny's assault.
Clang!
My comrade was pushed back once more.
None of Shanny's attacks could pass through Ulrica's defenses.
She could not find any opening.
With a grunt, Shanny clenched at her sword and charged at the Near-Kin one more time.
Ulrica saw the former maid speeding up to her. So she made another horizontal arc with her giant axe to impede Shanny's movement.
But Shanny did not slow down.
She went straight to the trajectory of Ulrica's axe.
As Shanny was about to be struck by the Guntur artifact, the former maid bent her body backward and forced her knees to the ground, causing her to slide in a kneeling position.
She barely avoided the passing axe using that stunt.
After successfully dodging the attack, Shanny continued to slide toward Ulrica.
The Near-Kin then quickly pulled her giant axe and swung it downward toward her approaching opponent.
But Shanny forcefully threw her shield at the axe, impeding its movement.
The former maid rushed back to her feet and swung her blade across the Near-Kin's torso.
Lightning flashed on Ulrica's feet and the 4-star sped backward just enough to dodge Shanny's assault.
['Shanny (★★)'s Basic Sword-Shield Technique has levelled up to level 9!]
"You learn fast! Good!"
Ulrica said as she blocked another swift strike from Shanny.
Right beside them, Jonah thrusted his spear toward Djhotti.
The dwarf shifted his halberd slightly and deflected the assault.
Clang!
Djhotti followed his movement by sweeping his polearm under Jonah to unbalance him.
The shepherd responded by hopping to the air and landed right on top of the dwarf's halberd.
His weight pinned the giant weapon still on the ground.
Jonah then poised to stab his spear right at Djhotti's head.
The dwarf, however, channeled great force to his arms and heaved the giant halberd upward.
Jonah's momentum was disrupted and he was thrown off.
The shepherd only had a fraction of a second after his landing to block the dwarf's powerful follow up assault.
Clang!!!
Jonah was pushed several steps back from the recoil of his block.
But he was not intimidated by Djhotti's immense strength.
The shepherd leaped forward and charged at the dwarf once more.
Djhotti swung his halberd to impede Jonah's charge.
My comrade did not attempt to dodge.
He thrusted his spear, channeled enough force just to deflect the halberd away from him.
Clang!
Jonah took a step closer toward Djhotti.
As he was now within the shepherd's attacking range, the dwarf made another low sweep with his halberd again.
Jonah avoided the attack by leaping like before.
But he did not repeat the same stunt by landing on the weapon.
The man went past the halberd and got himself closer to the dwarf.
There were only few steps separating them. Jonah's spear could easily reach Djhotti at that distance.
Seemed like getting really close to his opponent was the shepherd's goal all along.
Jonah suddenly stomped his right foot really hard, planting it firmly on the ground.
He gripped his spear so tightly that all the veins on his arms seemed about to burst.
"Grahh!!!"
The shepherd forcefully thrusted his spear toward Djhotti's torso.
Jonah's movement sequence was so fast that the dwarf could not do anything else but guard himself with the shaft of his weapon.
Clang!!!
Jonah's spear clashed against Djhotti's halberd.
The force my comrade unleashed was so overwhelming that the dwarf was pushed back a step.
A slight scratch was formed on the spot where Jonah's spear struck Djhotti's halberd.
['Jonah (★★)'s Basic Spearmanship has levelled up to level 9!]
['Jonah (★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Thrust Charge'!]
"Impressive! You are becoming a true warrior, shepherd."
Djhotti said to Jonah.
The dwarf then turned to me by the entrance.
"Wouldn't you agree, Great Mage?"
The entire sparring session halted once everyone noticed my presence.
I supposed I might as well interrupt their training and join the conversation.
"What else would he be if not that, Keeper?"
I said to the dwarf with an approving smile.
Jonah chuckled at my words and wiped the sweats off his forehead.
"Are you done with your duties, Fina?"
To nobody's surprise, I shook my head.
"I only just finished the easy work. In fact, I am here to tell you that I'd be preoccupied for the next whole week, if not more."
"Perhaps it can't be helped with Master gone. You do need to take over their duty in leading the lobby."
Jonah said sympathetically.
He continued.
"And if what you said about what ShannyandIsensed was the truth, then it'll be a while yet till you can ease that burden."
Now this was something interesting we discovered after Sigyn left a while back.
That feeling of weakness, pain, and sadness which, at the same time, did not really feel like ours either. A peculiar sensation which origin only led to the mysterious figure that commanded the heroes of the forged land.
I was not the only one who felt that peculiar sensation which was connected to Master.
Jonah and Shanny…
These two 2-stars felt it as well.