The air suddenly grew heavier. In the midst of the sudden silence, two unfamiliar figures emerged—like shadows tearing through the calm forest night.
Miza and Guillard lay on the ground—gravely wounded, their breaths ragged, blood staining the earth and fallen branches.
Zeo narrowed his eyes, rage flaring as he spun around.
Standing atop a large boulder was a tall man with short white hair, piercing eyes, and a condescending smirk. A sword wrapped in cloth was strapped to his back. Not far from him, a woman leaned against a large tree branch above where Takk stood. Her long silvery-blue hair swayed in the wind, as cold and sharp as her gaze.
Even Erik, Brug, and Takk fell silent for a moment.
"Oi, buddy," the man called out with a raised hand, staring at Zeo's group. "Ganging up on the weak? That's… pretty cowardly."
Zeo gently laid Alice near Ravyn and stepped forward. "Who are you?"
But instead, both strangers responded—almost in unison.
"Who are you? Forest bandits, huh?" the man asked.
"And what business do you have colluding with Djinn-kind? … Elves, dwarves, even Ifrit," the woman added coldly.
Confusion spread across Zeo's group.
"What do you mean?" Zeo asked again, more seriously this time.
The woman scoffed. "No time for talk. Let's erase them. Including those damned Djinn."
"Ahahaha, still so impatient, huh?" the man chuckled, glancing sideways.
Without warning, the two shot forward—like lightning cleaving the night.
The forest, once filled with groaning beasts and battle cries, fell into a new kind of silence—the heavy, electric stillness that comes right before a storm. Even the leaves seemed to tremble. It wasn't just their speed or their aura that was terrifying—it was the certainty in their eyes. These weren't ordinary enemies. They came with purpose, conviction… and perhaps, judgment. For a brief second, everyone watching felt it: the line between predator and prey had been redrawn.
---
The man leapt down from the rock, aiming straight for Guillard. But before he could reach the dwarf, Zeo was already there.
Fist met arm.
BRAK!
The mysterious man staggered back, briefly surprised… before breaking into a low laugh. Zeo stood his ground, still breathing hard—his body not yet fully recovered from the poison.
"Not bad. I guess you're the leader," the man remarked.
Zeo clenched his fists. "I don't understand what you're talking about, but this fight has nothing to do with you."
"That's exactly the kind of thing cowardly bandits would say," the man sneered.
They clashed in close combat—quick punches, low kicks, sweeping counters. Each move met its match.
Then, the man suddenly infused his fist with magic.
Skill: Wind Punch
A spiral of wind blasted toward Zeo, dense and fast. Zeo twisted to dodge, but his weakened state slowed him. The attack grazed him and sent him slightly flying.
But that wasn't enough to stop Zeo. He spun midair, then lunged with a knee strike aimed at the man's gut—charged with a burst of energy.
THUD!
The man caught it with both hands, but the impact cracked the ground beneath them. With every blow exchanged, the air trembled and the earth quaked.
Even in less-than-perfect condition, Zeo's close-combat prowess gave him the edge, slowly pushing the man back.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side—
The woman darted toward Miza, her hand forming sharp ice in the air, aimed at the elf's heart.
But—
FWOOSH!
A burst of fire exploded.
Kozmo appeared, flames roaring from both arms. His entire body blazed with crimson heat.
"Not so fast," he muttered, unleashing a wave of fire to push the woman back.
She raised a shield of water, instantly dousing the flames.
They locked eyes—both realizing the other was their natural enemy.
The woman shifted her focus and targeted Kozmo. She hurled three ice spears in a blink. Kozmo dodged, but she was already closing the gap. She raised her right hand and pointed directly at him.
Elemental Magic - Water Type : Medium Water Ball
A massive sphere of water, 10 meters in diameter, launched at close range with blinding speed. Kozmo leapt upward, but the bottom half of his body was struck. It weakened his lower limbs.
He wondered how she could summon such a huge water spell so quickly—then he noticed the nearby river. It boosted her water magic significantly. This was her domain.
A serious challenge for Kozmo. For now, he needed to play it safe and focus on dodging.
She pressed the advantage relentlessly, making full use of the water-rich terrain.
Kozmo danced through the trees, flames swirling around him as he dodged her magic. She answered with spiral ice blasts, freezing parts of the forest.
Clash!
Fire and ice collided. Steam filled the air, vision blurred by mist—but their silhouettes kept moving inside the fog. Or rather, Kozmo was being driven back.
Not far away—
Brug spotted Guillard, leg broken and barely moving. An opening.
"Your turn!" he roared.
Brug jumped high, Vita energy channeling into his fist, forming a dense wave.
Despite the pain, Guillard wasn't afraid. He smiled weakly. His leg was broken—but not his arm.
He grabbed a chunk of rock from the ground.
CRASH!
Brug struck—but Guillard rolled slightly to the side and hurled the rock at point-blank range.
The pain in his leg dulled his aim—the throw wasn't perfect. Brug staggered, but not much.
Brug charged again. Guillard focused on defense and countering. A brutal clash of physical might resumed—one fighter limping, the other furious.
---
Takk, agile and fast, also spotted his moment. He zipped between the roots, heading for Miza—who was clutching her bleeding arm.
"You can't hide now, haha!" Takk mocked.
But what he saw wasn't Miza.
Swoosh! Leaves fluttered from the bushes.
Skill : Nature Illusion.
But Takk didn't fall for it. He caught the scent of real blood—faint but distinct. He spun—and there was Miza, right behind him, using the same trick.
Takk drew three throwing knives and flung them. Miza blocked two—one struck his shoulder. He gritted her teeth, but didn't stop smiling.
The battle turned into a deadly dance of illusions and agility.
---
Four battles. Four fronts. Yet all deeply connected.
The next act had only just begun.
---