A mana-charged punch landed squarely on Narisse's stomach, lifting her a few centimeters off the ground. Seraphina did not waste any time and advanced to continue the attack, but Narisse managed to react even while still in the air. She spun her body and cast a spell toward Seraphina with a power similar to the blow she had received. The attack struck her face, causing her skin to begin turning purple almost immediately because of the poison.
"Harmonic Healing."
Seraphina brought her hand to her face and released her magic. The area affected by the poison quickly recovered, leaving her skin completely clean again. At the same time, she spread her magic through the air, creating a safe zone around herself. Within that area, her own magic and that of her allies received an increase in power.
She had done that mainly because she could see, in the distance, the three girls Enrico had introduced along the way. They were having difficulties against one of Elowyn's new subordinates, and Seraphina wanted to make sure she could help them if necessary.
'That is Rank 25, Misa Landris.'
From what Enrico had told her, he had found interesting allies who could be useful if Elowyn continued bringing more people into the battle.
'They are doing well against Rank 25.'
Seraphina could also see Serenya fighting Rank 19, Kirk Messon. From the way Serenya attacked, it was obvious that she did not like that boy at all.
Seraphina turned her attention back to Narisse the instant she opened her mouth and spat out a large amount of poison. A harmonic barrier appeared in front of her, blocking the attack before it could reach her. Further behind, Aoi prevented Lan and Jorge from approaching the place where Enrico was fighting.
Enrico had ordered Yumeha, Rina, and Grakka to proceed to the finish line before Class S while he dealt with his own affairs.
'I don't blame him. I also want to settle my problems with the one in front of me.'
Narisse began releasing poison throughout her entire body. The substance flowed down her skin and spread around her, forming an increasingly dense mist. Then, with a sudden explosion, a huge amount of poison was launched in every direction, completely covering the area where the two were.
"You're very brave for a commoner who was fooled so easily."
Narisse's voice seemed to come from everywhere at the same time. The mist made it impossible to determine exactly where she would attack from, but Seraphina did not panic. Instead, she closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated her magic.
She managed to sense the attack coming from behind.
Seraphina spun her body and raised her leg at the exact moment Narisse emerged from the mist. Her kick struck her opponent directly in the face, making her retreat several steps.
"How?"
"Harmonic Magic: Division of Senses."
The technique allowed Seraphina to share with an enemy whose senses she had touched, allowing her to perceive certain information through them. That was why the mist could not completely deceive her.
Seraphina extended one of her hands and concentrated magic in her palm.
"Painful Resonance."
A wave of energy struck Narisse head-on. The girl was thrown against the ground, and her ears began to bleed from the impact of the technique. Seraphina advanced a few steps, but immediately realized that Narisse was increasing even further the amount of poison spread around them.
She had to use half of her magic just to maintain her protection against that substance.
'I have to help the princess too.'
Seraphina's nose began to bleed. The poison's potency had increased considerably, and the barrier protecting her body could no longer block everything.
"Looks like you're desperate."
"Shut up."
Narisse swung her arms and made the poisonous mist begin circulating around the two of them. The poison transformed into a kind of cyclone that spun faster and faster, becoming more dangerous as a greater amount of the substance accumulated in the air.
Seraphina had recently learned a little Wind Magic from the Zero Circle and now used its basic principles to improve her own compatible magic. By observing the way the poison was being moved, she realized that Narisse was using wind to increase the efficiency of her technique.
"Koff!"
Seraphina coughed, and blood flowed from her mouth. The situation was beginning to become truly dangerous, but despite that, her confident smile did not disappear.
She remained still for a few seconds, allowing part of the poison to continue entering her body.
Then she advanced.
"As if I would let you."
Seraphina spun her hand, and a whirlwind of poison appeared in front of her. The poisonous mass advanced violently and struck her body. She raised both arms to protect herself and remained firm, enduring the impact while the poison covered part of her body.
Narisse watched that with a cruel smile. To her, Seraphina was already reaching her limit.
"You should have stayed hidden instead of coming to fight us. Now your life is going to be worse than—"
Narisse stopped speaking when blood began coming from her mouth. A burning sensation spread throughout her entire body, accompanied by severe dizziness. She placed a hand over her chest and took a few steps backward, trying to see through her blurred vision.
That was when Seraphina appeared in front of her.
Her kick struck Narisse's head and made her hit the ground. Before she could regain her balance, Seraphina stomped hard on her head, causing the ground beneath her to crack.
"You must be wondering, aren't you? Don't worry. It's just a magic that makes my enemy feel the same thing I'm feeling."
"Ah!... What do you mean?... I'm only immune to my own poison!"
Seraphina responded by raising her foot and striking Narisse's face. The girl's nose began to bleed, and shortly afterward, Seraphina grabbed her hair and pulled hard, forcing her head upward.
"We can say that I'm simply transferring the damage I suffered to you, not your poison."
Narisse tried to react, but Seraphina gave her no room. She took out a piece of cloth she had brought with her and placed it over Narisse's mouth before tying it firmly.
She had brought it exactly for that moment.
Only Seraphina knew how much she had waited since she finally found the courage to face Narisse. Only she knew how much she had anticipated that moment. The humiliation, pain, fear, shame, and all the other feelings she had carried for so long because of her and Elowyn were returning at that moment.
This time, however, Seraphina did not want to run away.
She moved closer to Narisse's ear and whispered:
"If you remove this mist covering the two of us, I'll kill you! So clench those teeth tightly, because besides inhaling this poison for you, I'm going to repay every favor you did for me during my childhood."
'Don't just make her suffer. Kill her.'
Over the last few days, Seraphina had been realizing that her thoughts were becoming far too dark. And the more she thought about them, the worse they became. The only way she found to push them away was to remember her parents or Enrico.
Even so, at that moment, she felt that if she could take all that anger out on Narisse, perhaps she could finally relieve some of the weight she had been carrying.
'No. I don't know how Enrico will react, so I won't do that.'
Seraphina tightened her grip on Narisse's hair even further and raised her arm, preparing to continue.
She wanted to make sure that Narisse would be afraid of her.
Meanwhile, in another part of the battlefield, Serenya continued facing Kirk.
"Serenya, what do you think you're doing? I'm your husband!"
Serenya controlled Kirk's body and threw him from one side to the other against the walls. The person standing before her was precisely the one her mother wanted her to marry.
No way.
She would never marry someone so weak.
Kirk managed to regain his balance and immediately used his Sound Magic to disorient her. The attack made Serenya lose her perception for a few moments, and Kirk took advantage of the opportunity to appear behind her and try to grab her.
Before he could touch her, however, he received a kick that pushed him away.
Irritation took over his face.
No woman could resist him for long, and the fact that Serenya continued facing him in that manner was a humiliation he was unwilling to accept.
"Your family needs mine. So why don't you just accept your fate?"
"First, because you are far too weak and pathetic for someone at my level."
"YOU..."
Kirk accumulated magic in one of his hands and launched a powerful sound wave forward. The impact destroyed all the rocks in its path, reducing them to pieces.
He expected Serenya to finally understand her position.
But she remained in front of him.
"I'm going to have to educate—"
Kirk felt an overwhelming pressure coming from both sides of his body. It was as if invisible walls were compressing his body.
Serenya raised her hands and made a square with her fingers, causing the pressure to increase even further.
"Aaaahhh!"
"And second, I already have someone in mind, and he is far above you."
Kirk disappeared before Serenya could continue the attack. Only then did she realize how close she had come to killing him.
'If this marriage alliance had worked. Without a doubt, I would have killed him at some point.'
When she was near him, she felt an almost immediate urge to vomit.
Serenya brought a hand to her own cheek while reflecting on the matter.
"Should I propose marriage to my subordinate right away... should I call him Enrico now? Since we're going to get married... Maybe husband?"
It was then that she noticed the huge cloud of poison where Seraphina was fighting.
Without hesitation, Serenya decided to go there. She really wanted to get closer to Seraphina, even knowing that she was a rival. After all, if the two became closer, Enrico would certainly be happy.
"Seraphina, do you need help?"
"Thank you, but I'm already finished."
The mist began to disappear, revealing Seraphina. There were injuries scattered across her body, but she was already healing them with her Harmonic Healing.
Serenya was relieved to see her like that. Seraphina's smile was as timid as always, so she decided not to ask how the fight had gone. She did not want to make her uncomfortable after what had probably happened inside that mist.
"Where is Enrico?"
The two immediately began looking for him, but they found no one.
It seemed that everyone had disappeared from that location.
The battle between them had probably been moved somewhere else.