The two elven guards advanced at the same time. Their presence was different from before. The mana, which initially seemed controlled, now became aggressive, almost unstable. The proximity to the sixth circle made their power fluctuate, as if they were on the verge of a forced evolutionary leap driven by combat. Grakka felt it the instant the first impact struck her axe as it collided with the first elf's spear.
"I'll kill you, you bunch of rats."
"You'll regret hitting me, orc."
Preparing a second attack, the elf's spear came down in a precise arc, charged with compressed mana. Grakka raised the Asterion Axe to block once again, but the shock made her arms tremble violently. The impact didn't throw her backward—it forced her into the ground. Her boots sank into the stone, cracks spreading around her feet.
"Fury Magic: Counterattack."
The axe exploded with mana, and the Fury magic answered the threat like a cornered beast. The reddish glow intensified, pulsing to the rhythm of Grakka's heart. She forced her body to move, twisting her torso and ripping the spear aside, opening space with pure brute force.
'My chance.'
Before she could advance, the second guard emerged from her blind spot. The irregular blades cut through the air in perfect sequence, each strike aiming for joints, vital points, and posture gaps. Grakka tried to keep up, but immediately noticed the technical difference. Each attack forced a slight retreat, each defense cost her more stamina than it should have. The second guard took advantage of the moment to retrieve the spear from the ground while she defended as best she could.
'This guy's weapon technique is absurd.'
The air around the two shifted slightly, something the second guard noticed before the other two, but even so—a blade of wind cut through his shoulder. Not deep, but precise enough to tear muscle and briefly interrupt the flow of mana. Mana leaves appeared around him, spinning like living fragments.
"Leaf Magic: Mana Interruption."
Thalen had disappeared again. He never stayed in one place long enough for the two guards to locate him.
'Using my unique ability this many times is exhausting, but I have to win this fight.'
His stealth ability was at its absolute limit. He moved between air currents, using minimal gusts of wind to alter his trajectory, muffling all sound, erasing his intent. Even so, each use drained his concentration rapidly. Maintaining two magics while moving with his unique ability demanded absurd control.
The injured guard reacted violently. A burst of mana erupted from his body, sweeping the ground around him. The mana interruption magic only lasted a few seconds since it wasn't perfect yet, so the guard managed to use mana again. Thalen was thrown backward without even being directly seen. His body rolled across the stone, leaves dissolving into unstable mana particles.
"This annoying technique really shows that you're a coward."
"…coward…"
Thalen struggled to get back up. He remembered that he truly had been a coward at the academy. Without the courage to face Elowyn, he had only waited for someone strong to appear and defeat her.
'And they really did appear… he interested her so much that she even forgot about me… but even now, fighting at his side—'
His gaze turned toward where Enrico was. He had stopped praying and was simply sitting on a step leading to the second floor.
'I don't want to lose.'
Thalen felt his chest burn as he took a defensive stance. Sighing, he broke into a smile of acceptance.
"Maybe I really am a coward—but I'll be a coward who defeats you."
"How ridiculous."
They resumed fighting. Meanwhile, Grakka was being brutally pressured. The spear-wielding guard had completely changed his combat style. The attacks now came in long sequences with no openings, each thrust accompanied by mana vibrations that tried to pierce physical defense and strike directly at muscles and bones.
"Counterattack."
Countering, the axe came down with full force, loaded with accumulated Fury. The blow landed cleanly, shattering the elf's magical defense and hurling him against the wall of the containment field. The stone gave way, and the impact echoed through the hall.
'What a troublesome magic from this orc—I need to think of something.'
The elf staggered back to his feet, spitting blood, the aura around his body more intense than before. Mana swirled chaotically, as if his body were trying to force a premature evolution.
Grakka felt a slight shiver. The Asterion Axe had a trait of demanding more when its wielder was strong, and it trembled more and more, demanding more Fury, more emotion, more rage. The problem was that her body was starting to lag behind. Her muscles burned, her joints ached, and her breathing grew uneven.
'Damn it, I can't keep up with the axe. It's getting stronger and stronger, but I'm falling behind.'
On the other side, Thalen reappeared behind the second guard, trying to finish it quickly. Wind blades formed in sequence, accompanied by condensed leaf spikes. The attack was good—but not enough.
"Useless."
The elf spun at the last instant, using his own wound as an anchor to release a wave of mana that tore through the surrounding air. Thalen was slammed into the ground violently once again, the impact knocking the air from his lungs.
'Damn, damn, damn.'
He tried to get up immediately, but his body failed. His legs trembled, and his stealth began to falter for fractions of a second—tiny, almost imperceptible lapses. But against someone close to the sixth circle, that was enough. The second guard immediately raised his blade for the finishing blow.
"Elven friend!"
Grakka charged like a red projectile, the Asterion Axe wrapped in almost liquid Fury. The impact deflected the blade, creating a crater between the two, and the shock sent both flying in opposite directions. Grakka dropped to her knees, her axe still vibrating, but her body screamed for rest. The limit was close—dangerously close. Thalen was still on the ground, unable to get up properly.
"It's over, you bunch of rats."
"You lasted quite a while, actually."
The two guards advanced again. Their mana surged uncontrollably, cracking the containment field and forcing the runes to react on their own. It was clear that this battle would not end cleanly.
"Looks like it's over."
They were now at a crossroads, and Cavirieth seemed to have seen enough—until Enrico raised a finger.
"You've gotten stronger, but you're about to evolve, so I'll give you a push."