A red magic circle appeared around each of them. The two didn't feel anything different, but Enrico simply lay down on the stairs with his arms behind his head, watching the fight continue.
'That boy… what did he do?'
Cavirieth analyzed the situation, trying to figure out what that unusual magic circle could be. Narrowing his eyes further, he noticed tiny particles in the air gathering toward the circle, while something seemed to seep into the legs of the two fighters.
'He's not giving them more power… this boy isn't thinking…'
The two didn't feel anything very different in their bodies. The only thing they felt was a brief, cold sensation of healing for a moment.
'I can get up now.'
'I expected nothing less from my best human friend.'
They moved just in time to dodge the attacks from the two elven guards, leaving both of them surprised. For some reason, the two elves didn't understand what had happened. Thalen looked toward Cavirieth—this elf was well known in the Elf Dimension, so why were the two guards ignoring his presence?
'Maybe this protection prevents those two elves from sensing anything other than their opponents…'
Thalen was right in his thoughts. This magic used as protection around them prevented anything inside from interfering with, seeing, hearing, or sensing anything outside. Moreover, its caster could choose who would be able to see, interfere, and so on.
'If that's the case, then he must have allowed us to know everything that was happening outside.'
Thalen's intelligence really was impressive for deducing that, but there was still something hidden in that magic. It could also deceive those inside—for example, Cavirieth had thought about creating an illusion of them dying so the guards would think they had won.
'I was thinking of interfering even though they aren't as strong as the others, but now I'm curious to see what that boy did.'
"Maximum Furious Attack!"
Grakka launched a powerful attack toward the two elves. They were forced to dodge, each moving to opposite sides.
"Grakka, leave the spear guy to m—"
"You are my opponent."
Ignoring her elven friend, Grakka moved straight toward the spear-wielding guard. This man was her opponent and the one blocking her path, so no one else would interfere in her fight.
'Damn it, if we switched opponents it would be better, since I noticed that elf is the third fastest here.'
Compared to the spear user, the guard in front of him was just as fast but dealt less damage, which would be perfect for Grakka to endure with her resistance magic and land a decisive blow.
'The only problem is that I forgot I'm friends with an orc.'
He had to abandon that idea, not only because of Grakka. Enrico, on the stairs, was wagging his finger, signaling that he didn't want him to do that.
'Looks like he wants me to overcome my obstacle… well, if he believes in that, I'll try to be a little braver.'
Both Grakka and Thalen moved toward their respective opponents, and the magic circles followed every step they took without missing a single moment.
The spear-wielding guard advanced with his body leaning forward, the tip of the weapon vibrating with compressed mana. The attack wasn't just fast—it was more precise than before. The thrust tore through the air at a low angle, aiming for the abdomen, which Grakka managed to evade. Then the guard followed up with an instant spin aimed at her neck.
"No way."
The Asterion Axe met the spear in a dry clash, and this time the sound was different—deeper, heavier. Grakka's arm still felt the impact, but her feet didn't give way like before. The force needed to hold the blow felt… smaller, and she didn't even notice it.
"Furious Spin."
Spinning her body, she countered with a lateral strike infused with Fury magic, the axe cutting through the air in a wider arc. The guard stepped back an entire step—something that hadn't happened before from a simple attack. The Fury magic pulsed, not exploding, but flowing more steadily through the blade.
"Where do you think you're running? I won't let you."
She chased him with a burst of speed, while on the other side Thalen moved at the exact moment the second guard attacked. The irregular blades came in a rapid sequence, too fast to be tracked by mages of a lower or equal level. Thalen threw himself backward, using a short gust of wind to alter his body's trajectory. The strike passed just centimeters from his chest.
'That was close—but now it's my turn.'
The mana leaves condensed almost by reflex, forming a green slash that grazed the elf's shoulder. It wasn't deep, but it was stronger than his previous attacks. The impact made the guard lose his balance for a moment. With eyes wide open, the second guard assumed a defensive stance.
'He got faster?'
'She got stronger?'
Those were also the thoughts of the first guard, though in a different way. Grakka advanced and retreated, alternating heavy blows with solid defenses. The axe seemed to respond better to her intentions, vibrating less chaotically and more like a natural extension of her body. Each impact made the spear guard more cautious, more defensive.
'Even so, I won't lose to brute strength from inferior orcs.'
Still, he was experienced. An unexpected spin of the spear struck Grakka's shoulder, partially piercing her magical defense. The impact sent her sliding several meters backward, carving the ground with her feet. The pain came strong—but it didn't knock her down.
"You really are… a good step on my path."
"What?"
Grakka lifted her head, and that small part of her orc personality slipped from her mouth like a monster wanting to devour its opponent. It was frightening and made the elf sweat a little.
"So that's what you did? How did you create this?"
Cavirieth had approached Enrico, eyes wide as he saw those two somehow managing to fight such opponents. Of course, he had deduced what was happening, but it was still unbelievable.
"I already told you, it's just a little push."
"A little push? Please, boy, this is more than that—much more."
Thalen was forced against the wall of the field by an aggressive sequence. The elf's blades cut the air with deadly precision, forcing him to expend wind just to avoid being hit. His stealth wavered, failing for brief fractions of a second. Even so, he managed to escape—not with a desperate leap, but with a cleaner, more efficient movement. The wind responded with less delay. The leaves formed with less effort.
"These magic circles are making them evolve little by little… so tell me, boy, what are you planning to do?"
Enrico's eyes went slightly empty for just a second before a faint glimmer returned. This magic was the enhancement magic circle he had created at a new level. During those months, he had focused heavily on developing his own abilities and that circle to strengthen his companions. And this was the first time he had used it.
"Me? Well, I'm going to use this idiotic idea of yours to develop them to the maximum… so tell me, reckless elf. Who will evolve first? The guards, or my companions?"
That idea was somewhat absurd in Cavirieth's mind, but it excited him greatly. It seemed he had found something to entertain himself today.
"Hahaha, you're a monster, boy."
"A monster…"
Not caring much about those words, Enrico refocused on the fight taking place. This was necessary for this world to be saved. That was why he needed to sacrifice so much and always come up with ways to make others stronger.
'I'm creating something good, but it's still far from what I want.'
Within Enrico's eyes, the emptiness seemed to grow and ripple at the same time, like an endless lake. Without a doubt, he would survive, and he would certainly go farther—farther and farther. That was his idea of growing even more.
'So I'll use this so I can grow as well and be able to kill Jago and the evil gods.'
[…You know, for the first time, I agree with this elf.]