"Now. Keep pressing," Kaito said.
He stepped in first. His blade moved in short, clean lines that bit at the collar seam, the wrist joint, and the narrow slot under the rib plate.
–292
–318
–304
Hiroto matched Kaito's left side and took a small sweep on his shield so Kaito could work without interruption. The General tried to drag the blade across both of them, but Kaito shifted his stance and shaved the edge wide, then drew a firm diagonal along the helm ridge.
–332
"Raven Blade, right. Suzune, left. Same rhythm," Kaito said.
Raven Blade blurred forward and stabbed twice behind the thigh plate where the runes had scorched.
–346
–372
Suzune again crossed her dual blades at the pauldron seam and drew a quick V that tugged the armor open for a breath.
–392
Nina stepped closer to the line and swept her staff down. "Frozen Domain." A ring of frost spread across the floor under the Wraith General. The glide lost a shade of speed and the next lift of the sword grew heavier.
–176, –176
"Good," Kaito said, reading the beat. "Casters, work the gap."
Lucien's staff flared. "Infernal Arrow." The burning shot pierced the eye slit and flared in the helm.
–724
Kaede followed in the same breath with "Lightning Chain." The spark jumped from helm to shoulder and back, making the armor twitch.
–420
Mei rin used a light gust from Wind weaver Form to bend two arrows through tight gaps as the guard rose.
–208
–224
The Wraith General snarled and swept the greatsword in a hard side cut. Kaito turned the flat of his blade against it, knocking the line lower. Hiroto tilted his shield and absorbed the leftover force without losing stance.
–210
"Stable," Aika said. A small heal pulsed across Hiroto to keep his bar topped.
Kaito cut twice to reset the timing, then chained a skill the moment the guard rose too high. "Cross Slash." The double arc drew a bright X across the chest.
–328
–506
Raven Blade slipped a neat puncture at the end of Kaito's motion.
–364
Suzune raked the wrist so the sword lift stayed slow.
–388
Nina planted her staff and called, "Glacial Spike." A thick spike of ice burst up at the General's leading foot and pinned it a fraction longer than usual.
–236
Lucien rode the pause with a tight "Flame Serpent." Fire climbed the armor and burst near the helm seam.
–676
Kaede added a careful "Static Pulse" to keep pressure without pulling the eyes.
–384
Mei rin's next arrow struck the glowing runes and made them sputter.
–236
The HP moved in steady steps. 110,000… 106,000… 102,000.
The Wraith General dragged the blade point-first and ripped it up. A crescent of shadow tore across the circle like a thrown blade. Kaito slid inside the arc. Hiroto stepped in front of Aika and the casters and took the wave on the shield with no stumble.
–330
"Good cover," Kaito said. "Keep the angles."
He tapped three weak points in a smooth sequence. Neck ring. Elbow seam. Lower rib.
–307
–296
–314
They gave no chance to the wraith general.
Nina lifted her staff again. "Frozen Lance." A sharp, narrow icicle streaked across the gap and drilled into the chest plate during the guard shift.
–228
The bar ticked. 98,000… 94,000… 90,000.
The General tried to bully Kaito straight back with raw weight. Kaito let the greatsword slide along his blade and bury into the stone, then struck the guard hand to keep the helm turned toward him.
–318
"Chance," Kaito called.
Nina sent a second Frozen Lance to the same seam.
–232
Lucien launched an Infernal Arrow that landed a breath after the lance struck.
–736
Kaede chained a safe Lightning Chain.
–428
Raven Blade and Suzune crossed in perfect timing, one low and one high, so the boss could not decide which angle to correct first.
–352
–396
Mei rin placed a shaft into the blue light of the eye slit.
–232
The health fell to 86,000.
The Wraith General slammed the blade again, cracking the floor. It hauled the weapon up for a rising cut. Kaito used a short Mana Step to slide past the line and clipped the helm with a fast strike while it recovered.
–322
Hiroto clipped the shoulder with a quick shield edge to keep the blade from turning toward the back line.
–192
Aika's small heal kept him above the danger line.
Kaito lifted his sword and swept a hot arc. "Flame Arc Slash." Fire scraped across the chest and hissed in the runes.
–612
Raven Blade dug a dagger between plates and twisted.
–382
Suzune cut two clean lines along the same seam before the armor closed.
–400
–396
Nina reset the floor slow. "Glacial Prision." The thin frost re-formed under the boss.
–176, –176
Lucien answered with another Flame Burst into the slight stagger.
–742
Kaede followed with Static Pulse.
–388
Mei rin loosed a split-shot that curved and tapped under the rim of the helm.
–244
The HP slid to 80,000.
"Keep the pace," Kaito said. "Do not rush."
The Wraith General spun a heavy horizontal cut. Kaito met it on the flat, turned it down, and answered with a sharp line at the helm ridge.
–336
Hiroto stepped in and took a short chop to hold the front tight.
–210
Raven Blade found a tiny gap at the knee and opened it with two quick stabs.
–356
–344
Suzune crossed the wrist again and forced the sword to rise slower than the boss wanted.
–388
"Frozen Domain," Nina said, voice steady. Rings of ice snapped around the General's torso and sword arm. The hold was brief against a Lord Rank, but it bought a clean second of control.
–200, –200
Lucien punished the bind with an Infernal Arrow that burst at the chest seam.
–748
Kaede used Lightning Chain for controlled pressure.
–416
Mei rin slipped an arrow along the line Aika's healing glow had marked as safe.
–228
The bar dipped. 76,000… 72,000… 68,000.
The General dragged the blade and hurled another shadow crescent. Kaito cut through the edge of it to blunt the wave and closed the distance again. Two quick normal hits reset the tempo.
–312
–298
Nina called, "Frozen Lance," and pinned the next turn at the elbow.
–236
"Good timing," Kaito said.
Lucien landed a precise Infernal Arrow again at the end of Kaito's third cut.
–730
Kaede answered with a short chain that did not pull the eyes.
–420
Raven Blade's daggers flashed twice.
–368
–352
Suzune's blades crossed and lifted off a plate edge.
–392
Mei rin's arrow followed the lift and slipped in.
–236
Aika found a breath between heals. "Radiant Light." Holy power washed over the boss and left a clean scorch across the chest.
–268
The Wraith General hissed and slammed down again. Cracks spread from the blade point. Kaito slid right and punished the recovery with a strong diagonal.
–334
Hiroto kept the front safe with a controlled shield catch.
–204
"Press," Kaito said.
He cut low, high, and middle in a smooth set.
–326
–343
–351
Nina raised both hands. "Glacial Spike." A thick shard erupted beside the boss and smashed into the guard wrist like a hammer of ice.
–260
Lucien's Flame Serpent climbed after the spike and burst near the helm.
–684
Kaede sent Static Pulse as soon as the fire cleared.
–388
Mei rin put a straight shot into the eye slit.
–240
The HP fell to 64,000.
The eye flames burned hotter. New lines of light crawled under the runes. The boss drove forward, but spacing and the slow from Frozen Domain kept it from reaching the back line. Kaito blocked its vision like a metronome. Each time it tried to turn, he tapped the guard hand or helm to pull it back.
Nina refreshed the slow at the edge of the circle. "Frozen Domain."
–176
Lucien followed with a clean Flame Burst.
–738
Kaede kept safe pressure with Lightning Chain.
–416
Raven Blade tugged at balance from the right.
–374
Suzune shaved the wrist from the left.
–396
Mei rin clipped the eye slit again.
–232
The bar ticked to 62,000.