The chamber trembled as the Wraith General's health bar dropped to the critical threshold. With a final roar, it slammed its massive greatsword into the stone floor, the impact splitting the ground like a spiderweb. The vibration rattled the pillars around them, dust and debris cascading from the ceiling.
Its golden flame eyes ignited brighter for a moment then turned into raging blood-red embers, blazing like the wrath of a dying sun. The aura it gave off surged outward in a crushing wave of heat and dread, forcing everyone to shield their eyes for an instant.
Kaito's grip tightened on his Solstice Blade. His sharp gaze never left the monster as he spoke firmly, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"It's gone double berserk. Everyone, focus now. No mistakes. Aika keep Hiroto and Daichi health above the critical point."
"Got it!" Aika called back, her staff glowing as healing energy circled around her hands, ready to burst forth at a moment's notice.
The Wraith General's armor groaned as its massive body expanded again, height and bulk swelling until it loomed like a giant above them. Its attributes skyrocketed another fifty percent, its movements and its attack growing sharper and heavier with terrifying speed.
Though the creature lacked the intelligence of a higher rank NPC, some cunning instinct sparked within its hollow form. Its gaze flickered briefly to Kaito, acknowledging him as dangerous. But the fire in its blood-red eyes then swept over the rest of the team. If it could not easily crush Kaito, then it would shatter the others. Even if it fell, if the weaker "ants" were destroyed, its queen would have less to bear.
The Wraith General howled again, its voice a distorted echo, then lunged forward.
Kaito braced himself, lowering his stance as he prepared to intercept. His body flowed naturally into the forms of Basic Swordsmanship, each movement instinctive. But at the last second, the General twisted its greatsword into a feint, its blade flashing away from Kaito and slamming instead toward the duo.
"Hiroto! Daichi!"
The strike landed like thunder. The two frontline defenders barely had a second to react. Hiroto's shield was raised, Daichi's fists glowing with holy energy as he stepped into the blow, but the sheer power overwhelmed them.
The impact blasted them across the chamber.
-1,201! (Hiroto)
-1,353! (Daichi)
Both crashed into the stone wall, coughing blood before Aika's desperate heal light wrapped around them, pulling their health back from the brink.
Aika with a little, panic on her face as her staff pulsed again. But before she could finish her spell, the Wraith General shifted, its blood-red flames blazing hotter as it charged toward the rear line.
Its speed was frightening. Boosted by its second berserk state, its massive frame blurred like a phantom as it tore across the chamber floor. In the span of a heartbeat, it was already upon Nina.
The ice mage's eyes widened, but her hands flew into motion. Frost gathered around her staff. "Frozen Lance!"
A jagged spike of crystal ice materialized and shot forward, colliding with the descending greatsword. The clash sent shards of ice scattering, and the attack was deflected slightly but the monster's immense strength still carried through.
The blade smashed down. Nina screamed as she was hurled through the air, her body slamming against the ground.
-1,089! (Nina)
Her HP bar plummeted, though Aika immediately redirected another heal toward her.
"Damn it!" Raven blade growled. He and Suzune materialized from stealth at the same moment, their daggers flashing like silver serpents. They struck in tandem, blades piercing into the exposed joints of the armor.
-644!
-622!
But the Wraith General barely flinched. It snarled, twisting with inhuman speed. Its greatsword swung in a sweeping arc that forced both thieves to leap back. Then, before they could recover, its massive body flickered in a zigzag motion, blurring between them.
Steel flashed.
Both Suzune and Raven Blade gasped as crimson arcs of damage burst over their heads.
-782! (Suzune)
-816! (Raven Blade)
The monster followed up with a brutal kick, slamming them into the wall. The crack of stone and the sound of their groans filled the air as their HP dropped to a critical level.
Mei rin shouted, loosing arrow after arrow in rapid fire. One of them turned midair, her Twisting Arrow exploding against the General's chest.
-902!
But the General paid no attention. Its massive frame was already rushing forward again, its blood-red flames blazing hotter with every step. This time, it aimed straight for the spellcasters at the rear Kaede and Lucien.
Lucien's staff burned with crimson fire, serpents of flame rising from the floor. "Flame Serpent!"
The flaming serpent lunged toward the Wraith General, jaws wide. But with a single slash, the greatsword cut straight through the flames, dispersing them in a flash of sparks.
Lucien gasped.
Kaede tried to respond instantly, arcs of electricity crackling around his staff. "Lightning Chain!"
Bolts of lightning leapt from the staff, zipping across the air and striking the General's armor. The blast slowed its momentum slightly, arcs of electricity dancing across its blackened frame.
-1,032!
But the monster pressed on, swinging its blade with such speed that Kaede and Lucian could barely raise their defenses.
The strike hit them like a collapsing wall.
-1,142! (Lucien)
-1,009! (Kaede)
Both were hurled through the air, crashing into the floor. Aika's frantic healing light spread again, pulling their HP back just above critical, but the healer's mana reserves were thinning fast.
The Wraith General did not relent. It turned its blazing eyes toward the lone cleric. Aika stood, her staff clutched tightly in both hands while casting heal on others.
It charged. The ground cracked under its feet as it lunged, blade raised high.
But before the weapon could fall, a figure blurred into place.
Kaito.
He planted himself between Aika and the oncoming monster, Solstice Blade raised high. His expression was sharp, but his voice steady.
"You'll face me."
Kaito's feet burned as he forced his body forward, every ounce of focus locked onto the towering knight before him. Wind Veil Step carried him like a swirling gust, Mana Step reinforced his momentum with bursts of spiritual power, and together the combo let him keep pace with the double berserk monster. He would not allow the Wraith General to pass.
Behind him, Aika let out a shaky breath of relief. Her staff glowed constantly, waves of healing light spreading outward to mend Hiroto, Daichi, Nina, Kaede, Lucian, Suzune, and Raven Blade. All of them were bruised, battered, their health dipping dangerously low with every exchange, but Aika's hands never stopped glowing.
The Wraith General's burning gaze kept sliding toward her, its blood-red flame eyes narrowing as though measuring her worth. It ignored Kaito entirely for a moment, its hulking frame shifting as if to lunge past him again. But Kaito was already there, his sword flashing up to intercept.
"You are not getting past me."
He pressed forward, his boots scraping across the broken floor, matching the monster step for step. The Solstice Blade glowed with fiery light, striking again and again. Every slash forced the Wraith General to block or parry. Every thrust kept its eyes on him.
From the side, Mei rin's voice rang out.
"Twisting Arrow!"
A spiraling arrow sliced through the air, glowing with spiritual energy. It drilled into the Wraith General's side, forcing the creature to adjust its stance. Another arrow followed, then another Mei rin loosing one after the other, her shots sharp and precise.
The Wraith General roared in frustration. Its original plan to slaughter the weak first, to leave only Kaito for the last was shattered. The swordsman had seen through him. No matter how he twisted, no matter which direction he lunged, this human swordsman was there.
The blood-red flames blazed hotter. The General's body shook with rage as it brought its greatsword high, its movements suddenly sharper, more deliberate.
If it could not kill the others, then it would crush this one man.
The greatsword came screaming down. Kaito caught it on the Solstice Blade, sparks spraying in all directions as the clash rattled his arms to the bone.
-1,248! (Kaito)
The sheer strength behind the strike nearly buckled his knees, but he forced himself upright, shoving back with everything he had.
And the duel began.
Steel rang against steel again and again. The Wraith General moved with speed that seemed impossible for its massive frame, its blade cutting through the air in heavy arcs and sharp thrusts. Every attack had weight behind it, enough to shatter stone, enough to kill outright.