Kaito's eyes sharpened. He could not waste even a breath.
The mana beneath his boots surged as he activated Wind Veil Steps and Mana Steps together. His body blurred into motion, streaking across the marble floor like a shadow carried by a storm. The distance between him and the Queen vanished in seconds.
At the same time, he raised his blade. Fire spiraled along its edge, blazing until the entire sword glowed red. With a single swing he unleashed Flame Arc Slash. The fiery crescent roared forward, cutting across the throne room toward the Mist Queen.
The Queen's amethyst eyes glimmered as the flame lit the air. She lifted her staff with one hand, her movements elegant and unhurried despite the speed of the incoming strike. Dark energy gathered at the tip, then twisted into sharp air currents. With a flick of her wrist, she released a Wind Blade.
The two skills collided in the center of the chamber.
The flaming crescent and the slicing wind struck each other with a deafening crack. For a moment the fire pushed forward, only to be carved apart by the wind. Then the blade of air shattered, torn apart by flame. The two forces consumed each other and disappeared in an explosion of sparks and heat.
But by the time the skills broke even, Kaito had already reached the Queen. He burst through the fading sparks with his sword raised high.
His blade blurred. Eight sword shadows flashed across the air, each strike coming from a different angle. They cut down toward her torso, her arms, her legs, every weak point he could find. The speed of his attacks left afterimages, the sound of steel whistling through the air like storm winds.
The Mist Queen's eyes narrowed. She brought her staff before her and a translucent barrier of shadow flared into being. Kaito's first three strikes slammed into it, sending ripples across its surface. Cracks spiderwebbed along the barrier. His fourth strike pierced through, shattering the defense. The remaining slashes tore through, forcing the Queen to shift backward on her throne.
Her robes snapped in the wind created by his attacks. She raised her staff high, amethyst eyes glowing brighter as her fury deepened.
"Arrogant creature," she hissed, her voice echoing across the chamber.
She struck forward with her staff. Dark energy surged from the crystal at its tip, shaping into lances of shadow that rained down toward Kaito. He twisted aside, his boots skidding across the floor. A lance struck where he had just been, the impact carving a crater into the marble.
Kaito's heart pounded. He lunged again, bringing his blade down in another furious set of slashes. The Queen countered, her staff moving faster than her appearance suggested. Sparks flew as steel and crystal clashed.
The two began a brutal exchange, blades and spells crossing in rapid succession.
Kaito struck with fierce precision, his sword glowing with elemental energy as he alternated between fiery slashes and swift thrusts. Sword shadows filled the air, aimed at her shoulders, chest, and legs. Each attack carried weight, forcing her to guard constantly.
The Queen answered with spell after spell. Shadow bolts erupted from her staff. Dark flame whipped out in arcs. Barriers of ice and shields of wind appeared to block his strikes, only to shatter under the relentless pressure. She moved with both grace and rage, her every motion infused with authority as if she truly were defending her throne.
Steel met magic in a clash that shook the throne room.
Kaito's blade split through another barrier and grazed her shoulder, black smoke rising from the wound. The Mist Queen hissed, her health bar flickering as it dropped.
[HP: 1,298,000 / 1,442,000]
Her health had already fallen below ninety percent.
But Kaito was not unscathed. Every time he dodged, another spell grazed him. One bolt of shadow scraped his arm, burning the skin beneath his armor. A lash of lightning struck his chest, sending pain through his body. And when he was half a step too slow, a blast of necrotic energy exploded at his feet, knocking him off balance.
His HP also dropped sharply, leaving only half.
His breath came heavy. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he tightened his grip on the Solstice Blade and the Dragon Fang. He could not back down.
The Mist Queen's eyes glowed brighter, her voice rising into a furious cry. She raised her staff high, mana gathering in waves around her. Dark energy pulsed outward, filling the chamber with suffocating pressure.
Kaito staggered under the weight of it. He gritted his teeth and forced his body to move, his steps quick and precise as he circled to the side. He struck again, slashing toward her ribs. She blocked with her staff, the clash sending a shockwave through the air.
The two locked eyes for a moment,
Then the Queen unleashed another surge of magic, blasting him back across the floor. He skidded on his boots, his body trembling from the impact. His HP bar dipped dangerously low.
He wasted no time. Pulling a vial from his belt, he popped the cork and downed a Minor Regeneration Potion. The cool energy spread through his body, which started restoring his health as the green light flickered across his frame.
Kaito exhaled as his body steadied. His eyes narrowing as he looked at the Queen near her throne.
There could be no hesitation.
His boots slammed against the marble as he activated Wind Veil Steps and Mana Steps together once more. His figure blurred into lightning speed as he lunged again toward the Mist Queen, refusing to give her another chance to regain control.
Kaito steadied his breath and raised his blade. Sparks of lightning began to gather around him, swirling faster and faster until the air cracked with thunder.
"Odin's Wrath."
The first strike fell like a bolt from the heavens, his sword glowing as it carved through the Queen's barrier and struck her directly.
[–2,187]
The second strike followed instantly, heavier than the first, a flash of blue lightning exploding across her body.
[–3,024]
The third strike ripped downward, lightning coiling around his blade as the impact tore into her robes and burned her flesh.
[–4,156]
The final strike was the heaviest. Kaito brought his sword down with both hands, a storm of thunder exploding on impact. The Queen's throne cracked beneath her as the attack landed, sparks spraying out in every direction.
[–6,432]
The Mist Queen let out a shrill cry as arcs of lightning crawled over her body. The demon nature of her Wraith form made the burn worse lightning burned deeper, leaving behind a continuous crackle of damage that sizzled across her skin.
She lifted her staff quickly, whispering words of power. A glow spread across her body as she cast Heal, forcing the burn to weaken. Her health bar ticked upward slowly, the wounds knitting shut.
Kaito's eyes narrowed. I can't give her time.
Without hesitation, he pushed forward again, sword raised for another strike.
Seeing Kaito still charging with his sword raised, the Mist Queen lifted her staff and unleashed a wave of dark power. The blast struck Kaito head-on, the force carrying the corruption of abyssal energy.
Pain shot through his body as the impact landed. It wasn't just physical damage the abyssal energy dug into his flesh, leaving behind a continuous burning erosion. His HP began to tick down slowly as the corruption spread.
Kaito gritted his teeth. Right now, he had no way to remove abyssal energy. The only thing he could do was counter its effects. He quickly pulled out a Minor Regeneration Potion and drank it, letting the healing flow through his body. The slow recovery worked against the erosion, keeping his health steady.
He knew the erosion would not last long. Without a constant source, the abyssal energy would soon run dry. It would only gnaw at him for a few seconds before fading away. Until then, the regeneration potion was enough to hold him together.
Kaito wiped the blood from his lip, the light of the potion still glowing faintly across his body. Even under the constant damage, his steps did not slow down.