The blades clashed, like a storm attempting to pierce the darkness. Sparks erupted from the point of impact—the result of two metals violently colliding.
Dimsk parried Flynn's attack with flawless precision; Flynn was forced to push his weapon, Exceed The Storm, to its absolute limit just to keep the pressure on.
Both stood firm, their feet planted solidly in the dust-laden ground, their expressions focused—as if no weight, however immense, could shake their defenses.
While holding his ground with his slender blade, Dimsk taunted Flynn with a mocking look.
"What's wrong? Is your strength waning in the heat of battle?"
"Heh..." Flynn exhaled sharply, then replied with unwavering confidence. "Maybe so, but not right now!"
With that, Flynn thrust his massive blade forward, pouring every ounce of his strength and power into the movement.
He shattered his opponent's defense without hesitation. Dimsk's slender blade cracked and disintegrated, leaving behind a shower of shimmering particles that hung in the air before raining down.
"...!?"
Dimsk was stunned; he lost his momentum, stumbling back a step before managing to regain his balance.
"...Impressive," he whispered quickly.
Flynn had successfully broken through his opponent's defense. Now, he held the momentum—a decisive advantage that shifted the balance of the fight in his favor.
Flynn stepped forward and swiftly swung his blade in an upward arc from his left side.
"Hah!"
The blade followed the swing, its sharp tip slicing rapidly toward his target's neck. Sensing the danger, Dimsk stepped back just in time, his eyes locking onto the deadly point of the blade as it swept past. He planted his feet back on the ground, while his blade merely sliced through the air, missing its target.
The sword left only a faint gust of wind directed at Dimsk's head. Dimsk felt relieved and offered a slight smile.
However, Flynn swiftly moved his free left hand to grip the hilt of Exceed The Storm. The blade began to glow with a pale blue light as energy enveloped its entire length.
With all his might, Flynn swung Exceed The Storm sideways. The energy coating the blade was unleashed, forming a curved blue arc that shot toward Dimsk at the speed of sound.
Dimsk realized the danger too late, yet he did not tremble at the prospect of being cleaved in two by the incoming energy slash.
He simply stood still, smiling faintly as he let out a quick breath.
"Heh..."
A small circle appeared on the ground; it looked like an ordinary dark magic circle—incapable of serving as a shield or anything of the sort. Yet, it radiated dark electrical discharges, striking the area immediately surrounding it.
Unexpectedly, the circle instantly expanded. Forming a large ring on the ground, the dark circle emitted countless tiny, dark particles.
As the dark circle expanded, an imitation of Nathan emerged from within it. The figure then mirrored the exact movement Flynn had just performed.
It swung its sword horizontally, unleashing a curved dark slash. The attack collided with the energy slash from Exceed The Storm; they were equal in both power and resilience.
The two forces clashed until they suddenly exploded, sending a powerful blast of wind in all directions. Even the previously still leaves began to tremble violently from the impact. Flynn shielded his face with his massive sword, holding it in front of him to stay safe from the blast of wind. "....?!"
Meanwhile, Nathan was nearly blown backward, yet his legs held firm against the force of the wind. "Ugh...! That wind is incredibly strong!"
Lilith also managed to withstand the sudden gust; she simply shielded her eyes to prevent anything from getting in them during such a critical moment. As the wind began to subside, she assessed the situation.
(...! What just happened...?)
She began to lower her hand, gazing toward where Dimsk stood. Lilith saw Dimsk, but standing before him was a figure encased in a dark circle on the ground.
(Who is that...? Wait a minute, is that... Mr. Nathan?!)
There was no mistaking it; it was Mr. Nathan. Yet, Lilith was certain that the real Mr. Nathan couldn't possibly be standing there in front of Dimsk. Her eyes widened as she looked down—specifically at the person lying near the Nathan-imitation.
"...?!" She gasped.
It was a brown-haired man wearing a black top beneath a dark blue shirt. Beside him lay a worn bag and a dagger whose distinctive features she knew all too well—the *Blades of Mirage*—along with a long, two-handed sword.
But she was even more shocked to see Infori lying helpless on the ground.
"Mr, Infori?!" She took a step forward.
Dimsk glanced briefly at Lilith, but before he could move, his attention was diverted by a blinding flash from his left. He turned to check the source, and his gaze locked onto the dagger lying beside Infori's body.
"Oh...!"
The dagger was radiating less energy than before, yet the sunlight reflecting off its blade was dazzlingly bright.
But before he could retrieve the sought-after dagger, he had to refocus. A long, double-edged blade—thin, straight, and razor-sharp—sliced through the air. It was attached to a curved, metallic-gold handguard that swept around the base of the blade, while its red hilt was gripped firmly in Lilith's hand.
As the blade cut through the air, Lilith moved with all her speed to close the distance to her desired position. From Dimsk's perspective, Lilith—a Seraphim—was moving at the typical speed of her kind, a pace that far exceeded the limits of a Nephilim. Her thrust was aimed straight at his pupil, yet it seemed to slow down as he watched it approach.
Dimsk did not remain idle. He snapped his fingers, producing a faint, sharp sound.
The imitation of Nathan standing directly before Dimsk instantly responded to the signal; within a split second, it lunged forward to parry the enemy's attack.
With a single sweeping motion, it swung its blade vertically, deflecting Lilith's rapier thrust.