The spear thrust Calvin launched was aimed straight at Zolie, the silver-haired woman.
The moment she was targeted, she reacted swiftly, trying to dodge. Yet, the spearhead seemed alive, continuing to track and lock onto its prey.
Realizing she couldn't simply evade, Zolie leapt backward, attempting to escape the weapon's reach.
'You won't get away.'
Judging by the speed, Calvin was certain his strike would land before the enemy could avoid it.
But then, he saw her entire body transform.
Though her face remained beautiful, part of her head took on the features of a bat, with long upright ears.
Thin black fur spread across parts of her body.
Her arms and legs sprouted sharp claws. From beneath her arms unfurled a pair of membranous wings.
As she moved her arms, the wings beat in unison, propelling her swiftly into the air.
The sudden appearance of those wings turned her backward leap into rapid flight, greatly increasing her speed.
Even so, Calvin's strike was faster, and he was convinced his spear would catch her before she could escape his reach.
Yet before the blow could land, he saw the silver-haired woman, now half-human, half-bat, twist and spin midair, matching the rotation of the spear as it lunged forward.
Her clawed feet deftly hooked onto the spearhead, continuing the aerial spin.
Calvin felt the force of his attack gradually dissipating. Worse, it seemed as though the weapon itself was being pulled from his grasp.
Knowing he couldn't allow that, he tightened his grip, abruptly shifting the thrust into a downward strike, bringing the spear crashing vertically.
Calvin intended to slam the enemy clinging to his spear hard against the solid floor below.
Caught off guard by the sudden change in attack, the bat-woman tried to release the spearhead. Yet, momentum still hurled her body down onto the ground.
Calvin realized his opponent had reacted far too quickly. As a result, the slam failed to inflict the decisive damage he had hoped for.
He needed to seize the moment to strike and truly defeat her.
Even knowing this, Calvin had no chance to follow up with a finishing blow, for the other enemy had already closed in.
The man's twin blades slashed toward Calvin simultaneously at a terrifying speed.
In haste, Calvin raised the shaft of his spear to block the ambush, narrowly preventing himself from being cut into three pieces.
Still, the sheer force of the strike sent him flying backward, his back crashing against the floor.
The next attack came immediately. Despite the pain in his back, Calvin rolled and sprang to the side.
The spot where he had just lain was now pierced by two blades. Had his reflexes been even slightly slower, he would have been skewered there and then.
Sweat streamed down Calvin's face. From the corner of his eye, he saw the bat-women soaring into the air again, ready to strike. Directly ahead, the black-haired man calmly advanced, twin blades in hand.
The enemies were too strong. Calvin felt this deeply.
Even after exerting all his strength, he had failed to bring down a single foe. Meanwhile, it seemed neither of his opponents had yet unleashed their full power, especially the black-haired man.
Calvin suspected that he, too, could transform just like the flying women.
Calvin: "What is your true purpose in coming to Aldor?"
He spoke up, partly because he truly wanted to know the enemy's intentions, and partly to buy time, searching for any possible solution to the current deadlock.
Zolie: "Why did we come here? Of course, to settle our grudge."
Calvin: "A grudge? I don't recall ever having any conflict with you before."
Nyxar: "Haha. Naturally, someone as young as you wouldn't understand."
He laughed, showing a look of deep comprehension.
Calvin: "Understand what?"
At this moment, Calvin was genuinely curious, eager to hear the answer.
Nyxar: "That our true enemy is the very world you live in."
Calvin felt the burning hatred in both the man's words and his eyes. Still unable to grasp the meaning behind that answer, he pressed further:
"What exactly does that mean?"
Nyxar: "For someone about to die here, why bother knowing too much?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than he charged at Calvin like a raging storm.
At the same time, from above, the bat-woman kicked, unleashing a sharp gust of wind like a blade aimed at Calvin below.
With quick reflexes and speed, Calvin struck it down precisely with a swing of his spear.
Simultaneously, as he swung, he hurled a magical item toward the approaching enemy.
During their earlier exchange, Calvin had secretly drawn it out and kept it hidden in his hand.
The object was a small orb, seemingly woven from wood.
As it neared its target, the orb exploded, releasing five fiery whirlwinds that slithered like serpents. The five fire- serpents encircled the enemy, coiling around him and engulfing him in flames.
By playing this trump card, Calvin hoped to inflict serious injury, or at least create an opening to do so. However, the outcome he desired did not come to pass.
Bursting out from the flames was a pitch-black creature, towering over two meters tall.
It still had limbs and a body resembling that of a human.
However, its arms and legs bore sharp claws. From its back spread a pair of black wings, the same color as its body. Upon its head rose two large horns.
Its face was nothing but darkness, the features indistinguishable. Yet Calvin could clearly see its eyes, a pair blazing with fire, golden light intertwined with green.
That strange flame coiled around and shielded its body, dissolving the fiery serpents from before, rendering all of Calvin's efforts utterly useless.
"Playtime is over." The creature spoke.
At the same time, what Calvin saw was a clawed hand wreathed in fire striking toward him.
. . .
Zolie: "That took longer than expected."
Nyxar: "Zerathis's intelligence was spot on. Calvin, this brat truly is quite formidable, isn't he?"
He chuckled, glancing at the girl, seemingly alluding to the moment she had been knocked down earlier.
Zolie: "That was my carelessness. Oh, they've returned."
Her large upright ears shifted slightly, pointing toward the main passage leading into the manor.
Nyxar: "Then let's go. There must still be other tasks awaiting us."
The two departed, leaving behind the chamber scarred with scorch marks.