The battlefield was a whirlwind of chaos as Lamorak, the Merciless Dread Knight, sprint toward the stronghold with unstoppable force. Mitchel, watching from the walls, clenched her fists. "I wasn't expecting this... Father finished his battle with Aaron even before Razen's group could arrive to provide more pressure. But this is also good—we can bombard him with magic since his skills are on cooldown," she said, her voice steady but tinged with urgency.
Liva, standing beside Mitchel, nodded in agreement. "Erenesto, start firing the ballistas and cannons again!" she commanded, her tone sharp and decisive.
The ballistas and cannons roared to life, their projectiles enhanced with more elemental magic. Lamorak, still sprinting toward the stronghold, staggered as the attacks hit him. The explosions were more powerful than before, and the elemental properties of the ballista bolts added to the damage. Lamorak, bleeding from his mouth inside his armor, grinned despite the pain. "Hmmm... Those kids never fail to amaze me. They've really done it now, forcing me to use my skills and piling up the damage. Hehe," he muttered to himself. "However, now that only five minutes remain, I can go all out!"
With renewed determination, Lamorak increased his speed, parrying the ballista bolts and cannon fire with his axe. He was now fully unleashed—the Merciless Dread Knight in his prime.
Erenesto, watching from the walls, shouted to Mitchel, "N-no way! Mitchel, look!" His voice was filled with alarm as Lamorak's sprint turned into a full-on charge.
Mitchel's face contorted with concern. Her father, who had been walking toward the stronghold, was now sprinting at an alarming pace. She was relieved he wasn't using Quickstep, Still, his current speed was terrifying. "This is probably because there's only 5 minutes left" she said.
Meanwhile, Mixarnt, Razen, and Rise were running toward the stronghold. "Mixarnt! Look behind us, General Lamorak is practically charging at the stronghold like a madman! He's so fast!" Rise said, his grin wide despite the danger.
Mixarnt's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. "Rise, Razen, change of plans. We'll stall him here. Five more minutes, and phase two will be over. We'll win as long as we keep stalling him," he said, his voice firm.
Razen and Rise nodded, their expressions serious. "I'll charge ahead!" Rise said, activating his skills as he drew his short sword.
Sky Step: Rise's speed and agility were enhanced for three minutes, allowing him to dart across the battlefield with unmatched precision. He close the gap in an instant, his movements a blur.
"Phantom Strike" Rise vanished in a blur, reappearing behind Lamorak to deliver a critical strike. The skill left behind an afterimage that confused enemies for five seconds.
"Crimson Crescent" Rise unleashed a powerful horizontal slash, releasing a crescent-shaped wave of energy that cut through the air. The wave lingered briefly, dealing additional damage over time.
"Sky Dance" Rise executed a graceful yet deadly sword combo, flowing like a dance. The rapid series of hits built momentum, making the final blow the most devastating.
"Ugh!" Lamorak groaned, he was smiling inside his helmet because Percival's son hit hard.
Mixarnt watched in awe as Rise's skills unfolded. "Rise can use different swordsmanship styles he's seen before, though he can only use the basics, not the complicated techniques that require extensive training. His true swordsmanship is the Sky Swordsmanship," Razen explained, walking to Mixarnt's side as she donned her gauntlets.
Mixarnt turned to her, surprised. "W-wait, you don't use swords!?" he asked, his eyes wide.
Razen grinned. "I do use a sword, but I prefer using my fists. My fighting style is more compatible with my mom's... Then again, I'm creating my own fighting style," she said, her tone filled with pride. Despite her embarrassment at being in a relationship with Mixarnt, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. "Anyway, let's go!" she said, activating Red Blitz and charging at Lamorak, tackling him with incredible force.
Mixarnt, watching Razen and Rise in action, activated his Enigma Enhancement at 20%. He wasn't planning to use 100% yet—the toll on his body was too severe and he gave all of his blessing potions to everyone. "Alright, let's do this," he muttered, his grin returning as he prepared to join the fight.
Lamorak, under his helmet, grinned more. These kids were full of surprises, and he couldn't wait to see what they would do next.
Lamorak, faced off against Mixarnt, Razen, and Rise. The trio moved with precision and agility, dodging and countering his devastating axe strikes. They knew better than to take his attacks head-on—each swing of his axe carried enough force to incapacitate even the strongest of warriors.
Lamorak, however, was amused. His smirk widened as he watched the trio dance around him, their movements fluid and calculated. He knew he had the advantage in raw strength, and he was determined to make it count. With a roar, he activated one of his skills: Thunderous Cleave. His axe crackled with electricity as he swung it, sending a bolt of lightning through the air. The bolt chained to up to five enemies within 10 meters, stunning them for two seconds.
Rise, his focus unwavering, countered with his own skill: Frostfang Slash. His sword glowed with a chilling light as he struck, freezing Lamorak on contact. The Dread Knight's movements slowed, his attack speed reduced for 10 seconds. If he was hit again while frozen, he would shatter, taking bonus damage.
Razen, not one to be outdone, unleashed her own devastating skill: Red Riot. Her fists blazed with red mana as she launched a massive projectile that exploded upon flight, scattering into smaller mana shots that also exploded upon contact. The explosions rocked the battlefield, forcing Lamorak to stagger back.
Mixarnt, used the chaos to his advantage. He sprinted toward a nearby tree, leaping onto a branch and using it to propel himself higher into the air. As he spun, he built up momentum, his wooden sword glowing with green mana. "Mana Pillar!" he shouted, swinging his sword and unleashing a massive pillar of green light that crashed down toward Lamorak.
The combined force of the trio's attacks was overwhelming, even for Lamorak. The Dread Knight grunted as he was hit by the Frostfang Slash, his movements slowing as the freezing effect took hold. The explosions from Razen's Red Riot further disoriented him, and Mixarnt's Mana Pillar struck with enough force to send him skidding backward.
But Lamorak wasn't done yet. Despite the damage, his grin never faded. "You kids are full of surprises," he said, his voice filled with both admiration and menace. "But let's see how you handle this!"
With a roar, Lamorak activated another skill: Earthshatter Slam. He slammed his axe into the ground, creating a shockwave that rippled outward, cracking the earth and sending debris flying. The shockwave knocked the trio off their feet, forcing them to scramble to regain their footing.
Rise, quick to recover, activated Sky Step again, darting around Lamorak with unmatched speed. He followed up with Phantom Strike, vanishing in a blur and reappearing behind Lamorak to deliver a critical strike. The afterimage he left behind confused Lamorak, giving Rise the opening he needed.
Razen, her fists still blazing with red mana, charged at Lamorak once more. "You're not getting away that easily!" she shouted, her voice filled with determination. She unleashed a flurry of punches, each one exploding with red mana upon impact.
Mixarnt, still recovering from the Earthshatter Slam, activated Enigma Enhancement at 50%, his body glowing with black lightning. He sprinted toward Lamorak, his wooden sword raised high. "Let's finish this!" he shouted, his grin wide despite the danger.
The trio's combined assault was relentless, their teamwork and coordination shining through as they pressed their advantage. Lamorak, though powerful, was starting to feel the strain. His armor was cracked, and his movements were slower than before. But he wasn't about to give up—not when he was so close to victory.
"Now's our chance! Mana Wave!" Mixarnt shouted as he charged forward, unleashing a powerful energy slash from his sword. His blade clashed fiercely against Lamorak's massive battle axe, sparks flying from the impact.
"Red Blitz!" Razen roared as she dashed in, aiming to tackle Lamorak with sheer force.
"Skyfall Strike!" Rise called out as he leaped high into the air, descending rapidly with his sword. The moment he struck the ground, a shockwave erupted, sending a powerful tremor through the battlefield.
Lamorak let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! You kids…!" His voice was filled with amusement rather than concern. Without hesitation, he activated his ultimate defensive skill—
"Rending Parry!"
With masterful precision, Lamorak swung his battle axe, parrying Mixarnt's Mana Wave with ease. Their weapons locked for a brief moment, the sheer force of their clash shaking the air around them.
Because of Rending Parry's effect, the damage from both Red Blitz and Skyfall Strike was reduced by 90%. But that wasn't all—the skill also granted Lamorak a devastating counterattack.
In a blur of motion he put more force into his weapon, pushing Mixarnt away and his battle axe slashed through both Rise and Razen with a critical hit, sending them flying backward, wounded from the sheer force of his strike.
The battlefield grew silent for a moment as the dust settled. Lamorak stood tall, his imposing figure unmoved, while his opponents struggled to recover.
"Rise! Razen!" Mixarnt shouted, his eyes widening in alarm as he saw his companions struggling on the ground. However, before he could move to help, a powerful hand gripped his neck.
"Your turn." Lamorak's deep voice rumbled as his free hand tightened around Mixarnt's throat. "Inferno Guillotine!"
His massive battle axe ignited with scorching flames, crackling with raw destructive power. With a brutal overhead swing, he slashed downward, the fiery blade carving through Mixarnt's shoulders down to his legs.
"Aaaaaaagh!" Mixarnt screamed in agony as flames engulfed him. The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, scorching everything within a five-meter radius.
Without hesitation, Lamorak hurled Mixarnt into the air and activated his next skill—
"Soul Sunder!"
A spectral axe projection shot forward, passing through Mixarnt's body midair, draining his life force. As the energy was siphoned away, Mixarnt's consciousness faded. His body plummeted to the ground, unmoving.
Rise and Razen, still groaning in pain, lay sprawled on the battlefield, their wounds severe, struggling even to lift their weapons.
Lamorak turned his gaze back toward the stronghold. "One minute and thirty seconds left."