Ignara laughed softly.
"So this… is the strength of a true man."
She stared straight at Varen, whose eyes were burning with uncontrollable rage.
In the very next instant, Varen vanished.
With explosive speed, he surged upward from below and appeared right in front of Ignara , his fist crashing straight into her face with overwhelming force.
The impact echoed.
Varen steadied himself and spoke in a low, heavy voice,
"That punch… was for talking too much."
Ignara was sent flying, her body skidding violently across the ground. Her face turned crimson as blood began to pour from her nose. With immense effort, she pushed herself back up.
And yet
A strange smile still clung to her lips.
Without hesitation, Varen rushed at her again, intent on finishing her once and for all. Ignara flinched for a split second but immediately smiled again.
Perhaps she had hoped that Varen would stop when he saw her collapse, that he would hesitate out of sympathy like other men.
But she was wrong.
Varen didn't stop.
He charged straight at her with another devastating punch.
And that
That was his greatest mistake.
Just as Varen closed in, Ignara swiftly formed a sign with her hand. Above him, massive spheres of fire materialized and came crashing down.
The blazing orbs struck directly onto Varen's arms.
He screamed in agony.
He had already pushed his strength to its limits, and this final attack was merciless. The skin on his arms began to melt under the intense heat.
Varen collapsed to the ground.
Even after turning his body as hard as stone, he had never imagined losing like this.
Ignara stepped forward and placed one foot on his chest.
She looked down at him calmly.
"Don't be in pain. This final attack… you're the first I've ever used it on. Honestly, I'm surprised your hands are still intact. Anyone else would've lost them completely or ceased to exist."
She smiled faintly.
"Truly… I admire you. Your courage, your strength ... you are a real man."
She leaned closer.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you. But your companions?"
Her smile widened. "They won't survive."
Ignara burst into loud laughter.
Varen clenched his teeth and turned his gaze toward Rosielle.
Ignara noticed and clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Don't worry. No one is escaping."
OTHERSIDE..
Vaelith stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Lyanna, his eyes locked onto Azerion.
Azerion laughed softly. "A man's rise… or fall… is always because of a woman. And you suffer from the same flaw. Unfortunately for you ...your fate is cruel."
He stepped closer and extended his hand with a playful smile.
"Hello, handsome. I'm Azerion Marethys."
Vaelith responded with an amused grin.
"Handsome? Maybe once. Compared to you, I'm nothing. And yeah , I'm Vaelith."
They laughed together an unsettling harmony between two strikingly beautiful men.
But Azerion's gaze drifted past Vaelith
Straight to Lyanna.
The moment he saw her, something strange stirred within him. A mysterious power pulsed.
Ignoring Vaelith entirely, Azerion appeared before Lyanna in an instant.
Lyanna froze in shock.
Before she could react, Azerion gently touched her lips.
But Before she could comprehend what was happening
A lightning-like flash exploded between them.
Azerion was forced backward.
He turned his head slowly
And met Vaelith's gaze. Vaelith's eyes were blazing with pure fury.It was the first time Lyanna had ever seen him this enraged.
Meanwhile, Azerion wore an unsettling smile as he stared at Lyanna and said,
"First, I'll kill your lover. Then I'll kill you. Don't worry."
Hearing this, Lyanna was completely stunned and finally realized that Azerion was under a terrible misunderstanding.
She was about to speak
But one look at Vaelith told her this was not the moment.
Vaelith and Azerion stood face to face.
Though Vaelith was furious and tense, Azerion remained perfectly calm almost bored.
With a mocking smile, Azerion said,
"What are you waiting for? Or have you already realized that you'll never be able to stand before me?"
He continued casually,
"Well, I'll give you a chance. Start your attack. If I'm not mistaken, your power is lightning… which means you must be the current owner of that sword."
Vaelith froze.
He immediately looked toward Lyanna, remembering that he had given the sword to her.
The moment Vaelith glanced at Lyanna, Azerion noticed
And instantly understood.
His expression twisted with anger as he shouted,
"Idiot! Do you only have a pretty face?! You gave your sword to that girl?!"
Both Vaelith and Lyanna stared at him.
Azerion laughed eerily and said,
"Well… good choice. You were going to die anyway."
"But with the sword, you might've had a slight chance… at least to injure me."
He paused.
"But now?"
Vaelith cut him off sharply.
" If I had the sword, your corpse would've been torn to pieces."
Vaelith smiled darkly.
"But now, I'll burn your body with my lightning until nothing remains."
"So tell me"
"Which death sounds better?"
Both of them laughed at each other's words and prepared for battle.
Vaelith thought to himself,
I know… the one standing before me might be the strongest here. I can feel an entirely different level of power coming fromhim.
Thinking of his past, Vaelith smiled faintly.
But I won't lose. I know that too.
In the next instant, Vaelith vanished in a flash of lightning and appeared before Azerion, forming a complex sign.
A massive lightning strike crashed down onto Azerion.
Lyanna stood far away, but the sheer force kicked up blinding dust.
Vaelith didn't stop.
Knowing how powerful Azerion was, he didn't even check whether the first strike had worked.
He immediately launched more attacks.
Even though the dust blocked his vision, Vaelith could sense Azerion's presence and repeatedly formed signs, unleashing sharp lightning beams capable of tearing anything apart.
Then
Vaelith froze.
As the dust settled slightly, he saw Azerion standing there completely unharmed.
His long, thin lilac blue hair fluttered in the wind as helooked at Vaelith with pure disappointment.
Vaelith couldn't understand.
The wind howled, his green coat flapping violently, fear gripping his heart
How… after such overwhelming attacks… not even a scratch?
With countless questions in his mind, Vaelith prepared himself for another strike and advanced toward Azerion.
Azerion stood still, as if he could end everything in a single moment.
As Vaelith closed in
Azerion decided that this would be the first
Or perhaps the last
Attack he would use on Vaelith.
Before Vaelith could reach him, Azerion formed a sign with his hand.
The ground began to shake violently.
Earlier, the battle between Varen and Ignara had already cracked the land.
Now, from the fissure beneath Vaelith's feet
The earth tore open.
Water burst forth, wrapping around Vaelith like living ropes.
Witnessing this monstrous power, both Vaelith and Lyanna were utterly shocked.
Lyanna was ready
If anything happened to Vaelith, she would reveal her own power without hesitation.
Because no matter what
She was alive only because of Vaelith.
Yet Vaelith, even after seeing this terrifying attack, still held onto a single fragile hope
Until
From the broken earth below, glowing red molten lava began to rise, coiling upward like a burning serpent.
…
---