Hamza, Basil, and Travis were unsettled, feeling a strange tension toward him. His presence was overwhelming, radiating a mysterious sense of unease.
It didn't take long for Travis's expression to change; his astonishment turned into blazing anger, his eyes igniting with hatred. He clenched his fist tightly and said sharply, "I know this man… He is the leader of an organization that kills and robs the bearers of the Energy Stones, and his name is 'Julenz'." Then he looked at Hamza and Basil and said firmly, "Don't interfere in this fight… This is between him and me."
Julenz stood firmly, his head lifted toward the sky, eyes closed, hands extended to his sides, as if unconcerned by them.
At that moment, Travis lunged at him. Yet Julenz remained in place, unmoving.
Calmly, he raised one of his cards between his fingers… and suddenly, snapping with two fingers, he vanished from his spot! Then he reappeared somewhere else, only to disappear again.
He was moving with unbelievable speed, snapping his fingers in the air, and with every snap, a new card appeared, allowing him to teleport as if he controlled both time and space.
Travis tried to strike him repeatedly, but his attacks passed through Julenz's body as if he were just an illusion!
Travis stopped in place, sweat pouring down his forehead, then said hesitantly,
"This is impossible… how did I not hit him?"
Julenz laughed mockingly, then said, "Sorry, O boys, I didn't come here for you… although I could kill you and steal the stones whenever I wanted." He then began to dance lightly and oddly, as if mocking them.
Suddenly, he appeared in front of Basil without warning! He approached so closely that he nearly touched his face, then said with a sinister smile, in a low voice:
"Hello, good boy. How does it feel to possess one of the Paprius Stones? What about the curse in your hand? Would you like to know its true nature?"
In response, Basil cautiously stepped back.
At that moment, Julenz disappeared and reappeared behind Hamza!
He looked at the sword hanging on his back, then extended his hand and grabbed it between his fingers with a sly smile, saying, "A knight wielding a Kanzel weapon? This looks interesting."
Before Hamza could do anything, Travis lunged again, trying to attack with all his strength. But Julenz was far faster. As soon as Travis got close, Julenz raised his hand and, with one swift motion, struck him with a sharp card to the chest, forcing him to stagger backward in pain.
Then he began attacking mercilessly. Blow after blow, card after card, Travis's body absorbed wound after wound without being able to counter a single strike!
Hamza stepped back, fear in his voice: "He's fast… and incredibly strong!"
When Julenz realized it was time to leave, he stood before Travis, looking at him with contempt, then said in a voice carrying a terrifying threat: "I'll let you live today, you Hunter."
He then took a small card and threw it toward Basil.
Basil caught the card, and upon looking at it, read the message written on it: "A fleet is coming to the island to invade in six days. This island will no longer be a place of peace. Prepare to fight for your freedom."
Basil looked up at Julenz, who began to vanish amid a whirlwind of flying cards. His image gradually faded as he laughed, until he disappeared completely.
A heavy silence fell over the place, while Travis breathed heavily, his body covered in wounds.
Hamza approached him, looking at him for a moment, then said with a serious tone mixed with astonishment and curiosity: "He could have seized the stones from us, but he didn't.""
Basil remained silent, trying to process what had happened.
Hamza bent down beside Travis, who was struggling to stand despite the pain, and said, "You must tell us about him as soon as we reach the island… we'll treat your injuries first."
Basil looked at the card in his hand, realizing it carried a direct threat and an announcement of an imminent war.
Only six days remained before the invasion would begin.