At the top of the waterfall, Kael was desperately fighting to dodge Tilios's attacks. His clothes were becoming increasingly torn, and every blow he managed to avoid made the situation even more dangerous. If things continued this way, someone might realize that his body was made of water, revealing an identity he needed to keep secret at all costs.
Tilios, on the other hand, seemed increasingly satisfied with the situation. Even after losing an arm and suffering numerous injuries, the transformation granted by his evil god had turned him into a terrifying threat.
"Hahahaha! You can't do anything now!"
'Damn it... He's right.'
While the battle continued, Arvanys, who had returned to her normal form, remained leaning against a tree, trying to recover her strength.
The three who had been unconscious had managed to wake up, and upon seeing Enrico and Kael fighting Tilios after their respective evolutions, they had come to believe they would survive. Now, however, the situation seemed completely different: Enrico had been sent flying far away, and Kael was the only one who could still face the enemy directly.
Even with his special abilities, the clone was being increasingly pressured, unable to find a decisive opening.
Arvanys gritted her teeth, frustrated with her own condition.
"I have to help the professor... I have to become the strongest..."
Kaela's voice caught her attention. Arvanys turned her head and saw the girl trying to stand up, although her movements were slow and her body seemed ready to give out at any moment. Even so, there was impressive determination in her eyes. She hadn't given up, even after using almost all her mana and suffering so many injuries.
'She wants to become the strongest?'
Arvanys watched the girl for a few moments, unable to hide her surprise.
She knew that this continent was filled with monsters possessing extraordinary potential, people born with absurd talents who were capable of reaching levels most could scarcely imagine. Thinking that Kaela could compete with individuals like that seemed almost impossible, but upon seeing the determination in her eyes, Arvanys couldn't completely dismiss the possibility.
'Maybe she can go far, if we survive... If I survive, I promise I'll go even further too. So please, win, Kael.'
Arvanys wanted to help. She wanted to stand up, return to the battle, and do something to prevent everything from ending that way. However, her injuries were far too severe, and she could barely move her fingers. It was frustrating to depend on others when she wanted so badly to be able to protect herself.
Beside her, Kaela continued trying to stand up, little by little. Every movement required an enormous effort, but giving up wasn't part of her nature.
Lan, who had awakened a short while earlier, was also standing, leaning against a tree. He watched the battle attentively, searching for an opening that would allow him to join the fight.
However, the difference in levels was far too great. No matter how hard he tried to find an opportunity, he couldn't see any way to contribute without being defeated immediately.
'Why are there so many people stronger than me?'
Frustration grew inside him, but Lan didn't look away from the battle.
"Hahahaha! Very good! You're strong! Then let's see if you can withstand the magic I just created!"
Tilios raised his remaining arm, gathering dark energy in the palm of his hand. The released pressure made the surrounding water tremble as a new technique began to take shape.
Kael paused for a second before laughing.
"Hahahaha, this is fun."
Tilios stopped laughing and gritted his teeth, unable to hide his irritation.
"Stop laughing, you piece of shit!"
Kael tilted his head, seeming genuinely amused by the response.
"What is it? Are you the only one allowed to laugh?"
The others were surprised to hear this exchange of taunts. They were all on the verge of death, and yet Kael continued behaving as though he were having fun.
Even Kaela, who was still trying to stand up, looked at him in astonishment. That guy seemed incapable of abandoning his obsession with battles and evolution, even when he was one step away from dying. It was simply insane.
Kael, however, didn't waste time on the others' reactions. He needed to end the fight before the clone's time ran out.
"Rending Rivers!"
As he placed his hands in the river water, Kael caused several currents to form around Tilios. The water began spinning at high speed, creating streams that advanced from different directions and fired cutting blades at the enemy.
The attacks struck the rocks, slicing through them as if they were made of paper. Tilios tried to dodge, but he was caught off guard by the speed and number of attacks. Some pierced his body, while another struck his remaining arm and cut it off.
The limb fell into the water, and Tilios retreated, staring at his mutilated body. For a moment, his expression revealed something he hadn't felt in a while: concern.
'Why do I suddenly feel like he's getting stronger again?'
The answer lay in Enrico's real body beneath the hood.
'Time to switch again.'
Enrico, who had switched places with his clone, prepared to carry out the next stage of the plan. Taking advantage of the confusion caused by Kael's attacks, he switched positions again and appeared in the place of his fire clone, which was gathering mana to prepare an attack. His fire clone transformed into water as soon as it took on Kael's role again.
The boy needed to be careful. If his opponent discovered what was happening, he might find a way to interrupt his plan. Enrico looked at his own hand, feeling the mana accumulated in his bow, and decided that this was the right moment.
"I think it's time."
The bow had grown larger, becoming sturdier as he concentrated more fire mana. The arrow was also different, with white circular patterns running along its body, from the tip to the opposite end.
The temperature around him increased with every passing moment, and all the water that came within three meters of Enrico immediately evaporated. The river seemed to have a hole in its surface, a region where not even the water continuously flowing down from the waterfall could remain.
The amount of energy concentrated in that attack was terrifying. Enrico took a deep breath, aimed the bow at the top of the waterfall, and released the string.
"Bow of Burning Desolation: Single Shot!"
The arrow shot upward, crossing the space at an absurd speed.
The path traveled by the projectile was completely consumed by the heat, evaporating the water it encountered and opening a passage through the waterfall's flow. Enrico let out a sigh and, before he could observe the result, switched places with his water clone again, reappearing in front of Tilios just as his opponent was preparing a thorn-shaped shadow attack.
"I'm going to kill you!"
Tilios fired the thorns, but Enrico showed not the slightest sign of panic.
"Haven't you realized that you've returned to the Third Circle?"
The question made the hooded man hesitate. He looked at Enrico and, for the first time during that battle, managed to see his red eyes clearly. An unpleasant sensation ran through his body. There was something about that gaze that unsettled him, as if he were facing a danger he couldn't understand.
Even so, he decided to attack. Tilios charged forward to pierce the boy's body, but Kael quickly moved to the side and circled behind him, avoiding the blow. It was then that Tilios realized something terrible: an arrow of absurd power was piercing his chest.
The projectile carved a path through his body, piercing him with a force he couldn't withstand. The arrow passed within a few centimeters of Kael before continuing along its trajectory. Tilios looked at his own chest, unable to believe what had happened.
That attack had been far too powerful for someone who, just moments earlier, could barely keep up with his movements.
Kael gave him no time to understand.
"It's not over yet."
He raised his water spear and delivered a decisive blow, decapitating Tilios before the enemy could prepare another technique or make any unexpected move. The hooded man's body fell, and his head separated from the rest.
For a few moments, no one moved. The three watching the battle were amazed by the result. To them, it had been an extraordinary demonstration of teamwork. Enrico and Kael seemed to know exactly when to attack, when to retreat, and how to take advantage of the opportunities they created for each other.
Even while injured, Arvanys mentally analyzed the recent events.
'Even after Enrico was sent flying far away, Kael trusted that he was fine and continued fighting until the right moment. And that arrow... It seemed to change direction slightly to avoid hitting Kael. Those two are a perfect duo. It's as if they can communicate telepathically.'
She remembered how the two had fought earlier, alternating attacks and creating openings without needing to speak.
'Even before that, their teamwork was already incredible.'
"Did those two really meet today?"
Lan's question reflected the others' disbelief.
Kael was breathing heavily. The fight had demanded a great deal from him, and despite the victory, he still needed to catch his breath. Arvanys and Kaela, worried about the condition of the two, tried to stand up again. Their bodies were still weakened, but both insisted on moving, even though they couldn't stand completely upright.
Lan remained silent, looking in the direction from which the arrow had been fired. The gap between him and those two had grown so much that it was difficult to describe what he felt. There was envy, admiration, and deep frustration at realizing how much he still needed to evolve.
'How can he improve so quickly?'
After a few moments, Lan began moving to help the others get up. However, before he could reach them, a strange noise echoed through the area, making Kael turn around immediately.
Tilios's body, which should have been dead, began swelling abnormally.
'Damn it... I've already killed your sacrifice, you bastard! Evil god, are you really planning to break your own rules?'
Kael immediately understood what was happening. Tilios's body was about to explode, and considering the amount of dark energy accumulated inside it, the consequences could be catastrophic.
"Everyone, retreat!"
He raised his hands and created two water spears, positioning them beneath the girls. The two managed to hold on, and Kael launched them backward, toward the waterfall. Lan began running at the same time, using lightning magic on his feet to increase his speed.
Kaela wanted to help, but her body still wasn't responding properly. Unable to do much more, she remained on the water spear as she was carried away from the dangerous area.
Behind them, Tilios's body began tearing apart. The accumulated energy escaped through the cracks, forming a mass of darkness that grew larger with every second. The explosion was about to happen, and the group needed to flee before it was too late.
Enrico, however, knew they wouldn't be able to escape in time. Their bodies were injured, and even Kael, with his movement ability, wouldn't be able to take everyone to a safe distance before the energy was released. There was no other choice.
While the others looked back in desperation, a light of fire appeared in front of Kael. It was Enrico's fire clone.
He switched places with the clone, appearing between them and the imminent explosion while his fire clone transformed into water once more, taking on Kael's role.
'Damn it... I'll have to use it.'
The attack he was about to execute belonged to the protagonist of the original story. It was the ultimate technique Kai had used to kill an evil god after reaching the Eleventh Circle. Since it was based on pure mana, anyone could attempt to use it, provided they could gather enough energy. However, its power came with a heavy price.
Enrico had never planned to resort to that ability so soon. He had just reached the Third Circle and still needed to evolve considerably before he could use it safely.
'Just when I reached the Third Circle... When I get the chance, I'll kill that bastard Raul.'
He clenched his fists and brought them together in front of his body, directing them toward the approaching explosion. His stance differed from the one Kai used, mainly because the original protagonist wielded a sword, but Enrico had no time to worry about the details.
A white magic circle appeared around his fists, resembling the shape of a mana heart. The structure began spinning at high speed, attracting an immense amount of energy. Mana was drawn both from inside Enrico's body and from the surrounding environment, converging on that single point.
"Final Circle!"
The dark explosion was only one meter away when a white beam shot from Enrico's fists, producing a deafening boom.
The attack collided directly with the mass of energy, halting its advance. Enrico planted his feet firmly on the ground and kept his arms extended, trying to contain the destructive force pressing against him.
The dark energy continued advancing, pushing the white beam backward. The effort required to resist was so great that the veins in Enrico's arms began to bleed.
"Aaahhh!"
He screamed, trying to prevent the explosion from swallowing him. The pressure continued to increase, and his body began sliding backward, little by little. Even so, he didn't release the attack. In the distance, the others had finally reached a safer distance, but Kael remained close to Enrico and pushed his body forward, trying to help him hold his position.
Enrico felt the clone's strength behind him and gritted his teeth.
'Am I going to die like this? No way!'
The explosion continued growing, threatening to swallow the white beam. Enrico realized that he wouldn't be able to contain it that way for much longer and needed to change his strategy.
Gathering all the concentration he still possessed, he transferred almost all his mana into the magic circle. The structure spun even faster, absorbing the surrounding energy and beginning to devour part of the dark explosion itself.
The proximity allowed the circle to extract mana directly from that destructive mass. Enrico felt the pressure decrease for a moment, but he knew it still wasn't enough. He gritted his teeth, gathered the remainder of his strength, and summoned Lunaris, seeking to obtain more mana to sustain the technique.
The magic circle began concentrating the white beam at a single point, making it increasingly narrow and intense. Enrico didn't intend merely to resist the explosion. He was going to pierce through it.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The scream echoed throughout the area as the white beam slowly pierced the mass of dark energy. The resistance was enormous. For a moment, it seemed the attack would be completely swallowed, but Enrico continued pushing, refusing to yield even when his body was already close to its limit.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
With one final burst of effort, the beam pierced through the explosion. A huge hole opened in the center of the dark mass, and the accumulated energy began escaping through the sides, dispersing in every direction. The wind produced by the release of power struck Enrico directly, launching his body backward into the air.
He had managed to stop the explosion's advance and protect his companions, who would have been hit even though they had reached a considerable distance.