Snehwal extended his right hand without wasting even a single moment.
Clang...!
Green spiritual energy rapidly gathered into his palm. In the very next instant, a radiant divine sword materialized in his hand~as though the wrath of nature itself had taken physical form.
On the other side... Mascar raised his hand as well. Crimson and black spiritual energy intertwined and swirled together, gradually taking the shape of a massive, terrifying sword.
The eyes of both warriors remained locked on one another. Within them existed a strange mixture of hatred, respect, and challenge.
The very next moment... Boom!
Both of them shot through the air toward each other at the same time.
Claaang!!
Their swords collided in the middle of the sky with a deafening roar. The impact was so overwhelming that a violent shockwave exploded outward in every direction. The tremendous force hurled both warriors four steps backward through the air.
For a brief moment... The entire battlefield fell silent. A satisfied smile appeared upon Humbha's lips.
On the other side, Lily, Liora, and Master Jins never took their eyes off Snehwal for even a single moment. No one spoke, yet the same silent prayer echoed within every heart... Snehwal... win.
Mascar slowly raised his sword. Within moments, crimson and black spiritual energy began swirling around its blade. The entire sword seemed to transform into blazing crimson flames~terrifying... and invincible.
Snehwal did not remain behind. He raised his own sword.
Deep emerald-green spiritual energy flowed from his arms into the blade. The two warriors swung their swords simultaneously.
BOOOOM!!
The opposing energies collided in the middle of the sky. A terrifying explosion erupted.
This time... Snehwal's energy was visibly pushed backward.
His hands went numb. His fingers trembled as he struggled to maintain his grip on the sword.
A smile appeared on Humbha's face as she murmured in a quiet yet triumphant voice,
" Divine Water... truly grants astonishing spiritual power."
Hearing those words, Snehwal frowned. Lily and Master Jins exchanged worried glances.
" Divine Water...?"
Tiny beads of sweat formed upon Snehwal's forehead.
"How is this possible...? Even after using my full strength... it didn't affect him at all."
He took a deep breath. Then he swung his sword in a wide arc.
Within an instant... Thousands of green spiritual spheres appeared around him~as though countless stars had spread across the sky.
On the other side... Mascar also swung his sword.
Thousands of enormous crimson-and-black flowers bloomed around him.
Each petal was sharper than a blade and radiated a blood-red aura~a beautiful... yet deadly manifestation of death itself.
The very next moment... Both attacks collided.
BOOOOOOM!!
An explosion so tremendous erupted that the entire land shook violently. Massive rocks cracked apart. A colossal cloud of dust surged toward the heavens.
King Omas slowly closed his eyes and released a quiet breath.
It was as though everything was unfolding exactly as he had expected.
On the other side... The color had drained from Lily's and Liora's faces.
Both of them sensed it at the same time.
"Mascar's power... is beginning to overwhelm him."
At that very instant... Before the dust cloud had even fully cleared... Mascar appeared before Snehwal like a bolt of lightning.
His sword slashed directly toward Snehwal's neck. At the very last moment, Snehwal leaned backward and narrowly avoided the strike.
The blade passed just inches from his throat.
Once again... The two warriors stood face to face. But this time... Snehwal's breathing had grown heavy.
Fatigue was clearly visible on his face. The fire of determination still burned within his eyes... But his body was beginning to give way.
Meanwhile... Not a single trace of exhaustion could be seen on Mascar's face.
Only ruthless confidence... And the brilliance of certain victory. Mascar smiled mockingly.
"Is that all...? You're much weaker than I expected."
The battle... Was about to become even more ferocious.
Snehwal took a deep breath. Without another word, both warriors rushed toward each other once again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their swords collided repeatedly in the sky, each strike producing deafening shockwaves that echoed across the battlefield. Sparks flew in every direction as steel met steel with relentless force.
Yet it had become painfully obvious... Snehwal was losing ground.
Mascar's movements were faster, heavier, and far more overwhelming. His crimson-black blade carved one wound after another across Snehwal's body. Blood stained Snehwal's robes as fresh cuts continued to appear upon his arms and shoulders.
Still... Snehwal refused to retreat.
With a fierce shout, he gathered every ounce of strength he had left and swung his sword directly toward Mascar's chest.
Clang!
Instead of piercing his body... The blade struck something invisible. A metallic sound rang through the battlefield as the sword slid harmlessly across Mascar's chest, unable to penetrate whatever protected him.
Snehwal's eyes widened. He immediately leaped backward. Blood dripped steadily from his fingertips. Every breath burned his lungs. His vision blurred for a split second.
Yet, he clenched his teeth and steadied himself. The sword was still in his hand, but now its weight felt far heavier than before. The green spiritual energy was trembling in his palm, as if it too was feeling the exhaustion.
His breathing had become ragged, each breath heavier than the last.
A stunned silence spread across the battlefield. Everyone present had witnessed it. But while shock filled the faces of Snehwal's allies... A faint smile appeared on the lips of King Omas and Humbha.
Lily stared at Mascar in disbelief before turning toward Master Jins.
"Master... what was that?"
"It felt as though... an invisible armor protected him."
Master Jins kept his eyes fixed upon the battlefield. His expression had become unusually grim.
After a long moment, he answered in a heavy voice, "Divine Water!"
"It has formed an invisible protective barrier around his body."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Divine Water does not merely strengthen and amplify spiritual power..."
"It also protects the user's physical body."
The moment those words reached Lily's ears... Her heart sank. She whispered almost unconsciously, "...Divine Water."
Standing beside her, Liora slowly clenched her fist so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. The veins on the back of her hand bulged beneath the strain. At that very moment... She wanted nothing more than to drive that fist straight into Mascar's skull.
Because across the battlefield... Mascar had thrown his head back and was laughing like a madman. His laughter echoed through the mountains... As though he had already declared himself the victor.