Everyone froze in shock after that clash…Its echo lingered in the air for several long seconds...At that moment, everyone understood—those two… existed on an entirely different level...
(Number 4) showed clear admiration for (Vail), and his words made that unmistakable..."Hehehe… it seems you didn't fight (Gork) with everything you had!!!"
(Vail) smiled faintly, but (Number 4) continued, his voice dripping with mockery:"Hehehe… but that changes nothing. You are still not my equal."
(Number 4) raised his spiked chain high into the sky, flooding it with darkness, then brought it down in a focused strike aimed straight at (Vail)...In that instant—within the blink of an eye—(Vail) realized blocking it was impossible...He dodged at the last moment.
The chain slammed into the ground...
An explosion followed...
The impact hurled (Vail) backward as dust and smoke engulfed the area, swallowing the battlefield whole...(Number 4) burst into laughter once more."Hehehe… you've escaped death again. It seems you're quite attached to life… or perhaps death itself rejects you...Very well—then I'll make you wish for it."
His gaze shifted toward the wounded (Raym), and without hesitation, (Number 4) lunged at him...Through the thick cloud of dust, (Vail) saw it...
(Zak) reacted instantly—he rushed forward, grabbing (Raym) and pulling him out of the attack's path.Seeing this, (Vail) understood the truth with chilling clarity:he was facing an enemy completely devoid of mercy...
His patience finally snapped...
With a roar, (Vail) charged again toward (Number 4), who intercepted him just as quickly...Meanwhile, (Zak) placed (Raym) in a safer area, away from the heart of the battlefield, hoping he could recover—but (Zak) couldn't rejoin the main fight...
(Gork) was too powerful...
Half of their men were already down...
Grinding his teeth, (Zak) turned back toward (Gork) and struck a precise blow at one of his blind spots...(Gork) staggered...(Zak) followed up with a rapid series of attacks, finally knocking the giant to the ground...
(Number 4) watched with mild surprise..."Hehehe… it seems you have some dependable allies...But make no mistake—I would never underestimate (Gork)."
(Gork) rose again—this time, his face twisted with rage...He charged wildly, his every step shaking the ground...
At that moment, (Raym) watched everything unfold.Everyone was fighting for his sake… while he stood powerless...
He felt like a burden...
Yet he remembered (Vail)—how his mentor had risked everything for him...
So despite his injuries,despite the pain,despite his weakness—
(Raym) stood...
He picked up a sword lying nearby and began moving toward (Vail), his steps heavy and unsteady...
(Number 4) tried to distract (Vail) with cruel words:"Look… you've enraged him. Now he'll kill them all—and then it will be your turn...But I won't kill you...I'll let you watch every last one of them die."
(Vail) remained calm, showing no reaction...His voice was firm, filled with pride:"You're trying to force me to focus on them...But you've forgotten something—my men possess what you utterly lack...I trust them completely...And nothing you say will shake my resolve—not even by an inch."
(Number 4) laughed loudly..."Hehehe… then why are all your men lying on the ground???And why is (Gork) charging straight at you???"
(Vail) turned...
Horror washed over his face...
He prayed—desperately—that this was just another trick...That it was merely an illusion meant to distract him...
But it wasn't...
It was reality...
(Gork)'s massive body rushed toward him, unstoppable...(Vail) was cornered...
Suddenly—
(Raym) rushed forward and intercepted (Gork)...
(Number 4) stared in shock and fury..."How is that possible?!!He shouldn't even be able to stand—yet he stopped a monster like (Gork)!?!"
(Vail) looked on, pride flooding his voice as he shouted a single word:"(Raym)!!!"
(Gork) staggered from the impact, his focus shifting entirely to (Raym)...He charged blindly toward him...
(Raym) steadied himself again—this time assuming the stance with his eyes closed...
He waited...
When (Gork) came close enough—
In a flash—
(Raym) moved at the speed of light, appearing behind him so suddenly it seemed as though he had passed straight through him...
His voice rang out, filled with resolve and hope:"I won't let anyone else die in front of me… not without doing something."
He gathered every last ounce of strength he had and struck.
A single, decisive thrust—filled with pure, radiant light—pierced through (Gork)'s exposed defenses...
The giant collapsed...
And moments later—
(Raym) fell as well, having reached his absolute limit...
As he looked toward his mentor (Vail), a peaceful smile crossed his face...His body relaxed...He felt… safe...
(Vail) felt overwhelming pride...He spoke softly:"That was (Lyra)'s style…You're learning quickly...I truly believed in you...You, (Raym), are my ideal...I knew I had chosen the right person the very first time I sensed your aura."
Rage twisted (Number 4)'s expression as he launched a fiercer assault on (Vail)...Their clash intensified...
Suddenly—
(Number 4) drew a poisoned dagger and struck...
It happened in a fraction of a second...So fast that (Vail) didn't even realize what had happened—until the pain surged through him...
(Number 4) looked down at him with contempt..."So… don't mistake me for that pathetic fool...I'll make sure all of you become corpses...Even that precious disciple of yours...I no longer desire anything more…than watching you suffer..."