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Gabriel and the skull-masked man were locked in an intense and brutal combat, each move calculated and executed with deadly precision. Despite the overwhelming power of his opponent, Gabriel managed to parry most of the skull-masked man's attacks, leveraging his skill and experience to counter effectively. At one critical moment, Gabriel executed a perfectly timed maneuver that caught the enemy off guard. Seizing the opportunity, he unleashed the [Light Hurricane] he had been carefully stacking, directing its full force toward the masked man and forcing him to stumble backward.
Beams of radiant light erupted from Gabriel's hands, cutting through the dark forest and illuminating everything in their path. The oppressive darkness that had enveloped the area was banished, replaced by a soft, ethereal glow.
The skull-masked man found himself caught in the heart of the attack, his body gradually bombarded by the piercing light particles. The relentless assault triggered a 20% chance of stunning, leaving the masked man frozen in place for a full two seconds, unable to move or react.
However, Gabriel's powerful attack came with unintended consequences. The intense brightness of the beams caused dense smoke to rise from the explosion, quickly shrouding the battlefield in a thick, suffocating haze. The air was heavy with the acrid smell of burning wood and charred earth, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead.
Determined to maintain his advantage, Gabriel swiftly followed up with another skill, [Demon Curse (☯️)]. The curse placed a series of debilitating debuffs on the skull-masked man, weakening his attacks and rendering him more vulnerable to further assaults.
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Minutes later, the dust had begun to settle, yet the battlefield remained blanketed in smoke. Gabriel stood his ground, his senses on high alert as he scanned the area for any signs of danger. He knew the skull-masked man could strike at any moment, and he was prepared to respond instantly.
But then, something unexpected occurred. The thick cloud of smoke in the center of the battlefield began to swirl violently, gathering and condensing at an alarming rate. If one looked closely, they would see a figure at the heart of the disturbance, channeling mana with intense focus—a desperate attempt to shift the momentum of the fight.
The man's appearance had drastically changed since the battle began. Once composed and formidable, he now appeared worn and exhausted, the strain of the conflict etched deeply into his features. His once-imposing skull mask, a symbol of his power, was now cracked and battered, with fragments missing. His black tank top was torn to shreds, leaving his body exposed, vulnerable, and bleeding from numerous wounds. His trousers were similarly tattered and uneven.
Despite his injuries, the skull-masked man refused to yield. Driven by sheer willpower and an unrelenting desire to win, he continued to fight on. The battle raged around him, but his focus remained unbroken as he channeled his remaining mana, intent on unleashing one final, devastating attack.
Gabriel's eyes were fixed on the skull-masked man, who was deep in the midst of casting a spell. A cold shiver ran down Gabriel's spine as a sense of dread settled in his gut. He couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous was about to occur, and his mind raced with possible scenarios.
"Hahahahaha! I'll see you in hell!" the skull-masked man cackled, his voice tinged with madness.
Despite Gabriel's efforts to remain composed, the sight of the man's eerie mask and the malevolent tone of his words sent a jolt of fear through him. He couldn't help but wonder what dark power the skull-masked man was about to unleash.
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The blade of the skull-masked man's sword was now completely enveloped in a thick shroud of smoke and darkness, rendering it nearly invisible to the naked eye. As he continued to pour mana into the weapon, the darkness grew more concentrated, the smoke swirling with increasing ferocity.
The shadow blade, now imbued with even more mana, began to expand, becoming larger and more formidable with each passing second. Suddenly, bolts of red lightning crackled around the blade, sending shockwaves of fear through all who witnessed it. The killing intent emanating from the sword was almost tangible, filling the air with a suffocating sense of impending doom.
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Gabriel's attention snapped back to the skull-masked man as he noticed a sudden, subtle shift in his opponent's stance. Holding his sword vertically in front of him, the dark radiance surrounding the blade began to intensify, the shadowy weapon slowly taking on a more solid, corporeal form. The skull-masked man was chanting an incantation, but the words were indecipherable to Gabriel. Still, the air around them seemed to thicken with tension, making it difficult for Gabriel to remain calm.
He glanced upward and saw black clouds gathering ominously in the sky. It was clear this was the skull-masked man's final, most powerful move. The black light from the sword grew brighter, and a powerful wind began to howl through the battlefield. Gabriel could feel the pressure building, and he braced himself for the impending storm. The intensity of the spell was escalating rapidly.
With lightning speed, the skull-masked man's incantation reached its climax. Gabriel watched in a mixture of awe and horror as the pitch-black corporeal blade rose toward the darkened sky. In a blinding flash, the towering blade emitted a brilliant light, with the original sword at its center.
As the light faded, Gabriel's vision cleared, and he could see the skull-masked man's every move. The sword in the man's hand turned jet-black as it absorbed the corporeal blade, condensing it into a beam of pure, malevolent energy. The killing intent flowing into the sword surged, amplifying the danger. Gabriel knew he had to act fast. He cast all his buffs, preparing for the onslaught.
First, he restored his existing buffs with [Goddess Blessing].
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[Shield] Effect activated! Block damage up to 6x the caster's HP!
[Immunity] Effect activated! Immune to negative status effects!
[AttkUp] Effect activated! MATK increased!
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Next, Gabriel refreshed his speed and armor buffs with [Tail Wind] and [Blessing of the Ocean].
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[SpeedUp] Effect activated! Speed increased by 30!
[DefenceUp] Effect activated! Armor increased by 30%!
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Time seemed to slow as the black light beam emanated from the skull-masked man's sword, its deadly energy filling the air. Gabriel's senses heightened, memories of past battles flooding his mind, particularly the grueling encounter with the Raging Flame Liger in the Mysterious Realm.
"Go to hell! Yami no ō: Senmetsu Kiri!" the skull-masked man roared, his voice cutting through the tension as he slashed his sword toward Gabriel. The blade, which had been compressed earlier, extended several dozen meters into the sky. With a final, brutal swing, the blade descended toward Gabriel, accompanied by a streak of crimson lightning.
The sinister black light beam surged forward with terrifying speed, hurtling directly at Gabriel.
"Let's see how you'll survive this move of mine," the skull-masked man sneered, his voice echoing ominously across the battlefield.
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Gabriel stood his ground, determined not to fall into the same perilous situation as when he had faced the Raging Inferno Liger. He quickly completed his preparations, anticipating the skull-masked man's devastating attack.
Drawing on his past experiences, Gabriel summoned his skill [Curse Totem (☯️)], creating a protective barrier around himself. Even with all his buffs fully restored, Gabriel remained on edge, unwilling to take any chances against the imminent strike.
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As the black beam of light streaked toward Gabriel, his totem materialized unexpectedly, positioning itself directly in the beam's path.
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BOOOM!!
-9999 HP
A series of earth-shattering explosions tore through the battlefield, sending shockwaves that cracked the rocks and shook the ground. Gabriel stood safely behind the ancient totem, his eyes locked on the menacing figure of the skull-masked man, whose formidable black light beam radiated an aura of deadly intent.
Despite the overwhelming power of the attack, Gabriel remained calm, confident in the totem's invincibility due to its unique properties. However, even at a safe distance, Gabriel felt the residual effects of the skull-masked man's killing intent, which was imbued within the black light beam.
Thanks to his [Shield], Gabriel withstood the assault, narrowly avoiding severe damage.
---
The skull-masked man landed heavily on the ground, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His gaze was fixed on Gabriel and the totem, and with fierce determination, he gripped his sword tightly and thrust it into the earth, fully aware of the threat posed by Gabriel's summoned totem.
Mustered all his remaining strength, the skull-masked man began to chant another spell. His low, rhythmic voice resonated through the battlefield as a swirling mass of dark fog gathered around him.
"Yami no ō: Abatā," he intoned with grim resolve. With a resounding roar, the swirling black fog solidified into a colossal 30-meter-tall protective screen, standing as an impenetrable barrier before him.
The massive barrier intercepted the relentless onslaught of the totem's DPS, providing the skull-masked man with a crucial shield against Gabriel's relentless attacks.