The air trembled between the two warriors. Ardan stood tall, his blade humming with faint blue energy, while Onyx's black cape lay still upon the cracked stone, his lance glinting just a few steps away. In his hands, however, were not the usual weapons of war—but twin blades, curved like crescent moons, forged from pure shadow. The shape of sickles, small and deadly.
Kairo's voice echoed faintly through the command nexus above, his tone sharp and composed. "Alright, Onyx. Let's do this my way."
Ardan let out a short, barking laugh. "Abandoning your weapon now? Trying something new?" His grin widened, feral and mocking. "That won't make any difference!"
He charged, the ground beneath his boots cracking from the force of his step. His sword came down in a blazing arc—
—but hit nothing.
Kairo shouted, "Now, Onyx!"
In that instant, the skeletal warrior vanished into thin air, reappearing behind Ardan from within his own shadow. Twin blades slashed for the dark elf's back, gleaming violet for a heartbeat before impact. Ardan barely managed to twist around, his sword intercepting the strike with a metallic roar.
"Again with that stupid trick?" Ardan snarled, pushing Onyx away. "Stop hiding and fight like a real warrior!"
He swung his sword in a wide horizontal sweep. Onyx ducked low, sliding across the stone, the edge missing him by inches as he slashed across Ardan's hip. A thin red line appeared—small, but enough to make Ardan's expression darken.
Onyx didn't press. He darted backward, silent as smoke. His hollow eye sockets locked onto his foe, his stance low and ready.
Ardan growled and charged again, this time furious. His strikes came fast and unrelenting, steel flashing in furious rhythm. Onyx blocked, deflecting every swing with rapid, parrying motions—his twin daggers spinning like crescent shadows in a dance of precision.
Then, he disappeared once more.
Ardan anticipated it this time. The moment a ripple formed at his feet, he slashed downward—yet Onyx wasn't there. He appeared above, landing on Ardan's blade mid-swing and running along its edge with inhuman balance.
Ardan's eyes widened as Onyx reached his shoulder and slashed toward his throat.
The blade missed by inches—but blood still trickled down Ardan's neck.
He touched it, eyes blazing with fury. Onyx landed lightly on the ground, spinning his twin blades back into position, his stance calm and ready.
The true fight had just begun.
Onyx lunged forward, his skeletal frame twisting like a whip. His twin daggers carved violet arcs through the air, every slash sharp, deliberate, and merciless. The shadow-forged blades aimed straight for Ardan's throat—but the dark elf parried at the last instant, sparks bursting from the clash.
Ardan swung his massive sword with brute strength, forcing Onyx back a step. "Stay down, puppet!" he snarled, pressing forward.
But Onyx didn't retreat. He weaved through each blow like flowing ink, ducking under a swing, spinning behind Ardan, his blades slicing in blinding repetition. His movements were fluid yet brutal—his elbows and knees striking between dagger slashes with surgical precision. The rhythm was relentless: slash, spin, elbow, pivot—each hit flowing into the next, like a deadly dance.
Ardan growled and pushed back with a heavy strike, but Onyx met it head-on, twisting around his blade and striking at the open flank. Ardan blocked again—but he was slowing. Onyx kicked off the ground, flipping backward, and in midair, kicked at Ardan's sword. The impact rang like thunder, but Ardan held firm, barely keeping his balance.
Onyx landed light, crouched low, then dashed forward once more. His form blurred. The black energy swirling around his arms ignited, his daggers glowing with raw power.
Kairo's voice crackled faintly from the command nexus, awe in his tone. "He's compressing the armament into itself…"
Ardan raised his sword to block again—but too late.
The moment the daggers struck, a violet shockwave tore through the battlefield.
Crack!
Ardan's blade split in two, fragments scattering like glass across the stone.
The force sent him staggering backward, dust swirling around him. He looked down at his broken weapon, disbelief and rage twisting across his face.
Onyx straightened, his daggers humming. The shadow had turned the tide.
Kairo grinned from atop the wall, eyes gleaming. "Yes… the strategy worked! We've finally broken through his defense—keep pushing, Onyx!"
A heavy silence fell over the battlefield. Ardan's crimson eyes flared, staring down at the shattered remains of his sword—the weapon that had kept him alive through countless battles, now broken. For the first time, shock flickered across his face, quickly replaced by a burning rage. "Now… you've done it!" he roared, and with a sudden surge of strength, charged forward.
Raging Cleave ignited around his broken blade, slicing the ground as Onyx leapt back, narrowly dodging the sheer force. The shockwave rattled the battlefield, dust and debris swirling around them. Onyx's small frame darted, blades flashing in twin arcs, moving in a blur as he sought openings in Ardan's relentless assault. Yet Ardan's Blood Overdrive pumped through him, regenerating his wounds, bolstering his strength with each strike taken and pain endured. Iron Crest's Resilience gave him the endurance to meet Onyx's agile strikes head-on, deflecting, countering, and pressing the pressure relentlessly.
They clashed again and again. Onyx's agile movements allowed him to jump, spin, and strike with precision, while Ardan's raw strength and enhanced reflexes met every attack. Onyx leapt over a downward swing of the broken sword, pivoting mid-air, attempting to strike at Ardan's head—but Ardan's blade intercepted him. The impact sent Onyx bouncing, only for him to twist, using momentum to kick Ardan squarely in the nose. Ardan stumbled, eyes watering from the sudden pain, yet he pushed forward, meeting Onyx with a series of bone-crushing slashes and parries.
Onyx retreated slightly, circling to gauge the next move, blades at the ready. Ardan, gritting his teeth, summoned every ounce of his skill: Raging Cleave, Iron Crest's Resilience, and Blood Overdrive combined in an overwhelming flurry. Each strike tore into the ground, sparks flying as Onyx's twin blades clashed with him in a symphony of steel. Onyx jumped again, aiming a dual strike at Ardan's head mid-air—but Ardan caught him with a forceful swing, sending him crashing down.
As Onyx scrambled to regain footing, Ardan unleashed a booming Raging Shout, infused with the full power of Blood Overdrive. Onyx froze, bones stiffened under the shockwave, unable to move. The battle seemed sealed—Ardan's sword arced for the final strike.
Then—the sound of running footsteps. Fast, precise, unavoidable. In a blur, Theo and Flint appeared, intercepting the blow in a synchronized strike. Theo's blade slammed against the momentum of Ardan's sword, while Flint's claws dug in, stopping it just inches from impact. The force of the strike sent vibrations through the ground, throwing up dirt and shattered stone.
Theo smirked, muscles tensed, holding back the massive strike, while Flint's tail braced against the force, keeping the weapon steady. "Did you really think we were out of this battle that early?" Theo growled, voice low but charged with energy.
Ardan's eyes widened at the unexpected appearance. His momentary advantage vanished as his sword was held at bay by two forces instead of one.
Theo and Flint held Ardan's sword with all their strength. The metal vibrated with his residual power, yet the two stood firm, refusing to be overpowered. Theo's eyes narrowed as he dashed forward, timing precise, releasing his grip for a perfectly aimed Rattle of the Deep. Ardan's armor was struck; the side of it shattered, sparks flying, while Flint's tail slammed into him from behind, sending him staggering. Still, Ardan gripped his broken blade, roaring in fury, charging at the duo with renewed strength.
Theo's gaze flicked to Onyx, his voice sharp but calm. "Recover quickly—we'll hold him back for as long as you need." Flint tightened his hold on the sword, ready to counter any strike. Together, they danced a deadly pattern—Ardan's overwhelming strength forcing them to dodge, parry, and weave through his relentless assaults. Theo's blade met Ardan's swings with deflecting arcs while Flint's claws and tail struck from unexpected angles. Every strike, parry, and sidestep formed a brutal ballet, the battlefield echoing with the clash of steel and the rush of air.
Onyx, recovering from the earlier Raging Shout, rose steadily. Flint slashed at Ardan, but the demonic strength flowing through him allowed Ardan to hold his ground with the broken sword. With a sudden, precise motion, Ardan countered, leaving a gash on Flint's chest. Flint stumbled, struggling to regain footing, as Theo charged from behind. Piercing strikes aimed at Ardan's back were met with resistance; he grabbed Theo mid-lunge, swinging him into Flint with a force that sent both tumbling.
Time seemed to stretch as Ardan's broken blade plane clashed against the two, sparks erupting with each strike. But then, Onyx's figure loomed, fully recovered, determination etched into every line of his stance. He saw Ardan preparing to strike, and Theo's shout cut through the chaos: "Do it, Onyx!"
Onyx leapt into the air, blades igniting in a brilliant transformation. The twin daggers spiraled and reshaped, forming a single, gleaming scythe, sharp and deadly. Moving with the grace and swiftness of an angel of death, Onyx descended, eyes locked on Ardan. The moment was still, tension hanging like a blade over the battlefield.
As Ardan swung to strike Theo and Flint, Onyx's scythe sliced through the air, intercepting him with unstoppable precision. Time seemed to bend for a fraction of a second. The strike landed perfectly, and Ardan's head separated from his body, rolling across the ground. Silence fell, broken only by the wind through the ruins and the labored breaths of the surviving warriors.
The battlefield was still. Dust settled over the fallen, and a sense of finality hung heavy in the air. The raid—the massacre, the struggle, the endless clash of titans—had ended.
[ Notification]:
[Congratulations, host. The raid has been successfully cleared. Territory secured. Rewards and data synchronization commencing]
For a moment, silence blanketed the battlefield. Only the soft thud of Onyx's footsteps echoed as he dissolved the scythe into darkness, retrieving his lance and cape. Theo, unable to contain himself, let out a triumphant scream. "Yes! We did it! We won! Whooooo!" His laughter rang across the ruins, bouncing off shattered walls and dust-choked air. Kairo, atop the vantage point, exhaled heavily, finally allowing his body to rest, feet collapsing onto the floor as relief washed over him. "We finally did it… God, this was so stressful."
From the Tier 1 house, Shiri peered through the window, looking towards the vantage point, smiling. "I knew you could do it, you brat," he whispered to Kairo.
Suddenly Theo froze, eyes widening as he saw Flint unmoving. "Flint…? Flint, are you—?" His voice trembled, disbelief lacing every word.
He knelt beside Flint, who remained still, panic flashing across his face. "Flint! Wake up! Don't leave me!" Tears streamed down Theo's cheeks, heart pounding. A faint movement—a hand brushing over Theo's head—made him gasp. Flint opened his eyes, letting out a quiet sigh. Relief flooded Theo as he hugged Flint, shaking from emotion. Kairo watched, reassured. Flint wouldn't fall so easily.
Their celebration was interrupted by slow, deliberate clapping. Heads turned to the distance. Renn stood, applauding, while atop a cliff, Lyra appeared, white hair glinting in the dying sun, flanked by the yellow-haired and the silver-haired figures. Behind them, the ork and the eyepatched maid stood commandingly. Behind them, a monstrous army surged—war boars snorting, hobgoblins brandishing blades, bunnymen poised, big spiders looming—each creature amplifying the terrifying, awe-inspiring presence of the ruin lords.
Lyra's voice rang cold and commanding: "Lord of the Western Ruins… we have seen your strength, your resolve, and your victory. We extend to you… an invitation to join the Ruin Lords Alliance!"
To be continued.....