Xain rolled out of the way as Mar's mace came crashing down, creating a shockwave that reverberated through the air. "Holy crap!" Xain exclaimed, feeling the sheer force of Mar's swing. *That was almost Eirisse's level of strength!* he thought, his heart pounding with adrenaline. Mar gave Xain an inquisitive look. "You are like me," he said, confusing Xain.
"I don't know how you came to that conclusion, but does that mean you won't fight me?" Xain asked, hoping and praying to the goddess that Mar would not engage in combat. Mar pointed his mace towards him, saying, "No, it simply means we share a trait, nothing more," before charging at Xain again, swinging his mace towards his head. Xain, unable to match Mar's speed, was about to be struck if not for the shimmering golden light emanating from his armor, protecting him from the blow.
As Mar's mace bounced off the golden light, Xain smirked. "Hah! You can't hurt me either!" he exclaimed, feeling a surge of confidence. But then he heard a crack. "Eh?" Xain muttered as he looked at where Mar's mace had struck, noticing a slight glass-like crack in the shimmering golden light before it receded back into the armor. "Are you sure we can't talk this out?" Xain asked sheepishly, but Mar remained silent, swinging his mace once again.
Xain was sent hurtling deeper into the forest as Mar's powerful swing connected with his stomach. "Thank goddess for this armor," Xain mumbled as he struggled to his feet, clutching a nearby tree branch for support. *I think I understand how this armor works now,* he thought, analyzing its capabilities. Whenever an attack struck the armored areas, it nullified any pain and damage, but the force of the impact remained. However, if an attack targeted an unarmored spot, the shimmering golden light emerged to shield the wearer, deflecting the blow. Yet, there was a limit to how much damage the golden light could withstand.
*Maybe I can use this to my advantage,* Xain pondered as he watched Mar charging towards him once more. This time, Xain stood ready, brandishing the branch as his makeshift weapon.
Mar locked in on Xain, swinging his mace towards Xain's head once more. This time, Xain countered with a swing of the tree branch, aiming for Mar's back knee. As the shimmering golden light deflected Mar's attack, Xain's strike landed, breaking the branch upon impact with the back of Mar's knee. Though Mar felt the hit, his enhanced toughness minimized the damage, while the golden light sustained another crack as it receded into the armor. *I can't do anything to him,* Xain lamented, knowing that people like Mar were the worst types of opponents for him. He couldn't do much against someone who outclassed him physically.
Suddenly, both Xain and Mar heard rustling leaves behind Mar as Zee attempted to stab him in the back of the neck. Mar sensed the attack and sidestepped, swiftly spinning around to counter with a mace swing. However, Zee agilely ducked under the blow, evading the attack. She then tried to thrust her blade into Mar's thigh, but he skillfully backed away, avoiding the strike.
"Are you okay, Xain?" Zee asked with concern evident in her voice. "I'm fine thanks to this armor. Did you and Grace finish up the mercenaries?" Xain asked, his focus still on Mar.
"We did. Grace is helping the angel fight Jakel right now," Zee replied as she, too, locked onto Mar. "You are not human," Mar stated, scrutinizing Zee.
Zee adjusted her hair, revealing her pointed ears. "No, I'm not," she stated, hoping for once that her elven heritage would intimidate Mar enough to reconsider the fight. Both she and Xain noticed Mar taking a step back upon seeing her ears. *Did it work?* Zee wondered silently.
"Hmm, I've never faced an elf before. This should prove a proper challenge," Mar remarked, holding his mace up high before charging at Zee. She swiftly leaped up into a nearby tree to avoid the attack, which sent shockwaves through the ground upon landing.
Meanwhile, Xain attempted to punch Mar in the face, but Mar dodged and released his grip on the mace. He swiftly retaliated by punching Xain hard in the chest with his right hand, sending Xain flying into a nearby tree.
As Zee leaped down from the tree, she aimed to stab Mar in the shoulder. However, Mar intercepted the stab with his right forearm. Despite Zee putting her entire body weight behind it, the blade didn't penetrate deeply, halted by his robust muscles and enhanced toughness. *Damn it!* Zee cursed internally.
Mar then attempted to punch Zee with his left hand, but she released the dagger and executed a backflip, launching herself off Mar's body and away from him with a swift kick.
Mar ripped the dagger out of his forearm, then hurled it at Zee with incredible speed. Zee, enhancing her own body, swiftly dodged the projectile, causing the dagger to embed itself into a nearby tree.
Without wasting a moment, Mar retrieved his mace and charged at Zee, who met his charge head-on. As he swung his mace diagonally towards Zee, she sidestepped with agility, her body swaying to avoid the incoming attack. In a split-second counter, she launched a swift kick towards Mar's temple in an attempt to incapacitate him. Mar staggered from the blow, teetering on the brink of falling over, but he managed to regain his balance.
Seizing the opportunity, Xain emerged from behind and executed a dropkick, targeting the back of Mar's head. While the blow didn't inflict much pain, it propelled Mar forward.
In perfect coordination, Zee enhanced her right leg and coiled it before delivering a swift kick to Mar's face. Blood spurted from his nose as his head snapped back from the force of the blow. Taking advantage of the opening, Xain swept Mar's right leg, causing him to collapse to the ground at last.
Exhausted from the constant fighting, Xain huffed as he caught his breath. "Is he down?" Zee asked out loud, hoping that their combined efforts had finally subdued Mar. However, Xain shot her an annoyed look ,"Don't say that! Now he's going to get back up!" he exclaimed, knowing the trope.
Sure enough, Mar slowly rose to his feet, huffing as he retrieved his mace from the ground. He appeared exhausted, much more so than Xain. "I will not be defeated," Mar declared.
Xain and Zee observed in astonishment as Mar's arms, legs, and overall body muscles swelled and increased in mass, while fur began to sprout all over his body. "Well, that's just great!" Xain exclaimed, his frustration evident as he voiced his annoyance with the unfolding situation.