After witnessing the tremendous power displayed by the lord, it became evident that he surpassed Cara's abilities. While Cara held an impressive A-rank in all three paths, it was clear that the lord must be at least a beginner S-rank.
Dressed in red flaming armour, Gustin swung his sword horizontally, aiming to strike the lord's abdomen. However, the cunning lord swiftly sidestepped, skillfully evading the arc of energy emitted by the sword.
Emerging from behind the lord, Cara revealed herself. Adorned in white glowing armour etched with ancient blue lines, she threw a punch towards the lord. Icy shards materialized around her fist, transforming into sharp needles. However, her attack failed to connect as the lord adeptly dodged her strike.
With Gustin and Cara both leaping towards the lord, their combined assault began. Cara even summoned daggers from the sky, creating a rain of weapons directed at the lord. Yet, the lord skillfully evaded each attack, effortlessly surpassing their efforts.
In a moment where Gustin found himself mid-air, preparing to unleash a spell or sword technique, the lord suddenly appeared before him. With a fierce impact, the lord's fist struck Gustin's abdomen, causing droplets of blood to splatter in the air and escape from Gustin's mouth.
Seizing the opportunity, Cara attempted to cast the ice coffin spell on the lord. The white fog, generated by Cara's manifested tree, travelled swiftly and surrounded the lord's figure, constricting tightly around his body, entrapping him within an icy prison.
A majestic, meter-wide coffin stood amidst the battlefield, firmly rooted to the ground.
With determination, Cara shouted,
"Now! "commanding Gustin to shatter the ice coffin. Gusting closed his eyes, signalling that he had activated his aura. In the next moment, as he opened his eyes, they glowed with an intense red radiance. His sword became enveloped by a layer of red energy, its glow increasing in intensity. For Gustin, this was the pivotal moment.
With a thin red layer of energy enveloping his sword, Gustin's weapon seemed to react to the increasing intensity. It was the moment when it seemed possible to bring down the lord. Every step he took increased the tension in the air, filling it with a heartrending and intense atmosphere.
Gustin's body moved swiftly, his meter-long sword flashing, appearing just near the coffin's edge. His blue sword sliced through the air, closing the distance between it and the coffin, effortlessly cutting through the surrounding atmosphere.
Finally, Gusting's sword connected with the coffin, causing cracks to travel through it. A smile of triumph adorned Gusting's face as the cracks widened in depth and length. Then, with a resonating boom, the coffin shattered into countless pieces.
However, something felt amiss as the debris of shattered ice cascaded down, revealing the lord standing there, arms open wide. A smile bloomed on his face as his dominant voice echoed like thunder through the air.
"Surprise, motherfucker!" he exclaimed, moving towards Gusting, who quickly assumed a defensive posture.
In a matter of seconds, the lord was in front of Gustin, his fist travelling with intense speed. Gusting swiftly raised his sword in front of him to block the lord's punch. The collision caused a loud snapping and ringing sound as their forces clashed.
The lord's punch struck Gustin's abdomen, generating another round of blood coughing from his mouth. Before another attack could reach Gustin, Cara appeared, rescuing him with another round of ice summoned from the sky.
Both Gustin and Cara stood in front of the lord, who remained carefree. They exchanged a glance, a sense of determination passing between them. At that moment, a surge of mana like a bomb erupted. As Gustin and Cara moved in unison, the lord found himself trapped between their paths, leaving behind a trail carved by their respective elements.
Gustin placed his hand on Cara's back, propelling her forward with incredible speed. Swiftly, like a bullet train, Cara sliced through the air, closing the distance between her and the lord. Her punch collided with such force that it created a rippling wave of air.
However, the lord effortlessly grabbed her fist resting on his chest and slammed her body onto the ground. Surprisingly, instead of pain, a smile adorned Cara's face. Lying on the ground, she cast the ice fog which swiftly travelled and entrapped the lord's leg.
"Now!" Cara yelled from her position on the ground. The land beneath the lord's feet liquified and transformed. Behind the lord's figure, a soil magician emerged, conjuring a wall of sand that surrounded the lord's body, blocking his every movement. With his hand locked on his chest, the lord was entrapped within the prison of soil. Meanwhile, Cara cast another spell, causing ice to condense on the sand coffin, creating a second coffin of ice.
The lord was now trapped in place, sandwiched between the double-layered coffins—soil behind him and ice beside him.
Gustin, waiting for an opportunity to strike the lord, seized the advantage of the situation. He ran his broken sword along his body, and it became whole once more, while sparks of lightning crackled ominously behind him.
With a thunderous voice, Gustin's body moved through the air. In the next moment, his sword was at the lord's neck, poised to strike. With a resounding "splash," Gustin's sword partially lodged itself in the lord's throat.
The ground trembled under the impact, and from the depths of the earth, an army of skeletons swarmed beside Gustin, who remained suspended mid-air, still attacking the lord. His sword, stuck in the lord's throat, impeded any further movements.
The horde of skeleton soldiers rushed past Gustin, pushing him aside. Meanwhile, a giant snake appeared, its gaping mouth ready to engulf lords within its jaws. Unbeknownst to the lord was swallowed by the snake. The snake collided with Cara and the soil, and together, they fell to the side, With a swift motion, the snake ascended into the sky, and the lord remained trapped within its mouth. Over was positioned in front of the lord, attempting to detach his skull from his body.