Caught in a state of immobility, Arex found himself transfixed as he beheld the unexpected presence of Roxina standing before him.
Roxina exudes an aura of menace that far surpasses the fear Arex felt when he first crossed paths with her in the mortal realm. Roxina's long black skirt had an unsettling aura, reminiscent of a character from a gothic horror film. Its tattered hem seemed to float in the air, causing a shiver to run down Arex's spine.
"Roxina…" Arex whispered, his gaze fixed on Roxina's mesmerizing emerald eyes, which glinted with a chilling determination to wield her scythe against him.
Arex was immediately struck by her commanding presence, which seemed to radiate an air of intimidation. It was an experience far beyond his initial encounter with her. Roxina's newfound powers seemed to have tripled, causing Arex to contemplate a hasty retreat.
"Does this happen to be the power that Leomold was referring to?" Arex spoke in a low whisper, saying things that were intended solely for his ears.
He was a little sceptical about whether or not Roxina could actually hear him, but judging by the way that she continues to look in his direction, it would appear that it was quite challenging for Arex to determine what was going on inside of Roxina's head. Arex was becoming increasingly tensed as a result of the intensity of her gaze towards him, which was undeniably foreboding.
"What a wonderful greeting I have here. Well, well, if it is not Arex Carceri. Out of all the individuals I had the misfortune of crossing paths with initially, it just had to be you. I suppose that it must have been really predetermined for me to be the one to kill you in the end." Arex was told by Roxina in a sudden and sharp manner.
Her words carried a potent venom, leaving Arex frozen in his tracks. Arex felt as though he was completely paralyzed and unable to move even a single muscle in his body.
Arex found himself embroiled in a fierce battle for the ensuing moments. He struggled against the unseen force that weighed him down, but inexplicably, Arex could not sustain his efforts for much longer.
"What are you doing to me?" Arex inquired of Roxina. His tone was filled with apprehension and dread as he spoke.
Arex's irate efforts to break free from Roxina's commanding presence, which was not visible to him, were a source of frustration for him. In the end, Arex's failure to achieve that added more to his frustration.
He was so shocked that he didn't even sense Roxina coming towards his direction. Not only was Arex unable to defend himself, but he was also unable to even lift the sapphire sword. This came about almost unexpectedly.
Arex's mounting frustration intensified as he felt his grasp slip from the hilt, leaving him utterly vulnerable against the formidable Roxina.
"Damn it!" He growled. Arex's gaze shifted swiftly, never straying far from the spot where the sword had landed, all the while maintaining a vigilant stance against any potential strikes from Roxina.
Meanwhile, Arex's focus shifted back to Roxina, who currently had the upper hand in their ongoing battle.
And in the midst of it all, Roxina finally spoke up, questioning, "What expression is that adorning your face, Arex? Don't you feel honored to be the very first person I chose to see among all the others?"
That left Arex feeling even more intimidated. He struggled to fathom the depths of Roxina's hidden powers, despite her seemingly unyielding strength, so that he could have atleast come prepared for her sudden attack.
Arex, whose attention was now squarely on the sapphire sword, dashed frantically in its direction. Just as he was about to seize the opportunity, Roxina swung around, her movements so fast that Arex could not make out her features; she then reached for the sapphire sword, outpacing him.
"What an exquisite sword! Did you acquire it from the depths of the cave?" Roxina's eyes widened as she beheld the mesmerizing hue of the sword's blade clutched in her left arm. Her tone dripped with sarcasm, leaving Arex seething with pent-up rage and exasperation.
One could observe the way Arex clenched his fists tightly, as if they were trembling with anger. He yearned to confront Roxina, but in his present condition, he lacked the means to even pose a threat to her.
Arex, whose patience had reached its limit, finally took a step back before launching a direct attack on Roxina. It didn't bother Arex anymore whether Roxina was even a woman. In the depths of his mind, she had become his rival, driving him to strive for victory over her by any means necessary—even if it entailed striking her with his own fist.
But just as Arex was about to strike, Roxina disappeared into a thick, ominous fog before his fist could make contact against the tip of Roxina's skin.
"What the hell—!" With a furious scream, Arex fought to maintain his equilibrium following his unsuccessful endeavor to strike Roxina with his bare hand.
Arex swiftly spun around, surveying the entire area, but there was no trace of Roxina in sight.
"Where the hell did you go?" Arex screamed, as though calling out to Roxina.
Just as if it were a response to Arex, Roxina suddenly materialized behind him and playfully brushed a gentle gust of wind against Arex's neck. As the annoying sensation dissipated, Arex swiftly spun around, only to find that Roxina had vanished before he could even lay a hand on her.
"You're not playing fair." Arex spoke in a hushed tone.
However, the sound reached Roxina's ears with clarity. As soon as she heard those words, Roxina materialized not too far from Arex, her expression growing darker as she turned to face him. "But that is the essence of my role in this game, though, Arex," she retorted, a sly grin forming at the corner of her mouth. "Or perhaps you have already forgotten that I also possess the eye of the future?"