[The player used the ability 'Burning Fortification'] [The player's body is enveloped in powerful flames, increasing resistance to physical and fire-type damage and boosting physical and fire-type damage dealt]
"Fire, huh? So that's your element?" the yellow samurai said in a fascinated but cautious tone. However, his excitement faded when he felt something strange. He had been easily pressing Alexander against the ground, but now he was being pushed back by sheer brute force.
Alexander gritted his teeth, exerting enough effort to make a vein pop on his face. He could feel Okabe starting to push back, once again forcing him down. He grunted, struggling not to be overpowered once more.
Damn it... This guy is too strong! I can't stay like this, I have to get out of here...
Alexander forced his feet against the ground, charging into Okabe with a powerful shoulder check that threw him off balance. One second of advantage, one second he used to jump back and create distance.
His breathing was fast, his hands trembling. His gaze was sharp, fixed on the green blade of the yellow samurai, who had regained his stance within seconds of Alexander distancing himself.
I thought this before, but now I'm sure: close combat with him is not an option. I only got out of that bad spot because Burning Fortification gave me a buff, but that buff won't last forever...
Alexander took a deep breath, letting the air clear his mind. He was thinking, thinking of how to get out of that unfavorable situation.
"You seem to have more strength than you appear to, farmer," Okabe said sarcastically. The samurai slowly approached, each step making Alexander's heart pound even more.
Thoughts flooded Alexander's mind like a tsunami, his red eyes focused on that immense green sword approaching with every second.
"That's it," Alexander said in a calm voice. He took a low stance similar to a sprinter's start but held his sword with both hands. The blade was close to his body and raised, its edge pointing at Okabe.
The yellow samurai stopped approaching, taking a low stance, but not quite mirroring Alexander.
"You're going to try to cut my legs? I'd like to see you try," he replied in a challenging tone, but Alexander remained focused.
Six meters between us... Two seconds to reach his range.
His red eyes aimed at something low, and he slowly adjusted his stance, balancing his body weight like a cheetah about to pounce on its prey. The rapid breathing had calmed and regulated. He stared at a fixed point and nothing at the same, but his pupils were contracted, focused like a predator.
Now.
Alexander dashed towards Okabe like lightning. He could see Okabe's movements, raising his katana, preparing for a precise counterattack that would cut him in half.
Six meters, five now! The moment I get within his range... No... He's faster; he'll kill me before I reach two meters!
Alexander thought. At that moment, his foot touched the ground, propelling him forward even faster.
Four meters...
He saw Okabe's katana swing, but it was too fast, faster than he could dodge if he kept moving straight ahead—he knew it. Before entering the samurai's range, his aura contracted, hugging his body with an intense orange glow just a few millimeters away.
Three meters!
His foot touched the ground once again, but something strange happened. His body should have kept moving in a straight line due to the force he was putting into each step, but it didn't. It was an unnatural and strange movement: the instant his toes touched the ground, it was as if all the momentum propelling his body forward shifted direction, sending him to the left like a bullet.
After changing trajectory, it was as if time sped up compared to when he was about to enter his executioner's range. He could hear the explosive, loud sound of Okabe's sword striking the ground.
I did it, damn it! Wise is the one who knows his limits...
A wave of relief washed over him, but he remained focused. Alexander started running in the direction he aimed for earlier, towards the mage divisions. He felt something strange, as if the air had grown heavy, a shiver ran through his body, and he looked back.
Okabe's yellow aura was wild, its flames dancing frantically and violently.
"How dare you flee from a duel?" the yellow samurai demanded, enraged.
Okabe crouched down, also taking a stance. His aura compressed to just a few centimeters from his body, focusing on his legs before he finally began to run. The yellow samurai started his pursuit of the red-eyed elf.
Fuck, he's fast!
Alexander started running at full speed, he could feel the ground shaking behind him, feel the pressure getting closer and death approaching. He was already at the top of the hill, and he could see the differences in the divisions of the Wolf Clan's army—the differences in the uniforms, where the squads of soldiers ended and the mage divisions began.
The mages! I've finally reached them, but with this guy on my tail, it will be difficult...
He thought as his feet carried him towards the men and women who looked like they were dressed in Buddhist monk robes. He looked back and could see Okabe chasing him at high speed, sword in hand ready to strike him down.
"You can run, but I can do something you can't," Alexander said arrogantly.
He leaped at least five meters into the air, like a grasshopper jumping from leaf to leaf, a jump so high it impressed Okabe for an instant. His fall was quick, landing in the middle of a squad of mages and making the ground tremble.
"Let's get this party started!" Alexander said, holding his sword with both hands and immediately striking one of the mages, cutting him in half at the torso.
[Enemies Eliminated: 121]
The mages had their auras revealed, mostly orange in color, but it made no difference. Alexander knew that at this distance he had the advantage, he was faster and stronger, and he exploited that, swinging his katana with mastery, splitting two more mages in half before they could react.
One of the mages beside him tried to retreat, but the red-eyed elf was faster, cutting off his legs and then his head before the body even hit the ground.
They are like regular people; even with equal auras, they can't react to my speed. It's like in EverMagic: the mage can deal a lot of damage from afar, but the moment an assassin or warrior gets within range, they're done for.
The mages tried to move away from him, breaking the formation of their division—it was like watching a school of fish scatter from a lone shark, and now the shark was about to begin its feeding frenzy.
"Get back here, you damned worm, face me like a man!" Okabe yelled.
The yellow samurai had finally arrived to face his opponent; he could hear the furious, ragged breathing beneath that black mask.
He stared at Alexander, looking deep into the young man's red eyes, but there was no light or enthusiasm for combat, no nervousness or anxiety—just the empty, cold eyes of an assassin.
Alexander began running again, this time advancing into the crowd of mages. With every step, he swung his sword and claimed a life, moving like a true killing whirlwind.
"You bastard, don't turn your back on me!" Okabe shouted once again, his aura glowing and thrashing intensely, making the ground beneath him tremble. He began running after Alexander, but he was slower than before.
I knew it...
Alexander ran and leaped through the crowd of mages, his red eyes dancing a deadly waltz along with his Silver Fang. Lateral slashes, spinning attacks—there were many ways to kill. Alexander plunged deep into the mage division, cutting through the sea of people like a knife through butter.
Behind him, Okabe advanced but at a slow pace; the ground no longer shook, nor was his pressure as strong.
He can't use all his strength in the middle of the mages, or he'll cause more havoc than I will.
Alexander's gaze focused on something else—one of the mages he had wounded but not killed. He could see two women in white robes, like the nurse who treated him at the fortress, Yukiko.
I need to be more precise... More lethal!
Alexander quickened his pace, moving faster and putting more strength into his attacks.
[***]
[Enemies Eliminated: 167]
[Enemies Eliminated: 168]
[Enemies Eliminated: 169]
"Cowardly bastard!" Okabe roared in fury, but Alexander didn't care.
The powerful aura of the yellow samurai grew more intense, its color resembling gold freshly forged in a hellish furnace. His face twisted with rage beneath the black mask, almost foaming with hatred at seeing that boy ignore him and flee from their duel.
"Stones break under the brutal force of the mountain, while the scourge of time fragments them mercilessly. In the chaos, nature forges its ruthless art. Break him, break him with your unstoppable force."
The ground began to quake around Okabe, like a truly powerful earthquake, bringing everyone standing near him to the ground. Alexander lost his balance with the tremors, struggling to stay on his feet on the grassy soil, he looked up, staring deeply into the eyes of the samurai who so badly wanted him dead.
The ground still shook powerfully; Alexander crouched down, resting one knee on the ground but still held his sword, pointing it at Okabe.
"Mages, return to formation," the yellow samurai said in a serious tone. Gradually, the mages ran away from him or simply crawled due to the tremors. Alexander slowly regained his balance, even with the powerful shakes trying to bring his body down. He stared into Okabe's eyes, but his expression was calm, cold, thinking.
"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" Alexander asked, annoyed.
"No, you kill the mages of my army and think you will go unpunished? Even before you did that, my orders were already decided—to bring your head to Lord Kiyoharu's feet," Okabe said with force and hatred in his voice.
Alexander swallowed hard; his expression seemed calm, but his heart was pounding.
"Death isn't something I plan on doing today," he said sarcastically.
"You plan nothing, only the gods plan destiny, and yours is to fall before my blade."
"Only the gods plan, huh? Then you're going to be surprised because the gods seem to like me a lot."