Both sides stood still for a brief moment, their eyes locked, measuring each other. Aster could feel the tension in the air, like the calm before a storm.
Then, without warning, he took the initiative. In a burst of speed, he dashed forward, sword gleaming as he aimed a powerful downward slash at Lorelai's left shoulder.
"Naive..."
Lorelai's voice was calm, almost mocking, despite the force behind Aster's attack.
While his speed was impressive for someone at level 100, it wasn't enough to catch her off guard. With a casual flick of her wrist, the staff in her hand swirled through the air, and the floor beneath them began to shift. The once solid ground turned into a black, bubbling bog, expanding rapidly between them.
The change was subtle, barely distinguishable from the already dark surroundings, but Aster wasn't alone. His two companions, Pyra and Crysta, were ever-vigilant, their senses finely attuned to the fluctuations of mana around them.
