As the dust settled around Darius's defeated form, another battle unfolded between the adventurer boy and Kael's party.
Despite being outnumbered, the boy stood relaxed, exuding a quiet confidence. They had been fighting for a few minutes, but Kael and his companions couldn't gain any advantage. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Kael, tall and imposing, narrowed his eyes at the boy, gritting his teeth. "You're alone," he sneered. "You can't seriously think you can take us all on."
The boy's lips curled into a smirk. "You really think I'll have trouble facing you?" His voice was calm, almost too calm, as if the fight didn't bother him at all.
Kael grunted in annoyance. He could feel the difference in their strength, though he had reached the intermediate tier, he couldn't gauge the boy's power. He observed the young man in front of him.
The boy had an otherworldly presence that was impossible to ignore. His silver hair, tousled yet purposeful, shimmered in the sunlight filtering through the trees. His sharp blue eyes held a calm that was unsettling in its intensity. Despite his relaxed stance, the lean, muscular build beneath his dark, fitted clothes suggested he was ready to move swiftly and strike with precision.
His outfit was marked by intricate silver patterns along the edges, glowing faintly, adding to his mysterious aura. A long, tattered scarf draped around his neck, fluttering slightly in the breeze, amplifying the sense of quiet confidence he exuded. There was something powerful and untamed about him that made it clear he was far more than he seemed.
Kael realized he was in deep trouble. He gritted his teeth and signaled his party members. There was no turning back now, they had to fight their way out. The rogue, a lithe man with daggers glinting in both hands, nodded at Kael. Without a word, he dashed forward, aiming to strike at the boy's flank with his poisoned blades.
The boy's eyes tracked the rogue's movements with precision, his body already shifting before the rogue completed his dash. With a swift pivot, the boy dodged the strike, his sword flashing out with a sharp clang as it met the rogue's dagger mid-air. The force of the parry sent the rogue stumbling back, surprise flickering in his eyes.
Before the rogue could recover, the boy pressed his advantage. He lunged forward, his sword aiming for the rogue's throat. But the rogue was quick, twisting his body to narrowly avoid the lethal strike, countering with a series of rapid slashes aimed at the boy's vital points.
The boy deflected the blows with ease, his blade a blur as he blocked and countered. Their exchange was fast, too fast for an untrained eye to follow, each strike and parry executed with deadly precision. But the boy was playing a different game, he was testing the rogue's limits.
Kael, seeing the rogue struggling, growled in frustration. "Enough of this! Team, let's bring him down together!"
The female warrior, shield raised high, charged at the boy with a battle cry. Her heavy armor clanked as she moved, her shield poised to bash the boy and break his defenses. The male warrior followed close behind, his massive sword raised overhead, ready to cleave the boy in two with a single powerful swing.
The boy, sensing the danger, leaped back with incredible agility, narrowly avoiding the shield bash. The female warrior's shield crashed into the ground where he had just stood, creating a small crater. The boy landed gracefully, his feet barely touching the ground before he launched himself back into the fight.
The male warrior swung his sword with a roar, the blade cutting through the air with a deafening whistle. The boy sidestepped the attack, the sword missing him by inches, and retaliated with a swift, upward slash. His blade cut through the male warrior's armor, drawing blood.
The warrior grunted in pain but didn't falter. Instead, he pushed through the injury, his resolve hardening. He swung again, this time with more fury, more desperation. But the boy moved like water, flowing around each strike with effortless grace. His sword danced in his hand as he countered each attack with lethal accuracy.
Meanwhile, the rogue had regrouped with the healer, who had been chanting a spell under her breath. A soft, golden light enveloped the rogue, healing his wounds as the healer's magic took effect. The rogue flashed a grin, feeling his strength return, and prepared to rejoin the battle.
Kael, watching his team struggle against the boy, clenched his fists. "Enough of this," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. He raised his hand, the air around him crackling with energy as he began to chant. Mana surged through him, gathering in his palm as he prepared to unleash a powerful spell.
But before Kael could finish, the boy made his move. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them, his sword aimed directly at Kael's heart. Kael's eyes widened in shock, his spell cut short as he barely managed to raise his sword in defense. The clash of steel echoed through the forest as the boy's blade met Kael's, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the ground.
Kael gritted his teeth, pushing back with all his might, but the boy was relentless. He pressed his attack, his strikes coming faster and harder, each one aimed at breaking Kael's defenses. Kael was strong, his strength bolstered by his mana, but the boy's precision and speed were unmatched.
As the boy kept Kael on the defensive, the rogue and the female warrior attempted to flank him. They moved in tandem, the rogue aiming low while the female warrior aimed high, hoping to catch the boy off guard.
But the boy anticipated their move. With a swift spin, he deflected the rogue's dagger with the flat of his blade and ducked under the female warrior's sword, countering with a quick slash to her leg that sent her stumbling.
Kael, seeing his team falter, roared in frustration. "He's just one boy! We're a team! Fight like one!"