The healer, positioned at the back of Kael's party, raised her staff high, her eyes closed in concentration as she began to chant a spell familiar to any seasoned adventurer: "Aura of Vitality!" The spell's golden light cascaded from her staff, enveloping Kael and his party in a shimmering aura.
Their movements became more fluid, their attacks more precise, and their defenses bolstered as if their very life force had been invigorated by the divine light.
The boy standing alone against them could feel the shift. The air around him thickened with their newfound power, their attacks suddenly more synchronized, more deadly. He narrowed his eyes, steeling himself for the oncoming assault. He knew they were stronger now, but he was not about to back down.
Kael struck first, his sword now glowing not only with mana but also with the radiant energy of the buff. He unleashed a flurry of powerful slashes, each strike carrying the weight of the healer's spell. The boy's blade moved in a blur as he parried each attack, the impact of each clash sending vibrations up his arms.
The female warrior was quick to follow, charging in from the side with her shield raised to bash the boy while the male warrior aimed for his legs, seeking to cripple his mobility. The rogue, quick and deadly, darted in and out, looking for a critical opening to exploit.
The boy's movements became a dance, a blur of speed and precision. He twisted and turned, deflecting their attacks with the grace of a seasoned fighter. His sword flashed out, cutting into the male warrior's arm, then spinning to block the rogue's dagger.
He ducked under the female warrior's shield bash, countering with a sharp jab to her side that drew blood. But despite his skill, they were relentless, their attacks coming from all sides, coordinated with deadly efficiency. He was forced to retreat, his mind racing as he tried to anticipate their next move.
Suddenly, Kael shouted, "Now!" The rogue, who had been hanging back, rushed forward with blinding speed. He channeled his mana into his dagger, converting it into a poisonous miasma. His dagger aimed at the boy's back.
Sensing the danger, the boy spun around just in time to block the strike, but the force of the rogue's attack sent him stumbling, and he got scratched, the miasma entering his body.
Kael seized the opportunity. He charged at the boy, activating his skill, Mountain Cleaver, with his sword glowing, slashing at the boy. The boy barely had time to react as Kael's blade came down in a crushing overhead strike. The boy raised his sword to block, but the impact sent him skidding back, his arms shaking from the force.
Kael didn't let up. He pressed his advantage, his sword flashing out in a series of powerful slashes, each one aimed to overwhelm the boy's defenses. The rogue and the female warrior joined in, their attacks coming in a relentless barrage.
The boy was on the defensive, his sword moving in a blur as he blocked and parried, but the relentless assault from Kael and his party was taking its toll. Kael could sense it, their combined strength, speed, and coordination were overwhelming the boy, his defenses weakening with each passing moment.
With their skills invoked, Kael and his party pressed their advantage, mounting a continuous assault that left the boy struggling to keep up.
A smile of relief spread across Kael's face, mirrored by his comrades, as they began to believe victory was within their grasp.
They had managed to corner the boy, and it felt like only a matter of time before he would fall.
Seizing an opening, the female warrior activated her shield skill, "Titan's Bash," and slammed into the boy with tremendous force. The impact sent him hurtling through the air, crashing into a pile of rubble. Stones cascaded down, burying him beneath the debris.
Kael's party erupted in cheers, celebrating what they believed to be their hard-fought victory. The foe they had feared might be too much for them had been dealt with more easily than expected, especially after the healer's buff had tipped the scales in their favor.
Amidst the intense battle, Tessa's voice rang out, clear and commanding. "Enough playing around! Finish the fight now, Suhan!" Her words cut through the noise, a reminder of the gravity of the situation.
From beneath the pile of stones, a faint glow began to emanate. The rocks trembled as if something immense was stirring beneath them. Then, with a burst of energy, the stones exploded outward, revealing the boy standing tall, his eyes ablaze with a fierce, unrestrained power.
Kael's heart skipped a beat as he realized they had underestimated him. The boy's figure was calm, but the air around him vibrated with power, his aura no longer suppressed. Kael tightened his grip on his sword, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. The battle was far from over.
"Too bad the play is over," Suhan remarked, shaking his head in mock pity. "I was just starting to enjoy myself. But our young miss has given her command."
With that, he released his aura. The air around Kael's party turned cold, a suffocating pressure of bloodlust and malice that shackled their movements. Their bodies were covered in goosebumps as they felt the weight of Suhan's unleashed power, their breathing turning ragged.
Without a word, Suhan moved, faster than before, a blur of motion almost impossible to track. He was upon them in an instant, his sword slicing through the air with a "swish" sound, aiming directly for the female warrior's head.
Facing the danger, her survival instinct kicked in, and she barely managed to move her arm quickly enough to block his attack with her shield.
She raised her shield to block, but the overwhelming force behind Suhan's strike was unlike anything she had ever encountered. Her shield, which had withstood countless blows, was cut with an ease as if slicing through paper.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as Suhan's sword continued its deadly arc, slicing cleanly through her neck. Her body crumpled to the ground, blood gushing from the wound, her head rolling away as the light in her eyes faded.
Kael's party, who had just moments ago believed victory was within their grasp, now stood paralyzed with terror. Their strongest defender, the unbreakable shield of their party, had been felled in a single, effortless strike. Dread took root in their hearts as they realized they were not facing a mere human, but a monster.
"Aaaah!" The healer screamed at the harrowing sight of her friend being decapitated, tumbling to the ground in a panic. They had killed countless enemies themselves, but the bitter reality of their own mortality now loomed large, and the healer broke down in fear.