Cruzer's heart pounded in his chest. He could feel Tessa's steady gaze on him, and her earlier words echoed in his mind. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "We will never serve you," he said, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at him.
The half-demon's eyes narrowed, and a cold, cruel smile spread across his face. "Defiance it is, then," he said softly. "Prepare yourselves for a fate worse than death."
Darius stepped forward, a look of regret on his face. "Cruzer, please, reconsider. This is our only chance to survive."
Liora nodded, her expression pleading. "We don't want to fight you. Just join us, and we can all get out of this alive."
Cruzer's gaze hardened. "I'd rather face whatever comes next than live as a slave to this monster."
Tessa stepped forward, her voice calm and clear. "We've made our choice. We'll face the consequences together."
The half-demon's laughter echoed across the battlefield, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Cruzer's spine. "Very well," he said, his voice dripping with menace.
"Kael, prepare to show them the true meaning of despair."
Kael bowed low. "As you command, Master."
The half-demon turned towards the traitors, his voice carrying a dark authority. "You who have chosen to serve me, take these. They will grant you strength beyond your current limits, but know this, without the antidote, which only I possess, you will suffer a fate far worse than death. You must take the antidote once a week, or the poison will consume you from within."
Darius and Liora exchanged uneasy glances but reluctantly stepped forward, taking the pills with trembling hands. The other betrayers did the same, their faces a mix of desperation and fear. The half-demon's smile widened as they swallowed the pills, sealing their fates.
The moment the pills slid down their throats, Darius and Liora felt an intense surge of power coursing through their bodies. The mystical energy within them roared to life, and they could feel the barriers that had kept them at Rank 2 for so long shattering like fragile glass.
They were breaking through to Rank 3, becoming Intermediate Mystics in mere moments. The intoxication of sudden strength overtook them, filling their hearts with a sense of vindication. Darius flexed his hands, feeling the newfound power crackling at his fingertips. Liora's eyes widened in awe as she sensed her energy doubling, maybe even tripling, in an instant.
The rush of power was overwhelming, and for a moment, they believed they had made the right choice. The half-demon's smile grew more sinister as he watched them revel in their new abilities. "This is just the beginning," he said, his voice smooth and enticing.
"As long as I grow stronger, you will follow my path and continue to rise in power. Serve me faithfully, and there will be no limit to what you can achieve."
He then commanded, "Now, show your loyalty. Attack them. Show no mercy."
Darius hesitated, his eyes flicking from Cruzer's determined stance to the half-demon's expectant gaze. The temptation to impress his new master, to solidify his place at the half-demon's side, was too strong to resist. The fear of the poison's effects, combined with the promise of survival and growing power, finally pushed him over the edge.
With newfound resolve, Darius gripped his weapon tightly and turned his gaze toward Tessa, who seemed to be the most influential among their former group. If he could take her down, it would surely earn him the favor of the half-demon.
"Now that everyone seems to have made their choice, it's time to face the consequences of your actions. You think you can defy us and live?" Kael sneered, stepping forward with his party. His mocking tone dripped with malice as he continued, "Last chance, join us, or you'll regret ever being born."
Cruzer's grip on his sword tightened. The situation was spiraling out of control, the pressure building to an unbearable point. Tessa's calm voice sliced through the tension, her words barely above a whisper.
"The farce is up. You can cast the net now."
Before Cruzer could fully process her words, Reinhardt and the two adventurers beside him, the boy and the girl, suddenly bowed low to Tessa. In one swift motion, they began chanting in unison, their voices intertwining in an intricate spell. The air around them shimmered as a powerful barrier began to form, encasing the half-demon, Kael, and the traitors within its confines.
"What is this?" the half-demon snarled, his eyes widening in surprise.
Kael's confident sneer twisted into a mocking laugh. "What are you trying to do? You could have run since the barrier that the young master cast had been put down, but now you put up a new one!" His voice was laced with scorn as he commanded, "Attack them!"
Darius, eager to prove his newfound strength and loyalty, took the lead. His weapon gleamed as he charged toward Tessa, his eyes locked on her with fierce determination. He swung his blade with all the force he could muster, the air around it crackling with his enhanced power.
But before Darius could reach Tessa, a blur of motion intercepted him. The girl from the adventurer team suddenly appeared in front of him, her movements so fast, Darius could barely react. She was a melee mystic, her weapon, a slender blade, moving with deadly grace. With a swift, practiced motion, she parried Darius's strike, deflecting his blade with a resounding clang.
Darius staggered back, his eyes wide with shock as he sensed the girl's power level. Surprisingly, she was an Intermediate Mystic, just like him, but her control over her abilities was far superior. Unlike him, who had just advanced, barely crossing the threshold of level 100, she seemed to be at least in the range of 120-130. The ease with which she had blocked his attack sent a chill down his spine.
"Trash like you who would betray their friends has no right to be killed by the mistress's blade," the girl said, her voice cold and mocking. She held her blade at the ready, her eyes fixed on Darius with an intensity that made it clear she wasn't intimidated by his newfound power; rather, she looked down upon him.
Darius gritted his teeth, the realization dawning on him that this battle wouldn't be as easy as he had thought. The girl's presence was like an unyielding wall, blocking his path to Tessa. His earlier confidence wavered as he stared into the eyes of an opponent who not only surpassed him in strength but also stood on a higher moral ground. It was in that moment, as fear and doubt began to creep into his mind, that Darius realized the bitter truth: the hunter had now become the hunted.