The dark elf lifted his head and stared at Harold.
"You are a powerful sorcerer, but..."
He raised his hand and murmured an incantation. A surge of mana swirled around him.
"...you only use simple spells!"
Ice Spear!
Harold dodged swiftly. The ground where he had stood just moments ago split apart, impaled by a massive ice spear.
Ice Spear!
Ice Spear!
Ice Spear!
The dark elf cast the same spell repeatedly. Each time, Harold skillfully evaded, but the space around them was gradually enclosed by ice spears—a towering, transparent wall that tightened with every passing moment.
The dark elf laughed and gestured toward the great serpent.
The serpent roared, its sound shaking the ground. A moment later, it lunged at Harold with terrifying magic.
Boom!
BOOOOM!
Houses collapsed one after another. The city trembled under relentless explosions. The dark elf and the colossal serpent attacked without pause, leaving no room to breathe.
At last, one of the blasts detonated near Harold, sending him hurtling backward—wounded and breathless. But even in that state, he kept running.
Before long, nearly nothing remained of the first and second districts of the city. Walls had crumbled, homes were reduced to rubble, and flames roared, black smoke curling toward the cavern's ceiling.
The dark elf stood still, gazing at the ruins of Asryndor.
Silence engulfed everything. No movement could be felt.
[Did he escape?]
His eyes scanned the area again. But suddenly, his pupils widened. He spun around instantly.
[When did he get behind me?!]
Harold was plummeting from the cavern's ceiling at deadly speed, his scythes poised to strike the dark elf's neck.
The serpent reacted swiftly, but Harold hurled his scythes at its tough scales. Then, using his chains, he swung upward—rising until he was level with the serpent's eyes.
A moment later, he channeled his mana into the chains—and tore through one of the serpent's eyes.
The serpent let out a deafening cry of agony.
It thrashed violently, smashing its head against the cavern wall.
The dark elf trembled with rage, his vision clouded by bloodlust.
With a furious roar, he raised his hands.
"Ice Prison!"
Suddenly, from nothing, towering ice walls emerged. Harold was trapped inside a magical structure—a massive cube, resembling a labyrinth.
But the dark elf teleported inside as well.
He stood before Harold, screamed, and a storm of ice spears rained down on them.
The walls were constantly punctured by the spears—only to regenerate instantly.
This time, Harold couldn't recklessly blink away. Any mistake would mean a painful death.
As he struggled to survive, he searched for a way out.
But time was against him... and the ice walls were regenerating faster than he could escape.
The serpent's roar echoed. A shadow fell over the ice walls. Moments later, its fangs pierced through the ice and lunged directly at Harold.
He couldn't dodge in time. Forced to react, he grabbed one of the serpent's fangs with both hands, stopping its jaws from closing.
Beneath him, the ice began to crack. The lower jaw of the serpent slowly came into view.
Harold used all his strength, but the dark elf struck suddenly—delivering a devastating blow to his abdomen.
In an instant, both of them were hurled into the serpent's mouth.
In the midst of the descent, Harold lashed his chains around one of the serpent's fangs, halting his fall. The dark elf, meanwhile, conjured a magical platform, landing safely upon it.
The serpent roared.
Its thunderous voice sent tremors through both warriors' bodies. Then, with maddened speed, it plunged deeper into the chasm. But the battle raged on.
Ice Spears!
The dark elf, now beyond caring, unleashed his spells in rapid succession.
BOOM!
GRRRRRRRR!
The spears veered off course, piercing the serpent's flesh and tearing through its mouth. The beast writhed in unbearable agony.
In its rage, it slammed itself against the chasm walls.
The two warriors, trapped inside, were violently flung from one side to another.
Black blood gushed from the serpent's wounds, splattering both of them.
Harold struggled to keep his balance, but the beast continued its wild thrashing. Pain meant nothing to it anymore.
Suddenly, the air turned cold.
The serpent opened its mouth for another roar, and Harold felt the rush of freezing wind.
The dark elf, nearly swallowed whole, let out a furious scream and unleashed a devastating spell at Harold.
[I have to finish this!]
Harold released his chains. In a split second, he dodged the attack, drew his silver sword, and plunged toward the dark elf.
Fiery mana engulfed his blade.
The flaming sword tore through the elf's chest.
But both of them plunged deeper into the serpent's body.
As Harold fell, he saw it— The beast's heart.
In an instant, he used Blink, shifting his trajectory—then with a powerful strike, he pierced the heart.
The serpent's blood was corrosive.
His sword melted.
But the acidic blood did not touch Harold—it devoured the dark elf instead.
The elf's agonized screams echoed through the serpent's body... and then, silence.
The serpent fell.
Harold lost his balance.
[I have to escape!]
With the last of his strength, he Blinked out of the acidic blood's reach and dashed toward the serpent's mouth.
But the strain of magic was too much. His head spun. A sharp pain seared through his skull.
If he could, he would have collapsed right there. But he had no choice.
Suddenly he saw light and a cold wind brushed against his bloodstained face.
Harold lifted his head. Snowy mountains stretched before him.
[How...?]
The serpent's black blood had melted the surrounding snow, forming a pool of blood at his feet.
Harold used Blink one last time.
But this time… the toll was unbearable.
He collapsed to his knees.
He coughed—blood splattered onto the snow.
He looked at his trembling hand:
Dark, thick blood—a sign of severe exhaustion.
"Am I reaching my limit?"
Then he heard a sound in the snow.
Crunch... Crunch...
Someone was approaching.
Harold tried to stand, but an arrow buried itself in his shoulder.
He lifted his gaze.
From the whiteness of the snow, shadows emerged.
Many shadows.
The Dark Order had arrived.