As Haruki and Yuki stepped out of the room, they were immediately met with the clanging of armored boots. A squad of guards stood in formation, blocking their path. Haruki tossed Yuki's wand to her, catching it with one hand as her eyes locked on the advancing guards.
"I'll handle this," Haruki said, his voice steady. "Support me if you can."
"But—" Yuki began, concern etched across her face.
"No time to argue. Stay close," Haruki said sharply before dashing forward at blinding speed.
The first guard barely had time to raise his weapon before Haruki's dagger slashed across his leg, dropping him to one knee. Spinning, Haruki cut another across the stomach, his strikes precise and unrelenting.
"They're tough, but they're slow," Haruki muttered to himself. He ducked under a wild swing and retaliated with a quick upward slash, slicing through another guard's shoulder plate.
Meanwhile, Yuki stayed back, her wand glowing as she prepared a spell. Seeing a group of guards closing in on Haruki, she shouted, "Haruki, on your left!"
Haruki pivoted just in time to see a massive guard swinging a heavy mace. The sheer force of the blow cracked the ground where Haruki had been standing moments ago.
"This one's different," Haruki said under his breath. The guard's movements were deliberate, and his armor seemed thicker than the others'.
Haruki feinted a strike to the guard's left, but the man anticipated it, swinging his mace in a wide arc. Haruki leaped back, landing lightly on his feet.
"Yuki, this guy's a tank," Haruki called out. "He can take a lot of hits, and his reach is ridiculous."
"I'm on it!" Yuki replied. She pointed her wand and fired a twisting fireball. It streaked through the air, slamming into the guard's chest and staggering him.
"Nice shot!" Haruki said with a grin.
"Don't get cocky," Yuki shot back, already preparing another spell.
The guard roared in anger, shaking off the flames as he charged at Haruki again. Haruki sidestepped the swing and delivered a quick slash across the guard's side. The blade didn't penetrate the thick armor, but it was enough to create an opening.
"Yuki!" Haruki shouted. "We need to move. Get on my back!"
Yuki blinked, momentarily startled. "What?"
"It's the fastest way out of here. Do it!"
Yuki hesitated for a second before nodding, her face flushing slightly. "Fine, but don't drop me." She climbed onto his back, gripping his shoulders tightly.
Haruki bolted forward, his speed increasing as he weaved through the narrow hallways, dodging guards and attacks alike. The air whistled around them as Haruki pushed himself harder.
"Hold on tight!" Haruki called over his shoulder.
Yuki tightened her grip. "Just don't crash into anything!"
As they rounded a corner, a sudden burst of icy energy shot toward them. Haruki twisted his body, narrowly dodging the snowbeam as it streaked past his neck.
"What the—?" Haruki skidded to a stop, turning to face the source of the attack.
Jay stood at the end of the corridor, his eyes cold and calculating. A faint smirk played on his lips. "Running away already, Haruki? That's not like you."
Haruki gently set Yuki down. "Yuki, go find Dante. I'll handle him."
"But—" Yuki began, worry flashing across her face.
"You'll be fine on your own," Haruki said firmly. "I trust you. Dante's somewhere in this mess, and he needs us. Go."
Yuki hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Be careful, Haruki."
She took off down the hallway, glancing back once before disappearing around a corner.
Haruki turned his attention back to Jay, gripping his dagger tightly. "You really don't know when to quit, do you?"
Jay chuckled, his breath visible in the frigid air. "And you don't know when you're outmatched. Let's see how you handle this."
With a wave of his hand, Jay summoned a flurry of snowflakes that quickly coalesced into a shimmering field of ice. The air grew colder, and frost began to creep along the walls.
"Snowfield," Jay said, his voice calm. "You won't be moving as fast in here."
Haruki's breath came out in white puffs as he stepped forward, the frost biting at his skin. "We'll see about that."
Jay lunged, his blade glowing with icy energy. Haruki sidestepped, but the snow underfoot made his movements sluggish. Jay capitalized on the moment, slashing downward and grazing Haruki's arm.
"Too slow," Jay taunted.
Haruki gritted his teeth, summoning a small flame in his free hand. He swiped it across the ground, melting a path through the snow.
"Fire beats ice," Haruki said, his voice low. He lunged forward, his dagger igniting as he swung. Jay blocked the strike, but the fire singed his cheek, drawing blood.
Jay touched his face, his expression darkening. "Not bad. You've improved."
Haruki smirked. "I've been practicing."
The two clashed again, their blades ringing out in the frozen corridor. Haruki ducked under a wide slash, delivering a fiery counterattack that forced Jay to step back.
Jay raised his hand, conjuring a barrage of icy shards that shot toward Haruki. Haruki dodged and deflected what he could, but one shard grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.
"I'm getting tired of this snow," Haruki said, his voice strained. He raised his dagger, channeling his fire magic into the blade. The flames roared to life, illuminating the corridor.
"Let's see how you like this!" Haruki shouted, slashing the air. A wave of fire erupted from his blade, cutting through Jay's snowfield and forcing him to retreat.
Jay grinned, despite the flames licking at his armor. "You've got spirit, kid. But you're still not strong enough to beat me."
Haruki steadied his breathing, his eyes locked on Jay. "We'll see about that."
The chapter ends.