"You two, go that way, leave this to us!"
At a dimly lit crossroad in the corridor, Lakyus gestured, directing two of her team members down another path. Her gaze was firm, yet there was a thin line of tension at the corners of her sharp eyes. She herself, along with a capital guard named Leo, chose the main corridor.
"Be careful," Lakyus whispered, her gaze sweeping the darkness ahead.
"Yes, Lady Aindra," Leo replied, his voice slightly tense but obedient.
They briefly reminded each other, then turned. Lakyus led, the magic sword Kilineiram in her right hand, while Leo guarded their rear, ready to face any threats that might emerge from any direction. Their steps were silent, only the faint rustle of their armor breaking the stillness.
Soon, they arrived at an area that looked like an emergency休息室 (rest area). Besides the corridor they entered from, there was another door across the room, leading deeper into the stronghold's core.
Thump... thump... thump!
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from both corridors—from both front and back. Lakyus and Leo instantly stiffened, their eyes widening as they realized something terrifying: they had been surrounded. A trap.
"Lady Aindra!" Leo cried out, his tone unable to hide his panic. His heart pounded, a bad premonition creeping into his mind.
"Don't panic," Lakyus's voice was hoarse but firm, an almost successful attempt at reassurance. She gestured for Leo to press against the rest area wall, while her eyes sharpened, focusing on the still-dark corridor ahead. A shadow began to form.
A sturdy thigh stepped forward, followed by the robust figure of a bald man with animal tattoos covering his entire body. His aura emanated, feeling heavy and threatening.
Fighting Demon Zero.
The intelligence they had gathered allowed Lakyus to recognize the man's identity in an instant. Her brain raced, connecting Zero with his brutal reputation.
However, what made Lakyus's heart pound even faster were several other figures emerging from behind Zero.
Space Slasher Peshilian, Blood Dancer Edstrom, Phantom Demon Succulent, Thousand Killer Malmvist. The five elite members of the Six Arms were gathered in one place. Davernock, the Immortal King, was likely on another assignment or waiting at a separate location.
Lakyus couldn't suppress a nervous tremor. They, the Six Arms, were an elite unit of Eight Fingers known to be equivalent to, or even surpass, Adamantite-tier adventurers. Coupled with their numerical advantage, this situation was clearly an uneven fight for the two of them.
Leo, the guard accompanying her, was merely a Platinum-tier adventurer from the Re-Estize Capital, who had come to assist at Princess Renner's call. His level was far below the combat demons before him. A burden of responsibility weighed on Lakyus's shoulders.
"I'll try to hold them off so you can retreat later," Lakyus whispered to Leo, her voice barely audible. "After that, you must find Locke and the others." This was no longer a request, but an implicit command.
Leo immediately grasped Lakyus's intent. His eyes showed determination, and he nodded heavily, a silent agreement on his pale face.
"Lakyus of Blue Roses," Zero's voice thundered, piercing the silence, "I didn't expect you to be so foolish as to break into our Six Arms headquarters. Should I say you're brave but lacking in wisdom?"
Lakyus sensed something strange in Zero's tone. Although her opponent's hostility was evident, and he clearly had the upper hand, there wasn't the slightest sign of joy or triumph on Zero's face. An expression that was too calm.
Could he be the extremely cautious type?
An uncomfortable premonition arose. This kind of enemy, who wasn't reckless even when superior, was the most difficult to deal with. Caution was key.
"Fighting Demon Zero, you Eight Fingers have poisoned this kingdom for so long, it's time you received the law's punishment!" Lakyus shouted, her voice echoing through the corridor, an attempt to hide her apprehension.
Without waiting for a reply, Lakyus charged forward, Kilineiram raised high. At the same time, a group of Fly Swords she had summoned shot out from behind her, forming a disruptive formation in the air, attempting to break the enemy's concentration.
Leo, on alert, seeing the opening, immediately turned and ran with all his might towards the nearest corridor, taking advantage of the brief chaos Lakyus created.
Clang!
Malmvist swiftly drew his Rose Thorn rapier from his waist, the slender blade flashing as it parried the Fly Swords' attacks.
However, to his surprise, the power behind the magic swords was extraordinary. Malmvist's arm felt numb, the tremor spreading to his shoulder. The attack successfully diverted his attention, and he failed to stop Leo's escape.
On the other side, Lakyus swung her sacred sword with full force towards Zero's head.
Zero, a fighter focused on physical enhancement, possessed a body hardened to be tougher than steel. His fists were said to be equivalent to the hardest mountain copper metal.
Facing Lakyus's attack, Zero remained vigilant. He countered with his ordinary fist, without activating any Martial Arts.
Clang!
Sword and fist collided with a deafening sound. Zero's face changed slightly, showing a faint frown. He was pushed back two steps.
Lakyus also felt the impact of the blow. Although she wasn't pushed back as far as Zero, she didn't continue her attack. Instead, she quickly adjusted her fighting stance, her feet ready to move.
Zero glanced at his fist. There were faint bloodstains on his five fingers.
"I see. The power of the Demon Sword Kilineiram is indeed extraordinary. I was careless."
He attributed the small injury to the sharp edge of the divine sword in Lakyus's hand. A hint of new caution was in his eyes as he stared at Kilineiram's dark blade.
However, Lakyus's expression seemed a little strange.
She wasn't sure if it was just her illusion, but the collision with Zero just now gave her an... ordinary feeling. There was no extraordinary power she expected from someone titled "Fighting Demon" and equivalent to Adamantite.
Could it be that the rumor that the Six Arms were only equivalent to Steel-tier adventurers was not entirely credible? Or are they indeed comparable to Orichalcum, or even Adamantite adventurers? A small confusion flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. What was clear was that they were stronger than she had anticipated.
Buzz!
The group of Fly Swords shot out again, swirling around Lakyus. Their previous attack only served to distract Malmvist and the others, causing no serious damage.
But that was enough.
As long as Leo successfully summoned Locke and the strong reinforcements from the Church of Destiny, Zero and the others would have no chance to escape.
What Lakyus had to do next was to hold off the enemy, buying time.
"Since you're so strong," Zero shouted, his voice thundering again, this time with an undeniable commanding tone, "I don't think you'll mind if we outnumber you. Everyone, attack together!"
After hearing the command, the four individuals immediately moved.
Blood Dancer Edstrom approached Lakyus with graceful, almost dance-like steps, every movement a martial art. Six swords surrounding him, like satellites orbiting a planet, were all imbued with magic and could attack enemies under the mental control of their wielder.
This was similar to Lakyus's group of Fly Swords.
However, the difference was significant. Edstrom possessed an extraordinary talent: his brain was incredibly flexible, able to think in two different areas at the same time, as if he had an additional brain.
Under his control, the six magic swords moved flexibly and independently, as if held by two different people, attacking Lakyus from both sides simultaneously.
Unexpectedly, Lakyus swung her divine sword with surprising agility, its blade dancing in the air, managing to slice through all six curved swords in one motion!
Thousand Killer Malmvist, holding his Rose Thorn rapier, rushed forward, his thrusts nimble and deadly.
He chose his attack timing perfectly, his thrusting angle incredibly cunning, aiming for the smallest gap.
Lakyus had just blocked Edstrom's curved sword attack, only managing to block the magic sword closest to her, but she was also forced to receive Malmvist's attack.
At this moment, a nearly invisible thread shot towards Lakyus's face, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss.
This was an attack from Space Slasher Peshilian.
His weapon was a thin sword whip. Although difficult to master, this whip was almost undetectable to the naked eye when swung at high speed, making it nearly impossible to evade or parry.
[Magic Shield]!
Lakyus pushed Malmvist with all her might, creating a momentary distance. At the same time, she quickly cast a spell, forming a transparent protective shield in front of her.
Peshilian's sword whip struck the magic shield, causing ripples of light. However, despite the whip's speed and precision, it failed to penetrate this layer of defense.
"Drink!"
A heavy blow, like a charging bull, repeatedly struck the magic shield. This was Zero. The immense force caused fine cracks to begin appearing on the transparent protective layer.
Seeing his attack yield results, Zero couldn't help but smile with satisfaction at the corner of his mouth. His confidence soared once more. He punched again, this time with his left hand, his target remaining Lakyus's shield.
It wasn't just him. Edstrom and Malmvist also joined in attacking the magic shield. Six curved swords and the Rose Thorn rapier incessantly hammered the magic shield, creating a storm of attacks.
Finally, the magic shield was unable to withstand the continuous barrage of attacks from the three elite fighters. With a heartbreaking cracking sound, the shield shattered into pieces!
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