The Tier 5 enemy countered swiftly with his twin daggers, attempting to weave through her powerful but clumsy attacks.
He sneered with contempt, thinking he could exploit her obvious inexperience. But Fiora’s sheer brute force and unbridled determination shattered his arrogant assumptions.
With a deafening cry, she unleashed another wave of fiery mana, forcing him to skid backwards, arms trembling from the impact.
Orion glimpsed Fiora from the corner of his eye, briefly inspired yet worried. He forced himself to refocus, knowing every second was critical.
His injuries, though partially stabilized by the Phoenix Ash Elixir, were still debilitating, the warm healing glow just barely holding his broken body together. If it were a normal Tier 3 Physique Path awakener, then he would have been healed completely by now.
But due to Orion’s complex constitution, the dicine was not enough to heal the injuries that he sustained in a short ti.
He swiftly shifted stance, alert eyes tracking the Tier 4 kidnapper and the more dangerous Tier 6 enemy who hovered nearby.
Without hesitation, Orion’s hands flew to his inventory pouch, pulling forth a small object—a Thundersteel Shard. He hurled it sharply at the Tier 4 kidnapper rushing him.
The shard burst mid-air, releasing a surge of crackling electricity. The kidnapper, caught off guard, jerked back involuntarily, muscles spasming and his body pausing briefly.
Seizing the opportunity, Orion drew the Windsteel Blade, its silvery surface humming softly with mana.
He darted forward, infusing his mana into the blade as it began weaving through the air with agility, rapidly parrying the recovering kidnapper’s hurried attacks. Sparks flashed vividly with each swift collision.
Suddenly, sensing murderous intent, Orion pivoted just in ti to see the Tier 6 kidnapper lunging toward him, weapon raised.
Instinctively, he swapped to the Emberstone Staff, plunging it forcefully into the earth, and invoked Drakefire Breath. A torrent of dragonfire erupted violently, roaring flas forcing the enemy into a frantic retreat, scorching heat searing his defenses.
The flas montarily covered the battlefield in a curtain of smoke and fire, granting Orion precious seconds.
Quickly, he activated his Shadowviel Band. Darkness embraced him instantly, rendering him invisible. The kidnappers’ confused eyes searched desperately for him, unaware of his precise movents as he closed silently upon one of the Tier 4 attackers.
In an instant, Orion reappeared, striking with brutal precision. The Tier 4 enemy cried out sharply, staggering from Orion’s rcilessly placed blows.
Orion’s breath ca in shallow bursts, his body shaking from fatigue and mana exertion due to the use of the Shadowviel Band.
The bracelet on his wrist—the Bracelet of Minor Fortitude—glowed faintly, restoring fragnts of stamina and resilience to his battered fra.
Desperation fueling creativity, Orion rapidly chained together spells in unorthodox combinations. He used Fla Dart with Static Pulse, bolts of fire and electricity bolting forward, effectively disrupting enemy movent and weakening their defenses montarily.
The kidnappers hesitated, confusion evident on their faces as Orion’s unconventional tactics montarily leveled the playing field.
Inside the carriage nearby, Rina watched the battle unfold through the narrow window, her erald eyes wide with shock and awe.
Her gaze locked onto Fiora’s transford figure—powerful, magnificent, wild in her primal glory—and then onto Orion, whose every move exuded terrifying determination. Her chest tightened painfully, emotions swirling chaotically within her.
’She’s fighting beside him like an equal... I could never look like that. So wild, so beautiful. So... him.’ Her fists tightened, nails digging sharply into her palms.
It wasn’t hatred toward Fiora, only envy, admiration, and a heavy sense of inadequacy. Her gaze dropped, lip quivering softly as sha filled her.
Beside her, Magi’s typically playful expression was grave and focused. His carefree deanor entirely absent, he watched Orion battle fiercely, clearly outmatched yet unwilling to yield.
His heart quickened, a sensation unfamiliar to him stirring within.
’He’s fighting enemies two, three levels above him... and still standing,’ Magi thought, eyes wide. Hope flared strongly in his chest. ’He’s really soone... soone who can fulfill my wish.’
Outside, Orion continued his desperate fight. He feinted masterfully, staff spinning fluidly in his hands, unleashing Drakefire Breath again to drive the Tier 6 enemy backward once more.
With practiced precision, he subtly manipulated his positioning, steadily pushing the Tier 4 and Tier 5 kidnappers closer together toward their stronger, strategically funneling them while communicating with Fiora with his eyes.
Then, in a calculated mont, Orion surged forward, taking out his sword—shimring with fiery determination. The kidnappers, sensing vulnerability, pressed forward aggressively—exactly as Orion had planned. Their formation tightened instinctively, closing ranks to corner their seemingly weakening opponent.
"You’ve lost your last chance!" the Tier 5 kidnapper snarled, daggers poised lethally.
Orion’s lips twitched into a faint, knowing smile. "Let’s see who lost the chance, fucker!"
With lightning speed, Orion’s free hand plunged into his inventory, drawing forth the Azure Ice Rune Scroll. Mana surged through him, igniting the intricate runic inscriptions etched across its surface.
The scroll shattered in his hand, releasing a blinding burst of icy-blue radiance.
The kidnappers’ eyes widened in shock, their faces frozen in disbelief as they suddenly realized their fatal mistake.
A storm of frost exploded outward, instantly enveloping all three enemies in an overwhelming torrent of glacial mana. Bitter cold sliced through the air, ice crystals erupting like deadly blades.
"NO—!" the Tier 6 kidnapper cried out desperately as he used a few scrolls, but his voice was instantly silenced, consud by the rciless cold.
Within monts, silence descended. Orion lowered his trembling arm, breathing raggedly. The once formidable trio now stood motionless, encased entirely in gleaming, transparent ice—lifeless statues capturing their last monts of panic and terror.
Orion barely had ti to exhale a weary sigh of relief before a violent tremor shook the forest clearing. The ground vibrated ominously beneath his feet, leaves rustling frantically, branches snapping under unseen pressure.
His eyes widened in alarm, instincts screaming as a suffocating presence barreled toward him from the darkness of the forest edge.
From the shadows burst forth a figure moving at an impossible speed, landing with earth-shattering force. The impact cratered the ground, sending dirt and splinters flying in all directions.
The newcor rose slowly from his crouched stance, the oppressive aura of a Tier 7 awakener radiating from him, instantly suppressing Orion’s lingering Dragon’s Might.
"Impressive trick," the Tier 7 enemy’s voice resonated coldly, eyes scanning briefly over the frozen figures. "But playti ends now."
Fiora swiftly moved beside Orion, her transford form glowing fiercely despite evident exhaustion. "Young Master..." she whispered, voice faintly trembling.
But seeing his unwavering stance, she steadied herself, preparing to fight on, despite knowing their chances were slim.
Orion tightened his grip on the Realm Guardian Sword, stance defensive but resolute. Despite the overwhelming difference in strength, his eyes burned defiantly, heart pounding in his chest.
He felt the Phoenix Ash Elixir’s warmth fading, his wounds aching anew, yet he remained unmoved.
Inside the carriage, Rina watched, hands shaking with nervous anxiety. Magi’s typically playful expression had turned solemn, his bunny quietly pressing against his neck.
Both of them could sense the shift—their breaths shallow, hearts clenched with dread and hope alike.
The forest clearing fell utterly silent once more, the tension palpable, an oppressive calm before the storm. Orion took a deep breath, every fiber of his being screaming warnings, yet his spirit refused to falter.
"We’ve co this far," Orion growled softly, locking eyes unwaveringly with the Tier 7 enemy. "We won’t back down now."
The Tier 7 enemy smiled chillingly, a dangerous aura raising in his gaze. "Then you’ll be captured and sold as slaves."
Orion’s expression chilled. He readied himself for what would surely be the fight of his life, fully aware this battle was far from over.
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