Laras immediately leapt backward, her heart pounding. She knew that a Tier-2 King-level cultivator was far beyond her capabilities. Even a single strike could wipe her out instantly.
As she created some distance, her eyes stayed locked on the battle in front of her. Lein's clone moved with incredible speed, charging directly at the man in the black cloak. Dozens of sword slashes formed in the air, each attack executed with deadly precision. Lein showed not even a hint of hesitation, advancing without fear.
However, when only a few paces remained between them, Lein's clone suddenly froze. As if seized by an invisible force, his body was flung hundreds of meters backward, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact. Dust and shards of stone flew into the air.
"Weak," came the cold, deep voice of the man in the black cloak. His glowing red eyes, like those of a vampire, radiated an air of superiority. He then shifted his gaze toward Laras.
A chill ran down Laras's spine. There was something in his stare that made her feel paralyzed. Holding her breath, she turned and ran as fast as she could.
But the man in the cloak had no intention of letting her go. With a lazy gesture, he raised his pale white hand and waved it. From the tips of his five fingers, five black flames ignited and shot forward with terrifying speed toward Laras.
Laras glanced back. The black flames moved like living creatures, relentlessly pursuing her. Even from dozens of meters away, she could feel their heat. Fear gripped her heart. The death energy contained in those flames was so thick, it nearly made her collapse.
"No! What is that?!" she thought in panic.
Without hesitation, she raised the large cross-shaped staff in her hand, activating the sacred power flowing within her. Instantly, a rift opened in the air. A strange sky appeared above her head.
A massive crack tore through that sky, and from within, dozens of glowing figures emerged. They were angelic warriors clad in shimmering silver armor. Their wings stretched wide, each holding a divine weapon radiating holy light.
Wasting no time, Laras shouted her command, "Destroy those flames!"
One of the angels, a commander wielding a massive silver sword, bowed his head respectfully. "As you command, Goddess!" he replied, his voice echoing with certainty.
He then turned to face the approaching black flames. With unwavering motion, he raised his sword high, then brought it down in a powerful arc. "All units, attack!"
Dozens of angels charged in unison. Their weapons gleamed as they surged forward, forming a defensive line between Laras and the incoming flames. The angel commander unleashed a sweeping slash, a wave of holy energy bursting from his sword and striking the five black flames head-on.
But what happened next left Laras stunned.
As the slash hit the black flames, the radiant light from the angel commander's sword abruptly dimmed. A cracking sound echoed through the air, like shattering glass. The energy not only failed to extinguish the flames, but vanished entirely—dissolving into the void of the universe.
The five black flames continued moving forward, unaffected, as if no power in the world could destroy them. The angel commander narrowed his eyes. With a swift motion, he stepped forward, and a black magic circle appeared in the air. From it, beams of holy light shot forth like a meteor shower, targeting the advancing flames.
Just like before. The light, which should have brought destruction to darkness, froze mid-air, then shattered like ice under a hammer. The angel commander's expression grew tense. His jaw clenched as he raised his sword and swung it with all his might, pouring every ounce of power he had into the strike.
Behind him, dozens of angelic soldiers raised their weapons, unleashing bursts of divine light in various forms—arrows, spears, waves of sacred energy. They attacked in unison, flooding the sky with golden radiance.
None of it worked. Every attack that struck the black flames shattered instantly, absorbed without a trace. The flames continued advancing at the same steady pace, as if mocking their futile efforts.
The angel commander didn't wait any longer. With a battle cry, he slashed his silver sword directly at one of the black flames. But the moment his blade touched the flame's surface, his body froze. His eyes widened in shock, and before he could react further, his body shattered into tiny fragments—vanishing without a sound.
The remaining angel soldiers watched in horror. But before they could escape, the flames surged toward them. One by one, they made contact—and just like their commander, their bodies froze and then crumbled into pieces. Within seconds, not a single angel remained on the battlefield.
"Impossible… what are those flames?" Laras thought, her eyes wide with terror. All of her soldiers had vanished in an instant. If even the angels' attacks were useless, what could she possibly do?
Her gaze shifted to the battle happening not far away. Lein's clone and the black-robed figure were engaged in a fierce duel. Each time the cloaked man attacked with dark magic, Lein countered with radiant light. Their strikes clashed in the air, creating explosions that shook the ground beneath them.
"What's the difference?" Laras wondered silently, her heart filled with confusion and despair. "Is this the true gap between a Grandmaster and a King?"
The five flames continued to close in. There was no more time to think. In one swift motion, Laras reached into her robe and activated a teleportation charm.
In an instant, the world around her changed. From the rubble-strewn battlefield, she now stood at the edge of a quiet ravine. The wind blew gently, bringing a fleeting sense of peace.
"Huft…" Laras took a deep breath, her body still tense. At least for now, she had escaped the flames' pursuit.
But the relief lasted only a moment.
Her body tensed as she felt something—a horrifyingly familiar energy—appear not far from her. She turned quickly, and her eyes widened in shock.