Seraphina's hand flicked gracefully through the air, her mana flaring in response. The magical barrier surrounding Vincent shimmered, shifting and twisting like liquid glass, creating a small opening just large enough for Adrian to step through.
With a confident stride, Adrian moved toward Vincent, his enchanted dagger already out. The blade's edge glowed faintly, pulsating with a dangerous, otherworldly light.
As he entered the barrier, the air inside crackled with a different energy, isolating them from the rest of the world.
For Vincent, it was like standing in the eye of a storm—a place where the only thing that mattered was the fight. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel·fire.net
"Don't disappoint me too much," Adrian said, his voice calm, almost casual.
But there was an undercurrent of intensity in his tone, and his eyes burned with a fighting spirit that seemed to pierce right through Vincent. "I want to see how far my limit is."
Vincent narrowed his eyes, his muscles tensing as he shifted into a fighting stance. The air around him hummed with static electricity, tiny sparks dancing across his skin.
His fists clenched, glowing faintly with the promise of untapped power. Despite his earlier bravado, he couldn't shake the feeling of standing before a predator who viewed him as nothing more than prey.
"Don't think I'll just roll over and die," Vincent growled, his voice carrying a hint of defiance. "I'll show you what the Lightning Fist can really do!"
Without another word, Vincent exploded into motion. His body blurred as he activated Flash Step, the skill allowing him to move at blinding speed.
In an instant, he closed the distance between them, his right fist crackling with lightning as he launched a devastating punch aimed at Adrian's midsection.
Adrian's reaction was almost instantaneous. His eyes followed Vincent's movements, and with a smooth, almost effortless motion, he twisted his body to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.
The air sizzled where Vincent's fist had passed, a testament to the raw power behind the strike. But Adrian was already countering—his dagger gleaming as he slashed it toward Vincent's side in a swift arc.
Vincent's instincts kicked in, and he activated Storm Shield just in time. A barrier of crackling lightning erupted around him, deflecting the dagger's edge with a shower of sparks.
But even as he defended, Adrian's speed caught him off-guard. The force behind the strike sent him skidding back several feet, his boots digging into the ground.
"Fast," Vincent muttered, his heart racing. He hadn't expected Adrian to move with such agility, nor for his attacks to carry such weight.
"How can it be? You have not even unlocked your second class."
Adrian didn't respond immediately. He merely smiled—a calm, almost serene smile that seemed out of place amidst the tension of battle.
His dagger shimmered with an ominous light as he took a step forward, his presence radiating power and control.
"Is that all?" Adrian asked softly, his tone carrying a hint of disappointment. He lifted his free hand, a swirling mass of dark energy coalescing around his fingertips.
"If you want to stand a chance, you'll have to do better."
With a flick of his wrist, Adrian unleashed Dragon Roar. A shockwave of condensed mana erupted from his palm, surging toward Vincent with incredible speed.
The very air seemed to vibrate with the force of the attack, distorting as the energy wave tore through it.
Vincent's eyes widened, but he reacted quickly. He braced himself, thrusting his hands forward as he channeled his own mana into the ground.
"Storm Shield!" he roared, reinforcing the barrier around him. The translucent wall of lightning shimmered brighter, crackling loudly as the Dragon Roar slammed into it.
For a moment, it seemed like Vincent's defense would hold. The barrier crackled and hissed, the opposing forces battling for supremacy.
But then, with a deafening crack, the shield shattered. Vincent staggered back, gritting his teeth as the remnants of Adrian's attack crashed into him, forcing him down to one knee.
"Damn it…" he growled, the taste of blood filling his mouth. His body ached, and his mana reserves were already starting to wane. But he refused to give in.
With a guttural shout, he activated Overcharge.
Electricity surged through his veins, and his body glowed with an intense, bluish light. His muscles bulged, and his eyes sparked with energy.
Every fiber of his being felt electrified, his senses sharpened to an almost painful degree.
"Take this!" Vincent roared, pushing himself up with renewed strength. He lunged at Adrian, his fists moving in a blur as he unleashed Fists of Fury.
Punch after punch rained down on Adrian, each one crackling with electrical energy. The ground beneath them fractured and splintered under the onslaught, and arcs of lightning leaped between them, creating a dazzling display of raw power.
But Adrian was ready. His body moved with a grace that seemed almost supernatural, each dodge and parry executed with perfect timing.
His dagger flashed as he deflected Vincent's strikes, the blade's enchanted edge cutting through the arcs of lightning with ease. Sparks flew with each clash, and the sound of metal against crackling energy filled the barrier.
Adrian's agility and reflexes were beyond what Vincent had anticipated. Even in his Overcharged state, he struggled to land a clean hit. And then, just as Vincent's barrage began to slow, Adrian made his move.
With a swift, almost imperceptible motion, Adrian activated Void Step. His figure blurred and then vanished, reappearing behind Vincent in an instant.
Before Vincent could react, Adrian's dagger lashed out, the blade aimed at a precise point on his back.
"Got you," Adrian whispered.
But Vincent wasn't done yet. He spun around with a snarl, his body moving on pure instinct. His left hand shot out, catching Adrian's wrist mid-strike. Electricity surged through his arm, and for a brief second, Adrian felt the shock.
But he merely grinned, his body already reinforcing itself with Scaled Defense.
"What in the world is wrong with you kid, how can you have such strong defense." Vincent admitted, his voice strained. "But don't think I'm done yet!"
With a roar, Vincent activated Skybreaker. Lightning surged through his body, and he leaped high into the air, his fists crackling with energy.
He descended with a fearsome speed, his form a blur as he aimed a devastating punch at Adrian's head.
Adrian's eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath, his mana surging through his veins as he braced himself. And then, just as Vincent's fist was about to connect, he activated Dragon's Fang Strike.
The enchanted dagger flared with a blinding light, and Adrian swung it upward with all his strength. The blade collided with Vincent's descending fist, and for a split second, everything seemed to freeze.