Lucan's eyes widened in disbelief. This was his most devastating technique, which was powered by his own life force. Seeing it dismantled before his eyes struck him with a wave of despair that nearly stopped his heart.
Still trembling from his shattered ultimate skill, Lucan refused to yield. Ignoring the pain gnawing at his bones from burning his blood essence, he channeled every remaining spark of strength into his sword.
He then lunged at Dante, unleashing a rapid barrage of thrusts and slashes laced with residual fire. Despite being significantly weaker than previously, these desperate strikes continued at an unrelenting tempo.
Dante stepped smoothly to the side, parrying each strike with ease. Whenever Lucan forced him backward, Dante would merge with the shadows as he used Shadow Step and reappear at an angle Lucan could hardly see.
Sparks flared each time Lucan's blade scraped against Dante's dark energy, leaving trails of dim fire in its wake.
Gritting his teeth, Lucan shifted his footing and slashed upward as he attempted to catch Dante mid-teleport. Flames erupted along the sword's edge, creating a crescent of searing light to cut through the darkness.
But Dante saw it coming. He twisted his body and countered with a swift Dark Slash that slammed into Lucan's side. Though Lucan managed to turn enough to avoid a lethal blow, the impact still ripped a pained shout from his throat.
Lucan gritted his teeth as blood began to leak through from a new gash in the side. He let out a half-strangled roar, forcing his burning blood essence to flare for just a moment more.
The flames along his blade flared up with a desperate surge, scorching the ground around him and causing the air to shimmer with heat. He spun into a final downward strike, embers trailing behind him like sparks from a dying star.
Dante braced himself, shadows curled around his arms like serpents. The two forces clashed brilliantly with fire against darkness.
A shockwave blasted outward, sending waves of dust sweeping across the area. For a few moments, they strained against each other, locked in a contest of raw power.
However, Dante's doubled stats and continuous control over his demonic aura proved too great. Inch by inch, he forced Lucan's blade aside.
Lucan's increased strength began to falter as his life energy dwindled. With a final shove, Dante knocked Lucan back, almost knocking him over.
Winded and barely able to stand, Lucan attempted one last thrust at Dante's chest, replicating his previous near success.
But this time, Dante was prepared. He stepped seamlessly inside Lucan's guard and slammed his hand against Lucan's chest. Dark energy gathered in his fingers, transforming his [Silent Reaper] skill into a thin, deadly blade of shadow.
When Cain noticed that Dante was about to end the fight, he immediately prepared himself since he guessed that Lucan's protector would interfere, which his guess was true, as Lucan's protector intended to make a move the moment Dante put his hand against Lucan's chest.
However, as Cain had anticipated it beforehand, he immediately used his bloodline power to the ninth tail directly, since if he didn't do so, he wouldn't be able to have a chance to contend with Lucan's protector because the difference in their ranks was massive.
Not only that, he also immediately used his partial transformation, transforming partially with only his nails becoming longer and nothing else, as he didn't want to show too much because there were Garran and Butler Zen watching on the side.
Subsequently, Cain instantly appeared 25 meters away in front of Lucan's protector since he didn't want anyone to disturb Dante's fight.
Cain's sudden appearance in front of Bastion (Lucan's protector) sent a shockwave of dust in the surroundings.
With Dante poised to finish off Lucan, Bastion couldn't afford any delay as he immediately pressed forward, intending to break past Cain and reach his young master. Yet Cain stood firm, his extended nails shining with a dangerous light.
Bastion's eyes narrowed. "Get out of my way," he shouted as the blade in his hand burst into bright, crackling flames.
Unfortunately for Bastion, he was already too late as a horrible crack sounded as Dante smashed his attack clean through Lucan's body. Blood splattered the ground, and the flames that had formerly graced Lucan's blade vanished in an instant.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and for a heartbeat, he seemed to want to speak, but no words emerged as his body collapsed on the ground motionlessly.
Looking at his young master's lifeless body, Bastion instantly became enraged as he knew that when he returned, his fate would be the same as Lucan's.
He then determined to at least take revenge because it might be his only chance of being pardoned.
Subsequently, his aura roared violently, testifying to his higher stats. Without hesitation, he charged at Cain, swinging a powerful overhead slash.
Cain responded by crossing his arms briefly as he used his [Demonic Barrier] ability, which created flames surrounding him in a translucent dome of foxfire.
The crackling barrier absorbed most of Bastion's blazing sword strike, but the impact still forced Cain back a few steps as sparks and embers scattered in the air.
Bastion pressed the advantage. He twisted his sword into a reverse grip, unleashing a swift Flame Arc that carved a crescent of fire along the ground.
Taking advantage of the momentum, he launched himself upward for a second strike with a diagonal cut aimed at Cain's body.
Cain skillfully sidestepped, his refined agility allowing him to weave away from the slash. He responded by pushing one palm forward, transforming the Advanced Foxfire into a whip-like flame. The lash whirled around Bastion's blade, momentarily binding it in blazing strands.
Bastion grimaced. With a guttural shout, he channeled additional fire into his sword, Ignition Surge, bursting free of the foxfire whip and slashing it apart in a spray of flaming motes.
Despite his lower stats, Cain wasn't fighting alone for long. With a subtle shift in his stance, he funneled energy through his extended nails.