The air crackled with tension as Alex and Daniel stood a few meters apart.
The vibrant energy of the [Fox Tribe Village] was now gone replaced by the heavy scent of smoke and ash.
The ground trembled beneath their feet as both players prepared for battle, their immense power radiating like waves in the air.
“Why are you even trying,” Daniel’s twisted grin revealed his confidence.
His left hand, transformed into the monstrous [Hatred Claws], pulsated with a menacing red aura, while his staff glowed faintly in his right.
Across from him, Alex stood tall, his staff and dagger ready, his golden armor scorched but unyielding.
Without warning, Alex struck first.
Fire Meteor!
The sky darkened, and a blazing meteor plummeted toward Daniel.
Its fiery glow lit up the battlefield as it roared downward, the ground shaking violently upon impact.
Flames erupted, consuming everything in a massive explosion.
But when the smoke cleared, Daniel emerged unscathed.
He had slashed through the meteor mid-air, his claws effortlessly dispersing the energy.
“You’ll have to do better than that,” Daniel sneered, pointing his staff toward the man, “My turn.”
Alex wasted no time, not allowing the other to attack as he sensed that this new staff of his was too powerful.
Crimson Cataclysm!
The earth beneath Daniel’s feet erupted in a deadly forest of crimson spikes.
They surged upward, their jagged tips gleaming ominously as they converged on their target.
Each spike carried the power to impale and obliterate, but once again, Daniel moved with inhuman speed.
With a single swipe of his claws, he shattered the spikes, sending fragments flying in all directions.
“You’re predictable,” Daniel taunted.
Mountain Shatter!
A massive chunk of stone erupted from the ground and hurtled toward Daniel.
Its sheer size cast a shadow over the battlefield as it approached with terrifying force.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
Mega Barrier!
A translucent dome of dark energy surrounded him, and the boulder shattered into countless pieces upon impact. Explore more stories with empire
Dust filled the air as Daniel emerged unscathed once more, his smirk unwavering.
“Is that all you’ve got, FateBreaker?” he mocked.
After that, Alex tried to use every single one of his spells to see if anything would work.
Rain of Fire? No damage dealt.
Fury of Thunder? He simply site-stepped the three strikes to not get stunned.
Arc of Divinity? He cut it in two pieces, literally.
“Impressive fireworks,” Daniel said mockingly.
He raised his staff, summoning a dark energy that surged around him.
“Shadow Blades!”
A dozen massive, and ominous blades materialized in the air around him.
They hovered for a moment before launching toward Alex with deadly precision.
Alex summoned his defense in return.
“Impenetrable Fortress!”
The earth barrier materialized just in time, deflecting the incoming blades.
Sparks flew as they clashed against the shield, but the sheer force sent Alex sliding backward.
The barrier cracked under the relentless onslaught, and broke before the blades even stopped coming.
The +100,000 spirit gain from the [Staff of Hatred (Divine)] Daniel received made it so that he literally had more spirit than Alex himself.
At this point, he surpassed him in strength, resistance and power.
Only Alex’s agility and vitality surpassed Daniel’s, but that wasn’t enough to consider it a win.
“I see you’re still clinging to life,” Daniel said, his voice dripping with disdain, licking his claws yet again, “But it’s futile, you’re going to die soon.”
Daniel seemed so confident that he didn’t even bother letting his guard up, confident that Alex would give up after seeing that none of his tricks worked.
But that was quite the opposite, was the man seized the opportunity, closing the distance between them.
“Bleeding Strike!”
If he could cause [Bleed], it would probably be an instant victory.
With his dagger in hand, he aimed for Daniel’s ribs.
But Daniel was too fast.
He sidestepped the attack and countered with a powerful swipe of his claws.
Alex avoided that one though as he feared that getting hit would be instant death, and so instead, he was simply kicked away by Daniel’s armored feet, which sent him flying.
He crashed into the ground, skidding several meters before coming to a halt.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he pushed himself up, his breathing labored.
“You’re no match for me,” Daniel said, his voice cold and merciless.
Alex narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. He couldn’t afford to lose, not here, not now.
Blood Mist!
A crimson fog erupted from Alex’s wounds, quickly engulfing the battlefield.
The thick, swirling mist obscured everything, creating an eerie, oppressive silence.
Alex could see perfectly through the mist, but Daniel appeared unaffected.
“I’ll give you credit for theatrics,” Daniel said, his voice cutting through the haze. “Player Radar!”
Daniel was able to scan any player as long as they were fifty meters around him, meaning that at every scan, he would perfectly see where Alex was.
Bleeding Strike!
Sparks appeared as the claws and Alex’s dagger clashed, forcing him to back away.
Blood Clones!
Several identical copies of Alex materialized, darting toward Daniel from every direction.
They moved with blinding speed, their agility identical to Alex’s.
He thought that maybe, as they were made out of his blood, the [Player Radar] would detect them as such.
But he was proven wrong.
His claws unleashed a crescent-shaped wave of energy, cutting through the clones effortlessly.
They dissolved into pools of blood, splattering uselessly across the ground.
The [Blood Mist] disappeared at that moment too, since they were in an open space.
“Is that all?” Daniel taunted.
“Not even close,” Alex growled. “[Giant Blood Blades]!”
A massive crimson blade materialized in Alex’s hands, pulsating with raw energy.
He swung it with all his might, aiming to cleave Daniel in two.
Daniel sidestepped the attack with ease, his speed unmatched, then cut it in half.
For some reason, these [Hatred Claws] of his seemed to be able to cut magic, even though that wouldn’t be possible except for some artifact items or skills.
Which meant…
‘This is an artifact skill…’
[Warning! Warning!]
“You’re predictable,” Daniel said, his smirk widening.
The fox girls, as well as Alice and Aurelia, watched the fight from a safe distance.
Their eyes were filled with worry as they silently prayed for Alex’s victory, though the odds seemed insurmountable.
Daniel raised his hand, activating [Temporary Flight].
His body rose into the air, dark energy swirling around him like a vortex.
“You can’t escape me,” his voice filled with malice as he dove down at incredible speed, his claws aimed directly at Alex.
Alex tried to dodge, but Daniel was too fast.
The claws slashed across Alex’s body, tearing through his armor and flesh.
-58,362,995!
The damage notification burned into Alex’s vision as he collapsed.
His health bar was completely drained, leaving him on the brink of death.
“THE VICTORY IS MINE!” Daniel roared, his laughter echoing through the battlefield.
The sound was chilling, sending shivers down the spines of everyone watching.
Even the monsters outside the village dared not approach, frightened by the oppressive aura.
Alex’s body flickered, ready to vanish as death loomed.
But before he could hit the ground, Daniel dashed forward and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground like a broken trophy.
“You’re going to die now,” Daniel spoke, his voice filled with sadistic pleasure.
Through all of that, Alex still retained just enough consciousness to feel what was happening, though his vision was blurry.
[Soul Attack! Warning!]
[Soul Attack…]
[Warning…]