Pang!
I parried Phoenix’s slash. She imdiately crouched and swept her leg toward mine, aiming to take down. I leapt forward, twisting my body mid-air, and brought my sword down toward her head.
But before the strike landed, Phoenix raised her dagger just in ti to block it. Sparks flew as our weapons clashed, the force of the blow driving her feet into the ground.
She held firm, absorbing the impact with a grimace. Then, in one swift motion, she pushed back, dashed several steps away, and fixed her predator-like eyes on , focused and unblinking.
For the past minute, I’d taken down most of the bandits. Honestly, I don’t even know how to describe the feeling, it’s like I suddenly unlocked cheat codes.
It’s as if I could see a glowing line in front of like so GPS.
"Turn left to dodge that sword. Recalculating... now slice his ribs!"
I just followed it, and bam, dodged an axe, poked soone’s weak spot, and made another one trip on his own feet. This Hero Grace skill? It’s less "graceful knight" and more "combat auto-pilot with style."
Phoenix’s eyes were still locked on , sharp, wild, like a tigress ready to tear apart. I should be terrified. And honestly, for a second, I was. But then, the fear vanished, replaced by this weird calm. As if this skill suppressed the fear.
I bet my face looked insanely cool just now. Like, cover-of-a-novel cool.
So this is what being a hero feels like. Your friends look at you with hope. Your enemies watch you with fear. My heart is doing backflips of pure joy and excitent. Don’t worry, my friends. I’m here to save you.
A slight smile crept onto my face, the calm, confident, the kind of smile.
Phoenix noticed my smile and raised her voice, sharp and defiant.
"You think you’ve gonna win? Think again."
Without hesitation, she slashed her left palm with her dagger, drawing blood.
I blinked, a little surprised. But confidence surged in . I’ve got a cheat skill, lady. Co at . I can counter anything you throw.
Phoenix clenched her bleeding hand tightly, letting crimson droplets trickle down and drip onto her dagger. The blade shimred ominously, as if drinking the blood eagerly.
The blade began to morph. Its surface bubbled and swelled like it was boiling from the inside. Then, before my eyes, it elongated, transforming into a long, straight weapon. You know, the kind they use in the Olympics where people wear masks and jab at each other with dramatic flair... and sohow rack up points I never understand.
And I still can’t wrap my head around how a brute like Phoenix is wielding such an elegant weapon. What is she, a runaway princess from so royal family who ditched her crown to join an underground gang? If so...that’s painfully cliché.
She raised the rapier-like weapon to her face, the blade gently brushing her nose. Her eyes slowly closed, as if entering a ritual, calm and dangerous all at once.
I readied my stance like it was nothing. Confident and calm.
Then, in an instant, bam! Phoenix was right in front of .
My mind blanked. My skill scread at : "Jump to the other side!" but I froze.
In the blink of an eye, her rapier struck my chest. In the last friction of second, I blocked it with my sword.
BOOM!
I was launched backwards, crashing through three, no, four trees before finally hitting the ground.
Lying there, staring at the sky, I gasped, "What the hell was that?"
Then, again, Phoenix appeared above , her rapier aid straight at my face.
Instinct kicked in. I rolled hard to the side.
BOOM!
Where my head was just a second ago, the ground now had a deep, narrow hole, like soone had tried to stab the earth itself.
This woman... she’s dangerous!
I scread inside my head. Even Hero Grace, the supposedly ultimate one-hit KO skill, couldn’t fully read her movents. Her technique was beyond what the guidance could predict.
I’m screwed. How the hell am I supposed to beat her?
Bob said this skill only lasts a few minutes before going on cooldown. I don’t know how much ti I’ve got left, but one thing’s clear...
I need to finish this. Fast.
I raised my sword. It shimred beautifully, the sa radiant blue as that one sun I saw in the Realm-in-Between. Almost too pretty to swing at people.
My eyes shifted to Phoenix. She was back in that ditative pose again. Eyes closed, rapier pointed straight up.
Then suddenly...
"Co on sis, you can do it!"
A voice cut through the tension like an annoying rubber chicken sound.
I turned my head. And there he was. That red-haired clown. Behind the tree with his head poking out.
P-cock.
Where had he even been hiding this whole ti? Wait...did I forget to knock him out earlier?
Then, an idea rose inside , bright, brilliant, and probably incredibly stupid.
But desperate tis call for dumb plans with style. I dashed toward P-cock like a storm, ignoring Phoenix’s sharp gaze fixed on . She lunged to block my path, but I twisted just in ti, slipping past her blade like water.
P-cock’s face drained of color. He scread, like a terrified little girl caught in a nightmare and turned to run as fast as his legs could carry him. Clearly, this fight was way out of his league.
Phoenix’s eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed but stuck watching chase down her fleeing ally.
Perfect.
As P-cock sprinted, I didn’t just chase...I steered him like a shepherd herding a stubborn chicken, making sure he ran straight into the heart of the forest where everyone else was. The panic on his face was priceless...like a scared chicken flapping wildly with no clue where to go.
anwhile, Phoenix wasn’t giving up. She kept lunging, trying to block , her every strike aid to protect P-cock, but I dodged and weaved, focused on my plan.
Her determination was impressive...but I had the upper hand, and this little ga was just getting started.
After about a minute, fatigue started creeping in. I knew the skill wouldn’t last much longer before going into cooldown. So, I pushed even harder.
Finally, P-cock dashed right into the center where everyone was waiting. The bandits lay unconscious on the ground, while Maya, William, Evelyn, and Bob stood together.
This was it. I glanced quickly at Bob.
As P-cock ran past my party, I gathered everything I had left and thrust my sword straight toward him. P-cock scread, flailing like a panicked chicken. But, as always, there she was. Phoenix appeared in an instant, her weapon clashing against mine in a burst of sparks and sound.
This ti, though, I wasn’t annoyed...I was thrilled. My skill was finally running out, and my sword began to dissolve into glowing blue particles. I reverted to my normal self, panting and drained.
Phoenix looked visibly relieved.She pulled back her rapier and planned to thrust it at without hesitation.
But I couldn’t help grinning. With a touch of sarcasm, I said,
"Gotcha."
Her eyes widened, full of confusion, trying to understand what just happened.
But the answer ca instantly.
"HERO GRACEEE!"
At that exact mont, Bob appeared like a blur, imbued with red aura, swinging his crimson sword from the side, striking both Phoenix and P-cock mid-charge. The force of the blow sent them flying together, crashing through the clearing.
As a result of the impact, P-cock lay unconscious on the ground, in a strangely majestic pose. Phoenix was sprawled nearby, injured. Her rapier shimred before shifting back into its curved dagger form. Gritting her teeth, she tried to rise, her body trembling with pain. Just as she began to lift herself, a sword glowing with a red hue appeared at her neck. She looked up slowly, only to see a large shadow towering over her, silhouetted by the sunlight.
The shadow raised its hand, ready to end her life. Phoenix closed her eyes.
’So this is how I die, huh... So pitiful’
At that mont, she accepted her fate, maybe this was the consequence of everything she had done to others.
Bob, eyes gleaming with a deadly glare, swung his blade downward.
But during the mid-swing...
"BOB!" I shouted.
His body froze for a fraction of a second, the blade trembling in the air as it stopped just inches from Phoenix’s neck.
I rushed over and shoved Bob’s arm away, pushing the blade off course.
"Do you want to kill her?!" I snapped.
Bob turned to , his face twisted with anger and disbelief.
"Well, of course!" he shouted. "Do you even rember what she and her crew did? To them...to us?"
His voice cracked as he pointed toward the others, then back at .
"I saw you die, man! What the hell do you expect to do?!"
Tears welled up in his eyes, his body trembling not from fear, but from pain. The red aura around Bob flared, intensifying, an aftereffect of Hero Grace. His red eyes blazing strongly. His grip tightened around the hilt, teeth clenched, eyes wild.
I stepped closer, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"But I’m here now," I said softly. "I’m alive, Bob. And I’m grateful,truly, that you care so much about and the others."
His shoulders trembled under my hand.
"But I don’t want you to beco a killer because of ."
"But... you killed all the bandits," Bob said, glancing around at the battlefield.
His words trailed off when he noticed movent...slow and pained.
One by one, the bandits began to stir. Groaning. Clutching their wounds. Alive.
Bob’s eyes widened. "Wait... they’re not dead?"
"I was angry too, Bob...but I’m not a killer." I smiled faintly.
Bob turned to . His red eyes began to fade, returning to their usual brown. The aura around him slowly dissipated, it looked like the skill had entered cooldown.
I then turned to Phoenix, who was still lying on the ground, watching and Bob.
"Go. And don’t let see you again," I said, my voice firm.
Phoenix looked at , staring deep into my eyes.
Beside her, P-cock began to stir.
"Aargh... my back!" he groaned, clutching it dramatically while lying on the ground. He slowly turned and caught sight of and Bob.
"WAAARGH!" he scread like a startled lady, throwing his arms up and covering his face. "Please... forgive !"
This man... he’s incredibly annoying.
Phoenix was still staring at , deeply, intensely. The longer it went on, the more uncomfortable I felt.
I glanced at Bob. My Hero Grace was on cooldown. His too. If Phoenix decided to attack again now...
That would be bad.
Very bad.
"For the last ti," I said, my voice firm despite my slightly shaking legs, " scram. This ti, I’m giving you both a chance. I can’t promise the sa next ti."
P-cock groaned as he pushed himself up, still holding his back. "Co on, sis... we should go." He reached out to help Phoenix up.
But Phoenix snapped. "We don’t need your rcy! Just finish us off already!" she spat, literally, onto the ground. "You think you won with that cheap trick? You think that makes you better than us?!"
"Hey, sis..." P-cock was sweating now. "This gentleman just gave us a second chance. I think we should, you know, take it."
He tried to lift Phoenix again, but she fought his grip.
"You’re just accepting we lost? Huh? What are people gonna say when they hear the Black Eagle got beaten by one guy?! I can’t accept that! I want a rematch!" Her voice rose into full-blown hysterics.
I squinted at her. Is this really the sa woman?
A few minutes ago, she was rciless, sharp-eyed, cold, deadly.
Now? She looked like a child who just found out their Halloween candy had been eaten by their parents.
I gave P-cock a nod.
He nodded back, then waddled over to Phoenix and started dragging her away. Another bandit ca to help him and grabbed her other arm.
"Let go! I will beat him! Just one more round! I swear I’ve figured him out now! Lem goooo!"
She was kicking and flailing like a toddler, her voice echoing through the forest.
With one final "LET GOOOO!" her voice trailed off into the trees as the rest of the bandits carried her kicking and screeching into the forest.
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