A thunderous rumble shook the hall. The guardian’s first smashed into the floor, leaving a small crater where Tepo just stood.

The stone cracked, sending splinters in all directions.

Tepo gulped, feeling that he underestimated an ascendant’s pure physical power.

But the guardian didn’t give him any time to regret the challenge. He immediately dashed at his target again, approaching like a guided missile.

Tepo gritted his teeth, trying to avoid the attack.

However, the guardian didn’t fall for the same trick twice. He changed direction, his fist about to smash Tepo’s body to pieces.

Varei was hurriedly flying through the space, gathering torches. But his attention never left Tepo.

Before coming the duo already agreed on a few tactics. They knew beforehand that they couldn’t react to the guardian’s speed.

Thus, they would act preemptively.

Just like right now when Varei saw Tepo running without cover. He immediately used [Bell of Death].

Suddenly Varei almost dropped from the air. An enormous amount of his force was used up, leaving him exhausted.

He had to give it his all only to uphold his two spells.

Fortunately, this was also something the human and spirit found out about their bond. Using the spells of someone else didn’t cancel their own.

Tepo almost felt like prayin, as a large bell appeared next to him all of a sudden.

The next moment it rang out, sounding like holy thunder in the underground space.

“AHH!”

A loud scream followed. The guardian didn’t draw back his fist, involuntarily colliding with the bell.

Abruptly a shock ran through his body. His vitality got drained away, feeling as if he just announced his own death.

The sound shook Tepo’s body but left his ears unfaced. Thus, the impact on him was minimal as he hid behind another pillar.

But a hint of worry crept in his mind, as he clearly saw cracks on the bell through his [God's Soul].

“You little f*cks! What is this?!”

The guardian screamed in anger, his vision turning red.

Luckily, he ignored the bell, storming at Tepo, ready to tear him apart.

Varei was anxious. His force drained like never before. He gritted his teeth and held on, gathering the last few torches.

The guardian raised both fists above his head. Circling the pillar, he found Tepo cowering behind it.

“Got you!”

With an ugly grin on his hairy face the big man brought his fists down, about to stomp Tepo into the ground.

An enormous weight pressed towards the human. A fierce wind preceded the attack.

However, this wasn’t the guardian’s peak attack. Knowing that he had to find the perfect balance between killing and crippling, he had to conserve his strength. At the same time, he was already affected by [Bell of Death], beginning to weaken.

Thus, with the knowledge that the attack was coming, Tepo was able to time his time protection perfectly.

The fierce fists suddenly touched a swirling violet vortex.

Their power vanished into thin air, leaving the guardian confused.

Suddenly the bell rang again. The guardian roared in anger, feeling his body weaken more and more.

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At the same time, Varei was just about to take away the last torch.

Tepo and Varei both felt a spark of hope in their minds. But just at this moment the guardian smiled viciously.

The tall man wasn’t stupid. He had also observed the torch situation. Thus, he knew where Varei had to head last.

With a loud scream the guardian suddenly disappeared.

Tepo felt his heart sink. However, he knew that now was his time to protect his little partner.

It was easy to guess where the guardian was going.

Immediately another loud ringing led the hall to shake. The guardian let out a pained cry.

Another cursed bell had appeared in his path, the perfect timing letting him crash into it without stopping.

Varei was not far away. The loud sound rattled his ears, leaving his head in pain and vision spinning.

But the small spirit gritted his teeth. Everything was going even better than planned.

This was not only a challenge for a forbidden spell, but also a test for their newly formed partnership.

It has been a long time since Varei had someone to depend on and vice versa. Thus, he couldn’t falter now!

The spirit gritted his teeth as his wings flapped, carrying him forward the final few meters.

Finally, the last torch vanished, plunging the space into darkness.

A low thud could’ve been heard as Varei collided with the wall, but it was drowned out by the guardian’s angry roars.

“Ahh! Do you think darkness can stop me?! I have been a warrior for longer than you have been alive!”

Tepo and Varei stayed perfectly quiet. They didn’t even dare to breath, Varei suppressing the pain of tumbling to the ground.

If the guardian was able to use spells this battle would have long been over.

But simply with his physical body, and maybe somewhat simple brain, the tall man was perfectly manipulated by Tepo and Varei, landing him in a disadvantageous situation.

Now the two challengers could only hope that their opponent didn’t belong to a race with night vision.

Although their luck didn’t disappoint them, the guardian still wasn’t entirely helpless in the darkness.

His large nose moved as he sniffed the air. Varei’s smell was still close by.

Suddenly the little spirit heard a loud trample. He realized that his opponent was moving. He cursed himself for being unable to keep up [Spirit Form], hastily activating [Phasing].

Bang!

Another fist shattered the ground. Varei trembled as he left the ground a bit further away.

This was way too close!

The little dragon spirit felt anxious. Exhaustion dragged his body down, his force almost spent.

Please, how long can he hold on?

At this moment the two bells rang again. The guardian shook in place, holding his heart. Blood ran out of his mouth.

“What is this spell?!”

Varei and Tepo took the moment to carefully relocate.

The guardian was now standing in darkness, having left the traces of his opponents.

The bells sounded again.

Blood soaked into the big man’s brown hair.

But he was not ready to give up. With a rage-filled shout the guardian suddenly began to punch wildly. His hard fists collided with a pillar. A huge piece of stone broke of, shattering and shooting through the room.

Varei had it easier as he could use his [Phasing] spell to let the rocks simply pass his body.

But Tepo was in a tough spot. Even with the vision granted by [God’s Soul] it was difficult to evade. Splinters hit his body, wearing down his defense, cutting into this skin.

The young man gave his all to avoid hits to his face, keeping his mouth shut despite the sharp rocks piercing him like bullets.

The bells rang again, another pillar shattered…

This vicious cycle continued for a few more seconds until the guardian finally went down to his knees.

Blood streamed from all his orifices. His limps shook, his brain was slowing down.

Although in a real fight the tenacious warrior would have still been able to hold on for a while, the storage area finally wielded its judgement.

A green barrier engulfed the guardian, it’s light illuminating the hall, giving it an eerie atmosphere.

It illuminated the shattered pillars and the broken stones everywhere on the ground.

The guardian first saw Varei peeking out behind a pillar far to his right.

Another ringing sounded abruptly in the hall. Surprisingly the guardian groaned in pain as the barrier shook heavily, not able to block the forbidden spell completely.

Immediately a green energy ran along the chain attached to the guardian’s neck, streaming into his body, healing the tall man at a speed visible to the naked eye.

With the additional light, the darkness around Tepo was also dispelled, while he and Varei cancelled their spells.

The young man was slumped on the ground, his back leaning against a pillar. Bloody wounds graced his entire body. His face was pale, his limbs shaking.

He was entirely spent, his stored force almost used up, his eyes unfocused.

“Ah! Tepo!”

Only now did Varei discover his new partner. A shock assaulted his mind.

“Tepo, don‘t die, don’t die!“

It was unclear if Varei feared only for Tepo’s life or also his own. But he shakily moved his tired body, approaching Tepo with anxious eyes.

Luckily this was still a testing ground within the forum. The green energy on the chain abruptly separated and streamed into the challengers’ bodies, healing them as well.

Tepo quickly felt his sluggish mind moving again. His eyes fell on Varei as he let out a relieved smile, the tension leaving his body.

“HAHAHA!”

Suddenly thunderous laughter filled the hall. It was the guardian, who didn’t bother to struggle as the chain dragged him on the ground towards the wall.

“Great, great! What a fight! Hahaha!

You two are quite something. This was a forbidden spell, right?

Don’t bother answering. I don’t know anything, and I won’t say anything!

Those b*stars made themselves a new enemy! Hahaha!

Great! If you ever decide to fight them, find my tribe in the World of Dark Earth!”

The last few words were already pressed out by the guardian as the chains dragged him through another door, his ruckus voice barely reaching Tepo’s ears.