Aveline glared at Arayn. “I don’t have time for your jokes,” she snapped, gripping her axe. She inhaled to speak again, “Box of—”

Before she could finish, Arayn vanished, using [Demonic Step] to close the gap between them in an instant. His sword swung toward her in an arc, but her axe met it in a resounding clash. Sparks flew as the blades connected. Leaning forward, his face just inches from hers, Arayn’s voice dropped to a menacing whisper. “I’m serious. If you can’t defeat me, I’ll kill you.”

Aveline shoved him back with all her strength. Arayn somersaulted gracefully, twisting midair as dark energy coalesced around him. “[Cursed Fangs],” he intoned, releasing a volley of shadowy projectiles.

Reacting quickly, Aveline spun her axe and roared, "[Storm's Wrath]," conjuring a whirlwind that collided with the fangs. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the air. From the heart of the blast, Arayn surged forward, his sword slicing through the smoke. Aveline met him again, their weapons clashing repeatedly in a series of rapid strikes.

Arayn pressed his assault relentlessly, forcing Aveline to parry each blow. He gave her no opening to counterattack, keeping her too occupied to say her abilities. But it became clear that despite his aggression, she held the upper hand.

With a powerful block, Aveline deflected his sword, creating just enough of a delay to disrupt his rhythm. Taking the opportunity, she slashed the ground with her axe, sending up a cloud of dust. Using the cover, she activated [Riftbreaker Acceleration], launching herself high into the air.

Arayn reacted quickly, hurling his sword toward her. Aveline twisted mid-flight, intercepting the blade with her axe. The weapons collided, but she maintained her momentum. As she descended, he unleashed another wave of [Cursed Fangs]. Thinking fast, Aveline summoned a second whirlwind to neutralize the attack, landing gracefully amidst the chaos.

Her senses flared. Something moved within the lingering smoke from the explosion. She swung her axe instinctively, intercepting another of Arayn’s fangs. The projectile detonated on impact, creating a brief explosion.

Arayn descended from above, and Aveline noticed at the last moment. She leapt back, but not before his blade grazed her shoulder, leaving a bleeding wound. She winced but maintained her composure, using the distance she gained to regain control.

“[Storm’s Wrath]!” she shouted, swinging her axe with ferocity. A massive whirlwind roared toward Arayn, tearing through the ground as it advanced.

Arayn raised his sword to block, bracing himself against the storm. The force of the whirlwind pushed him back, his boots skidding against the dirt. Though he resisted, the attack left him momentarily vulnerable, giving Aveline a chance to catch her breath.

Aveline whispered, "[Box of Providence]," and a glowing box formed above her, spilling rainbow light. The brilliance showered her, wrapping her in a protective aura. Then, a system message appeared, listing the buffs.

[Fortified Aegis]

[Sanctuary Ward]

[Blessed Strike]

[Divine Swiftness]

[Vital Bloom]

[Mystic Flow]

Arayn stumbled, blood dripping from his mouth, which he wiped away softly. Despite his wounds, his expression remained composed, his eyes fixed on the light surrounding Aveline.

He couldn't stop her. The [Box of Providence], the Storm Saintess class's unique ability, was now active. Its buffs, unmatched in quality, would turn the tide. Arayn smirked, knowing full well how dire the situation had become. Even so, he felt exhilarated.

Arayn unleashed a volley of [Cursed Fangs], crimson projectiles streaking toward Aveline. However, her [Storm's Wrath] summoned a roaring whirlwind that shredded them to nothing before they could even reach her. She shifted into motion, her footwork ability propelling her forward in a blur.

Closing the gap, she swung her axe in a devastating arc. Arayn raised his sword just in time to block, but the force behind her blow sent a numbing shock up his arm, making his hand tremble and weaken.

Gritting his teeth, Arayn let his [Demonic Aura] pour forth, a shadowy shroud radiating malevolence. Yet, the holy light surrounding Aveline pushed back against it, leaving his aura struggling to take hold. She swung again, her strike fueled by raw strength, but Arayn narrowly sidestepped, feeling the air sharpening where her weapon cleaved.

In a split second, Arayn swung his sword. Aveline's eyes followed the movement, her guard momentarily drawn to the blade. He let go of the sword mid-motion, letting it fall, and with his free hand, he touched her armor.

"[Soul Rend]," he muttered, and dark tendrils erupted from his palm, writhing with hunger as they sought to pierce her. The tendrils struck her holy aura, clashing violently. Though they failed to reach her, they tore apart the radiant shield at the cost of their existence.

Stolen novel; please report.

Realizing the danger, Aveline leaped back, putting distance between them. Both stood still for a moment, their chests heaving with ragged breaths.

Arayn retrieved his sword, twirling it once before pointing the blade toward Aveline. A faint smile crept across his face as his gaze settled on her. "As expected," he mused, almost to himself. "You resisted [Soul Rend]."

The corners of his lips curled upward as he thought about the power he wielded. [Soul Rend] was his trump card, the ability that gave him an edge over his peers. It wasn’t just a weapon of physical destruction—it tore into the very essence of his enemies, inflicting soul damage. That was what made it so terrifying. Most first-class holders lacked any defense against attacks on their soul, and their spiritual strength was brittle. One clean hit from [Soul Rend] was enough to reduce many to lifeless husks.

Aveline wasn’t just anyone.

The Storm Saintess class she possessed included the [Box of Providence], a unique and versatile ability. With it, she could store a record of blessings, buffs, and protections, pulling them forth as needed. Among them, soul protection could be easily deployed, a countermeasure against Arayn's most lethal tool. What made [Box of Providence] even more infuriating was its low mana cost. This one allowed Aveline to maintain her defenses with minimal effort.

The Saintess was uniquely equipped to withstand his strongest attacks, her class a perfect nemesis to his. However, that only made his grin widen. The thrill of a true test stirred within him.

Aveline's hand hovered briefly in the air before her palm glowed with a soft radiance. "[Box of Providence]," she intoned as another shiny box appeared out of thin air. A faint shimmer enveloped her, layers of divine protection and enhancements stacking upon one another.

Arayn’s eyes narrowed, watching the aura around her intensify. He clenched his sword tighter. If she kept replenishing and accumulating buffs, the tide of this battle could shift in her favor. The potential she displayed was undeniable—she could even challenge Eryndor, whose enhancement ability was nothing short of monstrous. Arayn couldn't afford to let her momentum build any further.

"This ends now," he muttered. Without hesitation, he activated [Dark Pact]. A surge of dark power coursed through his body, filling his limbs with newfound strength. The sensation was intoxicating, but the price was steep—life force, measured in years, drained away.

In the depths of his mind, a message surfaced. He had ten years left, but with the activation of [Dark Pact], that number dwindled to nine. However, it didn’t deter him.

Power always demanded sacrifice, and Arayn was no stranger to the trade. This was the demonic path. There would come a future where he didn't have to worry about such cost. For now, he would embrace any sacrifice required.

A smile crossed his face as the energy from the pact coiled around him like a living shadow. Even against his nemesis, this strength would tip the scales. "Let’s see how divine blessings fare against malevolent demonic force."

Arayn vanished in a blur, his figure reappearing directly in front of Aveline as he activated [Demonic Step]. His sword met her axe, but this time, he felt no strain in his arms. The dark power coursing through him from [Dark Pact] granted him strength far beyond his limit. With a push, he forced her back, her boots skidding against the ground.

He followed up with a strike, his blade cutting through her defenses and slashing her breastplate. The sharp screech of metal tearing filled the air as a portion of her armor fell away, exposing her beneath. Aveline staggered back, her eyes widening in disbelief as she touched the edge of her damaged armor.

Her shock was short-lived. Arayn unleashed [Soul Rend], and dark tendrils erupted from his hand, snaking through the air toward her. They collided with the holy aura encasing her, ripping through it like paper. The divine protection shattered in a burst of light, leaving her vulnerable.

Aveline gritted her teeth, her instincts taking over. "[Riftbreaker Acceleration]!" she shouted, her form blurring as she leaped backward, her speed enhanced to escape the onslaught. But Arayn was relentless. With another [Demonic Step], he closed the gap.

Their weapons clashed again, sparks flying as sword met axe. Both moved with blinding speed, their strikes leaving deep gouges in the ground as they dashed across the battlefield.

Aveline's determination burned in her eyes, but Arayn’s dark energy surged with ferocity. He pressed her harder, his relentless attacks pushing her closer to the brink.

Aveline called out, "[Box of Providence]!" but before the blessings could descend upon her, Arayn’s [Soul Rend] lashed out with tendrils of darkness. The box shattered in a burst of holy light, the blessings dissipating into nothingness.

Her patience frayed, Aveline had enough of being cornered. She raised her axe high and invoked her trump card, "[Miracle Resurgence]." A brilliant golden aura erupted from her, radiating an overwhelming force that pushed Arayn back several steps. The ground beneath her feet cracked as the divine energy surged around her, and her presence became almost blinding.

As the distance widened, Aveline concentrated, gathering golden mana into her axe. The weapon began to glow with an intensity that rivaled the sun. Arayn’s instincts flared, sensing the immense danger she was about to unleash. Without hesitation, he summoned dozens of [Cursed Fangs], sending the crimson projectiles hurtling toward her.

"[Haven's Gale]!" she roared, swinging her axe in a wide arc. A torrent of golden energy burst forth, obliterating the fangs in an instant. The divine gale tore through the air, surging toward Arayn with devastating force.

He raised his demonic sword, bracing himself. The gale slammed into him, forcing him backward despite his efforts. The sheer power made his arms tremble, but his expression remained calm. He began to mutter, "Zhrak'val Dhurnak. Kral'shiv zuul'ahk thyr. Ek nash'vothrak dul'ehraan vahn orai'kh suln'athar."

Every ability’s form was fixed by nature, but with his unique [Ancient Demon Language] ability, Arayn could manipulate and reshape his demonic powers. This time, he applied it to his ability [Zhrak'val Dhurnak], or [Dark Pact] in the common tongue. By adding a verse in the ancient tongue, he extended the terms of the ability, drastically increasing its power. The cost, however, was immense—nearly all of his remaining life force was consumed, leaving him with only a single day to live. In return, his strength surged, elevating him to a level that rivaled expert-class holders.

The dark aura around him exploded outward, suffocating the air with its oppressive weight. His eyes glowed with crimson light as he spoke again, "Vaa'thrak, nek'thal vorak suul drak'mar."

Dark-crimson energy coalesced around his blade, crackling violently as he gathered his strength. With a swing, he unleashed a massive arc of malevolent energy. The dark-crimson slash roared forward, colliding with Aveline's [Haven's Gale].

The battlefield trembled as the two forces met. Golden light clashed with demonic energy, creating a storm of power that surged outward, shattering the ground and filling the air with deafening roars. Both combatants stood firm, their eyes locked, as their abilities vied for dominance.