Valen stood atop a rooftop, the wind tugging at his robe as he gazed into the orb in his hand. Within its shimmering depth, the image of Eryndor emerged, pacing along a street across from Saria's base. The view came courtesy of an undead familiar silently shadowing Eryndor from the shadow.

The plan was straightforward, at least on the surface. Valen would take down the golems guarding Saria's stronghold, forcing her to abandon her defenses. Once she stepped outside, Eryndor would be waiting to engage her in what he imagined would be a fair fight.

That was a mere distraction. Valen had no intention of letting the fool claim the glory the prize that came with defeating Saria. Eryndor’s trust in him was laughable, a naivety Valen planned to exploit to the fullest.

He had foreseen Saria’s counterattack, her inevitable desperation. She would resort to harvesting the souls of the townsfolk to summon an army of demonic beasts. It was a vile but predictable move, one Valen had anticipated. His preparations were already in place, a countermeasure waiting to be unleashed. To execute it, he needed Eryndor gone. Out of the way from stopping him.

A man knelt before Valen, his head bowed low. “The preparations are complete,” he said.

This man was one of Valen’s helpers, a crucial piece in the game Valen had orchestrated. The rules of the Deathmatch were clear—no expert-class individuals could be enlisted as allies. However, helpers from outside were fair game.

Saria had brought Aveline to her side. Lyssa had chosen Thalric. Naturally, Valen had recruited his own forces too. Many of the townsfolk had willingly become his eyes and ears, providing him with information and ensuring his plans advanced smoothly.

Saria, in her wrath, had burned them away—incinerating those loyal to him without hesitation. It was an unfortunate setback, but Valen merely considered it a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme. There was always a way to adjust the board, to realign the pieces in his favor. The remaining helpers would suffice for what came next.

Valen and the man descended to the ground. They approached a gathering of several men waiting on the street. Behind them, a thousand coffins arranged in rows.

“I thank you for your effort, gentlemen,” Valen said.

If Eryndor was anywhere nearby, he would surely interfere. The fool would see these coffins and assume the worst, disrupting Valen's carefully laid plans.

This wasn’t how Valen had envisioned using the coffins. He had planned to save them for the final battle, a trump card for the endgame. However, Saria’s madness had forced his hand. For that, he couldn’t help but admire her.

Valen stepped forward, holding a ritual lantern in one hand. Its glass shimmered faintly as he whispered an incantation in the magic language. A moment later, glowing wisps of souls emerged from the lantern, swirling toward the coffins like moths drawn to a flame.

The coffins rattled as the souls entered them. Valen raised the lantern high. “Rise, my undead soldiers!”

The coffin lids burst open, and skeletal warriors emerged. Each was armed with weapons and armors. These weren’t mere undead; they were level 20 skeleton soldiers.

Valen gestured toward the horizon. “Hunt the demonic beasts. Leave nothing standing.”

The skeleton soldiers marched forward. As they spread out, Valen allowed himself a rare grin. Saria wouldn’t survive the night.

Kaelion was already deep in his mission, preparing to assassinate a weakened Aveline after using a tampered magic circle that consumed her mana. Once that was done, only Arayn and Eryndor would remain. Valen had no doubts. He would crush them both and emerge as the champion of this deathmatch.

Valen and his followers moved through the battlefield. Skeleton soldiers clashed with demonic beasts all around them. Valen paid no mind to the carnage. His focus was ahead, on his true target.

At last, they reached Saria. She stood among her golems, waiting for him her. A faint smirk tugged at her lips as she said, “I knew you’d be the first to come for me, Valen, but do you really think you can defeat me?”

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“A reckless woman like you has no right to act so mighty.”

Without another word, he thrust his spear forward, its tip glinting as it shot toward her. Before it could land, a barrier of magic flared to life around her, deflecting the attack with ease.

Valen’s eyes narrowed as he pulled back, his grip tightening on the spear. He knew things wouldn’t be as simple as he had imagined.

Valen’s followers launched into the fray. The melee fighters darted in, hacking at the golems. Long-range attackers rained arrows and spells from a distance, their shots carving into the golems’ molten bodies. The tanks held their ground, intercepting the golems' strikes with shields reinforced by mana, while healers bolstered their allies with healing magic and barriers.

One golem lunged forward, its flaming fist crashing into the earth. The tank nearest it raised his shield just in time, the force of the blow sending tremors through the ground. Another fighter, a dual-wielder, slid beneath the golem’s arm and drove his blades into its leg, cracking it under the assault. A burst of ice magic from a mage above struck the golem’s chest, freezing parts of its fiery core before an archer’s enchanted arrow shattered it. The golem crumbled into lifeless embers.

The second and third golems fell in quick succession, the combined assault overwhelming their defenses. However, the fourth proved more resilient. Its body burned hotter as it batted away an approaching fighter with a flaming swipe. The supporter barely managed to stabilize him with a burst of healing, but even that wasn’t enough to counteract the burns. The archer loosed a final arrow that pierced its core, bringing it down at last.

The last two golems unleashed a wave of fire, scattering Valen’s followers. One fighter tried to charge but was caught mid-step by a fiery blast, his armor glowing red before he collapsed. Another tried to protect the group with a barrier spell, but the golems crushed through it effortlessly.

One by one, Valen’s followers fell, their attacks no longer enough to hold back the relentless infernal creatures.

Now only the last two golems stood. They turned and marched to Saria’s side.

Valen lunged at Saria without hesitation. His spear glowed with magic as it struck her barrier, sending sparks flying with each impact. Saria retaliated, summoning a torrent of flames that roared toward him like a tidal wave. Valen spun his spear, slicing through the fire and dissipating the flames.

“As expected, you are nothing without your familiars. Do you think you are qualified to be the successor of our cult with this level of power?” he taunted.

Her eyes narrowed as she raised her wand, conjuring two fiery whips that lashed out at him. Valen dodged the first with a sidestep and deflected the second with his spear, the flames coiling around the shaft before he twisted free.

The two golems joined the fray, one swinging a molten fist toward Valen. He leaped back, the fist smashing into the ground where he’d stood moments before. The second golem lunged, its flames surging, but Valen countered with a spear strike imbued with magic. The tip pierced the golem’s shoulder, causing it to stagger, molten rock dripping from the wound.

Saria capitalized on the moment, launching a massive fireball. Valen spun his spear in a wide arc, a barrier of energy forming around him just as the fireball struck. The explosion rocked the ground, but when the smoke cleared, Valen stood unscathed.

He grinned. “You’ll need more than this to stop me, Saria.”

Saria laughed in mockery as she called out, “Men always become fools when a fight is involved, don’t they?” She smirked. “Tell me, Valen, why do you think my grand magic circle doesn’t heal my golems?”

Valen’s brow furrowed in thought. Though his face grew serious, he remained calm, his grip on his spear unwavering.

Saria’s laughter rang out. “You’re the reckless one, Valen. Charging into my grand magic circle without proper preparation? You’ve already lost!”

She raised her wand and shouted, “[Infernal Serpents Requiem]!” The magic circle beneath her blazed with intensity, and from its glowing runes erupted four massive serpents, their bodies forged entirely from flame. Each serpent coiled and hissed, their fiery forms twisting before surging toward Valen.

Valen’s grip tightened on his weapon as he called its name, “Aetherfang!” The spear glowed with a blue light. “[Flight]!” he commanded, and the spear’s ability activated, propelling him into the air. He soared above the battlefield, evading the serpents as they snapped and coiled after him, their heat scorching the air.

Valen noticed the magic circle beneath Saria slowly dimming, the runes fading as the serpents drained its power. He frowned, realizing the circle’s duration was limited. However, waiting wasn’t an option. He couldn’t evade forever.

“You’re wrong,” Valen said. “If you think I came unprepared, you’ve underestimated me. I calculated my moves and even used the wealth of my family to help me!”

The first serpent lunged, its fiery maw snapping shut before exploding in a violent burst of heat and light. Valen reached into his robe, retrieving a stack of enchanted parchment. He raised them, shouting, “[Instant Magic Scrolls: Barriers]!”

A series of magical barriers formed around him. The second serpent crashed into them, its explosion shattering several layers, but the remaining barriers held firm. Valen didn’t flinch, his composure unbroken as he adjusted his spear.

The final two serpents hissed and twisted, but Valen moved swiftly. With a sharp swing, he hurled Aetherfang toward Saria, the spear streaking through the air like a comet. At the same time, the last two serpents converged on him, their fiery bodies detonating in unison. The sky lit up with a blinding inferno, the deafening roar of the explosion reverberating across the battlefield.