Proofreader: Me!

Serina caught my falling body, I could barely feel my arms and legs.

“Take this,” A green liquid made its way down my throat. Deja vu struck, reminding me of what happened a few days prior.

I took a glance at everyone else and saw the damaged katana. As I attempted to view its status, violet hair fell on my face.

“How did you know he would use an attack like that?” Serina leered over me.

“So Fen told all of you, that’s good.”

“What did you mean by phase?” She leaned in closer.

“Nothing much, just that we’re in the final stretch.”

In the game reaching this point almost guaranteed death, where in the tutorial, it was impossible to break past this without cheats or star-aligning luck. After all, you were supposed to retreat long ago.

“Hmm.” She seemed to accept my answer as she returned to a sitting posture.

“I’ll step in one more time when need be.”

Her face contorted ever so slightly, “Why?”

That would soon be answered.

I looked over at everyone else, fighting tooth and nail. This phase had no set pattern, instead randomising attacks with no flow between them.

There was one final attack, however. Thus all I could do, was wait until it was the right time.

-x-

Rodney’s POV

My hammer smashed into the feeble-looking sword of ‘Requiem.’ Despite his tattered body, his tenacity pushed us back. His pitch-black sword was plastered with countless cracks.

‘Ron, move to the left!’ Uri yelled in my mind.

I heaved my body in the spoken direction, knowing that Julia or Ash would unleash a ranged attack. Quickly behind the arrows and rocks, was Fen with a straightforward attack.

‘Dammit.’

We were keeping it up for now, but I could feel the difference in power. At the start and even now, we were barely keeping up.

‘Ron cover me!’ Fen retreated and I took his place.

I raised my shield to block the coming blades of darkness. My body remained still, resembling the image of a tower.

“Huh?” I felt close to nothing defending.

An epiphany hit me.

‘Everyone! His stamina is running low, this is our chance!’ I dragged my legs forward, knowing this was it.

‘Don’t.’

In an instant, our charge halted.

‘It’s not worth it,’ Luke’s presence emanated from behind. ‘Listen to me, I can enhance your attacks and defence for seconds at a time.’

Uri argued, ‘But that’s only something a priest-‘

‘You will die if you don’t focus.’

‘...’

She was silenced before his words.

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‘However, Rodney is right. His senses are wavering, but you cannot rush it.’

Undeniably, despite being weaker than all of us, Luke’s words were fact by now. I held my shield in front, wielding my great hammer without backing down.

Requiem sent an attack which my body took with stride.

I murmured, ‘Go.’

I charged into the manic ‘Requiem’ shield first. He attempted to swing his arm to unleash those black blades, met only by Fen.

‘It seems negligible, but it’s working,’ Fen swung with full seriousness, unlike his normal cheery self.

Before he was swatted away, I made it to him with my shield down. The impact was strong enough to launch him into the wall with a thud.

“Guh!” He coughed out a blotch of black blood. “Damn you all!”

Uriel called out, ‘Ash, send it!’

A volley of arrows flew above our heads. Yet, once again a tornado swirled around him. I readied my shield, leaning forward.

Luke assured me, however, ‘He can’t maintain it anymore, wait for it to disappear.’

So, we waited, all five of us. Seconds which felt like hours, passed. I was left with a moment to think, that, somehow this was all planned.

‘Luke, I’ll say this now, I need an explanation later.’

‘Got it.’

Finally, the spinning black mana settled.

He laughed without a hint of sanity left, “Take this!” He swung his arms again, unleashing the same blades of demonic mana.

Following the formation we haphazardly created, I took it with my all. Fen once again charged, but was aided by the violet magic of our generation’s prodigy. His body gleamed in a faint barrier.

‘I’ll charge with you!’ I followed his lead, slamming into Requiem as he clumsily sliced into his wrist.

‘I’m… sorry.’ Fen grimaced, his hands trembling.

“Move!” Luke shouted. “He doesn’t care if you’re his brother, snap out of it!”

But he couldn’t. I threw my body before him, tanking the rest of the ranged attacks without my shield up.

‘That really hurt you know, I hope there'll be some kind of compensation later!'

‘Yes…’

As the onslaught ended, green arrows, balls of every element, and rocks launched at Requiem. Yet, with one last burst of energy, it was all repelled. He stood there, with a gaze of childish madness.

“Dammit.” ‘Requiem cursed, “This isn’t fun anymore!”

Luke called, “It’s here! Be ready!”

My mind raced, I couldn’t understand what it meant.

‘What the?’

My answer was answered immediately as the room turned pitch black. And shortly, faint presences of light formed within.

“Got you!” My arm faltered at the unexpected attack.

‘I can’t see, but I’ll heal you!’

Luke shouted, “Wait, don’t!”

“There she is!” Even if I couldn’t see it, I knew he was smiling. Rage boiled within me but I could only remain useless.

Krrrk!

'Huh?' The sound of someone falling echoed in the cave.

“Perfect work, Julia!” Luke celebrated as if the panic from a moment ago was merely an act. “This is it.”

His footsteps resounded among the cave and within our blindness.

Schwing!

The sound of a sword shattering resounded in our ears.

“How? It should be invincible!” Requiem’s cry of anger released the pitch darkness around me.

What stood before all of us was a sight to behold. Luke was holding a sword before Requiem’s neck, and the remnants of the pitch-black sword lay on the floor.

“Well Rayas, what a way to end up after all that. So much talk, with no strength to back it up!” His mouth curved into a crescent.

“You!” He tried to move, but his body wouldn’t allow it. “You- you’ll regret this!”

“Disgusting,” his onslaught of words continued. "Unfortunately for you, we won. Your supposed ‘failure’ of a brother won.”

“Isn’t that enough?” Fen grabbed his shoulder.

Luke swatted his arm away, leaving us shocked.

“What’s with you?” Fen asked.

“Leave me alone, he must pay for his sins.”

‘Uri, what is happening?’

‘I- I don’t know… Luke isn’t acting normal!’

Ash interjected, ‘The miasma may have affected him.’

His actions and knowledge. I had to agree with Ash, something was off. I ran forward, hoping he was right. No, I was sure I was right. Just like back then, I wouldn't let a comrade be shaken again.

“Back down,” Serina blocked my way.

I ignored her and pushed ahead, “He’s clearly out of his mind, the miasma from earlier is affecting him.”

A violet barrier barred my march.

“I didn’t want to fight, but if that’s your stance then so be it,” I scowled in annoyance.

A body rushed in front of me, “Ron, please, don’t do anything you will regret!”

“Stay out of it Uri, I need to talk to him man to man.”

I did my best to gently shove her out of the way, facing the supposed grand wizard of our generation.

In the corner of my eye, I could see a furious Fen and his dying brother behind him.