I sprinted with all my might, my heart pounding in my chest, as I turned on the spot and rushed back through the wrecked room. The ground shook beneath me, and a deafening explosion erupted behind, filling the air with chaos and noise.
In my desperate sprint, I swiftly retrieved my last ether potion, hastily downing its contents and discarding the vial to the side. My energy slowly rose from 10% to 11%, a meager boost that reminded me of the limited resources I had left. I grimaced, realizing that big spells were out of the question for now.
As I reached the stairs leading downward, shouts reverberated from below. Meeting a group of adventurers ascending the stairs, a burly older guild member confronted me amid the commotion.
"That's Harlequin! What the hell did you do?!" he bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The group came to a halt, their gazes fixed on me. I simply shrugged, catching my breath, and replied, "Might wanna take a look outside, guys!" Without wasting a moment, I spun on my heels and crashed through a nearby door. Spotting a window, I swiftly climbed through it, the guilders following closely behind. Just as they entered the room, another explosion shook the building, leaving them bewildered.
They stared at me in confusion, and I let out an exasperated sigh. "Bloody hell, outside! Marin transformed into some kind of monstrous creature, and she's not too thrilled with me. So run, you idiots!"
Descending at an unprecedented speed, I raced around the building to the front, where Lyra and Isabel had been engaging a group of guilders. Spells were flying, but I couldn't discern their target. Joining the group from behind, I caught the attention of a young mage.
He leaped in surprise, his voice filled with disbelief. "What the... How are you here?" Others turned to see what was happening, and soon half the group was fixated on me.
I shrugged nonchalantly, scanning the area for any sign of monster Marin. However, she eluded my sight. People began pouring out of doors and windows in a panic, while the sounds of destruction from inside grew louder.
"She seems a little mad. Personally, I think she's overreacting," I quipped in a whimsical tone, though still Harlequin's voice, earning more than a few annoyed glares. "What?"
The young mage who had first spotted me scowled, his anger apparent. "You caused this! How can you stand there casually spouting nonsense?"
I exaggeratedly feigned surprise, putting on a show for the bewildered guild member. "Dear man, I would never! You should know that she's essentially responsible for the entire attack on the city, and I merely attempted to kill her just now. Frankly, I'm a little offended by your attempt to place the blame on me!"
Just then, Mirum pushed her way towards me, her fury evident in her wild expression. "You! I am going to-"
Before she could utter another word, Isabel swiftly slapped the back of Mirum's head with her gauntleted hand, momentarily distracting her.
Rubbing the back of her head, Mirum received a stern reprimand from Isabel. "Enough, Mirum! You saw Marin change, you saw what she is. Harlequin, you keep your mouth shut too. We have work to do."
I decided to revel in playing the fool and elegantly bowed. "Of course, whatever you need."
Isabel flashed me a wicked grin. "I was hoping you would say that. We need a distraction."
I stumbled slightly, realizing what she meant. "And you want me to... Shit..."
Isabel's grin widened. "Exactly. Go get her attention, please."
Grumbling under my breath, I conjured an image of myself and sent Grim to catch Marin's attention. It didn't take long before Grim entered the building, and Marin came crashing through the front of it.
Checking my ether levels, I sighed in disappointment. It was around 25%, far from an ideal starting point. I glanced around and realized I was all alone; the others had quickly distanced themselves from me. Now, the monstrous Marin was staring directly at me.
I gave her a friendly wave and conjured several dozen illusions of myself. Blending in with the illusions, I swiftly took off. However, monster Marin was not to be trifled with. She launched bone spikes in every direction, one of which struck my shoulder. Activating my title, I pushed through the pain, knowing I couldn't afford to dwell on it now.
The impact of the projectile sent me tumbling, but I skillfully turned the roll into a springboard, swiftly getting back on my feet. Marin moved with incredible speed, tearing into the illusions around her. Fortunately, the illusions were highly realistic, complete with blood, which momentarily prevented her from pinpointing my true location. Then, the group of guilders bombarded her with spells, prompting her to snarl in frustration.
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She retaliated by hurling another barrage of spikes at them, but their raised barriers held strong, successfully blocking the projectiles. I couldn't help but be impressed by their skill and coordination.
The bombardment from the guilders continued relentlessly, and monster Marin turned her attention toward them. However, I couldn't resist taunting her. "I was wondering, was becoming a monster part of your plan?" I called out to her.
Her head snapped in my direction, and her narrowed eyes locked onto me. She spoke only one word in that disturbing, garbled voice, "Harlequin!"
With ground-shaking force, she charged at me. Thinking quickly, I cast "unstable footing" in the sticky version, causing her back foot to get caught. She growled in annoyance but managed to wrench the cobblestones free with a powerful heave, determined to continue her pursuit.
My eyes widened in alarm as I tried to dodge, but my efforts were only partially successful. I leaped sideways, but Marin's massive swinging arm connected with my shoulder, and I heard a sickening crunch as I was hurled through the air, crashing into the side of the guild building.
The impact was accompanied by another crack, and pain blossomed in my back. I landed in a heap on the ground, dazed for a few seconds, only vaguely aware that Marin was closing in to finish me.
Suddenly, a man appeared before me—a burly figure with a black beard. He held a large heater shield on one arm and a vicious spiked mace in the other.
--
Meanwhile, Eric and his team had been engaged in intense battles throughout the night, clearing one area after another in the low quarter before proceeding to the temple district. While they encountered a few challenging foes, Eric longed for a proper fight that would truly test his skills. However, as the situation calmed down, he reluctantly abandoned that hope.
After ensuring the security of the temple district—an easy task since the temples had their own elite guards—they made their way back to the guild. Nala, Eric's oldest friend, insisted on the return, both to gather information about the current state of affairs and to allow the rest of the group to catch their breath. Eric himself hadn't even broken a sweat, as his endurance as a mage was far from weak.
As they approached the guild building, a cacophony of explosions and deep roars reached their ears, igniting Eric's excitement. Despite his team's protests, he rushed ahead, eager to join whatever was unfolding.
His delight knew no bounds when he spotted the towering spiked monster—its black, glistening skin adorned with protruding bones—exuding an unparalleled strength that enthralled him. A grin spread across his face as he witnessed the monster charge at someone, a masked figure whose name he hadn't bothered to remember, nor did it matter to him.
Seeing the masked individual being slammed into the building, Eric sprang into action. Activating his protective charge ability, he moved with impossible speed, positioning himself in front of the battered stranger, his shield raised and a wide smile on his face.
The monster swung a massive fist at him, and despite his heavily enchanted shield, Eric was astonished when it left a dent. Laughing with pure elation, he swung his heavy mace with all his might.
The mace struck the monster's knee, accompanied by a satisfying sound of breaking bone. The monster roared in agony and swung at Eric again, but he deftly ducked under the attack. Activating his second ability, "Headlong Charge," Eric propelled himself forward, colliding with the monster's torso and sending it crashing onto its back.
Roaring with fierce determination, Eric relished the monster's undivided attention—it was exactly the challenge he craved.
--
In awe, I watched as Eric continued to push back the monstrous Marin, slowly finding my way back to my feet. I fumbled for a healing potion and quickly consumed it, though I realized that my other potion had been shattered upon impact with the wall. The burning sensation surged through my body, offering some relief, but I knew it would take time to fully heal. At least I wasn't on the verge of collapsing in the next few minutes. Lyra appeared by my side, her expression filled with concern. "You okay, David?" she asked.
I nodded, trying to reassure her. "I'll be fine. Shit... Nothing seems to work on her."
Lyra nodded in understanding. "Isabel is gathering some people for a combination strike. We're hoping that will do the trick."
Although I hadn't heard of combination strikes before, the concept seemed self-explanatory. "Alright... I just need some time, Lyra. Maybe find a place to hide for a bit."
Lyra assisted me in standing and guided me toward the safety of the guild building. As we walked, I couldn't help but watch Eric's relentless battle against Marin. He was like a monster himself, enduring heavy blows yet shrugging them off, swinging his formidable mace as if it were a mere toy.
I shook my head ruefully. "Another battle maniac..."
Lyra grinned, appreciating Eric's unique strength. "Eric is something else, that's for sure."
I nodded, acknowledging his power. "But it doesn't seem to faze her, not enough at least." Though spells still managed to strike Marin sporadically, the barrage had slowed down due to Eric's close proximity.
--
Meanwhile, Isabel stood with a group of six mages in the shadow of a nearby building, each of them prepared with potent finishing spells. She had ensured that Lyra knew to act in tandem with them when the opportune moment arrived.
They knew they would only have one shot at this, as their options were rapidly diminishing. They waited for Marin to slow down or remain in place for a few moments, seizing that window of opportunity to launch an all-out assault.
Isabel had her own finishing ability, "Valkyrie's Reckoning," primed and ready. It was a last-ditch attack that she wanted to make count. However, she knew that she would be rendered useless for a significant duration afterward, which felt like an eternity in the midst of a battle.
As Isabel observed the relentless fight between Eric and Marin, she couldn't deny the impressive display of strength exhibited by the formidable man. Despite coughing up blood from a fierce blow, Eric managed to retaliate, throwing Marin back with his broken shield. That was the signal Isabel had been waiting for. She glanced at the apprehensive mages and nodded decisively. "It's time!"