Artreus took a cautious step closer, his breath steady but his heart racing. Just as he was about to touch the princess, the enchanted roots pulsed with eerie, glowing mana.

"Huh?!" Artreus's eyes widened as a sudden, violent surge of energy crackled through the air.

The princess let out a pained cry. "A-Arghh…!" Her body trembled, her pale skin illuminated by the mana draining from her, siphoning away her strength. The more it fed, the weaker she became, as if locked in a torturous cycle.

Artreus clenched his jaw. "Damn it!" Without hesitation, he gripped his Black Sword, its blade gleaming with lightning energy. He swung, the blade cutting cleanly through the enchanted roots. A surge of mana erupted upon impact, the force rippling through the chamber as the spell shattered.

The bindings released their hold, and the princess's body slumped forward. Artreus barely managed to catch her before she collapsed onto the cold stone floor. She was still unconscious, her breathing shallow, her delicate features contorted in exhaustion.

"I got you," he whispered, securing her carefully in his arms. Shifting her weight, he lifted her onto his back, holding her close to protect her from any further harm.

Above ground, Aidan was in the midst of battle, his katana flashing as he weaved through the enemy forces. The mana users threw elemental attacks at him, but he countered swiftly, dodging with precise footwork and striking them down with relentless efficiency.

As another enemy lunged at him, he ducked, rolling forward and delivering a swift upward slash. The bandit barely had time to react before collapsing, blood pooling beneath him.

Then, from the darkness of the stairwell, Artreus emerged.

"Aidan!" he called, his voice urgent.

Aidan spun mid-battle, slicing through another enemy before turning toward him. Artreus stepped forward, the princess secured on his back. "I have the princess. Let's go!"

Aidan's gaze flickered to the unconscious elf, and without hesitation, he nodded. "Right behind you!"

The two warriors dashed toward the exit, but the enemy forces weren't done yet. From the corridors ahead, more bandits and mana users poured in, blocking their escape.

Aidan exhaled sharply. "Looks like they're not letting us leave that easily."

Artreus adjusted his grip on the princess. "Then we cut our way through."

Aidan smirked, gripping his katana tightly. "Let's make it quick."

Samson vs. Liones

The battlefield trembled as Samson and Liones clashed, two titanic warriors exchanging brutal blows. Liones's claws slashed at Samson with ferocity, each strike carrying enough force to rip through solid stone. Samson barely dodged, countering with a massive punch aimed at the beast's jaw. But Liones was fast—too fast.

Liones smirked, dodging Samson's strikes with nimble movements. With a sudden burst of speed, he countered, his fists crashing into Samson's torso, sending the giant warrior skidding backward.

Samson rolled his shoulders, shaking off the hit. His golden eyes burned with determination.

Liones licked his lips, eyes gleaming with excitement. "I expected more from you, Samson the Beast Slayer. Where's your gauntlet? Come on—show me your true power!"

Samson exhaled, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, alright... I haven't used it in 200 years, but since you're a strong foe… guess it's time to bring it back."

Mana surged around Samson as golden runes flared to life on his arms. His legendary Beast Slayer Gauntlets materialized in a burst of raw energy, wrapping around his hands with an ancient hum of power. The very air around him vibrated from the sheer force.

Samson lowered into a battle stance, his massive fists radiating with mana energy. His grin turned feral.

"Time to get serious," he growled.

Liones grinned, extending his claws wide. His muscles tensed, his body expanding further as his primal instincts took over. "Finally! This battle is about to get fun!"

With a thunderous roar, the two warriors charged at each other.

Samson's fist met Liones's claw in a collision that shook the entire battlefield. The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, cracking the ground beneath them.

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Samson capitalized on the moment, driving his fist deep into Liones's stomach, making the beast warrior stagger. He followed up with an earth-shattering punch to the face, sending Liones crashing into a wall. But before the debris could settle, Liones leapt from the wreckage, dodging Samson's next attack with incredible agility.

Liones landed on all fours before lunging, his claws raking across Samson's chest. The force of the blow sent Samson stumbling back, blood dripping from fresh wounds.

But Samson only grinned, wiping his chin. "Not bad."

Liones roared and attacked again, his claws flashing. Samson countered with a devastating punch, the sheer force blasting Liones through a nearby structure. The wall crumbled, but Liones emerged unfazed.

The two titans clashed once more, fists and claws colliding in an unstoppable storm of power.

Mikael stood firm, his shadowy blades gleaming as he faced off against a powerful mana user. The enemy's hands glowed with a fiery blue aura, raw mana swirling violently in his palms.

With a furious yell, the mana user thrust both hands forward, unleashing a massive energy blast aimed directly at Mikael.

Mikael's eyes sharpened. Not this time. He crossed his two short swords in front of him, parrying the attack. Sparks and magic clashed as his blades deflected the blast, sending it scattering in a chaotic wave of force.

The mana user gritted his teeth, taking a step back. "Stop!! Don't come near me, you dumb brat!" His hands trembled as he quickly shifted his focus, chanting under his breath.

Suddenly, enchanted roots burst from the ground, twisting toward Mikael like venomous snakes.

But Mikael was ready.

"Oh no, you're not doing that to me again," he smirked, pushing off the ground in a powerful jump, flipping over the incoming roots with ease. As he soared through the air, he flicked his wrist, hurling one of his shadowy short swords toward the enemy's chest.

The mana user reacted instantly, raising his arms to block the incoming blade. The sword clashed against his mana shield, deflecting harmlessly to the side.

But Mikael had already closed the gap.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Mikael landed smoothly and surged forward, his remaining sword slicing clean through the mana user's neck in a single, deadly motion.

The enemy's eyes widened in shock. A gargled, choking sound escaped his throat. "Ka… kwak…!" Blood spilled as his body wavered for a moment, then collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Mikael exhaled, flicking the blood from his blade before glancing down at his fallen opponent. His expression was calm but held a flicker of acknowledgment.

"Sorry, old man. RIP."

With that, he retrieved his thrown short sword, spun it between his fingers, and turned back toward the battlefield.

Aidan's blade flashed as he cut through the last of the remaining mana users, his movements fluid and precise. Blood splattered against the ruined stone as he finished the final foe. "Artreus, move!" he shouted, his voice sharp over the chaos.

Artreus was already sprinting toward the edge of the wall, the unconscious princess secured on his back. His heart pounded in his chest as he leaped from ledge to ledge, every step carrying them closer to freedom. The cold wind howled through the shattered castle ruins, dust and debris swirling in the air.

Across the battlefield, Samson unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, each one slamming into Liones's face and knee with bone-crushing force. The lion beast staggered under the onslaught, blood trickling from his mouth.

With a desperate growl, Liones roared, his mana surging to its peak. He extended his claws, mana crackling over them like lightning, and slashed forward.

Samson barely had time to react. He crossed his gauntleted arms in defense as the impact sent him skidding backward, his boots carving deep grooves in the earth.

Samson chuckled, shaking off the dust. "What's wrong, Lioner? Tired already?"

Liones stood there, panting, his chest heaving. His once-mighty aura flickered, his injuries taking their toll. "Ha… ha… Curse it!" he muttered, his eyes darkening with fury. "Am I really going to lose? I am Liones, King of the Beasts! I will not lose—not to you, not to King Arthur!!"

With a primal roar, his voice boomed across the ruins, sending a shockwave through the castle. His golden aura flared violently, mana erupting from his body in a desperate last stand.

But then—his sharp eyes flickered toward the wall's edge.

He saw them.

The princess. The key to ultimate power. And she was being carried away—by a mere kid.

"NO!!" Liones bellowed. His powerful legs tensed, and he charged forward, claws ready to strike.

But before he could take a step—

BAM!

Samson appeared in front of him like a phantom and delivered a thunderous punch to Liones's gut, stopping him cold.

"Hey! We're not done yet!" Samson grinned. "There's still so much I need to ask you before I beat you senseless and kill you."

Liones coughed, staggering back, his rage uncontained. "Out of my way, Samson! I won't let you take her from me!"

Samson planted his feet, rolling his shoulders. "Unless you get through me first, this fight isn't over."

Liones's expression twisted with hatred. "Fine." His entire body pulsed with energy. "Our fun comes to an end. DIE, SAMSON!!"

Mana surged into Liones's claws, his entire arm glowing with destructive power. Samson, in turn, clenched his fists, his Beast Slayer Gauntlets crackling with raw energy.

They both roared as they lunged toward each other, their final blows colliding in an earth-shattering impact. The force of their clash sent tremors throughout the ruins.

The ground cracked.

The walls crumbled.

The entire structure began to collapse.

The Fall into Darkness

Aidan and Artreus had no time to react as the world around them trembled.

The walls beneath them began to crack, stone breaking apart at an alarming rate.

"The walls—!" Aidan gasped as the edge crumbled beneath Artreus's feet.

Artreus's eyes widened. The ground gave way beneath him.

"No, no, NO!"

He and the princess plummeted downward, swallowed by the darkness below.

Aidan lunged forward, reaching out desperately. "ARTREUS!!"

His fingertips brushed against Artreus's Dark clothe—

But it was too late.

Artreus and the princess vanished into the depths of the collapsing ruins.

Dust and rubble filled the air as Aidan stood frozen, his outstretched hand shaking.

He had failed to save them.

The underground abyss had claimed them.