(At That Time, Somewhere Else At The War)

The battle between Nijimura Rai and Bionura Neo had only just begun, yet the rest of the battlefield was already a chaotic maelstrom of violence. Creature Hunters pushed back the horde, while others engaged in fierce duels with Orwell soldiers. Amidst this carnage, Valdis wandered, his sword lazily slicing through Vangelis.

Bored and weary of the endless slaughter, he sought a worthy opponent. He swatted at the Vangelis, his movements half-hearted. Spotting a Draugolf circling nearby, Valdis's interest piqued. It was a better target than the mindless skeletons.

As the Draugolf approached, Valdis raised a hand, a dark aura gathering at his fingertips. "Just a stray dog," he muttered, his voice devoid of emotion.

But before he could unleash his magic, a figure soared through the air, striking the Draugolf with incredible force, sending it flying.

Valdis looked around, confused. Then he saw Kono standing across the lake, his eyes fixed on Valdis.

"Valdis!" Kono shouted. "I'll handle the creatures. You deal with him!"

Valdis stared at Kono for a moment, then turned his attention to Achilles, who was rising to his feet.

A grin spread across Valdis's face. "Understood!"

Kono had escaped, leaving Achilles alone to face the menacing Valdis. The latter, a formidable opponent, regarded Achilles with an evil grin, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "A worthy adversary at last," Valdis declared, his voice dripping with venom. "I hope you prove to be entertaining."

Achilles, however, remained unmoved. "I have no time for games," he responded, his voice as cold as ice. "Step aside, or face the consequences."

"Consequences?" Valdis scoffed. "I care not for such trivialities. The only thing that interests me is your power."

"Your friend will be my first priority," Achilles insisted. "Now, get out of my way."

"Then you will have to force me," Valdis replied, his tone defiant.

As their gazes locked, Achilles launched himself forward with a speed that defied the human eye. His arms, sharp as blades, pierced through Valdis's chest. The latter, caught off guard, staggered backward, blood gushing from his wound. He slumped to the ground, his head bowed.

"I warned you," Achilles said, assuming Valdis was defeated.

But to his surprise, Valdis stirred. He struggled to move his arm, his body betraying him. With a determined effort, he managed to lift his head, his eyes filled with a chilling intensity.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"This attack would have been fatal if I had a heart," Valdis taunted, his voice laced with malice.

With a vicious twist, Valdis seized Achilles's arm and punched him hard in the face, sending him flying. As Achilles soared through the air, Valdis grabbed his leg and slammed him to the ground, delivering a brutal beating. Finally, he tossed Achilles high into the sky, shouting, "Fly, birdie!"

Achilles floated in the air for a moment, regaining his senses. As he began to fall, he unfurled his wings, gliding gracefully back to the ground.

Valdis watched him with amusement. "Fancy wings you have there," he commented.

Before he could finish his sentence, Achilles charged at him with incredible speed, his wings a blur. He tackled Valdis, pinning him to the ice and pummeling him with a series of powerful blows. Then, with a final, devastating throw, he sent Valdis sliding across the ground.

Valdis lay motionless for a moment, but then, his body began to heal, his wounds vanishing as if by magic. Valdis's regenerative abilities were a formidable asset, one that had served him well in countless battles. Rising to his feet, he cracked his neck and grinned. "That was... invigorating," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now, it's my turn."

As Valdis lunged forward, intent on overpowering Achilles, the latter met him with unwavering resistance. Their hands clasped together, a testament to their immense strength. Valdis, his face contorted into a grotesque grin, pushed with all his might, his eyes filled with a predatory gleam. Achilles, however, remained impassive, his gaze fixed on his opponent with unwavering determination.

"He possesses incredible power," Achilles mused to himself, his voice barely audible. "Even if much of it stems from dark magic, his physical strength is undeniable."

"It's time to eliminate one of these threats," he concluded.

With a swift, decisive movement, Achilles tightened his grip on Valdis's hands and began to twist. Despite Valdis's desperate attempts to resist, his arms were slowly but surely being wrenched from their sockets.

"Hey! Don't do anything rash!" Valdis protested, his grin faltering as pain began to course through his body.

Achilles ignored his pleas, his grip tightening further. With a sickening crunch, Valdis's arms twisted three hundred degrees, the bones within snapping like twigs.

Valdis let out a blood-curdling scream, his body wracked with agony. He slumped to the ground, his head bowed in defeat.

"I warned you against arrogance," Achilles said, his voice cold and unforgiving.

"I-I..." Valdis stammered, his voice barely a whisper. He lifted his head, his face contorted in pain, but surprisingly, a smirk crept across his lips.

"Just kidding," he said, his voice filled with false bravado. "That didn't hurt a bit."

With a flourish, Valdis summoned a dark spell from his back, and his monstrous snake materialized once more.

"A surprise attack?" Achilles asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Valdis commanded his snake to strike, and the creature lunged at Achilles, sinking its fangs into his chest. As Achilles writhed in pain, he channeled his destructive power into the dark spell, attempting to annihilate it. However, Valdis, anticipating his move, recalled the spell, seized Achilles by the throat, and punched him hard in the face. He then tossed Achilles into the air, conjured the spell again, and guided the snake to strike a fatal blow.

But this time, Achilles was prepared. He caught the snake mid-air, his grip firm and unrelenting. Valdis, realizing his mistake, tried to cancel the spell, but Achilles held him fast. With a terrifying look in his eyes, Achilles raised Valdis high above his head.

Valdis, struggling to break free, realized the grave danger he was in. "I attacked too soon!" he muttered to himself. "I'll have to try something else."