Everything burned inside me, every second I could feel my heart beating with everything I had.

Yet I barely did anything to help my friends.

I was only a nobody trying to be someone.

Even with the cheat power of a system and quest system, I am an ant in a world filled with predators.

I could only scream in pain as Nahci slowly approached me.

The pain in my right hand was unbearable, throbbing, and burning with every heartbeat.

I tried to move my body with only my left hand, but my broken hand was enough to stop me in my tracks.

My chest heaved with heavy breaths as I stared up at Nahci, who was now standing in front of me.

"Pathetic.... I was hoping for a fun time...." he slowly muttered.

Then, with a smooth motion, the same dark mist gathered around his hand, swirling into form. The twin-bladed scythe reappeared in his hand, glowing even darker than before.

He slowly crouched beside me, leveling his body to my face.

"So you're the one he's talking about...." Nahci leaned forward, his face was nearing my lips as he examined every detail of my body.

"Tsk... He won't know if I kill you right now will he!?" Quickly, his hand reached for my hair, grabbing it in one feral movement, and forcing me to stare at the ceiling.

*"So this is how I go off..."* Nahci raised his scythe, the deadly blades shimmering with darkness, ready to strike me down for good.

"Goodbye"

But just as Nahci was about to slit my head off, a flash of blue light streaked through the air.

BOOM!

A water bolt crashed into Nahci’s chest with the force of a cannonball, sending him flying back a few steps. He let out a frustrated scream as he glanced down at the wet mark on his chest. “What the—"

“That's enough!” Nereus’s voice echoed sharply through the cave.

Nahci’s glowing eyes narrowed in anger, snapping toward Nereus. The air around him pulsed with rage.

"You dare stop my finishing act!?"

I glanced toward Nereus, my vision was still blurry.

He stood tall near Karn. While the others were trying to heal him, Nereus was outside the force field. His usually calm expression was replaced with pure rage.

"That's enough! Picking on someone not on your level! How low can you get!" His voice was low, but every word dripped with anger.

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Without waiting for Nahci’s reply, Nereus raised both arms, and I could see the sigils beginning to form, glowing softly across his skin.

Each symbol, tattooed in shimmering blue light, crawled up his arms and spread across his body.

Nahci’s eyes narrowed. "Low!? He was the one who challenged me you fool—"

Before he could finish, the cave rumbled. The sigils around Nereus’s body burned to life, glowing brighter as he activated them, enhancing his strength.

"Let Jorr go! I'll be the one to entertain you!"

His muscles tensed, veins pulsing with power as the sigils on his arms and chest glowed like tattoos made of liquid light.

I watched in awe as he drew his twin blades, their edges now sharp and shining, infused with water. Streams of liquid wrapped around the blades, forming an aura of razor-sharp water.

"Let's go"

Nereus didn’t wait any longer. In a second he was gone, dashing forward in the blink of an eye without making any sound.

Nahci barely had time to react before Nereus was upon him, slashing one blade horizontally with lethal speed. Nahci raised his scythe to block, but the sheer force behind Nereus’s strike made him flinch, his feet sliding back across the dirt.

"That's one" Nereus whispered, not giving Nahci a moment to breathe.

With a quick twist of his body, Nereus swung his second blade, the sharp water slicing through the air with a stinging sound. Nahci managed to dodge by inches, the blade grazing his shoulder and leaving a trail of dripping blood.

"Two..."

Nahci's eyes lit up with rage as he screamed. Nereus was faster than him as he whirled his scythe and swung it toward his midsection.

"Slow!" Nereus shouted.

He dropped beneath the blow and struck back with an upward slice that clashed with Nahci's scythe, having the power enough to send shockwaves around the cavern.

The two of them clashed again and again, their weapons creating sparks of fire and water with every blow.

But for the first time, Nahci wasn’t in control. Nereus was faster, more precise, and his strikes carried the weight of his anger.

“You finally found your match didn't you?!” Nereus muttered as he traded blows with Nahci.

Nereus kicked hard and pushed Nahci back, opening up enough room for him to jump high. The water whirled around his blades like a lethal hurricane as they flashed even more brilliantly.

"Don't underestimate us! You hunched bastard!"

He spun mid-air, bringing both swords down in a vicious strike aimed at Nahci’s chest.

"Tsk.. What a drag!" Nahci replied.

He barely raised his scythe in time to block the attack, but the force of Nereus’s blow was too much. The impact sent Nahci stumbling backward, his scythe vibrating in his hands.

Nereus landed gracefully, immediately pressing the attack.

"That's three!"

He moved like a whirlwind, his blades striking with lightning speed, each swing aimed at a vital point. Nahci was on the defensive now, his scythe barely keeping up with the furious barrage.

For the first time, there was fear in Nahci’s eyes.

"Just because you toy with the weak...." Nereus growled, slashing again, his blade whistling through the air. "Doesn't mean you're strong!"

With a desperate attack of his scythe, Nahci growled and managed to deflect the blow, but his balance gave way. His feet dug into the earth as he collapsed across the ground, trying to keep up with Nereus's unrelenting attack.

"I'll finish this soon" Nereus roared, his blades dangerous like a whirlpool.

He attacked with deadly fury, each strike growing stronger, and faster, the sharp water-infused edges of his blades slicing through the air with fatal precision.

Nahci swung his scythe wildly, trying to create distance, but Nereus was quick. He dodged every strike, his movements fluid and precise, like the flowing water he commanded.

"YOU ANT!" Nahci screamed in desperation.

In a swift, brutal motion, Nereus ducked under Nahci’s guard and slashed upward with both blades.

"Who's the ant in this situation!" He shouted at Nahci, his blades finally reaching his target.

The blade cut deep into Nahci’s side, drawing a howl of pain from the monstrous warrior. Blood sprayed from the wound, but Nereus didn’t stop.

He spun, landing a powerful kick to Nahci’s chest, sending him flying back into the wall of the cave with a sickening thud.

"That's all..." Nereus whispered in a monotonous tone.

Nahci slumped against the stone, blood trickling down his side, his scythe barely held in his hands.