Asmodeus was surviving his assailant as best he could. He deflected blows, jumped, and dodged as best he could. He was at the limit of his physical capabilities.

An usshyer —using all the power of his gifts— against an arcabassys who could barely rely on his senses and physical abilities. It seemed like a fight with a clear winner, but Asmodeus fiercely balanced the fight with a skill that few warriors across Norus were capable of achieving and enduring.

The lieutenant ran to help him, but Asmodeus took advantage of his opponent's distraction to explode a mineltite bomb in his face.

The hooded figure coughed as he tried to catch his breath, but the mineltite cloud spread throughout the area in an instant. The man staggered in place for a few seconds, but then lunged at Asmodeus. The criminal still had his physical enhancement, but he lacked his increased resilience. If there was anything in his mind, it must have been confusion and frustration. He had torn his opponent's abdomen, but the effects of the hecrolina were taking too long. Worse still, not even the bleeding seemed to affect him.

The lieutenant considered entering the toxic cloud to help his friend, but he realized that his presence would only disrupt his strategy.

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Asmodeus deflected the blows he could and dodged the rest. He struck limbs as he could, jumping from side to side to avoid the criminal's devastating fury, until he finally managed to break his leg with a blow to the knee.

The hooded figure stifled his pain in a grunt. He reached into his nolet and pulled out a sphere that grew brighter as it infused him with shpabisshys.

—Watch out! —shouted the lieutenant. He jumped towards the man regardless of the mineltite cloud and broke his hand to snatch the bomb from him.

He didn't have the ability to absorb shpabisshys, nor was there time to flee. He threw the artifact as far as he could —into the darkness at the back— and tried to shield his friend. Asmodeus diverted his hand and suddenly leaned over the hooded figure. The lieutenant tried to resist, as he was the one who could better withstand the blast, but he relented upon seeing his friend's face. He covered the criminal with his body —just as he understood Asmodeus wanted— and managed to see his friend grabbing the edges of his cloak to cover them both.

A blinding light emerged from the depths of that room, followed by the roar of an explosion. The mineltite cloud contained some of that energy, but the force of that attack managed to penetrate that dense barrier. First, intense heat enveloped them, then the intensity of the shpabisshys around them made them tremble to the bones as they were dragged by the force of the explosion.

Everything ended with a dull thud.

The lieutenant immediately jumped to help his friend. He feared for the damage he must have sustained and now regretted allowing him to cover him. He discovered, however, that his friend was fine, barely enveloped by a reddish aura emanating from his cloak that faded as the shpabisshys in the room dissipated.

—What is that thing made of? —he asked, but there was no response.

—I thought they were bounty hunters —Asmodeus said, very thoughtfully as he fixed his gaze on the criminal they had protected.