A gigantic magic circle spread beneath his feet. Brown mana flooded into the formation. The surrounding earth began trembling violently. Large boulders floated into the air.

They compressed together above Daniel’s right fist until an enormous rocky gauntlet several times larger than before had formed.

The sheer pressure distorted the surrounding air.

Damien stared at it while lying on one knee.

’...This attack.’

He forced himself toward his fallen sword. His fingers barely touched the hilt.

’I need to formed sun blast from my ability.’

The reason why Damien still haven’t use it was simple. If he used it then he couldn’t fight any further. That means he could not go back to Kaelan and Ken to help them.

A thought came to him, if he had fought that Botis alone. But again he was stronger that Daniel. Damien might been dead before he could use his ability.

Daniel disappeared.

Boom!

He appeared directly before Damien. The gigantic stone fist descended toward his head. Just before the crushing blow landed.

Whoosh!!

A brilliant lance of golden light shot across the battlefield.

Daniel’s instincts reacted instantly. His eyes widened. He abandoned the attack without hesitation and jumped backward.

Boom!!

The radiant lance struck the ground where he had been standing. A blinding explosion of golden light erupted.

Dust and shattered earth flew everywhere.

Daniel narrowed his eyes toward the source.

"...Another one."

Damien slowly turned as well. A figure sprinted through the forest.

Long golden-blonde hair danced behind her. Pink eyes shone with determination.

In her hand rested a magnificent golden spear wrapped in radiant mana. She stopped beside Damien and pointed her spear toward Daniel.

Without taking her eyes off the demon, she looked at him with worried eyes.

"It seems...I arrived just in time."

She was Lyria.

---

Some distance away from them.

The battle against Botis had become even more desperate.

CLANG!!

Ken’s slender longsword collided against Botis’s spear.

Orange flames erupted around the spearhead. The tremendous force pushed Ken backward several meters.

His boots dug deep trenches into the forest floor. Before he could regain his footing.

Botis vanished.

Ken barely raised his blade.

CLANG!!

The spear thrust struck his sword with terrifying precision. The impact numbed both of his arms.

Botis spun the spear effortlessly before sweeping it horizontally.

Ken ducked beneath the flaming blade. The burning edge passed just above his head, scorching several strands of his dark hair.

At that exact moment, Kaelan appeared behind Botis. Darkness wrapped around both daggers.

He unleashed a rapid flurry of slashes. Black streaks cut through the air.

Botis didn’t even look behind him. He simply rotated his spear.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

Every dagger strike was blocked flawlessly.

"What incredible technique..." Kaelan muttered.

Botis smirked.

"You’re have keen eyes."

The spear suddenly changed direction. Instead of attacking Ken. It shot directly toward Kaelan’s chest.

It was too fast.

Kaelan’s pupils shrank. He instinctively crossed both daggers.

CLANG!!

The spearhead pierced through the gap between them. It stopped only inches away from his heart.

The overwhelming force launched Kaelan backward. He rolled across the ground before barely managing to stand. Blood trickled from his mouth.

Botis immediately pursued him.

"You’re my target."

Orange flames intensified around his spear. He thrust once, then twice and then third time. Every attack targeted Kaelan’s vital organs.

Botis aim for his chest, neck and stomach. Each thrust carried absolute killing intent.

Kaelan desperately parried using both daggers. His Black star ability helps him to reduce the strength of each strike by absorbing mana from it.

Sweat dripped from his forehead. His wrists were beginning to ache. His muscles screamed from the continuous impacts.

Every strike became harder to block.

If Kaelan was fighting alone, he had been dead by now. But because of Ken, he was save many times.

Ken suddenly appeared beside Botis. His sword disappeared into its sheath.

His body lowered.

Click.

The blade left the scabbard. A single silver line flashed across the battlefield.

Botis reacted instantly.

His spear intercepted the attack.

CLANG!!

Even so a thin cut appeared across Botis’s shoulder.

Blood slowly trickled down.

Botis glanced at the wound before smiling.

His spear burst into flames once again. He spun around violently. A circular wave of blazing fire exploded outward.

Ken and Kaelan were both forced backward. The surrounding trees ignited immediately.

Heat filled the battlefield. Botis lunged again.

This time he completely ignored Ken. His eyes remained fixed only on Kaelan. The spear shot forward like a blazing dragon.

Kaelan’s instincts screamed. He activated Black Star.

Dark attraction spread around him. Loose mana began flowing toward his body.

The incoming spear weakened. Only slightly, so it wasn’t enough. The flaming spearhead broke through his defense. It continued straight toward his chest.

’I can’t stop it...!’ Just before the spear pierced his heart.

WHOOSH!!

A sharp whistle echoed through the forest.

Botis’s instincts suddenly flared. Without hesitation, he withdrew his spear and stepped backward.

A split second later.

BOOM!!

An arrow wrapped in violently rotating wind slammed into the ground where he had been standing. The explosion carved a deep crater into the earth.

Powerful gusts scattered dust and burning leaves everywhere.

Botis narrowed his eyes.

"...Another one?"

Everyone instinctively looked upward. Standing upon the thick branch of a towering tree...

Was a young woman. Long violet hair fluttered behind her in the evening wind.

Golden-yellow eyes glowed brilliantly. She calmly held a beautifully crafted bow.

Another arrow had already been nocked. Green wind mana spiraled around its tip.

She looked directly at Botis. "You’ll have to face me as well."

Kaelan stared upward in surprise.

"...An archer?"

Ken allowed himself a small smile.

"Good timing."

---

Back to Noah and Mary.

The Demon name Xavier followed them and then he came to a clearing. It was small space with huge trees surrounded to it. Waist length grass was grown over the ground.

Xavier stood there, he was thinking that Noah and Mary must have been hidden somewhere here.

The grass was big enough for a person to hide. He raised his hand above, a huge blue color magic circle started to formed.

He was going to attack at every corner of the place. But just then he felt huge mana moving under him.

It was same feeling like before when the young man with white hair had created ice pillars from beneath the ground.

"Shitt!"