Drodul entered the fight. He wielded his axe in his free hand with exceptional skill. The weapon didn’t look expensive, but it was clear it had been meticulously cared for—and now served its master perfectly. Every swing the big man made aimed solely at defeating his enemy, and each movement was agile and confident. Yet it wasn’t enough.

  His opponent was faster and stronger. He attacked again and again, twisting his body at inhuman angles, striking and slashing without giving Drodul even a moment to catch his breath or counterattack. Cuts, bruises, and gashes multiplied on the adventurer’s body like weeds on an untamed meadow. Only his battle instinct and experience from past fights allowed Drodul to hold on.

  The occasional arrows Lerry loosed from her bow never found their mark. They either flew too far or somehow struck Drodul’s shield. After such failed shots, the girl stopped aiming altogether and moved to another position together with Berry. The battle was clearly not going in the adventurers’ favor.

  I watched this horror from the sidelines, hidden behind one of the intact houses. It was obvious my help here would be utterly useless. I needed to think with my head. “I need something—or someone—that can turn the tide of this fight. Exactly!” Turning around, I tried to recall which direction the village gates were in, wondering where to run for help.

  Mikhael’s killer delivered blow after blow—when suddenly his body glowed with a bluish light. His movements weakened, and his attacks no longer reached their target with the same speed. Something pulled him backward, growing stronger every instant, until his feet lifted off the ground and he flew away from the big man. Drodul immediately seized the chance and swung his axe downward—but even while suspended midair, the guy in green managed to redirect the strike and slash Drodul’s wrist. Had the enemy not been yanked aside, Drodul might have lost a couple of fingers.

  It was Berry. She’d used her magic to push the killer farther away. But this wasn’t ordinary repulsion. From the opposite side of the settlement, Scott approached without resisting the pull, glowing red, spear bared. With every second, he grew faster, and his spear hotter. He was the one I’d wanted to call—but he’d already rushed to us on his own.

  Unable to turn mid-flight, the killer met the spear’s thrust with the crossed blades of his weapons. On impact, a flash erupted—and I saw one of the bodies flung away with tremendous force, smashing through two houses along the way. Only Scott remained on the spot. At the moment of impact, the aura around him shifted color, turning blue. Now he stood with his spear lowered to the ground.

  — “What’s going on here?” the guy asked.

  — “That bastard killed Mikhael!” Lerry cried out. “I hope you didn’t kill him—because that’d be too easy a death for him!”

  — “Don’t think he’s dead,” Drodul said, approaching the girls. “Scott, you’ve probably noticed he’s incredibly fast. Don’t leave yourself open—he’ll chop your arms off. This guy’s got some insane reflexes.”

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  — “What? Did he scare you that much?” Scott began cheerfully—but seeing Drodul’s wounds, his tone grew serious. “Is he really that strong? Do you know him?”

  — “No idea. But he’s way too quick. I didn’t even sense him until he killed the twin. I reckon he’s on par with the captain.”

  — “Got it,” the spearman said and took a stance. “Come out, you fiend! You didn’t come all this way just to hide, did you?! No point skulking!”

  A hand gripped the jagged hole in the house wall—and then the man in the green outfit appeared. Neither his clothes nor his body showed any trace of the recent assault. The bluish glow had vanished completely. Stepping over the rubble and glancing at everyone, he fixed his gaze on the girls—but headed straight for the adventurers. One, two, three steps. After a couple more, he charged into attack.

  Drodul stepped forward again, shield raised. He stood like a mountain, ready to take the blow—but when the killer was a meter away, a spear shot out from behind Drodul’s shield, its tip blazing red. Simultaneously, the axe blade swung in from the other side. Clash! The sound of colliding weapons echoed around—the twin stilettos had blocked the assault. At that moment, Drodul stepped forward and slammed his shield, still keeping the axe ready behind it.

  Twisting his body, the man shifted his weight—and with it, the spear—deflecting the shield bash. In the same instant, his free hand with a stiletto aimed straight for Drodul’s arm. Only the fact that both bodies suddenly flickered blue and were flung apart saved the limb. Stepping back a few paces, the man in green halted, resisting the pull—but immediately had to dodge several arrows.

  — “Told you it wouldn’t be that easy to take him down,” Drodul panted. “He nearly chopped my arm off just for attacking. One careless move out of cover, and you’re dead.”

  — “Yeah, this is bad,” Scott confirmed. “He’s not only faster than us—he can stop either of us with just one hand. Berry, how are you holding up?”

  — “Fine. But I’m not as fast as you boys—be careful,” the girl in the hat replied.

  After those words, the battle resumed: Scott and Drodul pressed the enemy as best they could; Berry joined in during dangerous moments or to amplify their strikes; and whenever the foe retreated, the archer immediately rained arrows upon him. This way, they kept him under constant pressure.

  The fight had lasted over five minutes, yet there was still no victor. But I understood the green-eyed killer couldn’t have endless stamina like mine—he’d tire soon. Perhaps one careless move, and it’d be over for him. I waited in my hiding spot for the finale—when suddenly the man stopped. He reversed his grip on the stilettos and pointed them toward the ground. Throughout all this, he effortlessly dodged arrows and kept watch on both Drodul and Scott.

  — “You’re an excellent team—but you’ll die here,” came a polite, matter-of-fact voice.

  Then his weapons turned invisible. Both blades and hilts vanished—and even the sense that he held anything in his hands disappeared.

  — “Oh, crap!” Scott managed to say—just as Drodul shifted his shield slightly upward and right, covering the spearman’s head. A thud sounded—something had hit the shield! Right after, the killer himself materialized beside them. He swung his arm—and Drodul answered with his axe. But nothing collided. At that same moment, Scott blocked another strike with his spear. Blow after blow rained down on the adventurers, who deflected them only through sheer luck and the danger sense honed over years of life and combat.

  Using Berry’s ability to hurl the killer farther away, the guys tried to catch their breath. But this time, it held him back for only a couple of seconds before he lunged at them again. Closing in, he kicked Drodul’s shield aside with his foot and struck with his invisible weapon straight at the big man’s neck—while Scott couldn’t reposition his spear in time.

  Suddenly, the attack was halted by a short golden blade.

  — “Fight those equal to you, Invisible Fangs—Tiro,” came a drowsy voice.