The tension in the chamber was palpable. Each one was a quasi-legend of immense power, especially the lone man and the woman leading the other four. These two were the heirs of Legendary Kings, and the education and training they had received were the best of the best.
Moreover, they had already awakened their soul force and were equipped with at least one Fable Legendary Rank treasure, a privilege only for the heir of Legendary Kings! But it was clear that only one would leave this place alive. The ancient runes on the walls pulsed with an eerie light, casting flickering shadows across the stone floor as the combatants didn't take direct action as if they were all wary.
At this moment, the man with the crimson shield was the first to move. He lunged forward with a speed that defied the eye, his shield blazing with a crimson glow that lit up the chamber. Undoubtedly, an Initial Fable Legendary Rank Treasure required not only mana but also soul force to operate!
He swung it like a weapon, the force behind the blow enough to shatter the stone. The closest of the woman's allies, a burly man encased in an emerald barrier, barely had time to react before the shield struck him with the force of a thunderclap.
His barrier crumpled under the impact, and he was sent flying across the chamber, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud. Blood spattered across the floor as his body went limp.
"Bastard!" His allies cried in alarm while the woman remained composed. Yet her eyes flickered with killing intent with a hint of solemnity as a golden staff appeared in her hand. There was no time to dwell on the fallen. The others moved in quickly, flanking the man with the shield.
A lean figure with a barrier of icy blue slashed at him with a blade that shimmered with frost. The woman herself, her golden barrier glowing fiercely with the staff in her hand as she hung back slightly, directing the battle with a calculating gaze. She was waiting, biding her time.
The man with the crimson shield parried the blade of frost with a swift motion, but the attack left him open for a split second.
Another pursuer wielding a pair of blazing swords struck from the side, aiming for the man's exposed flank. The swords connected with the crimson barrier around the man, sending a shower of sparks into the air. The barrier held, but the force of the strike staggered him.
Although he had a legendary rank treasure, operating it with quasi-legend rank strength was another story! Each time he used it, a large chunk of his small soul force would be used!
"Press him! Don't let him recover!" the woman ordered, her voice cold and commanding, as she knew she had the absolute advantage.
The pursuers obeyed, converging on the man with a relentless assault. Magic flared as spells were unleashed—blazing meteorites, shards of ice, and bolts of pure energy all rained down upon him.
The man's shield spun with incredible speed, deflecting the attacks, but the strain was beginning to show. His movements were growing slower, his breathing heavier.
With a sudden, vicious swipe, the man shattered the barrier of one of the attackers, a woman cloaked in shadows. She screamed as the crimson shield tore through her defenses and her body, sending her crumpling to the ground.
The man tried to press the advantage, but the others were too quick. Another blade sliced through the air, catching him across the back. Blood sprayed, staining the ancient stones beneath them.
He grunted in pain but kept fighting, driven by sheer willpower. His eyes were locked on the woman with the golden staff, his resolve unwavering. He knew she was the true threat, the mastermind behind this ambush. The others were merely pawns, expendable in her eyes. And it was becoming clear that she intended to use them that way.
The man with the crimson shield was wearing down, and she could see it. "Finish him off!" She commanded, and her remaining allies surged forward, throwing everything they had at him. The air filled with the crackling of magic and the roar of battle.
The man's shield blocked the worst of the onslaught, but there were too many, and his strength was failing as his soul force were on the brink of exhausting.
At this moment, the barrier flickered, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. The woman with the golden staff watched with a predatory gaze, her eyes glinting with the thrill of victory.
Just as the barrier of shield finally shattered under the relentless assault, the woman made her move. She divisively directed a pulse of golden energy at one of her remaining allies, sending him crashing into the man with the crimson shield.
The impact drove the last breath from the man's lungs, and the force of it obliterated the final vestiges of his defenses.
The ally she sacrificed screamed in shock and agony as the man's desperate last strike cleaved through him, killing him instantly. The woman with the golden staff barely flinched as her ally's blood sprayed across the chamber. She was already preparing her final attack.
The man with the crimson shield was on his knees, barely able to stay upright. Blood streamed from his wounds, and his breathing was ragged. Yet still, he glared at her, defiance blazing in his eyes. "You… won't win… not like this…"
But the woman merely smiled, her golden staff shimmering with power. "Just die!" she sneered, her voice filled with cold satisfaction. She raised her staff, gathering her energy for the final blow.
The man with the crimson shield tried to rise, but his body betrayed him. His vision blurred, darkness closing in at the edges. He knew he was finished, but he refused to yield even in his last moments.
At this moment, a golden talisman appeared in his hand, but his expression suddenly changed when he felt the talisman didn't activate!
"Heh, do you think I won't know you have an escape talisman? My Fable Legendary Rank Mystical Golden Staff can lock the surrounding space! Now, stop struggling!" She viciously snickered. The man was in despair as he never expected this. He was unwilling to die in this place. His hand tightened around the hilt of his weapon, ready to strike one last time, but it was too late, and the woman had no intention of giving him any chance.
The woman unleashed her final attack, a lance of golden energy that tore through the air and struck the man in the chest. His body jerked as the energy coursed through him, and then he collapsed, his life finally extinguished.
The chamber fell silent, the echoes of the battle fading into the darkness. The woman with the golden staff stood amidst the carnage, her chest heaving with exhaustion.
She had won, but the cost had been high. Her allies, those she had used as shields, lay dead around her. Yet there was no remorse in her eyes—only the fierce, burning excitement of victory.
She stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the crimson shield now lying abandoned on the cold stone floor. Reaching down, she picked it up, feeling the power thrumming within it. A smile crept across her lips.
It had been worth it. Everything she had sacrificed, everything she had endured, had led to this moment. Now, this legendary shield was hers, and with it, the Legendary Key that would grant her the power she had long sought.
But even as she savored her triumph, a faint unease stirred in the back of her mind. The chamber was too quiet, the victory too easy. She glanced around, her instincts sharp despite her weariness. The runes on the walls still pulsed with that strange, ancient energy. The air was thick with a sense of foreboding.
However, she pushed the feeling aside. She had won. Nothing could take that from her. Clutching the crimson shield tightly, she crouched down and took the man's space ring. Then she searched through his clothes and finally found the shimmering legendary key wrapped in cloth within the man's robes! But at this moment, a sense of impending death suddenly appeared as the fine hair on her body stood, and a chill ran down her spine. She knew something was wrong as her Soul Force was stirring in warning on its own, but she had almost used it all.
Nonetheless, as ruthless and cunning as she was, she instantly reacted as a dark gray talisman appeared in her hand. But before she could even use it, her vision suddenly started to fade as she heard two fleeting words, like a death sentence.
"Slumber Hex!"