Chapter 313 Chapter312-The Nemesis Converges!
Saphir lifted his wand, softly chanting a magical incantation.
Under his command, the magical flames that ensnared 54 gradually spread, morphing into a dancing fire chain.
Like a serpent, the fire chain lunged at 54, attempting to bind him.
Amidst the flames, 54 dodged with agility, his dagger dancing and creating streaks of cold light in the air, clashing with the fire chain.
The energy of both sides dwindled continuously, with flames persistently blazing on the battlefield and dark energy surging constantly.
Although 54 was a top-tier assassin master, Saphir, with his powerful fire magic, gradually gained the upper hand.
This showcased the significant vulnerability of the assassin class in battle.
While they excelled in stealth and ambush, they often lacked formidable head-on combat prowess.
By comparison, 54 was already exceptionally fierce, able to confront Saphir's fire magic directly and entangle to this extent.
Saphir's fiery assaults grew even more intense, with the fire chain transforming into a flaming serpent, coiling in the air, trying to completely bind 54.
A cold gleam shone in 54's eyes as dark energy formed a black shield around him, fiercely resisting the onslaught of the fire chain.
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Saphir's eyes as he commanded the fire chain to intensify its assault.
At this moment, Saphir was all-out on the offensive, heedless of the fact that he was deep within the AGHHO stronghold.
One singular thought dominated his mind: to vanquish the nemesis he had sought for an entire decade!
"Do you really believe that this will be enough to defeat me?"
54 suddenly let out a cold laugh. His body transformed into a wisp of dark smoke, effortlessly piercing through the thick veil of flames.
Saphir's gaze sharpened, keeping a vigilant watch over the drifting smoke.
The black mist soon reformed into 54, his aura slightly weakened, but largely unscathed.
With a mocking sneer, 54 once again cloaked himself in stealth.
When he reappeared, he was alarmingly close to Saphir, his dagger lunging without hesitation.
Saphir's reaction was swift, narrowly dodging a potentially fatal blow.
Seeing his assault thwarted, 54 didn't linger, once again blending into the shadows, his figure vanishing in an instant.
Saphir's brows furrowed, every sense on high alert.
Mana surged throughout his body, and his wand ignited with a brilliant crimson glow.
Suddenly, an inexplicable chill enveloped him.
Lifting his gaze, Saphir spotted 54 descending from above, his shadowy dagger mercilessly aimed at his temple.
In this dire moment, Saphir arched back, channeling his fire magic with fervor, conjuring a fire wall just in time to fend off 54's strike.
Flames clashed with the dark energy, resulting in a deafening explosion.
Their relentless duel raged on, each blow aiming for vital spots, with the intense red flames threatening to engulf the entire room in a fiery inferno.
The fight intensified, the air thick with both searing heat and an icy coldness.
Yet, Saphir's brow grew ever more furrowed.
He recognized that he couldn't maintain this rate of energy expenditure.
Otherwise, the advantage he had painstakingly built would soon dissipate.
Every strike he made consumed a vast amount of mana.
The mana-replenishing potions he carried in his pack were now dangerously low.
For 54, however, the situation was far less complicated.
He merely needed to lurk in the shadows, target Saphir's vulnerabilities, and launch ambush after ambush...
A strategy had to be devised to prevent that accursed rat from effortlessly slipping into stealth.
Deep in thought, Saphir searched for a countermeasure.
Suddenly, a glint of realization flashed across his eyes, and his tense demeanor relaxed, indicating he might have found a solution.
With a gentle touch of his wand to the surrounding air, orb after orb of bright flames swiftly formed around him.
Instead of propelling towards a target, these orbs of fire floated mid-air, their brilliance swiftly illuminating the entire room. n--o.(v(-e/.l()b./1/.n
It was well-known that the stealth of the assassin class relied on the surrounding shadows.
So, Saphir's solution was straightforward: simply eliminate all shadows within the room.
As more and more fire orbs materialized, their radiance dispelled every shadow in the room.
And sure enough, the light soon forced 54 from his hiding place in the shadows!
Before 54 could even react, Saphir lifted his wand again.
The blazing fire chain spread out, quickly ensnaring 54 tightly.
"At last, I've caught you, you damned fiend!"
A chilling smirk graced Saphir's face as he gazed at 54, now bound by the fire chain.
Wand raised, he aimed at the struggling 54, preparing to channel his power.
54 knew all too well that if Saphir managed to unleash his magic skill, death was inevitable.
A fragile assassin like him could never withstand a fully-charged strike from a mage.
Regardless of how fiercely he resisted, he couldn't break free from the constricting grasp of the fire chain.
His only option was to employ his own dark energy to ward off the scorching flames.
"Save your energy," Saphir taunted. "This is a spell I've spent a decade perfecting, specifically to deal with assassins like you..."
Saphir's airy words sounded, to 54's ears, like the death knell of the Grim Reaper.
For when Saphir spoke, it signified the completion of his spell's incantation.
Indeed, as 54 looked up, the first thing he beheld was the massive fire greatsword forming in front of Saphir.
Crafted from pure magical energy, the towering sword of flames, emanating overpowering might, was directed straight at 54.
The master assassin, for the first time, could not contain a trace of horror on his face.
His eyes widened in alarm, and he shouted, "What the hell are you two waiting for? Do you really intend to stand by and watch me be burned alive by this fiend?"
At those words, Saphir's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that 54 had allies present?
Almost simultaneously as the thought flashed through Saphir's mind, two shadowy figures emerged on either side of him.
Twin daggers, gleaming with a ghostly luminescence, shot forth in perfect sync, aiming like bolts of lightning straight for Saphir.
Taken aback, Saphir knew he needed to defend himself quickly or face dire consequences.
Before the fire greatsword could even thrust, Saphir swiftly raised his wand, conjuring a fire wall in an instant, fending off the attacks from the treacherous duo.
Only after ensuring his immediate safety did Saphir allow himself a silent sigh of relief.
Lifting his gaze, upon recognizing the newly emerged assassins, his pupils turned a fiery red.
These were none other than 56 and 63, the very men who had assassinated his wife and child a decade ago!
"It's you two! I should've realized it sooner. If 54 is here, how could you two possibly be far behind?"
Saphir's voice erupted in a frenzied roar.
The appearance of all three mortal enemies in the same place instantly shattered Saphir's sanity, leaving revenge as the sole obsession in his mind.
From beneath their dark robes, 56 and 63 emitted chilling laughter, resembling maggots gnawing at bones, as they lunged at Saphir once again.
Their intent was clear: to buy time for 54.
Engaged in combat, Saphir strategically retreated, striving to maintain a safe distance from his attackers.
Yet, even amidst this, the majority of his attention remained on 54, who was still ensnared.
He was well aware that with the emergence of 56 and 63, he had to incapacitate at least one of the trio.
As the saying goes, better to break one finger than to merely injure all ten.
If the trio coordinated, his prospects for the day would surely be grim.
"54," he roared, "I told you today would be your end! No one can save you now. Prepare to die!"
With resolve forged in desperation, Saphir dismissed the fierce onslaught of 56 and 63, and with gritted teeth, rushed towards 54.
He needed to eliminate this primary threat first; any distraction would place him at a tremendous disadvantage.
54, sensing the urgency, strained against the fire chain binding him, trying to break free. But no matter how he struggled, escape eluded him.
As Saphir lifted his wand, the fire greatsword solidified further, its brilliant blaze blinding to behold.
Channeling all his mana into this singular strike, he was determined to severely wound 54, the most formidable of the three.
Yet, before Saphir's incanted flame sword could pierce 54, a swift, lightning-like figure suddenly stood in his path.
"Such audacity to ignore us!"
56 stood before Saphir, his internal energy surging forth, directly blocking the fiery sword aimed at 54.
Meanwhile, 63 maneuvered behind Saphir, effectively cutting off his retreat.
Without hesitation, Saphir drove the fire greatsword forward, aiming it fiercely at 56 who was blocking his path.
After all, 54, still restrained by the fire chain, couldn't break free immediately.
So targeting either of the two, 56 or 63, was still a viable strategy for Saphir.
Ultimately, he had to take down one opponent first; which one of the three it would be mattered little to him.