Chapter 166 - 26 - King’s Game, Part 2 (5)

We locked eyes once again, this time holding each other's gaze for an extended period. No words were exchanged, just an intense stare-down. However, we weren't simply idling by.

I was channeling more mana into my mana blade, concentrating it to an unprecedented level, while she was swirling her mana in a potent manner, creating a barrier of force around her that made it nearly impossible to approach without feeling its full impact.

If this were a formal duel, the crowd would undoubtedly erupt into cheers, with all bets favoring her victory. But this wasn't a duel, not in the traditional sense.

With my mana blade now highly concentrated and emitting a powerful aura, causing my hair to billow in the pressure, I assumed a sideways stance at mid-height. Meanwhile, she kept her right hand close to her body, holding her blade horizontally, poised and ready for whatever came next.

She wore a grin, and I found myself mirroring her excitement. This was turning out to be quite exhilarating.

Without hesitation, she leaped forward with remarkable agility, covering the distance between us in the blink of an eye. Twisting her muscular frame to the right, she extended her right hand like a speeding arrow. With immense momentum and force behind her, she thrust twice to the left of my body, followed by a third thrust to the right.

The attacks were seemingly ordinary, lacking in speed but frighteningly precise. While I might manage to evade the first two strikes to the right, dodging the final blow would be impossible.

Her grin widened as I made my move, realizing that I had played right into her hands. I spun to the right in an attempt to dodge her initial strikes, but I knew the third thrust would find its mark.

"You're dead!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

"Dream on!" I retorted.

Instead of allowing myself to be impaled, my mana blade blurred into motion just before her blade struck my body. The trajectory of her thrust was thrown off slightly, and a small spark erupted from the point of contact on her weapon.

By the time she realized I had deftly parried her thrust, I was already launching an uppercut towards her chin. She attempted to pull her sword back, but quickly realized her mistake. If she withdrew now, she'd only immobilize herself, making for an easy target.

Caught in indecision, she remained frozen in place as my uppercut connected with her chin, sending her flying through the air for a short distance before landing hard on her backside.

"Woah..." I exclaimed, impressed by her resilience. "Nice reflexes," I remarked.

She coughed and spat, a mixture of blood and a tooth landing on the ground. It was clear I had inflicted some damage. "Bastard..." she growled, her voice laced with venom.

Without hesitation, she darted towards me. Simultaneously, I glimpsed a dark glimmer hurtling towards the base of my neck. Her attack was swift, but for me, it was...

"Slow!"

She gazed into my eyes, but the moment her gaze met mine, she saw the darkness within. She couldn't comprehend it. She had thought herself superior, yet now she found herself kneeling before me.

"Mephisto," I replied with a smile.

In that instant, her bladder betrayed her, and she peed.

***

Sara's POV

Mephisto. I'd heard that name before. It was the name that man had always warned me about, telling me to steer clear.

Initially, I had dismissed Mephisto as nothing more than a myth, a tale spun to instill fear. The fantastical abilities attributed to him seemed beyond the realm of possibility, prompting even my brother to doubt their veracity.

But now, confronted with the palpable aura of terror exuding from Mephisto, I could no longer deny the gravity of the man's words.

His gaze pierced through me like a dagger, each glance a predatory strike aimed at my very soul. I quivered under the weight of his intense scrutiny, feeling as though I stood before the merciless eyes of a relentless hunter. A tremor coursed through my body, and beneath me, a warm puddle formed, a humiliating testament to my overwhelming fear.

In that crucial moment, I found myself with no alternative but to reveal my true form, deactivating my skill in a desperate bid for survival.

"Hmm... You're...?"

Before he could fully grasp the situation, I seized my blade, its glint reflecting the dim light, and aimed it directly at my chest. It was a gamble, a last-ditch effort to escape the imminent threat and secure a chance at life beyond the confines of the Church.

With trembling hands, I prepared to take the plunge, to initiate the teleportation process that could potentially save me from a grisly fate. However, before I could follow through with my desperate act, Mephisto intervened with swift and decisive action, his boot connecting with the blade and sending it clattering to the ground.

In that harrowing moment, every fiber of my being screamed for escape. With a surge of adrenaline-fueled panic, I turned and fled, the echoes of my terrified screams reverberating through the halls. Mephisto, the enigmatic figure who had toppled titans of power with effortless grace, loomed ominously behind me. It was a stark realization, a chilling acknowledgement of the perilous threat he posed.

Indeed, confronting Mephisto was akin to staring death squarely in the face.

All I could do was run. I ran, and I ran, and I ran. I didn't have the first idea where I was going.

But I knew I had to keep running.