Lucior hurled his sword toward the leader and shouted, "Bend!" The leader swiftly ducked, and the electrified blade soared past him, striking an enemy directly in the head.who is going to attack on leader.
Suddenly, Eran appeared. "Complete the ritual! We can't miss this chance to obtain the weapon from the den!" he commanded.
Without hesitation, Akriya, Vitrit, and Ryoshi took position around the leader, forming a defensive perimeter around him and the sacred book. Meanwhile, Lucior and I held the front line, fending off the enemy forces with the aid of a few warriors on our side.
"Got it!" Ryoshi affirmed.
The leader rushed into the stone house, retrieved the ancient book, and stepped back outside. As we guarded him, a piercing blue light spread through the forest, illuminating the battlefield in an eerie glow.
We escorted him to the ritual ground, where a bonfire crackled with intensity. The leader placed the book before the flames and sat down, preparing for the ceremony. To shield him from incoming attacks, Akriya swiftly raised a wooden dome around him.
Then, a chilling voice rang out from the enemy ranks.
"Vergh! Stop the ritual and seize the book!"
Suddenly, hundreds of swords came hurtling toward us. We weren't prepared for such an overwhelming attack—but Ryoshi was.
Activating her power, she slowed down the incoming weapons, then, in a blur of motion, sliced through them all within seconds using her Ksword.
Just as we caught our breath, a figure emerged from the shadow of a tree behind Ryoshi, his sword raised high, ready to strike her down.
Akriya's sharp eyes caught the movement. Without hesitation, he lashed out with his vines, wrapping around the attacker's body. But before the vines could fully restrain him, the man vanished back into the shadows like a phantom.
Ryoshi's eyes narrowed. "I will handle him. I'm taking him away from the ritual ground."
Ryoshi locked eyes with Vergh and challenged him to a fight. Without hesitation, she sprinted deeper into the forest, luring him away from the ritual ground. After some time Vergh emerged from the shadows behind her, but she was ready and away from ritual ground.
In an instant, she dashed behind him, anticipating his next move. As expected, he vanished into the shadows and reappeared behind her. Ryoshi reacted quickly, dashing behind him once again. This exchange repeated twice, both warriors testing each other's speed and reflexes.
Then, as Vergh appeared behind her once more, Ryoshi switched tactics. She drew a knife and slashed at his neck, but he dodged at the last second, leaping onto a tree branch. Without giving him a moment to breathe, she unsheathed her Ksword and lunged at him. Their blades clashed at blinding speed, their movements too fast for the naked eye to follow. Sparks flew as their weapons met, illuminating the dim forest. Birds took flight in panic, disturbed by the intensity of the battle.
Vergh suddenly summoned shadow tendrils from the ground, trying to ensnare Ryoshi while attacking from the front. Noticing the trap, she jumped high into the air, but the tendrils stretched after her, their reach extending beyond the tree branches. Thinking fast, she released her Ksword mid-air, stepping on it for leverage to propel herself even higher. In mere fractions of a second, she flipped, caught her Ksword, and escaped the tendrils' grasp. However, before she could regain her footing, she spotted Vergh soaring toward her, sword aimed straight at her heart.
She activated her power, slowing Vergh's movements just enough to dash past him and reposition herself mid-air. The moment she landed, she hid behind a tree, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she processed the fight so far." Due to tress he is managing hide himself after using my power also using tree shadow for attack i have to do something early"
Suddenly, she felt a sharp sting on her neck. Before she could react, Vergh materialized behind her, his sword inches from her throat. Ryoshi barely managed to jerk away, but his blade left a thin scar on her skin. As she dashed away from him, a terrible realization hit her—her body was slowly growing numb. Poison.
Ryoshi staggered as the poison spread through her body, throwing off her balance. Vergh pressed his advantage, launching relentless attacks. She barely managed to dodge, her movements sluggish, each strike of her Ksword against his blade growing weaker.
Meanwhile, back at the ritual ground, Lucior and Eran arrived, scanning the battlefield. "Is everyone safe?" Eran asked, then quickly noticed Ryoshi was missing. "Wait—where is Ryoshi?"
I am, still fighting enemies, responded, "She went into the forest after an enemy. I'm worried about her. She's been gone too long."
Eran nodded. "Go help her, but be careful!"
Without wasting a second, i sprinted into the forest, guided by flashes of light in the distance. When he arrived, he saw Ryoshi struggling—her movements slowing, her attacks weakening. Vergh pressed the advantage, relentlessly slashing at her. She barely dodged, her breathing ragged, the poison clearly taking effect.
When I arrived, I saw Ryoshi struggling—her movements were slowing, and Vergh's relentless attacks were overwhelming her. I knew I had to intervene, but there was no clear opening to step into the fight.
Without hesitation, I launched a paper blade from above, aiming straight for Vergh. He reacted instantly, raising a wall of shadow to block the attack. The impact sent a ripple through the air, but it didn't break through.
Ryoshi caught sight of me, and something in her eyes changed. A surge of determination reignited her strength, and her strikes became sharper, more forceful. But I could tell—her body was growing heavier, the poison sapping her energy.
"I have to do something now," she muttered under her breath. Then, with a sudden burst of resolve, she shouted, "Vitrit! Clear the trees around us—now!"
Trusting her instincts, I didn't hesitate. "Paper Blade: Ultimate Attack!" he roared. Thousands of paper blades materialized in the air, launching in every direction. The surrounding trees were sliced apart, eliminating Vergh's shadows.
Ryoshi suddenly broke away from the fight, sprinting across a nearby tree branch. Vergh's blade sliced through the empty air where she had just been. His eyes narrowed as he watched her move—swift but unsteady. The poison was taking its toll.
She landed on another branch, gripping her ksword tightly. Her breath was ragged, but she steadied herself. "I can't let this slow me down," she muttered.
Ryoshi seized the moment. "Time Dismantle: Super Slash!" she shouted. Her Ksword glowed brightly as Vergh's movements slowed drastically. Though her body was on the verge of collapse, she pushed forward, unleashing a devastating slash. Her Ksword cut through Vergh's neck in one swift motion.
For the first time, Vergh couldn't disappear into the shadows—his power had failed. His head fell to the ground, his body collapsing soon after.
Ryoshi stood still for a moment, then crumpled to the ground, her body trembling from exhaustion and the spreading poison. Vitrit caught her before she hit the earth, panic setting in as he noticed her skin turning green.
She tried to say something but lost consciousness in his arms. Without wasting another second, Vitrit lifted her and sprinted back toward the ritual ground, hoping they weren't too late to save her.