Saland found himself alone once more, his gaze fixed upon the rune. It pulsed with a light the color of fresh blood. Gently, he placed it upon the earth, and without hesitation, the rune oriented itself towards the northwest. With a determined stride, Saland began his journey, his path leading him to the very edge of the dense forest. There, a figure of immense proportions came into view – a towering behemoth standing at least two and a half meters tall, adorned with a formidable set of four arms and possessing a physique that spoke of raw power. A single eye dominated his face, set above a thick mane of blond hair that cascaded down to his knees.
Morgar's voice boomed, "When word reached me that you had become the Rudiari, my first thought was that you would attempt to flee. But no matter, I shall eliminate you here and now. You will no longer pose a threat to our sovereign. And make no mistake, I will not hold back as I did before."
Saland's reply was firm, "Know this, Morgar. I am not the same man you defeated merely two weeks past. My strength has grown beyond what it was then, and you stand before me now as nothing more than an obstacle on my path to claiming the throne of this realm."
Their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. In the blink of an eye, Morgar moved with astonishing speed, appearing behind Saland and unleashing two devastating punches with his right arms. But Saland was ready. His Mountain Cleavers flashed, intercepting the blows. Instantly, he activated his Rekkai, a surge of power coursing through him as he attempted to strike Morgar. Yet, the giant was agile. Morgar dodged the attack and retaliated with a rapid-fire assault on Saland's chest. Despite the onslaught, Saland, empowered by his Rekkai, recovered swiftly. With supersonic speed, he retaliated, drawing blood as he wounded Morgar in the abdomen. The giant roared in response, his own attack a brutal strike to Saland's right flank, sending him hurtling through the air to crash onto the ground. Before Saland could fully regain his footing, Morgar was upon him, delivering another crushing blow to his chest with all four of his mighty arms. A gout of blood escaped Saland's lips, but he pushed himself back up.
With a burst of speed, Saland lunged forward, his attack landing squarely on Morgar's chest. The giant, caught off guard, couldn't parry in time. Seizing the opportunity, Saland leaped into the air, aiming to sever Morgar's head in a swift, mid-air strike. But Morgar unleashed his innate ability, a primal roar tearing from his throat, "Thundering Storm!" A blinding, phosphorescent white light enveloped his body, crackling with what seemed to be raw lightning. With impossible speed, Morgar began to circle Saland, a blur too fast for the naked eye to track. Saland struggled to follow his movements, barely managing to adopt a defensive stance, waiting for the inevitable attack. In a flash, Morgar struck, a supersonic blow landing directly on Saland's face, sending him hurtling into a nearby tree with a sickening thud.
Saland pushed himself up, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He could feel the searing pain where Morgar's blows had landed, the giant's power having pierced even his hardened scales. Blood welled from the wounds. Yet, he stood his ground, channeling his energy into his Mountain Cleavers, preparing for another charge. Morgar, meanwhile, focused his own power, mana gathering in the palms of his four hands. "Burn," he intoned, "Incinerator!" Twin beams of intense energy erupted from his palms, engulfing Saland in their fiery embrace. But with a roar of his own, Saland swung his Mountain Cleavers, cleaving through the energy wave, diverting its destructive path. In the aftermath, Morgar closed the distance with terrifying speed, unleashing another barrage of attacks. But Saland, channeling the energy of his Rekkai into his legs, moved with newfound agility, dodging the relentless assault. With a swift, precise strike, Saland severed Morgar's two right arms, following up with a powerful punch that slammed into the giant's chest, sending him staggering backward, though he remained standing.
In an unnervingly short span of time, Morgar's severed limbs began to regenerate, new flesh knitting together at an alarming rate. He lunged at Saland once more, but Saland danced around his attacks, his movements fluid and deadly. With calculated precision, he sliced through Morgar's torso, cutting him into multiple pieces. And then, Saland saw it – a tiny, pulsating blue sphere nestled within the giant's remains. It was likely the source of his rapid regeneration. As if confirming his suspicion, Morgar's fragmented body began to knit back together instantly. Before Saland could react, Morgar struck again, a blow that sent Saland reeling through the air. "Thunder Blaw!" Morgar roared, his remaining arms now glowing with a rainbow-hued mana. The impact as he struck Saland was cataclysmic, creating a massive crater where the warrior landed. Morgar touched down, his gaze intense. "You are remarkably resilient," he growled, "You truly have no intention of yielding."
Saland, battered and bleeding, miraculously pushed himself to his feet. Wounds covered his entire body, yet he stood defiant. "I will not yield," he declared, his voice strained but resolute. "My objective is to become the king of this realm and to avenge a dear friend." He adopted a fighting stance, his gaze unwavering as he awaited Morgar's next move. With blinding speed, Morgar launched himself forward, striking Saland directly in the chest. But this time, the blow landed harmlessly. Throughout their brutal exchange, Saland's scales had somehow toughened, offering greater protection. Seizing the opportunity, Saland unleashed a rapid flurry of slashes, his movements a blur. He then settled into a stance, drawing mana into his Mountain Cleavers, the blades now radiating a menacing violet light. Morgar charged head-on, but before he could land a blow, Saland unleashed a devastating strike from his empowered weapon. A beam of pure energy tore through Morgar's chest, leaving a gaping hole. The tiny blue sphere within shattered, and Morgar let out a bloodcurdling scream, "Haaa! How could you? I am Morgar, Commander of the Executors! You cannot defeat me!" His body then disintegrated into countless fragments, followed by an enormous explosion of white light that obliterated everything within a vast radius.
Thanks to the enhanced movement abilities he had honed during the fierce battle, Saland managed to narrowly escape the brunt of the explosion. He found refuge near a charred tree, his body screaming in protest. Though riddled with wounds, he noticed with a flicker of hope that his scales were slowly beginning to regenerate. He remained there for three long days, allowing his body to mend. When he had regained sufficient strength, he retrieved the rune. It now pulsed with a fiery red intensity, still pointing steadfastly towards the northwest, but now with a restless, impatient energy. With renewed determination, Saland set off once more, his path leading him ever closer to the king of the abyssal realm.