Chapter 232: Progressing
Myles felt the tension ease for only a fleeting moment as the shadow tendrils wrapped tightly around Red's body and forced his movement to a complete stop.
The crushing pressure that had been bearing down on him finally paused enough for him to draw a deeper breath.
His chest rose and fell heavily as he steadied himself, forcing air back into his lungs while keeping his eyes locked firmly on Red. He was unwilling to let even a single detail escape his attention.
"He's too strong. I don't think I can fight him alone."
The thought settled heavily in his mind as he quickly swept his gaze across the battlefield.
The chaos had not lessened and the number of people within it had clearly thinned. Bodies lay scattered across the broken ground. The clashes that remained were sharper, more desperate, and far more deadly.
Through the gaps in the fighting, he spotted his companions still locked in intense battles. Their opponents moved differently from the others. Their attacks were more refined. Their pressure was more controlled, and far more lethal.
He recognized them instantly. They were the elites.
Myles's memory aligned quickly with what he was seeing. These were the core fighters under Red's command, the same group he had already begun to dismantle earlier when he killed the one wielding the massive sword. But the rest were still here and now they were fully engaged, pushing his allies to their limits.
"I need them here. I need them to fight with me. If not… this becomes too risky."
The moment of thought ended abruptly as a violent surge of force erupted in front of him.
"GAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Red roared.
The shadow tendrils tightened and trembled as his body strained against them. His muscles swelling as raw strength surged outward. Veins bulged across his arms as he forced them to move inch by inch, dragging against the restraint through sheer power.
The shadows resisted, stretching under the pressure, but they began to tear apart as the force behind him continued to rise.
"GRAAAAH!"
With a brutal motion, Red tore one of his arms free. The tendrils snapping apart under the strain.
His body then twisted violently as he forced his torso loose next. The remaining shadows breaking apart and dissolving into nothing as his strength overwhelmed them completely.
Myles grit his teeth as the restraint vanished.
"Shit. I don't have time. I need to fight again now."
Red straightened fully. His body trembling with restrained rage before his expression twisted far more feral than before.
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" he snarled, his voice rough and filled with raw hostility. "I'LL RIP YOUR LIMBS OFF AND MAKE YOU DIE SLOWLY!"
Without hesitation, he lunged forward.
The blood-like mist around him surged and thickened, swirling violently as his speed spiked. The pressure returned instantly and became heavier than before.
Myles reacted at the same moment.
Dark energy gathered rapidly along Fangblade as he swung forward, releasing Shadow Rend.
A massive arc of black energy tore through the air toward Red, carrying destructive force meant to halt his advance.
Red met it directly.
He raised his serrated short sword and blocked. The collision exploded as the force pushed him several steps back.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he absorbed the impact. A low growl escaped him as the pressure forced him to adjust.
"Ghh—!"
His irritation flared as he immediately slashed to the side, dispersing the remaining energy.
The redirected force flew across the battlefield and cut through several unfortunate fighters who had no chance to react. Their bodies collapsed instantly.
But Myles had already moved.
Using the disruption as cover, he closed the distance in a blink of an eye. His body appeared directly in front of Red and slashed. The clash resumed without pause, their weapons colliding again in brutal close combat.
This time, the impact felt heavier to Myles.
Myles felt it immediately as the force traveled through his arms. Red's body had changed further. His skin tore in several places, splitting open as swollen flesh pushed outward unnaturally.
Thick veins bulged across his body, crawling beneath the surface, and his eyes had turned completely bloodshot, glowing with a maddened intensity that no longer resembled anything human.
Every swing Red made carried more force than before.
Myles's arms trembled slightly as he blocked. The pressure increased beyond what it had been moments ago.
"He's getting stronger even now? Fuck my life!"
The realization unsettled him as the battle intensified again, the margin for error shrinking even further.
—
Somewhere else, the clash between Rafe and Darius reached its conclusion under far different circumstances.
Darius fought with his shield raised. His posture was solid and defensive, but his movements lacked the speed needed to match his opponent.
Rafe circled him with ease. His steps were light and controlled and his expression twisted into a mocking smile as he read Darius's every reaction before it even fully formed.
"You really thought I was weak just because I never fought seriously before?" Rafe said, his tone laced with amusement as he slipped past Darius's guard with precise footwork.
His dagger flashed in a quick motion, slicing across Darius's face and drawing a sharp line of blood.
"That's because I didn't want trash like you to see what I can actually do, bitch."
From that point on, Rafe didn't slow down.
His attacks came in rapid succession, each strike aimed with precision toward vital areas. Darius tried to hold his ground, his shield intercepting some of the blows, but the pressure mounted quickly.
Cuts began to appear across his body as his defense broke down under the relentless assault.
He attempted to retaliate but his movements lagged behind. His attack fell short as Rafe avoided them with ease.
Rafe pressed harder.
A final movement broke through completely. His attack slipped past Darius's guard, and the impact disrupted his balance entirely.
Darius fell to the ground heavily, his shield dropping as he struggled to recover.
He looked up, his eyes filled with anger.
Rafe looked down at him with a sneer. "You're too slow."
Without hesitation, he drove his dagger forward.
The blade pierced through Darius's throat cleanly.
Darius's eyes widened as a painful gurgling sound escaped him, blood spilling rapidly as his body trembled. The anger in his gaze lingered for a short moment before fading as life drained from him.
Then he went still.
Rafe pulled the dagger free without emotion. His eyes shifted immediately to scan the surroundings to confirm that no one had noticed what had just happened.
Satisfied, he allowed a crooked smile to return.
Without wasting another second, he moved again, slipping back into the chaos with silent intent.
"Now let's make this even more interesting."
His focus shifted toward Myles's companions, ready to deepen the chaos even further.
—