Marlow stood frozen, his ruby eyes reflecting the giant blade hacking towards his neck.
Forget putting up a defense, there wasn't even enough time to evade the attack. Such was the great chasm of strength between the Mana Vortex and Mana Core Rank.
Just a heartbeat away from death, Marlow's thoughts slowed to a standstill.
He saw the attacker with startling clarity. It was a towering figure clad in black armor, swinging the massive greatsword, its presence reeking of rot and death.
Time seemed to stretch as that image burned itself into his mind.
And then his thoughts drifted elsewhere…
To his father.
To his mother.
To his devoted wife.
To his sister.
And finally… to his newborn son.
In that frozen moment, with death looming mere inches away, all that remained was what he stood to lose. And the devastation that would follow if this abomination were allowed to run rampant through the city.
