Yawen, Rui had survived the fall. As Rui had planned earlier, this ruin may collapse due to Zen and the knight fighting, and we may need a barrier-like thing to protect us from the debris or have to make an escape for it. Yawen said, How about we make a run for it as soon as we can?" As the ruins begin to collapse around them, Yawen swiftly draws both of her gleaming swords, the blades humming with energy. With a focused determination, she executes her signature technique: Yawen channels her essence into her dual swords, enhancing their speed and cutting power. She dashes forward with incredible agility, weaving through the falling debris with precise movements.
Yawen was saved by the impending fall, and Rui, with his quick thinking, saved both of them. The ancient ruins around them began to crumble, and the ground shook violently. They barely escaped the collapse, finding temporary refuge under a jagged overhang. Unfortunately, their relief was short-lived. The necromancer, battered but alive, emerged from the dust and rubble. He had survived by using his summons as a makeshift roof, shielding himself from the fall of the debris.
Yawen, having expended significant energy using her dual-sword technique, was nearly at her limit. Her breathing was labored, and her strength was waning. The necromancer, too, was weakened, having used most of his summons. Desperately, he began to drain Essentia from the corpses of his fallen creatures, replenishing his reserves. His eyes gleamed with a malevolent light as he felt the dark energy surge through him once more.
Yawen reached into her pocket, her fingers trembling, and found the last glowing berry. The small container held the life-giving energy she and Rui desperately needed. She looked at the vial, then at Rui, and finally at the necromancer. Her mind raced with the decision she had to make: should she take the essence herself to stave off her mysterious deterioration, or should she give it to Rui so he could finish the necromancer once and for all?
Yawen's indecision was evident. Rui, noticing her inner turmoil, stepped forward. "Yawen," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them, "give it to me. I'll finish the necromancer. This started with my kidnapping, and it will end with me taking him down."
Yawen hesitated, her heart pounding. She knew Rui was right, but the thought of not being able to fight and making a child fight a necromancer was too much to bear. Finally, she nodded, her eyes filled with resolve. "Rui," she said softly, pressing the vial into his hand, "this is our last resort. I don't know what happened between Zen and the knight, but it doesn't look good. We need to get rid of the necromancer this time. He didn't gain much from absorbing his summons, and I can't continue much longer. But I'll help you however I can. I'm sure you will emerge victorious."
Rui clasped the vial tightly, feeling the warm glow of the essence seep through his fingers. He looked at Yawen, determination etched on his face. "Rest assured, Yawen," he replied, "I'll take care of it from here."
As Rui absorbed the essence, he felt a surge of power flow through him, revitalizing his body and mind. The exhaustion that had weighed him down lifted and was replaced by an energetic body. He turned to face the necromancer, who sneered at him, already preparing another dark spell.
With a burst of speed, Rui charged at the necromancer, his movements a blur. The necromancer barely had time to react before Rui was upon him, their battle renewing with even greater ferocity. Yawen, though weakened, positioned herself strategically, ready to assist Rui at any moment.
The necromancer sneered as he surveyed the ruins, now mostly rubble. "I have to admit, your friend is remarkably strong to stand up to the knight for this long. But this is the end; my knight is coming here very soon." Confident in his victory, the necromancer believed Zen was dead and issued a command for the knight to join him.
However, to his shock, the knight did not obey. The necromancer's eyes widened as he realized the seal controlling the knight had broken. The once-subservient knight was now running wild, completely beyond his control. Panic surged through the necromancer as he grasped the gravity of the situation. His focus wavered, and in that crucial moment, Rui seized the opportunity.
With a swift, calculated movement, Rui picked up a piece of stone and hurled it at the necromancer. The rock struck true, hitting the necromancer's eyes with brutal precision. Blood streamed down his face, and he cried out in pain, momentarily blinded. The tide of the battle had turned.
The necromancer screamed in pain and agony, his cries echoing through the ruins, a chilling testament to his suffering. His fury was unparalleled. "You fucking piece of sh*t," he roared, his voice dripping with venom. "I swear I'll rip you apart. I'll flatten your muscles, grind your bones, and crush your soul."
Rui smirked, replying, "Too bad, it's your fault for not paying attention."
Realizing that his knight had gone rogue and was now on a mindless rampage, the necromancer's terror intensified. The urgency to escape, already a part of his plan, became overwhelming. Rui taunted him further: "The only thing that'll leave this place is your soul."
The necromancer's mind raced. He understood that the boy before him was the immediate obstacle. If he could eliminate Rui or at least escape, he could plot his revenge later. Facing the weakened and one-eyed necromancer, Rui felt a surge of confidence. The man who had once terrified him now trembled at the sight of him. What a turn of events!
"Look at you now," Rui thought, his eyes gleaming with determination. "The tables have turned, and this time, you're the one who should be afraid."
Rui attacked, launching a fireball at the necromancer. The necromancer dodged it and countered with wind bullets. Rui deftly dodged most of them and blocked one with his arm. "If he were in his prime, I'd be dead," Rui muttered to himself. "It's good he's weakened."
Determined to take down the necromancer, Rui plotted his next move. He began running in circles, exploiting the necromancer's limited field of vision due to his lost eye. The necromancer sneered, "Boy, do you think such childish plans will work on me?" Despite his bravado, he followed Rui, aware of his visual handicap.
Rui, unfazed, continued his strategy. He hurled stones at the necromancer, each one propelled faster by his wind arts. The necromancer used his wand to block the projectiles, but the relentless assault kept him on edge. Sensing the child's tactic, he decided to close the distance. In close combat, he could overpower Rui more easily.
The necromancer moved closer, inch by inch, his confidence growing. Rui noticed the necromancer's plan and adapted. He kept circling, throwing stones with increased precision and speed. Each step the necromancer took brought him closer to Rui's trap.
The tension between them escalated. The necromancer's frustration mounted with each blocked stone, while Rui's determination sharpened. As they circled each other, Rui saw his chance. He lured the necromancer in, ensuring he maintained just enough distance to keep the advantage.
As the necromancer closed in, Rui threw a dagger with precision. The necromancer blocked it with his wand, but Rui had anticipated this. A second dagger, hidden by an illusion, emerged and struck true, embedding itself in the necromancer's left eye.
Blinded completely, the necromancer let out a blood-curdling scream and fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Rui's plan had worked perfectly. He had used illusions to deceive the necromancer, knowing that his already impaired vision made it difficult for him to see things up close and clearly. With one eye already gone, the necromancer had no chance of seeing through the simple illusion.
The necromancer's screams echoed through the ruins as he rolled on the ground, clutching at his eyes. Rui watched, his heart pounding but his resolve unshaken. The man who had once terrified him was now helpless and defeated.
Rui looked at the necromancer, rage boiling within him. A twisted sense of satisfaction mingled with his anger as he watched the once-feared villain writhing in pain. The necromancer, now helpless, began to beg for mercy, promising never to commit such atrocities again.
But Rui was beyond forgiveness. In a fit of rage, he struck the necromancer's eye, driving the dagger deeper. "Did you show mercy to those you murdered, tortured, and experimented on?" he shouted. "Did they not beg you to stop? Did they not plead for mercy? Were they not helpless when you committed such heinous acts?"
The necromancer whimpered, but Rui's fury only grew. "Why should I let you go now? Now that you are in a feeble position, you act meek and beg for forgiveness. Your death will not be easy. The gods shall watch as I deliver your punishment."
Rui's voice trembled with intensity. "I have come to be the death of you," he declared. The necromancer's cries faded into the night, drowned out by Rui's unyielding resolve to see justice served.
The necromancer, sensing a chance to save himself, pleaded desperately, "I shall give you all my research and everything I have. Rare herbs, flowers, weapons, money—I can arrange it all for you. Just spare me! I promise never to come near you or anyone you know again."
Suddenly, a weak voice called out, "Rui..."
Rui's heart sank as he turned to see Yawen, looking frail and barely standing. Rushing to her side, he asked, "Yawen, what's wrong?"
"I feel weak and fragile," she murmured. "I think it was the necromancer's attack earlier."
Panic surged through Rui as he turned back to the necromancer. "What did you do?" he shouted.
The necromancer laughed maniacally. "It's my special poison. It can't be treated! Hahahaha!"
Rui's worry transformed into cold, calculated fury. Realizing that he needed the necromancer alive to save Yawen, he devised a brutal plan. He could not kill the necromancer yet, but he needed to ensure he couldn't escape.
With a swift motion, Rui slashed the necromancer's tendons in his arms and legs, rendering him immobile. The necromancer screamed in agony as he fell to the ground, helpless.
"You'll stay alive, but you won't be escaping," Rui growled. "Your suffering is only beginning. Now, you're going to tell me how to save her."
Yawen grabbed Rui's arm, and her grip fell as he looked at Yawen's lifeless body, which had completely turned purple due to the poison.