Back on the main battlefield, Finn, Ais, and Riveria were still barely managing to hold their ground against the level 7 opponent.
Elsewhere, the clash between Bete and the man in the skull mask remained unresolved, the two exchanging fierce blows with neither willing to give an inch.
"This is getting annoying."
The skull-masked man muttered, clicking his tongue in irritation.
"Violas! Help me!"
At his command, several man-eating plant monsters erupted from the side, surging toward Bete with their gaping jaws snapping hungrily.
"I thought that old hag took care of all of you."
Bete growled as he twisted away, narrowly avoiding the sudden ambush.
"I kept a few hidden for emergencies."
The enemy replied coldly, charging forward alongside the Violas.
"I just didn't expect I'd have to use them on a mutt like you."
'Dammit... I'm at a disadvantage now.'
The unexpected appearance of the monsters immediately tipped the scales.
With the skull-masked man coordinating his attacks alongside the Violas, Bete found his movements increasingly restricted, each exchange forcing him closer and closer into a tightening trap.
The Violas moved unnaturally fast for creatures of their size, their thick vines coiling and uncoiling like living chains as they snapped at the air, forcing him to stay in constant motion.
Each time he shifted his footing to avoid the skull-masked man's blade, another set of jaws lunged in from the side, trying to tear into his legs.
"Tch—!"
Bete twisted his body at the last second as he deflected a strike aimed straight for his throat.
The impact sent a sharp jolt up his arm, his grip nearly slipping.
The skull-masked man kept his pressure steady, never overextending, while the Violas closed off Bete's escape routes one by one.
Every time Bete tried to break through, thick vines slammed into the ground ahead of him, forcing him back.
"What wrong? I can see that you're slowing down."
The man sneered behind the mask.
"Shut it..."
Bete's breathing grew heavier, steam pouring from his mouth as his muscles screamed in protest.
He could feel his blood boiling, his instincts urging him to tear everything in front of him apart... but charging in blindly now would only get him swallowed whole.
A sudden vine shot up from beneath the ground.
"!?"
Bete leapt back, but not fast enough.
The plant's jaws snapped shut around his calf, its serrated petals digging in as it tried to drag him down.
Pain flared through his leg.
"Got you."
The skull-masked man surged forward instantly as he aimed to capitalize on the opening.
Bete snarled, muscles bulging as he slammed his fist straight into the Viola's core, crushing it with a brutal burst of strength.
The monster shrieked as it collapsed into pulp, but the momentary relief came at a cost.
The enemy's kick slammed straight into Bete's midsection, sending him hurtling through the air before he crashed hard into the ground.
"That's payback for earlier."
The skull-masked man said with a grin as he strode forward.
He bent down, picked up one of Bete's fallen swords, and weighed it in his hand.
"Now then, wolf... it was fun while it lasted."
He brought his foot down, pinning Bete's chest to the ground.
'Dammit... at this rate...'
Bete clenched his teeth, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
His vision blurred for a moment... then his gaze flicked past his enemy, toward the night sky above.
The moon, which had been heavily shrouded by clouds, suddenly broke free.
Silver light spilled down from the sky, unobstructed, reflecting clearly in Bete's eyes.
"Heh..."
A wild grin spread across his face.
Seeing that expression, the skull-masked man's brow furrowed.
"What's so funny? Did you lose your mind right before you embrace death?"
He lowered the sword, its tip hovering just above Bete's throat.
"Don't push your luck, you tentacle-loving bastard."
That was when Bete's hair began to rise, standing on end as the air around him shifted.
His aura changed entirely, swelling with a feral, predatory pressure.
The man with the skull mask felt it instantly.
A cold shiver ran down his spine as danger bells rang violently in his head.
'Huh?'
Before he could even pull back...
The area around him detonated.
[Úlfheðinn]
A beastification skill.
With the condition that it can only be activated under moonlight, with this skill Bete becomes beast-like, raising all his abilities by a large amount, and all abnormalities are negated.
Ever since the fight began, the moon had been hidden behind thick clouds, which was why Bete hadn't been able to use this skill earlier.
But now, that restriction had been discarded.
The werewolf's true power was unleashed.
Seeing this, the enemy felt a bead of sweat roll down his face.
"Dammit! So what? Your hair just changed, that's all... the result will be the same!"
"Violas!"
He barked the command as he thrust his arm forward.
Responding instantly, the Violas surged ahead, screeching as they charged straight toward Bete.
In response, Bete picked up his dual swords and dropped into a low crouch.
The ground beneath him shattered as he launched himself forward, his movement so fast that his form blurred into nothing but a streak of motion, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.
He passed straight through the Violas without sparing them a glance, completely ignoring their attacks... his eyes locked solely onto the enemy ahead.
In the blink of an eye, Bete was already in front of him.
'He's even faster than before!'
The man with the skull mask barely had time to register what was happening before Bete's blades flashed.
The sound of flesh tearing rang out as a deep, X-shaped gash was carved across his chest.
Gritting his teeth as pain finally caught up to him, the enemy lashed out with a punch... but Bete had already slipped aside, countering with a brutal knee to the chin.
"—Argh!"
The impact sent him flying several meters into the air.
A couple of teeth spun free before clattering onto the ground below.
The masked man crashed down hard, skidding across the floor.
It was then that the mask he wore shattered into countless pieces, fragments scattering through the air and revealing his face to everyone present.
"Is that...?"
Finn caught sight of it mid-battle, his eyes flashing with sudden recognition.
"Vendetta... Olivas Act."
Riveria spoke the name a heartbeat later, her eyes widening slightly.
A member of Evilus... one who had sown chaos during the Dark Age of Orario.
Once merely a Level 3 adventurer, he had been reported dead nearly six years ago in an incident he himself orchestrated.
The event had come to be known as the Nightmare on the 27th Floor.
Though it hadn't reached the scale of the Dark Age itself, countless adventurers had still lost their lives.
The scars left behind were deep enough that the incident remained etched into Orario's memory even after all these years.
"So he was still alive..."
Finn muttered under his breath as he wiped the sweat from his brow... just as a greatsword hurtled toward him at terrifying speed.
'Can't afford to get distracted huh?'
The revelation of the enemy's identity was shocking, but they could spare only the briefest moment of attention before throwing themselves back into the fight.
Still, it confirmed something they had long suspected.
'So it really is the remnants of Evilus... still active after all this time.'
At last, the enemy's identity... once obscured by shadow and uncertainty... had been brought into the open.
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