Pshhk!
Before Jelka could finish her sentence, Ur suddenly appeared in front of her. His blade flashed downward, carving a fresh wound across her body as blood burst forth.
Pain flared from her chest. Shock filled Jelka's eyes; she could hardly believe it.
"In this state, you seem to talk a lot more," Ur said coolly, flicking the blood from his blade. "If you've already decided to stop me, then stop wasting words. Show me your strength."
As enemies, and considering the relationship between their guilds, as well as their past cooperation, Ur could guarantee the lives of the three from Angel's Wing.
But beyond that, he made no promises. Defeating all three without injuring them was too difficult. Even if he had the ability, he wouldn't choose to fight that way.
The reason was simple.
Doing so would greatly increase the chance of him getting hurt.
Self-sacrifice was not Ur's style. He preferred to crush his opponents outright. Whatever injuries they suffered in the process—that was none of his concern.
"Sister Jelka!" Seeing her wounded, Dio panicked.
Magic surged within him as milky-white flames of light poured from his hands, shooting toward Ur.
Ur glanced at him.
A massive magic array formed beneath Dio's feet. A black-and-crimson Molten Giant Claw erupted upward, catching him before he could dodge, then slammed him viciously into the ground.
Boom!
The ice shattered layer by layer.
Dio groaned under the impact, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Earlier, when five of them had attacked Ur simultaneously, even Ur had been somewhat constrained, lacking opportunities to counter effectively.
But now, with Balen injured and Sipa dead, the tide had completely turned.
In such circumstances, for Dio to continue attacking Ur was nothing short of asking for punishment.
"Cough… cough…" Dio struggled, trying to stand.
Ur immediately moved to slam him down again, but at that moment, Jelka intervened.
Boom!
A beam of golden light barely grazed Ur's side before blasting into the plain, blowing a massive hole in the ice.
"You've gone too far. Do you really think I have no way to deal with you?" Jelka's pale golden eyes burned with anger.
Because of their guild alliance and their past battle together, she had held back from the start.
But Ur's merciless assault on her guildmates had truly enraged her. "I admit I underestimated you at first. But don't underestimate me!"
As one of Angel's Wing's prodigies, Jelka possessed pride of her own. Ur's attitude had completely ignited her fury.
Whoosh!
Blinding golden light burst from behind her. In a flash, three pairs of radiant golden wings unfurled. Jelka slowly ascended into the air. At that moment, she resembled a sacred and majestic angel, radiating boundless grace and authority.
Looking down at Ur from above, her pale golden eyes were cold and emotionless. "Ur Jeld, I'll ask you one last time. You—"
Whoosh!
Before she could finish, enormous wind-wings unfurled from Ur's back. With a single beat, he shot upward and appeared before her.
Shock flashed across Jelka's face. Once again, Ur had surprised her.
She had believed flight would grant her an invincible position. She had never imagined that Ur could fly as well.
In that instant of astonishment, Ur twisted and drove a savage kick into her chest.
Boom!
The overwhelming force sent her crashing downward without resistance. She struck the ground heavily. Ur's Tempest Wings beat once more as he pursued, blade descending in a lethal arc.
Shhk!
Ignoring her injuries, Jelka shot back into the sky to evade the strike, but Ur pursued instantly. Blade-flames surged along the Dark Dragon Fang. A cold flash.
Her wings were severed.
Jelka plummeted, spitting blood. Her face turned deathly pale. As she struggled to rise, a blade gleaming with icy light rested against her throat.
Her body froze.
"Sorry," Ur said calmly above her. "It's not that I underestimate you. It's that you truly have no way to deal with me."
Jelka looked up and met his cold, emotionless gaze. "And one more piece of advice," he continued. "In future battles, try not to talk so much. When facing a powerful close-combat mage, standing in front of him and talking only gives him time to prepare. It serves no purpose."
With that, he withdrew the Dark Dragon Fang and turned toward Sico. Jelka wanted to stop him.
But in the end, she closed her eyes in unwilling silence. She had lost, and the defeated had no right to make demands.
As for Dio, after witnessing Jelka's defeat, he had decisively chosen to play dead.
By now, he had realized the truth. Every attempt at resistance only earned them heavier injuries. Compared to that, Balen's earlier choice seemed the wisest of all.
Shhk!
Ur ended Sico's life cleanly.
His gaze shifted toward Diana in the distance. When she saw him looking her way, a flicker of panic surfaced in her eyes. Her bespectacled maid hurriedly stepped in front of her, staring coldly at Ur.
"How dare you? What do you think you're doing?"
Ur said nothing. He walked forward at an unhurried pace.
"Stop. Do not approach my lady. If you take another step, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Still, Ur did not answer.
Only when he reached her did he suddenly lash out with a kick. The maid startled and moved to block, but Ur twisted his waist mid-motion and delivered a reverse kick, sending her flying.
Only Diana remained standing before him.
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