After leaving the guild, the carriage had barely disappeared behind them when they were thrust into an atmosphere of latent chaos. The villagers, already alerted by the magical rifts, watched from their homes as the first flashes of battle appeared. Daniel, standing on the cobblestones, his fists still charged with residual energy, smiled with a contagious excitement.
"Seriously… what kind of damn boss is this? I'm having a blast like never before!" he exclaimed, twirling his fists theatrically.
Elise, beside him, narrowed her eyes. "Daniel, focus! These aren't training enemies. These are real opponents!"
"Relax, my waifu!" he replied, laughing, scanning the area to gauge the situation. "But… wait a second… what—?"
In a split second, a luminous projectile shot straight at him. Its speed was so intense that the air seemed to tear apart in its wake. Daniel barely had time to step back, rolling sideways as the energy orb crashed into the ground, creating a devastating shockwave. Everything in front of it—barrels, carts, stones—was obliterated, as if the earth itself protested against the violence.
"Whoa! Okay… this is getting serious!" Daniel shouted, straightening up as debris continued to crack around him. The monsters, startled by the impact, backed off, emitting muffled growls. "But… who launched that thing?!"
Before he could react, a figure appeared in the air—a girl. Daniel blinked, incredulous. Silver hair flowing in the wind, violet eyes glimmering, and dark armor sparkling like crystal in the sunlight. Every movement was precise, fluid, almost supernatural. Her next attack was a dazzling ballet of energy and light that could have paralyzed any observer.
"Finally… a worthy opponent!" Daniel murmured, a bright smile on his face. He raised his fist to strike, but his concentration was immediately distracted by the beauty and elegance of the enemy.
Elise groaned beside him. "Daniel! Stop staring at her, she's an enemy!"
"I know, I know!" he said, clenching his fists. "But… have you seen her skills? Seriously!"
Mina, behind them, sighed, a mix of embarrassment and frustration on her face. She was used to Daniel's impulsive reactions, but this… was exceptional.
The armored girl dodged Daniel's first attack with bewildering grace and countered with a swift horizontal slash of her energy blade, sending a sparkling wave that narrowly grazed him. He rolled backward, hair disheveled, while Elise cast a series of spells to support his defense.
"Ha! Waifu, I need your magical support!" Daniel shouted, half-laughing as he leaped forward.
Elise rolled her eyes. "Seriously… I'm not your toy!" She focused her energy into a fire spell that cut through the air with a sharp hiss. Daniel used the flash to propel himself toward the enemy, narrowly avoiding a diving strike.
Mina, still at the back, analyzed the battlefield. "His movements are too fluid to be random… she has elite training."
Daniel groaned, regaining focus. He activated a special technique, concentrating his aura around his fist. The light became almost blinding. "Okay… ultimate heroic punch technique!" he shouted, charging at the armored girl.
She dodged again, but Daniel anticipated the movement and changed angle mid-air. A well-placed kick sent a burst of sparks flying, exploding the air around her.
Elise, Mina, and Daniel were now synchronized in a dance of power, evasions, and improvised strategies. Daniel, despite his humor and anime-style exclamations, demonstrated surprising creativity in his attacks. Elise, focused but amused by Daniel's antics, adjusted her spells accordingly, while Mina provided precise analyses from the backline.
Attacks continued to fly, each one increasing the tension and dramatic beauty of the scene. Daniel, though constantly joking, showed growing skill and an impressive reading of the enemy's combat style. Elise and Mina, while professional, were swept up in the explosive choreography.
At every exchange, Daniel threw out a new comic or exaggerated line, laughing even when his attacks missed. "Ha! Just like in Episode 37: The Creature Too Stylish for the Main Hero!"
Elise, arms loaded with flames and shields, couldn't help but sigh. "Daniel… I swear if you keep clowning around, I'll turn you into a scarecrow!"
Mina, in the back, dodged a projectile, mentally noting every weakness of the enemy. "Her energy blade… attack angle… she favors the left leg…"
Daniel, laughing loudly, made a spectacular leap, attacking from the ceiling of a collapsed ruin. "And there! Ultimate acrobatic strike!"
The girl dodged again, but a flicker of surprise flashed in her violet eyes. Daniel had found a moment of imbalance. Elise took the opportunity to send a fire spell, Mina reinforced the area with strategic lightning strikes.
The battle raged on, every attack amplifying the tension and dramatic flair. Daniel, despite his incessant humor, displayed remarkable skill and insight. Elise and Mina, professional yet entertained, adapted to the ever-changing, anime-style combat choreography.