The battle between Kartz and Mumba on the western side of Hot Fortress was about to begin.
Mumba had been angered by Kartz's words. He clenched his fists and a faint wave of mana spread around him.
Mumba: I'm absolutely going to crush you!
He raised his hand and leaped toward Kartz.
Mumba:[Stone Axe]
Using [Stone Axe], Mumba launched an attack.However, his strike did not land.
Kartz had suddenly vanished from where he stood.
Mumba was about to look around to see where Kartz had gone when he heard a voice behind him.
Kartz: You're too slow.
Mumba looked back—Kartz was there.
Mumba (thought):(What speed is this? When did he get there?)
Kartz: Did you really think you could hit me moving at that pace?
With a roar, Mumba swung the stone axe behind him at Kartz.Kartz jumped cleanly over the axe—his coat fluttering with a sharp fwsh!
Mumba was now directly beneath Kartz, mid-air.
Mumba:[Stone Shield]
Using [Stone Shield], he transformed his stone-axe hand into a massive stone shield and raised it defensively.
But Kartz's rapier pierced straight through the shield, drilling a hole through the stone.The blade was about to reach Mumba's face when he desperately reinforced the shield again, stopping the rapier right at the tip of his nose.
Mumba: Whew… That was close, man. Anyway, your sword is stuck, and I've got you. It ends here—
Mumba suddenly froze.
Kartz was smiling—Not like a butler, not like a noble aide—but with the twisted grin of a bloodthirsty killer.
Kartz:[Ice Needle]
The rapier right in front of Mumba's nose released a sudden **cold blast — KRRRSH! **
The stone shield shattered, and the shockwave sent Mumba flying backward until he SLAMMED into the building behind him.
Kartz: You said my sword was stuck. But as you can see, the sword is in my hand… and you're the one on the ground.So what the HELL were you talking about?
Terror washed over Mumba. It felt as though the "butler" he had seen earlier was gone—and someone entirely different stood before him.
Mumba: Who the hell are you!?
Kartz: I am Kartz, right hand of Lord Berin of Hot Fortress…But I used to be called something else… what nickname was it again…?Ah. I remember now.
Kartz's grin deepened even further.
Kartz: Former wanted criminal, bounty 310 Gold… Mad Needle Kartz.
He released his mana, and the pressure crashed down on Mumba like a weight.
Under Kartz's immense pressure, Mumba's fear twisted into rage, and he began attacking wildly.
Mumba:[Meteor Shower]
He sent a barrage of stone fragments flying toward Kartz.Kartz slipped through each projectile with incredible speed — whoosh, whoosh, whoosh — rushing straight toward him.
Mumba: Don't come—DON'T COME—DON'T COME, YOU BASTARD!
Panicking, Mumba hurled more and more rocks. Dust and rubble filled the air — shhhhhh — BOOM—crrrk! — until Kartz vanished from sight within the cloud.
Mumba: HAHAHA! IT'S OVER! YOU PI—
His words stopped.
His breath hitched.
When he looked to his side… Kartz was already there.
A rapier was driven straight through Mumba's throat and came out the back of his neck.
Kartz: I told you, didn't I?At that speed, you could never defeat me.The moment you met me… your fate was already sealed.
In an instant, Kartz's demeanor flipped back to polite butler mode.
Kartz: Now then… would you kindly… die?
He pulled the rapier from Mumba's throat.Mumba collapsed to the ground and died.
BATTLE RESULT
The victor of the battle betweenStone Axe Mumba — 5th Officer of Black Eye ZoonandKartz, Deputy Lord of Hot Fortress
Winner: Kartz