Shaun launched his attack the moment he saw Firaz ready.
His movements were swift and relentless, quickly pushing Firaz toward exhaustion. Shaun swung both of his twin blades simultaneously, but Firaz managed to block the strike with his sword.
In the next instant, Shaun drove his foot straight into Firaz's abdomen.
The impact sent Firaz flying backward before crashing hard onto the ground.
"This guy's ridiculously strong," Firaz groaned, clutching his stomach as pain surged from the kick.
"Tch... one wrong move and I'm dead for real."
Shaun stood tall, his expression unchanged, emotionless even as his opponent lay battered before him.
"Get up," he said coldly.
"I know you can still fight."
Firaz let out a long sigh and forced himself back to his feet.
"Hold on... hold on... give me a moment to calm myself down," he said, raising his right palm.
"Hurry up," Shaun replied flatly.
"Do whatever you want before I take your life."
"Oh wow, listen to this guy," Firaz muttered.
"Sounding like the angel of death already. Just wait a second."
He immediately opened his menu, scanning through the newly unlocked level 2 combat skills.
Alright... this one will do.
Ready for you, skeleton-face wannabe.
Firaz selected the skill.
"I'm ready now."
A black iron shield materialized in his left hand.
Shaun's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So that's it," he sneered.
"No wonder you're so desperate to save that witch. You're a mage yourself. Figures. That's exactly why you deserve to die here."
"Say whatever you want," Firaz shot back.
"Just attack already. You're way too talkative for a skinny guy. A mangy mutt like you isn't taking me down."
It was deliberate provocation.
And it worked.
"You insolent devil worshipper!" Shaun roared, his face flushing red.
"I'll finish you right now!"
All traces of his earlier calm vanished.
Shaun charged forward at full speed, twin blades raised high.
Firaz smiled.
Got you.
As Shaun closed the distance, Firaz activated his newly acquired skill.
Shield Bash!
Firaz braced himself behind the black shield and surged forward to meet Shaun head-on.
The moment Shaun's blades collided with the shield, a blinding magenta light erupted.
Shaun was blasted backward.
Firaz remained standing.
Shaun tried to rise, but his body refused to move.
"What the hell did you do to me?!" he snarled.
Firaz lowered his shield, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.
"Like my new skill?" he said casually.
"Don't worry. You're just paralyzed for a while."
He stepped past Shaun's rigid body.
Shield Bash was a defensive skill commonly used by tankers when fighting powerful monsters. It stunned enemies by converting the force of their own attack into a shock that temporarily paralyzed them.
The stronger the enemy's attack, the longer the paralysis.
That was exactly why Firaz had provoked Shaun.
He raised his sword and pointed it at the overweight man.
"Hey, fat guy. Let the girl go if you don't want trouble."
The man burst out laughing.
"You haven't won yet, brat. You're underestimating Shaun."
Firaz frowned.
He turned back.
Shaun was gone.
"Damn it!" Firaz cursed.
"Looking for me?"
Shaun's voice whispered right beside his ear.
Firaz spun around.
Too late.
A blade sliced into his body.
Blood sprayed violently as his armor split in two. Firaz collapsed onto his back, eyes wide in shock.
He never saw it coming.
Shaun grinned and slowly licked the fresh blood from his blade.
"I hate arrogant brats like you," he muttered as he approached Firaz's broken form.
Shaun stomped on Firaz's wound.
Firaz screamed in agony.
Shaun laughed, savoring the moment.
"Shaun, that's enough!" the fat man shouted impatiently.
"Finish him already. I'm tired of waiting. We still need to hand the witch over to the authorities."
Shaun clicked his tongue and brushed his long hair back.
"Your life ends here, boy," he said, raising his sword.
Firaz shut his eyes tightly.
Why does it always end like this?
He had barely tasted life again, and yet death was already reaching for him.
Maybe this was his fate.
Maybe he was meant to die... and stay dead.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the clearing.
Firaz snapped his eyes open.
Shaun was engulfed in raging flames, screaming as his body burned.
A man clad in a black robe stood with his back to Firaz, calmly watching Shaun writhe in agony.
Firaz was certain.
This man was responsible.
The figure's face was hidden beneath a dark hood. Golden steel pauldrons rested on both shoulders, each adorned with a crimson gem. In his right hand, he held a golden staff carved from seven intertwined serpents, their heads facing outward. Each serpent's mouth held a gem of a different color.
"W-Who are you?" Firaz asked, forcing the words out.
The mysterious man did not answer.
He simply pointed at the overweight man and the one carrying Mona.
Both froze in fear.
"Drop the girl, Dean. We're leaving," the fat man barked.
"Y-Yes, sir," Dean replied hastily, placing Mona gently on the grass.
The two fled in panic, abandoning Shaun's charred corpse behind them.
The hooded man turned toward Firaz.
Firaz froze.
The man did not have a human face.
There was no flesh. No skin.
Only a skull.
Within its hollow eye sockets burned faint red lights.
Fear crawled up Firaz's spine.
In his world, a being like this would be called a walking skeleton.
For some reason, a ridiculous song about a skeleton in a cupboard flashed through his mind.
"P-Please don't eat me," Firaz blurted out.
"Give me a chance to live."
"Heal."
The skull-faced man spoke a single word.
A warm light enveloped Firaz's wounds.
They closed instantly.
Firaz shot upright.
"Th-Thank you, Mr. Skeleton, for healing me!"
He quickly rushed to Mona, eager to leave before the terrifying being changed his mind and decided to make a meal out of both of them.
"Wait."
Firaz froze.
"Oh no... what does he want now," he muttered under his breath.
He turned back slowly, forcing a stiff smile.
"Y-Yes... why did you call me, Mr. Skeleton?"
"You're a player, aren't you?" the skull-faced man asked.
"Huh? How did you— wait... hold on," Firaz squinted.
"This look... I've seen it somewhere before."
His eyes lit up.
"Oh! I remember now! You're Lord Zoref from the anime Deathlord!"
The skull-faced man ignored him.
He turned slightly to the left.
"Alveda. Hera. Take these two back to Aincrad."
"Aincrad...?" Firaz echoed.
His words cut short as a beautiful armored woman appeared before him out of nowhere.
She scattered shimmering dust into Firaz's face.
Everything went black.
Firaz collapsed unconscious.