NOVPUBSensing the shift in aura, the black-cloaked man instantly became alert.
"What a powerful aura," he murmured warily.
Zelda's aura, once gentle and calm, now felt like that of a beast awakened from slumber.
Still, he quickly regained his composure and swung his sword to the side.
"If this is your choice, then I won't hold back," he said coldly before darting toward her.
Seeing that, Zelda responded with a chilling smile as she raised her left hand.
*Boom!*
Tree roots suddenly burst from the ground, shooting toward the black-cloaked man at high speed.
"What!?"
Startled, he tried to maneuver mid-air to dodge, but it was too late.
One of the roots pierced the right side of his stomach with deadly precision.
"Argh!" He was flung backward and landed roughly, clutching his wound.
Beneath his mask, his face had gone pale, and he groaned in pain.
He glanced down at his palm, now stained with fresh blood.
"What kind of attack was that? How was it so fast?" he muttered through gritted teeth, his gaze fixed on the five tree roots slithering like snakes, ready to strike again.
"Tree roots?" His brows knitted in confusion, and his wariness surged.
He had never imagined that tree roots could possess such lethal power.
Suppressing the pain from his wound, he took a small pill from his pocket and swallowed it.
*Gulp!*
As the pill took effect, the wound glowed with black light and visibly healed before his eyes.
"Oh?" Zelda looked mildly surprised, then smiled faintly. "I didn't expect you to have a pill like that. It must be quite valuable, right?"
The black-cloaked man said nothing, but hatred flared in his eyes.
The black pill was incredibly rare—capable of healing any wound, even those that should have been fatal.
But he had only three. Using one meant just two remained... as if he'd traded away one of his lives.
He thrust his sword forward, and a surge of dark aura burst from his body.
"Enough games," he said coldly.
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, he vanished—faster than a lightning strike.
*Whoosh!*
Tree roots lunged toward him, but his speed had increased so dramatically that they couldn't even graze him.
When he was just ten meters from Zelda, he pulled his sword back, ready to drive it straight into her chest.
But then—a chill ran down his spine. His eyes widened.
"Not good!"
He twisted his body sideways. Just a second later, a massive tree root—thick as a tree trunk—erupted from the ground, aiming straight for him.
He narrowly avoided it. But the root didn't stop. It continued to chase him, moving like a missile locked onto its target.
"Damn it!" The black-cloaked man cursed, gritting his teeth.
He twisted in mid-air, landed hard, and stumbled back a few steps.
*Boom! Boom!*
The massive root slammed into the ground wherever he stepped, each impact sending a thunderous boom through the air.
"If this keeps up, I'll never get a chance to strike that woman," the man muttered, his voice filled with hatred.
He halted his retreat and launched an attack. With a swift sideways swing, his sword sliced through the large roots.
To his shock, the root healed almost instantly.
"What!?"
Dumbfounded, he barely had time to react before another root erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around his right leg. 𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝙤𝙢
"Shit! This is bad!"
His face drained of color as he frantically slashed at the root binding his leg, preparing to retreat—but it was too late.
*Scrrk!*
The thick root lunged forward, piercing his stomach.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Looking down, he saw red-black blood seeping from the wound.
Zelda gave a cold, mocking smile. "You're truly careless."
While he was busy dodging, she had quietly laid a trap, and it had worked perfectly.
But just as she began to savor her victory, a chilling presence emerged from behind.
*Srcck!*
A long black sword blade suddenly pierced through her abdomen from behind.
The smile on Zelda's face froze as a sharp pain shot through her.
"How is that possible?" she whispered, trembling.
"What's not possible?" The man's cold voice echoed from behind.
Zelda's eyes widened. With effort, she turned her head and saw the black-cloaked man standing behind her.
"How... how are you still alive?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Alive?" The man gave a faint smile. "When did I ever die?"
Zelda froze. Slowly, she turned her gaze toward the spot where the man she had struck earlier had fallen—and her eyes widened even more.
That figure had transformed into a doll, dark liquid dripping from its lifeless form.
"So... you tricked me all along?" She growled through clenched teeth.
"Hehehe... tricked?" He chuckled softly. "If that's what you want to call it, fine. But in real combat, there's no such thing as deception—only strategy."
"You..." Zelda snarled, her voice thick with hatred.
But before she could say more, the man drove his sword deeper into her body, then yanked it out in one swift motion.
A wave of excruciating pain tore through her. Blood spilled from her mouth as her body collapsed, unconscious.
The man let out a quiet laugh. "What a fool..."
He had to admit—Zelda was a formidable opponent. Her control over the wood element was deadly, and she was no easy target.
But she had one fatal flaw—lack of combat experience.
In a real battle, raw strength alone isn't enough to secure victory.
It takes strategy, adaptability, and a keen mind to survive.
And to him, Zelda was just that—powerful and deadly, but hopelessly inexperienced.
Moreover, she didn't know him—nor was she familiar with his techniques. That made deceiving her all too easy.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he swung his sword to the right, wiping the remaining blood from the blade.
His gaze shifted to Leon, who sat cross-legged, eyes closed in deep meditation.
"Hahaha... So it's finally time," the man laughed coldly, unable to hide the surge of emotion.
At the sight of that face, the hatred he had buried deep within ignited once more—like flames consuming dry grass.
He stepped forward, the tip of his sword dragging along the altar floor, leaving behind a sinister screech.
Stopping just before Leon, a cold smile crept across his lips.
"Well then… It's time for you to die, Leon Kruger—no, the Fated One."
He raised his sword, ready to strike.
But before he could bring it down—
Boom!
Something massive and powerful slammed into him, sending his body hurtling like a cannonball into the altar wall.
A moment later, a voice rang out across the hall—cold, sharp, and laced with murderous intent.
"How dare you lay a hand on him? I won't forgive you!"
