The Ruined Death Knight

Seeing that nothing happend, he ignored the mist that just entered his body and Serras used his life force to force his legs to move at a much higher speed.

Like a pushed-together string that gets suddenly released and flies with high speed.

Serras arrived shortly after in front of Danzel with his sword surrounded by flames created by life force.

"You finished!" Swinging his sword aiming for Danzel's shoulder, the grin that he had the whole time stiffed by what happend next.

With much faster movement, Danzel clashed swords with such strength that blew the Serras flames away.

"Such power..." Serras whisper in disbelieve as his sword was slowly being pushed back.

"Dammit!"

Taking his sword back from the clash, Serras was about to try another swing with forcing his limps to move faster.

But as soon he realized that his opponent was right about swinging he pushed his sword forward, receiving the heavy strike of Veren.

"Ugh...how could this be...after Sumire enchanted us!" Cursing out loud, he attempted to disengage as soon he realized the difference in strength.

Danzel of course, wouldn't let that happen though.

"Where do you think you are going?" Saying with his deep cold voice, Danzel movement forward into a frontal assault.

Holding Veren in both hands, he swung from the top of his head and then from his side, clashing with Serras sword non-stop.

*Thiingh!

*Thiingh!

*Thiingh!

With his hands feeling numb from Danzel's powerful swings, Serras clicked his tongue before swinging horizontally with flames running through his sword.

This time, Serras managed to push Danzel and his sword to the side, creating a window for him to escape.

"Huh?"

Or so it seemed from Serras perspective.

'Why does he hold the sword with one hand...'

"Hmpf, idiot" Scoffing at Serras stupidly, Danzel's free hand lightens up with dark green light.

That's right, Danzel who noticed early the immense life force being gathered in the blade, noticed early that Serras was going for a big move.

And with the behavior, or rather fear that Serras showed him in their fight, he knew that he had only one thing in mind.

And that was to create some distance with him.

Pushing his hand forward, the dark green light together with the seeping dead mana was about to grasp Serras skull.

Seeing the hand about to touch his face right in front of him, his eyes were shaking with only a word coming into his mind.

Death.

*Fseeee!

But right before Danzel was about to touch Serras head, he looked to the side and cursed internally.

'Almost had him...'

Reinforcing his gauntlet with his [Armor Mana Plating], he moved his free hand towards the wind-cutting sound.

Seeing three daggers flying towards him, although fast, not fast enough to hit Danzel.

Punching the first dagger from his side, Danzel punched shortly after the second and then the third one.

"Mere tricks..."

"What are you doing Serras! Get out of there!" Jack yelled from the aide as he drew out more daggers.

With Danzel distracted, Serras jumped back.

"T-Thanks."

Seeing that, Danzel was about to chase right after Serras, but Bernard with his made and huge shield came running at him like an incoming training, his shield surrounded with mana.

"This is..."

Recognizing the skill that the man was using, Danzel pulled out his own shield from the storage ring and guided his mana around his shield.

'[Shield Charge]'

Being pushed forward, the two metal shields met together, creating an echoing sound.

Although Danzel recognized that the man's technique of the skill [Shield Charge] was much better, that wasn't the same with his strength.

"Ughh..."

Being pushed back, the man almost fell.

Being in a crouching position and his shield not covering the top side of his body.

Danzel raised Veren up high, with dark green mana surrounding the blade.

"One less"

Swinging down Veren similar to a falling guillotine, Danzel grinned to himself.

However, before Veren was to reach down on the man's neck, a sudden appearance of mana came below the ground where Danzel was standing.

With a small circle appearing for a splitting second, the ground where Danzel was standing rotates to the left.

Making Danzel who was about to cut the man's head to swing down to the ground, releasing a dark green wind blade cutting the ground.

*Fsheeeeen!

"What just happens-"

Bernard who saw Danzel confused, rotate his body and swung his mace at Danzel's side with mana around it.

"Dammit-"

Being too close to avoid it, the made hit Danzel right towards his stomach area.

The mana that was being held in the mace was released, creating a small yet strong enough shock wave to break one of Danzel's ribs and even bent his armor to the inside.

*Crack

That though, even if Danzel was pushed for 5 Meters away, he still managed to catch himself from falling.

Since he felt no pain and his skill together with the engraved absorbed most of the impact, that was an easy feat.

Of course, from an outsider's perspective, him standing after such a hit would be surprising.

"Seriously..." Bernard said in disbelief.

"You really had done it now-"

Wanting to take revenge for the blow he received, he was interrupted by a bright, large ball of flame that suddenly appeared from Naomi's staff.

"[Fireball]!"

'That thing is much bigger than the one that the shaman had used...with this, using [Mana Arms] just like I did with the [Magic Missiles] wouldn't work. I got to raise a wall.'

Without hesitation, he started putting his mana to the ground and casting his spell.

Sumire seeing that frowned her eyebrows before tapping the ground with her staff.

Finish the spell, Danzel awaited for the wall shortly to rise.

But before that, the ground that he was standing at moved him a few steps forward in almost an instant.

"What!?"

Worse for Danzel, the [Stone Wall] that he cast tied the next moment right behind his back.

Soon after, a bright light came closer from his side, in a form of a massive ball of fire.

"DAMMIT!" Cursing out loud, he pushed his shield forward before the fireball came crashing to him and the stone wall behind him.

*Brooough!

With the stone wall crumbling, flames with black smoke surrounded the area of impact.

Starting at that scene, Serras asked a hesitant asked with a hesitant voice.

"You know we need him alive...right?"

"Like you are one to speak when you. Got almost defeat if not killed by that guy." Naomi replied.

"Do you guys think that he is still alive?"

As soon as Jack said that, in the middle of black smoke, a dark green most flew out of the smoke towards Bernard's direction.

Being so sudden, the dark green mist entered the surprised Bernards's body.

"Isn't that-"

"I never had luck with fire it seems..." A cold voice sounded, grabbing everyone's attention.

Coming out of the smoke, Danzel with armor that had some of this body part melted and flames dancing around his armor appeared.

"I am telling you guys now, that-"

Before he was able to finish, appearing from the if side, camouflaged with the remaining smoke Jack dashed forward with his dagger trying to stab him.

"-you aren't getting here alive."

*Thiing!

With the dagger brushing to his chest plating and creating sparks, he swung Danzel towards Jack, aiming to cut him in half.

"Huff!"

Bending his body down, he dodge Danzel seeing by hairs breathe and jumped backward while throwing some of his knives at Danzel, who were easily blocked by his shield.

"That again?"

Raising his palm at him, dark mist formed in his hand before shooting out in Jack's direction.

Raising her staff, Sumire quickly cast a blue barrier around Jack.

As soon as the most come at Jack, the most were blocked for a short second by the barrier before entering it as if it wasn't there, to begin with.

'So a barrier won't work either...' Sumire cursed internally.

Seeing that Sumire went as far as to cast a barrier on him, Jack yelled out loud.

"Sumire! What's this mist!?"

Before she had the chance to respond, Danzel responded for her.

"It's a curse."

"Huh?"

Hearing that, the three of them who were hit explained with a confused look.

"The red hair over there should even have realized it by now what kind of curse it is."

Danzel said as he pointed at Serras who had a frown on his face.

"The curse that I cast on you is called [Curse of Decay]. All it does, taking for the name, is to burn your vitality until you guys become a pile of some dead skin and bones."

Danzel said as he shook his head.

"Actually, I never planned to face you guys like this. I mean, even if I am superior in one on one fights. I found fighting the five of you with how you work together with a too big of a threat, really."

Flaring his mana in his body, he glanced at the two magic casters from the back.

"You guys still haven't realized it didn't you? As of why I came so deep in the forest."

"From the very beginning, although it didn't go as planned. I face you guys here together for a single and only reason, just so that I can kill you guys here."

Using [Swift Movements], Danzel dashed towards the opposite way where they were.

"It was only to curse and kill you guys like the hunting dogs that you are!"

Seeing Danzel run away, they, especially the trio that for cursed had a sudden realization.

Like how a sudden timer would appear in your exams or a bomb that is about to explode.

In Serras, Bernard and Jack's mind.

Such an invisible timer that was telling them how long they got to live appeared.

That just now!

Started ticking!

*Tick

"Bastard!"

"Bastard!"

"Bastard!"

Without a second thought, the three of them chased after Danzel.