Back at Aeron's side…
Aamon lunged at Aeron with lightning speed — but just in time, Allesio stepped in and blocked the strike with a clash of steel. Without pause, Aamon and Allesio began exchanging blows at an accelerating pace, their movements becoming a blur.
Each clash echoed through the palace courtyard like thunder. Allesio struggled to keep up, barely managing to deflect Aamon's relentless onslaught. Their swords sang with every collision, the intensity building until it was almost impossible to follow with the naked eye.
Meanwhile, Aeron sprinted along Allesio's side, trying to close the distance to of the chain that was still wrapped around his arm. His eyes darted, searching for the right moment.
But then — snap!
The chain whipped upward like a serpent, entangling Aeron's leg and jerking him off balance. He stumbled backward, crashing to the ground.
Aamon saw the opening and struck without hesitation — his blade flying toward Allesio's exposed throat.
Allesio raised his sword just in time, the force of the blow knocking the weapon from his hand and sending it skidding across the courtyard stones.
Aamon's eyes gleamed. Victory was near.
He raised his sword again for a final blow — but suddenly, a dagger whistled through the air, aiming for his feet.
Aamon noticed it a heartbeat before impact and leapt backward instinctively — only to land right in the middle of a circle of assassins.
The same four masked figures from the town now surrounded him, blades drawn, eyes locked.
"Don't move… or you'll be dead," one of them warned coldly.
But Aamon only smirked, unfazed. "Sword of Judgment."
In a blur too fast for the eye to follow, Aamon swung his blade in a perfect arc — four heads hit the ground.
For a brief moment, silence.
But then… the bodies began to crumble. One by one, they dissolved into thin air, nothing more than illusions.
"Hmph. A clever trick," Aamon muttered.
From the shadows, the real four assassins stepped out silently, weapons at the ready, now wary of the strength they'd just witnessed.
"You're all still no match for me," Aamon said with a smirk, completely confident.
Aeron, breathing heavily and still tangled by part of the chain, clenched his fists.
"Tch… He's right. If he'd gone all-out from the start, we'd already be dead…"
Then — a sound.
A deep, rumbling vibration spread through the ground. Everyone froze.
The earth beneath them cracked, the stones trembling violently.
Suddenly — BOOM!
The ground erupted as a massive creature burst forth from below — its black, spiked limbs clawing at the air, acidic drool dripping from its fangs.
A Venomspike Crawler.
It towered over them, hissing menacingly, its eyes glowing a sickly green.
All parties — Aeron, Allesio, the assassins, even Aamon — instinctively leapt back to a safe distance.
The very presence of the creature sent a chill down their spines.
"Why is that abomination here…?" the thought echoed in everyone's mind at once.
The tide of battle had shifted again — but this time, the enemy was not human.
At Zarkhul's side…
The giant roared and lunged with his massive hand, trying to crush Zarkhul in its grip — but Zarkhul flipped backward gracefully, landing on his feet with a grin.
"Am I not awesome?" he said with both arms raised in a dramatic pose. He glanced behind him, then sighed.
"No girls here to witness that… how disappointing."
Suddenly, the giant unleashed a deafening scream that shook chandeliers and cracked the marble floor beneath them.
"Easy there, big guy," Zarkhul muttered, his tone still playful — but his eyes sharpened.
The giant swung both fists downward in a thunderous attempt to smash him, but Zarkhul dodged each blow, leaping nimbly back every time.
"Damn… if I retreat any further, the people behind me will be in danger," Zarkhul thought, quickly glancing at the terrified crowd cowering nearby.
He sprinted to the side, eyes scanning — then spotted a fallen chandelier chain on the ground.
In a single motion, he dove forward, rolled between the giant's legs, and tossed the chain upward, wrapping it around the creature's thick neck. With a roar of effort, he yanked it hard — dragging the monster off balance.
The giant tumbled backward with a thunderous crash that shook the entire ballroom.
Enraged, the beast slammed its massive hands into the ground and slowly pulled itself back to its feet, the very earth trembling beneath him.
Then — the giant grabbed chunks of broken stone from the shattered floor and hurled them toward Zarkhul.
Zarkhul's eyes widened.
"If I dodge… they'll hit the people behind me!"
He stood firm.
The stones slammed into him, sending him crashing into the back wall. He coughed up blood, pain tearing through his ribs — but he stayed conscious.
The giant roared again and charged, his steps shaking everything in his path.
Zarkhul tried to rise — but guards rushed in, spears raised.
"No… stay back!" he warned, his voice hoarse.
But it was too late.
The giant swept them all aside like rag dolls, hurling bodies across the ballroom.
One guard at the back hurled his spear — it pierced the giant's back. The beast howled in agony.
Zarkhul, still leaning against the wall, growled through clenched teeth.
"Everyone with a spear — THROW IT!"
The guards obeyed. A flurry of spears flew through the air. Some were swatted away, but several struck their target, embedding deep into the giant's limbs and back.
The creature's fury ignited.
With a guttural roar, it charged at the guards. But Zarkhul, rising from the ground with determination burning in his eyes, seized a large broken stone nearby.
He hurled it with all his might — it struck the giant square in the forehead. The creature stumbled forward, disoriented.
It then charged towards Zarkhul, furious. Zarkhul dodged at the last second making it slam it's head-first into the wall — its skull embedding into the stone with a crunch.
Now's my chance.
Zarkhul drew his blade.
His body ached, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he pushed forward, sprinting toward the stunned giant.
With a mighty roar of his own, he leapt into the air and slashed his sword clean through the giant's neck.
The massive body fell limp.
Silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by Zarkhul's heavy breathing.
Covered in dust, blood, and sweat, he stood over the fallen beast, sword dripping with its dark blood.
"I wish girls could see this," he said with a smirk.