Chapter 54 Fighting for your life
Malouf’s triumphant smile froze, then twisted into a deep frown because the head he thought he had decapitated in one move was a mirage. Vandal had dodged the strike using a move he did not recognise.
“What move is that?” Malouf demanded, eyes narrowing. “You are quite skillful.”
“None of your business,” Vandal replied coldly. “I am thankful to Sabine for gifting me this advanced projection technique. The illusion fish I learned saved my life.”
“I am impressed at your reaction speed too,” Malouf laughed. He then threw a side eye at Anwar, and both of them started a pincer attack.
Vandal twisted away from Malouf’s strike, only to see Anwar’s blade slicing toward his waist. He barely evaded it, the sword passing so close it sliced a few strands of hair from his side.
“You’re a slippery one,” Anwar growled as he and Malouf regrouped. Malouf’s blade glowed a menacing dark green, empowered by his echo, as they launched another coordinated assault.
Woosh~~~
He sliced off a portion of Vandal’s robe, causing it to decay. This surprised Vandal as he quickly tore off that portion before it spread to his skin.
“Decay?”
Seeing his surprise, Malouf laughed lightly as he dived in again with Anwar flanking Vandal, not even giving him a chance to breathe.
Sensing the situation to be very dire, Vandal looked at the entrance. It was far, and the place actually seemed to prevent sound from travelling. Unless the person was near him, they would not hear him if he yelled.
Vandal activated his berserk mode without hesitation. Thick white mist coiled around his muscular frame as raw power surged through his body. He flashstepped toward Malouf and threw a heavy punch at his face.
Malouf raised his blade to block with lightning reflexes, but Vandal smirked. It was a feint. In the same breath, he lashed out with a powerful calf kick to Malouf’s stomach.
BAM
Malouf was sent skidding across the floor.
In that same motion, Vandal spun around.
“Your turn.” He launched a flying kick at Anwar, who used his blade to stab towards the kick. Only then did he realise he could not stab the leg because Vandal had deliberately swept up a small hurricane with the force of his kick. The breeze blew Anwar backwards. He landed gracefully and shot forward again.
“You will pay for that,” Malouf wiped a thin line of blood from his lips. That kick was vicious and he felt at least one rib was broken.
He switched his blade to a strange-looking sword with sigils on it and launched himself at Vandal.
“Malouf, why are you attacking me?” Vandal asked between dodges.
A cruel smile spread across Malouf’s face. “Is it not obvious? You die here. Then I’ll trap your little friends inside and return outside alone. The jade-infinity stone was never meant for you.”
Woosh~~~~
The strange sword sent a green wave towards Vandal, who dodged it. However, the wave turned around and headed for Vandal again.
“You will die first, then your friends will die next,” Malouf said.
Vandal threw a punch at the ground, causing pieces of rock to fly out. He launched them at the green wave, causing an explosion that turned the pieces of rock to ash.
“Never would I have imagined that someone like you was actually capable of scheming,” Vandal said with a light smile.
“However, I am not someone...” Vandal suddenly gave off a very violent aura, “...that you can kill easily just because you choose to.”
Anwar swung his blade, powered by guard echo, towards the back of Vandal’s head.
In that same instant, Malouf slashed at Vandal again. The slash swept through the air, slicing through space as it shot towards Vandal.
At that moment, Malouf had a confident smile on his face.
The way he saw it, his level was higher than Vandal’s. Coupled with the fact that he was attacking with his brother, no matter how strange Vandal was or how well he kept up, he still would not be a match for them.
Damn it. I am not even having a chance to see an opening. These two sync their attacks so perfectly.
BOOM!
A loud explosion rang out.
“Mael, did you hear that?” Sabine said as she heard a faint sound that sounded like a faraway explosion.
“Yes I did. Do you think they are fighting that thing?” Mael asked.
“I feel we should go back and check if they were able to take the item or not,” Hutrar said.
“I agree. Let’s go back. They might be fighting that thing alone,” Sabine replied. Yazmeen and Jaclynn agreed too, and they all headed back.
Even though Malouf had held back some of his strength, he was confident the slash would leave Vandal either dead or crippled.
As the dust slowly settled, a figure burst out from the cloud. Vandal emerged with glowing red chains wrapped around both arms, the deep engravings pulsing with power.
“How?” Malouf was shocked.
“Where did you get those weapons from?” Malouf’s eyes bulged out in surprise.
“You think you are the only one with tricks up his sleeve?” Vandal said with a strained smile. Using this weapon was taking a toll on his resonance energy reserves. This space ring has some good treasures in it, but I probably should have found time to really look through it because I picked this at random. Vandal remembered when he had sneakily taken that ring from the treasure hall.
“So what if you blocked the attack? Humph. Overestimating yourself,” Malouf snorted disdainfully.
“Anwar, again!” Malouf ordered.
Four simultaneous slashes rained down upon Vandal.
BOOM!
“Vandal!” Sabine shouted as she burst into the chamber, eyes widening at the sight of Malouf and Anwar relentlessly bombarding him with deadly strikes.
“You bastards!” Rage flared in her chest. She drew her short blade and charged forward.
“Anwar, blow the powder in the face of the echo remnant. Do it now!” Malouf ordered upon seeing the rest of Vandal’s group rushing over.
Anwar blew a rainbow-coloured powder towards the direction of the echo remnant. As it entered its nose, its eyes suddenly turned red. Seeing the group of people rushing over, it immediately bellowed.
“Die!”