Watching the Archmage descend, Danzel looked at his surroundings.
His killing intent, albeit still there, the wrath that fuelled his strength, for the better or the worse, has gone dormant.
In turn, deactivated the [Sin of Wrath] talent, decreasing his strength and the bloodlust he let out.
'No! Don't shut down at times like this!' Danzel cursed internally, but all he could blame was himself.
Before he was overtaken by the raw nature of the undead, letting his feelings influence his actions unconsciously. Or rather, he knew he was influenced by it, but he still let himself get in this mess, thinking that he had a chance against a 4th-tier magic caster.
Something that he regrets and wished to punch his past self for being in this mess.
But once Danzel's true nature came out, his race's raw nature was overshadowed by his true nature.
Which was the drive to live and survive.
It was something so fundamental and yet his obsession with this was much stronger than any others.
So having his [Sin of Wrath] talent turn off could only be blamed on him and him alone.
'I got to escape from here! Master Velkir and the others aren't that far! As long as I regroup with them, they should be able to deal with this magic caster! I will have another chance! All I have to do is to escape!'
"All I have to do is to live!" Danzel yelled out loud while spreading an incredible amount of mana into the ground. So much that it made his mind start hurting.
Nevvan who reached the ground took quick notice of the foreign mana in the ground and simply started levitating back to the air.
In the next moment, the ground itself started to tremble as if an earthquake was going to happen. But Danzel had no such ability to create earthquakes.
But what he could do was raise the ground.
As soon as the temples started appearing, the ground started to raise up like smalls hills before the earth and concrete sand exploded to the side, revealing 5 circular stone poles that rose up, 2 of which aimed to cross each other right at Nevvan's position, potentially crushing him to bits.
But of course, something so predictable and slow was dodged by simply flying a few meters to the side.
Danzel plan though wasn't to kill him with that.
If it was, he wouldn't have forcefully risen the 3 other pillars at seemingly random positions. In the first place, Danzel had to alter the spell and in a way split the proportions of the original earth wall to make those pillars. Resulting in casting 2 [Stone Wall] at the same time.
All for to activate the enchantment of his cursed sword.
Suddenly, the concrete sand that was in the air and near the pillars started to rise up into the air and create a bubble around the magic caster. Raining him with the concrete sand and most importantly, blocking his vision.
For the slimmer of hope that he couldn't teleport to the location, he couldn't see. After all, Velkir, the lich that lived who knows how many centuries old had also in need of exterior help to teleport in places he couldn't see. If not he at least needed a certain amount of time.
Though it wouldn't take even 2 seconds for the magic caster to leave the globe of concrete sand, considering the distance he could cross in mere seconds, it was worth the mana usage and mental pain.
Alas, his hopes were soon crushed as a flash of light appeared not far away from him. The flash of light revealed to be the magic caster.
He barely distances himself 35 meters from his previous location and the magic caster was already in front of him.
And he could only continue running forward as this was his escape.
"I had enough of your game. Now die, for good." Nevvan said as he created a large number of normal ice spears floating behind him before releasing them at bullet speed.
Gritting his teeth, he halted and swung down his cursed sword at one of the incoming ice spears, destroying it completely and swinging at the next spear.
Next after next, Danzel started cutting through the spears with extreme precision. Compared to the other ice spears he face before, those were much large in scale, making them inherit slower. But more importantly, more lethal.
Essentially being rooted in the position he was, it was a matter of time when Danzel would mess up. And sadly for him, this time came sooner than later.
Among the last barrage, 3 ice spears came at the same time in all different locations. Danzel managed to quickly cut through the first and then guide his sword to destroy the second spear. But the third ice spear that was aiming for his right knee was far too apart to destroy compared to the others.
Making the spear penetrate his knee and directly cut half of his leg, resulting in him losing balance and almost having his helmet penetrated by the last shots of the ice spears. Luckily, that spear only brushed through his helmet, creating few sparks, leaving few scratches, and taking the black platings before falling to the ground.
Being on his remaining knee while supporting himself with his sword, Danzel stared at his missing leg.
'Nothing has changed!' Danzel screamed internally as memories of the past started to flood his mind.
Memories of him supporting himself in a tree, desperately trying to run away for his life, only to be blown away and kneeling to the ground just like now.
He also remembered how hundred of arms engulfed in dark waters were reaching out to him, souls trying to drag him in and potentially lose him in the endless darkness or a fate much worse than he could even imagine.
Although his fear of the Realm of the Dead has lessened through the years, that didn't mean that it was completely gone.
"I wasted enough time with an insult of magic just like you. It's time to end this." Nevvan said as he slowly walked towards him.
Hearing those words, Danzel's ethereal eyes burn much greater than before.
"I will live on! Regardless of the cost!" Danzel yelled while releasing his killing intent.
Raising to one of his feet with the support of his sword, he glanced at the magic caster in hate before raising his cursed sword infused by his mana.
And Danzel started swinging, releasing [Soul Reaping Wind]'s
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
And he didn't stop at his usual limit of 3.
He continued swinging and creating the 4th, resulting in an abuse of mana falling on his hand, making him feel like his hand was being boiled.
And that feeling only grew stronger at the 5th, creating small cracks in his bones.
But on the 6th one, the cracks opened up and pieces of his arm started to become dust in an instant, making Danzel fall once more to the ground.
Each of the 6 [Soul Reaping Wind]'s traveled and cut down the earth as they traveled towards the Archmage.
Nevvan seeing the ominous winds blade coming in his way didn't even try to dodge. He simply raised his staff and cast his spell in a whisper.
In the next moment, layer after layer of transparent barriers started to appear, stopping at the 6, the exact number of the ominous wind blades.
And as proven in their fight, each [Soul Reaping Wind] only managed to destroy a single layer. Once each wind blade made contact with the barrier, glass-like sounds started to fill the area as the layers started to break one by one.
Completely blocking Danzel's desperate last attempt to inflict some damage to the magic caster.
And yet Danzel still hasn't given up.
He tried to raise up, but with only one leg and hand, the latter which barely had the strength to grab his sword, he kept falling down no matter what he did.
"N-Nothing has changed..." Danzel kept mumbling to himself.
"You wasted enough of my time, undead." Nevvan said he got closer to Danzel while realizing a huge amount of mana.
Turning his head towards the magic caster, Danzel's ice-cold voice came out filled with hate.
"I swear, I swear upon my existence. Even in death, I will wait for your mortal soul to go into "that" place. When the day comes, I will personally drag you in and reap your soul apart." Danzel said, his voice growing cold by the second.
"I have no need for the rambling of an undead. Even more of an undead who is about to cease existing." Nevvan said as pointed his staff towards Danzel. Aiming for his skull.
As about the spell was going to be released and destroy the undead known as Rue Danzel.
A loud howl echoed through the battlefield.
Paying no heed to the howl, Nevvan released a much more powerful version of the magic missile.
And as it traveled towards Danzel's head, a sudden shadow appeared behind Danzel.
And in a blink of an eye, the stronger magic missile was cut into 4 parts, the mana in the spell dissipating to the surroundings.
All Danzel could see was a reversed curved blade being held an aged hand from the side of his eye.
