Undead, that is the term used to describe beings who, though dead, still exist, move, and even think like the living.
Tris had once believed that the female archer was simply overconfident, pouring nearly everything into offense while neglecting defense.
But if she turned out to be an Undead, then that approach became perfectly understandable. It was, in fact, the best way to exploit and maximize the advantages she possessed.
That is why people often say: what seems meaningless may conceal deeper reasons.
Once again, Tris reminded himself never to underestimate any opponent, lest one day he pay a heavy price.
"Keng!"
The sharp clang of metal rang out as Tris's sword clashed against the blade of the foe before him, forcing him to refocus entirely on the fight.
Nyxar: "Quite confident, aren't you, boy? You're facing me, yet you still seem to have the leisure to think of other matters."
He spoke, sounding amused.
Tris: "And what about you? Aren't you worried your companions might be in danger? The other three have already been gone for a while."
By saying this, Tris hoped the man would try to pursue and intercept John's group, thereby exposing more openings for him to exploit.
Yet the answer he received was far from encouraging.
Nyxar: "Compared to those three, I believe the one who can defeat Erya in her own specialty poses far greater threat, and is far more worth my attention."
Tris: "Thanks for the compliment…"
Though his lips offered polite thanks, in his mind Tris was busy cursing the man's entire family.
After all, being targeted by such a dangerous opponent was truly disastrous. And it was even worse given that, judging by his movements, this man was most likely an assassin specialized in stealth combat and killing from the shadows.
Knowing he could not avoid this confrontation, Tris had no choice but to use all his strength to try and bring down the foe before him.
The two locked eyes, and then, without any signal, both lunged forward to strike at the other.
Tris's sword clashed again and again against Nyxar's twin blades. While his weapon exuded a black aura, Nyxar's blades were wrapped in flames of yellow and green.
Along with their weapons, the black aura and flames collided, opposed, and canceled each other out.
Both Tris and Nyxar moved with blinding speed, their swings no slower than their footwork. As a result, any ordinary onlooker would see nothing but streams of black mist and fiery light weaving and dancing through the air.
After a brief exchange, both realized it would be difficult to defeat the other if they continued like this. Thus, they began to employ more of their hidden techniques.
From Nyxar's body, a mist began to spread, enveloping him until he appeared hazy, indistinct, like the fog itself.
Reflected in Tris's gaze was the sight of Nyxar lunging in, his blade sweeping across in a deadly arc toward Tris's throat.
Yet Tris's reaction was strange. Instead of dodging or blocking the incoming strike, he turned and swung his sword fiercely toward a space where no figure stood.
The image of Nyxar vanished, and in that seemingly empty spot another Nyxar suddenly appeared, blocking the black blade with his own.
This was what Tris immediately understood when his opponent unleashed his magic. What he saw with his eyes was nothing more than an illusion, like a mirage in the desert. The true body of that projection lay in a completely different position.
Thus, if one did not realize this and focused only on defending against the illusion, the real blade would strike from another angle and instantly claim the life of its unfortunate prey.
Nyxar: 'So, you noticed right away. Can you tell me how you managed to realize it?'
Hearing the question, Tris, of course, had no intention of foolishly explaining to his opponent about the Space magic he had always used to sense the surroundings.
Instead, he answered only by launching a direct counterattack.
With a single stomp, a series of stone statues identical in shape and size to himself rose from the ground.
Two of them moved at once, charging in to strike Nyxar from opposite sides. Tris himself, wielding the black sword, also rushed forward to execute a triangular encirclement tactic.
It was clear Nyxar had no intention of letting himself be trapped in such a disadvantageous position.
He retreated to keep distance from Tris while swinging his blades repeatedly to block the strikes from the two statues closing in.
Then, both statues simultaneously unleashed their pincer attack.
The one on the right lunged forward, fist driving a 'Fist of Destruction' straight toward Nyxar's chest.
At the same time, the statue on the left twisted its hips, spinning into a kick aimed at his waist. This strike was a variant of the 'Fist of Destruction,' executed with the leg instead of the hand, which Tris had named 'Thunder Kick.'
Facing the pincer assault, Nyxar remained calm. His stance was firm, like the roots of an ancient tree gripping the earth. One hand held a blade in the normal grip, while the other reversed its weapon, grasping it in the opposite direction.
Rotating his shoulders, Nyxar swung both blades with precision, intercepting the attacks from either side. Both of Tris's powerful strikes were deflected, proving that Nyxar's swing was far from simple in its execution.
Even though the pincer attack had failed, Tris showed no sign of discouragement, for his next move was already underway.
The black sword he had been holding was hurled forward at terrifying speed, flying straight toward Nyxar at the very moment his feet were planted firmly on the ground.
At the very moment the two statues were knocked back by Nyxar's swing, the black sword had already flown close to its target. Its sharp tip seemed ready to pierce straight through Nyxar's unguarded chest.
Faced with this sudden strike, Nyxar reacted with astonishing speed, without the slightest delay. He skillfully bent his knees slightly, twisted his waist, and leaned backward to evade the incoming blade. By his calculation, the black sword would never reach his flesh.
Yet what troubled him was the violent dark aura surging around the weapon, something he could not simply avoid.
Though confident he could counter it with his flames, Nyxar suspected his troublesome opponent might exploit the aura to cast some kind of magic.
However, his prediction was off. Rather than using the dark aura as a conduit for another magic, Tris employed it merely to add damage and to obscure the sword's movement.
Just as the blade seemed to miss and slide past its target, it suddenly shifted unnaturally, as though guided by invisible hands.
Using a nearby statue as a medium, Tris activated the effect of 'Magic Hand' bound to his sword.
Even from a distance, it was as if Tris still held the weapon in his grasp. Thus, he made it turn mid‑air, slashing back toward Nyxar at point‑blank range.