'Damn monster!'
At the same time, both Tris and Nyxar cursed inwardly.
For Nyxar, it was a mix of anger and unease at having let himself fall into such a dangerous situation.
As for Tris, his eyes widened in shock, astonished by what was unfolding before him.
The black sword he controlled had been stopped most unexpectedly.
Unable to raise his twin blades in time to block, and with the sword too close to dodge, Nyxar chose to use his own teeth as a weapon.
Though the blade cut into the corners of his mouth, Nyxar succeeded in biting down hard on the black sword, preventing his head from being severed in an instant.
His reaction speed and the sheer force of his jaws were terrifying. Yet even more terrifying was his face at that moment.
Blood streamed down both sides of his face, dripping onto his body. With his teeth clamped around the blade, one could see his unnaturally sharp fangs.
The black aura from the sword mixed with the flames Nyxar released to defend himself, making his entire head appear as though it were burning, twisted into something grotesque.
Moreover, his face itself was beginning to change, looking less and less human, or rather, it seemed as though the human shell he wore was starting to break apart.
After clamping the sword in his mouth, Nyxar quickly raised his twin blades to try and knock away the weapon still pressing down to cleave his head in two.
Unlike Erya, he was not an Undead; losing his head would mean instant death, so allowing the sword to cut him was never an option.
Of course, Tris had no intention of simply letting Nyxar escape so easily. He had already moved in close. The two stone statues that had been knocked back earlier closed in again, resuming their assault.
The statue directly in front of Nyxar grabbed the hilt of the black sword, adding its strength to drive the blade down upon him.
The other statue closed in from behind Nyxar, preparing to deliver a powerful strike aimed at his spine.
Pressed into such a dire situation, Nyxar's entire body suddenly ignited, transforming into a massive fireball of gold and green.
Both Tris, who had advanced close, and his two statues along with the black sword were simultaneously blasted back by the terrifying force of the explosion.
Quickly regaining his footing and defending against the blast, Tris watched as the fireball gradually dissipated, revealing Nyxar at its center.
The image of a handsome black‑haired man was gone. In his place stood a creature with human‑like limbs, yet cloaked entirely in pitch‑black from head to toe.
Its face was difficult to discern, save for a pair of blazing eyes that burned like fire. Upon its head curved a pair of long horns, and from its back spread great bat‑like wings.
The twin blades Nyxar had wielded before were gone. Instead, they seemed to have fused into his arms, for from near his wrists protruded two sharp blades, identical in form to the ones he had carried.
Tris: '(＃°Д°) So you want to move on to Phase Two, huh? What are you, the boss of some Soul‑type game?'
He roared inwardly, brimming with frustration.
Nyxar, now transformed, stood tall, lightly flexing his wings as though warming up.
Tilting his head, he brushed a hand across the lower half of his face, as if recalling the pain of the sword's cut upon his flesh.
Nyxar: "I did not expect to have to use this form so soon. You truly are a formidable one. I am Nyxar, Inferno Blade of Duskara. What is your name, boy?"
Tris: "Duskara?"
Nyxar: "That is our homeland. Your kind usually calls it the Demon Realm."
After answering, he paused, as though waiting for Tris to introduce himself.
Tris: "I am Tom, an adventurer."
His face remained unchanged, the lie slipping out as naturally as breathing.
Nyxar: "Tom? Such a mundane name compared to your extraordinary nature."
Tris: "No choice. Names are given by parents, not chosen by us. What about in Duskara? Do you build families as we do here?"
One of Tris's statues tossed him back the black sword it had been holding.
Nyxar: "Haha. Not much different, really."
He laughed loudly, then with a single flap of his wings, lifted himself into the air, hovering above.
Nyxar: "To show respect to a worthy opponent, from now on I will fight with all my strength."
Tris muttered inwardly: 'I'd rather you not respect me so much. I'm terrified.'
Nyxar's hands ignited, engulfed in strange flames. He hurled them downward, launching fireballs at Tris and his statues.
Tris and the two statues he controlled nimbly dodged the incoming blasts, while the other immobile statues he had summoned earlier were destroyed instantly.
As Nyxar continued to rain down fireballs, scorching and tearing apart the ground, many nearby buildings quickly caught fire and burned.
The surroundings around Tris became a blazing inferno. Even the air to breathe was vanishing, replaced by the mist Nyxar kept releasing.
Tris: 'He's reshaping the battlefield to his advantage.'
Though he understood Nyxar's intent, Tris had no way to stop him and could only focus on protecting himself.
He immediately summoned the 'Berserker' and entered it, shielding himself from the harsh environment outside.
At the same time, Tris began firing 'Magic Bullets' in counterattack while moving toward the mage tower. If Nyxar wanted to spread fire, Tris intended to drag that fire closer to the tower.
He did not forget that the tower was still a crucial objective. His battle with Nyxar could be used to aid in achieving that goal.
Seeing Tris's direction, Nyxar seemed to guess his intent and intensified his assault, making it difficult for Tris to shift the battlefield toward the tower.
Raising both hands before him, countless ghostly fireballs appeared in the air.
Nyxar then brought his palms together, and at once the hovering fireballs shot forward, converging on Tris and his puppet from all sides.
Tris erected a 'Space Barrier' around 'Berserker', blocking the first wave of fireballs. As soon as the barrier began to tremble, he deliberately detonated it outward, shattering the remaining fireballs before they could reach him.
Just as Tris and Nyxar prepared new magic to continue their clash, a sudden pillar of blinding light erupted in the distance, momentarily drawing both their attention away.
Tris: 'That looks like a Divine Blessing being used. Seems today won't be easy for anyone.'
He sighed, silently wishing that Bishop Peter would claim victory.