'What the—'
Nira involuntarily uttered curses in frustration as she witnessed her own spectral arrow homing in on her.
She could sense that the will she had infused into the spectral arrow had been entirely obliterated and replaced by her adversary's intent.
Uncertain about the specific ocular Skill that could not only diminish the caster's will but also deflect attacks back toward them, she deduced it had to be an exceedingly advanced technique. She was not sure how someone so unimpressive-looking could get hold of such Skill.
"Hmph! Party tricks."
Reacting swiftly, Nira stepped back and sidestepped to evade the incoming spectral arrow. The arrow missed her cheek by a hair's breadth before running past her and damaging the tree trunk behind her instead. A million wooden splinters were shot all around in the moment as the arrow managed to destroy the tree trunk.
The arrow did not stop there and kept on flying forward, destroying many tree trunks, branches, and even rocky formations that came in its path. Even though Nira only wanted to harm Lemaar and not kill him, her spectral arrows packed a punch. Even a simple attack initiated by an S-Rank entity was very destructive in nature.
Nira managed to not make a fool of herself by dodging the attack of her own arrow. However, it became apparent that Lemaar, or rather Eren controlling him, had anticipated her movements as if he had precalculated her position. She observed that he was already moving towards her updated position as soon as she laid her eyes on him.
Swoosh. Zoom. Miss.
Barely evading the preemptive strike from Eren's spear, Nira recognized the marked difference in Lemaar's abilities after their last encounter. It seemed as if he was now under some form of influence, moving and behaving with newfound mastery.
The transformation was stark, turning him from a relatively lackluster combatant into a proficient wielder of his weapon and Skills. He could move better, attack more fiercely, and intimate his opponent with his gaze. These weren't the qualities Lemaar had displayed before.
[ Skill: Unlimited Weapon Works ]
[ Skill: Agni Steps ]
[ Skill: Flame Spirit Spear ]
Eren seamlessly executed all available Skills while commandeering Lemaar's body, engaging Nira's alchemy doll. Despite sensing limitations in the alchemy doll's capabilities, Eren opted not to underestimate her, denying her the opportunity to devise a countermeasure.
***
Nira's subordinates found themselves in a daze as Lemaar launched a counterattack. Without receiving any orders from Nira, they opted to stay grounded and maintain a secure perimeter, preventing Lemaar from escaping.
Nira, too, refrained from instructing her subordinates to release their Spatial Lock, concerned that Lemaar might possess an escape-oriented Skill. Plus, wishing to maintain her honor as a Saint, she hesitated to seek assistance from her subordinates in handling someone of A-Rank status, given her S-Plus Rank reputation.
This situation provided a brief window for Eren to engage Nira in a duel without any interruptions. Taking full advantage, he decided to confront Nira aggressively after taking control of Lemaar's body.
'Fuck! Everything hurts! This body is at its limits,' Eren cursed as he moved.
Lemaar's body bore the brunt of injuries, and his mana reserves had been depleted in the earlier battle with Nira's subordinates. Strategic attacks from Nira had halved all his body Stats.
To counter this debuff, Eren utilized berserking potions injected into Lemaar's body. The potions quickly replenished his mana reserves, improved his health, and accelerated the healing of his wounds.
The berserking potions also heightened Lemaar's physical attributes, enhancing muscle definition. A 20 to 30 percent buff was applied to his operational Skills, making him a formidable threat to Nira's current form.
Aware that the effects of the berserking potions would take a toll on Lemaar's body later, Eren focused on defeating Nira in the present, dealing with the consequences afterward.
***
Barely a minute had passed since Eren and Nira commenced their duel. However, to both Eren and Nira, this short span felt like an enduring period. It seemed as if Eren was racing against a clock, while Nira was patiently biding her time.
Swoosh. Zoom. Boom.
The influence of a Grandmaster's Rank was evident as Lemaar, under Eren's control, unleashed a fire-element attack. Although it missed Nira, it landed on the battlefield behind her, causing a significant impact and explosion. The shockwaves propagated for several hundred meters before dissipating.
Nira had also launched her counterattack. And a few of her arrows and mid-range attacks did end up hurting Eren, making him bleed even more than before. However, he didn't care and kept on harassing the Ranger as if his life was dependent on it.
Eren persisted in his assault on Nira, while she, utilizing her Ranger privileges and perks, dodged and distanced herself from him. She struggled to create space, aiming to execute her long-
range skills.
Her Ranger Profession made close combat challenging, especially in her alchemy doll form, which was ill-suited for withstanding Eren's direct attacks. Eren felt like he was back in LA and dueling against Renita.
After all, the Ranger and front-running fighters always had opposing battle styles from each other. The contrast would have been even more apparent if Lemaar was a close combat warrior with less effective mid-range attacks than what he had as a berserker.
'This weapon intent! It wasn't this oppressive before.'
Nira took in a sharp breath as she employed her superior Ranker-class Skills to evade Eren's attacks. Since Eren's ascension to demi-god status, his intent-based magic had undergone a significant upgrade.
His Sin Series Domains had become more potent, and his Weapon Intent started to influence the reality of the world, surpassing the typical Ranking limitations. This allowed him to effortlessly contend with Sage Rankers while remaining in the Grandmaster Rank.
'This man… with such qualifications, he should have easily been in Shaynak 100. The fact that he isn't only means that he is trying to hide from the limelight.
I… I need to ask for a bigger reward from Lehan when I catch him. This is a premium-grade specimen for his experiments.'
Nira was even more sure that Lemaar was hiding a big secret about him than she was before Eren took over the latter's body. After all, if he was this capable, he would have already been famous in Labh Salem. And there would have been countless organizations willing to recruit him in their fold.
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