Dolos swiftly recovered from Aurie's initial blow as he immediately began to prepare a counter for the incoming attack. This ring's speed was less than that of Aurie's last destructive strike, Double-Cross: Savage Moonlit Cleave. If it was before he transformed, he might not have been able to recover and react in time after the initial blow. But, his casting speed was now five times faster!

Dolos was about to activate his magic when, all of a sudden, a cage of lightning appeared around him, temporarily paralyzing his movements. At the same time, something, or rather someone, sprung out from the shadow beneath the ring of energy. This person was Izroth, who had recently escaped from Dolos' Burial of the Damned!

​​

"When did he-" Dolos' magic was obstructed by the effects of the lightning cage as his eyes widened in shock. One or two times could be written off as luck; however, to do so three times was no mere coincidence. Dolos was at a complete loss as to how was this person was moving so freely while under the restrictions of his spatial magic!

'I do not know why my sixth sword form failed, but something is telling me that we can't let this fight drag out for too long. I have a theory as to why my sixth sword form did not affect him, though I can only hope that I am mistaken.'

After using his last charge of Primed Ability: Space Defying Tread to escape the confines of Dolos' spatial prison, Izroth utilized his Shadow Movement skill to hide himself in Aurie's shadow.

Then, after Aurie executed her Double-Cross: Cosmic Sweep, Izroth hid within the energy ring's shadow as it traveled forward. As the energy ring grew closer to Dolos, Izroth lingered one step ahead of it.

A couple of meters before the ring was about to collide with Dolos, Izroth made his move as he increased his speed to its peak, exited the shadow form of his Shadow Movement, and deployed the Lightning Cage skill from his Sword of The Storm.

Lightning Cage was one of Izroth's few crowd control skills and could paralyze trapped targets for up to five seconds! Of course, he did not expect it to last that long against someone of Dolos' caliber; however, it was enough to buy time for their next move.

Bzzzt...! Bzzzzt! Crrrrckle!

Two purple lightning bolts descended from the sky and struck Izroth's location as his Sword of The Storm was coated in a pure lightning element.

Simultaneously, Aurie's Double-Cross: Cosmic Sweep slammed viciously into Dolos, and upon contact, the pink and golden energies dissolved and seeped into his blood vessels, causing Dolos' body to undergo internal turmoil as it wreaked havoc.

Dolos was sent tumbling back by the blow's aftershock as a remarkably dense and intense form of the lightning element encompassed Izroth. At the same time, the pupils in Izroth's eyes disappeared as the color of his sclera shifted to that of wisteria.

Not only did Izroth activate the Call of the Thunder God's First State: Heavenly Descent, but without consuming a mana potion, he instantly used the Second State: Heavenly Cloak!

The mana cost increased when Izroth used another state of the Call of the Thunder God while one was already active; therefore, using both at once should have cost him 1,700 points of mana. This was well above his current 1,422 points of mana.

However, his sword forms were not the sole thing to advance during the time he spent in Resseki and Kiren's challenge.

At that time, Izroth also unlocked the second seal on the Seal of Ten Chakrams given to him by the Wiseman of Everpeak, Kryxelsia.

Skill Name: Seal of Ten Chakrams

Skill Creator: Kryxelsia

Skill Level: MAXED

Skill Rank: Unique*

Passive: +292 Mana

Passive: Greatly increases a player's potential for magic and enhances their mana based on the number of «Chakram Seals» unlocked.

«First Seal»: Doubles the user's current mana by [MAX: 600] upon being unsealed.

«Second Seal»: The user's mana increases in quality, causing skills that utilize mana to have their cost reduced by 17%.

«Third Seal»-«Tenth Seal»: [Sealed]

Special Note: A technique created by Wiseman Kryxelsia after many years of research that draws out and taps into one's latent potential for magic.

Zeeeeut!

Izroth's movement speed soared to new heights as his figure became blurry. For a brief moment, he completely shattered the previous top speeds reached with his Flickering Steps alone!

-3,612

Izroth's HP decreased by 15% as he positioned himself behind Dolos. In the same motion, he immediately adjusted his stance to match his First Sword Form: Converging Paths. Then, the lightning element from Izroth's sword infused with Essence poured out with great vigor as it washed over Dolos with an overwhelming force!

'Sword Arts: Four Steps of Death.'

«Critical Hit»

«Critical Hit»

-266,565

〈Battle Alert: The effect «Death In One Step» has been activated!〉

-250,974

Skill Name: Sword Arts: Four Steps of Death

Skill Level: 1/4

Skill Rank: SS

Mana or HP Cost: 200 Mana or 5% HP

Requirements: ???

Passive: Damage from this skill has a fixed 100% chance to «Critical Hit». This «Critical Hit» chance is decreased by 25% per active stack of «Step of Death». The «Critical Hit» from this skill can stack with other «Critical Hit» bonuses and effects.

Active: The user gains +1,000% movement speed during the next 4 meters they travel(Increased to 10 meters if the user has 0 «Step of Death» stacks). Depending on the user's «Step of Death» stacks, the following effect(s) will occur:

[0 Stacks] - The user can pay an additional 500 mana or 10% HP to instantly attack an opponent within the striking range of their sword, dealing 650% of their attack power as physical damage. This attack has a 75% chance of activating the effect «Death In One Step» on its target. In addition, the cooldown to «Sword Arts: Four Steps of Death» is increased from 0.25 seconds to 5 minutes. If the user chooses not to pay an additional 500 mana, they will instead gain 1 stack of «Step of Death» (MAX: 3) and can immediately activate the [1 Stack] effect of this skill.

[1 Stack] - The user can instantly attack an opponent within the striking range of their sword, dealing 300% of their attack power as physical damage. Gains 1 stack of «Step of Death».

[2 Stacks] - The user can instantly attack an opponent within the striking range of their sword, dealing 200% of their attack power as physical damage. Gains 1 stack of «Step of Death».

[3 Stacks] - The user can instantly attack an opponent within the striking range of their sword, dealing 150% of their attack power as physical damage. Resets «Step of Death» stacks to 0, and cooldown time is increased from 0.25 seconds to 5 minutes.

«Death In One Step» - If the target is above 50% HP, they will receive an additional 10% of their maximum HP as energy damage. If the target is at or below 50% HP, they will receive an additional 30% of their total missing HP as energy damage. Damage from this skill ignores all defenses and cannot «Critical Hit».

Special Note: One of a certain individual's greatest achievements as a swordsman in their years of youth. This skill can only be leveled up through repeated usage and proper execution.

Cooldown: 0.25 seconds

...

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Rosentarus border...

Solomon sat alone under a canopy in front of a table with various papers scattered about. It was not as spacious as his command tent; however, since they would be retreating from this place soon, there was little reason to set up a new command tent.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Solomon said to seemingly no one. But, not even half a breath later, a figure emerged from the darkness and stood before the General. They were the representative of the War Intelligence Group, Soothing Smoke.

"We have a problem." Soothing Smoke said calmly—at least that was what most people would perceive. Solomon, however, could hear a hint of alarm in their voice.

Solomon inwardly furrowed his brows. If someone secretive like Soothing Smoke stated that they had a problem, then it was something they were not confident in resolving alone.

"What is it?" Solomon inquired.

"Dolos Jestal—he has betrayed us." Soothing Smoke stated coldly.