〈System Alert: Attack Damage for the item «Scorched Inferno's Fang» has been reduced by 975 points due to the effect of «Dual Wielding»!〉

〈System Alert: Agility for the item «Scorched Inferno's Fang» has been reduced by 152 points due to the effect of «Dual Wielding»!〉

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The attack damage and agility reduction from the Scorched Inferno's Fang was a bit disappointing. However, in the end, it was still a boost to Izroth's overall stats. More importantly, the effects of the spear remained unaffected.

Rmmmmmble!

The wave of energy sent out by Tigran rapidly approached Izroth and covered a vast area as it spread out the further it traveled. But, with his Flickering Steps still active and the bonus movement speed from his Light Feather Footwork rising every second, Izroth's speed soared to new heights.

However, instead of using his speed to avoid the energy wave, Izroth stood firm and directly received the blow!

Bang!

The energy wave slammed into Izroth, and despite the protective winds that were generated by his Warpath Blade: Gale Zone Guard, he felt as if he could be blown away at any moment.

'It's holding up.'

Fortunately, the protective winds blocked the damage and crowd control effects from Tigran's energy wave. However, Izroth could feel the protective winds around him become weaker and weaker with every moment that passed.

Though just as it seemed that the protective winds were about to give in, the energy wave dispersed.

When the last of the energy wave's momentum ceased, Izroth instantly made his move. The protective winds that encompassed his body were drawn to the weapons in his hands as he kicked off his back foot and advanced towards Tigran!

As he moved, Izroth left behind a burning inferno with every step, and within a few breaths, there were already numerous areas of scorched earth.

However, Izroth did not immediately charge into melee range of Tigran. He employed his Sword of The Storm's Tempest Strikes to grant range to his otherwise close-ranged attacks.

Woosh!

Izroth swung his Sword of The Storm and Scorched Inferno's Fang as sharp blades of wind were released from the weapons' edge.

Both attacks landed without trouble, but the wind blades quickly scattered as they hit Tigran's armor.

'There's only a few seconds remaining until my Flickering Steps ends. Before that happens...'

Tigran narrowed his eyes after he witnessed his attack once again fail to damage Izroth. To him, the power difference between them was like that of night and day. Given his opponent's strength, Tigran believed that the first Dragon's Mark should have been enough to end the battle. However, that was not the case.

Now, to survive a direct strike from his empowered broadsword—the more skills Izroth's displayed, the more Tigran became interested in his origins.

"A strange movement skill, purple lightning, and a teleportation technique... all things that are not easily acquired. To have a broad range of skills and specializations at such a young age—can it be that he is a disciple of that place?" Tigran internalized.

"If he truly is from that place, it is all the more reason to kill him now and erase every trace of his existence." Tigran released a terrifying amount of killing intent.

Izroth immediately felt the sudden spike in killing intent from Tigran as his Soul Sense rung sounds of danger.

'Something's changed.'

While Tigran had not underestimated or let his guard down against Izroth, there was still a certain level of curiosity that kept him from going all out. But now, it was as though that curiosity had been wiped clean and replaced with terrifying killing intent!

Izroth did not retreat in the face of Tigran's killing intent. In fact, the killing intent caused Izroth to raise his concentration.

At the moment, Izroth was moving so fast that multiple silhouettes constantly lingered in the areas he trod upon.

Izroth maintained a perfect distance of three meters from Tigran and made sure every step he took did not fall outside of that range.

Of course, Tigran did not plan to stand still and allow Izroth to do as he pleased.

Swoosh!

The metal tail on Tigran's armor struck out at Izroth as he raced in circles around Tigran. At the head of the metal tail was a razor-sharp edge that hooked slightly at the very tip. This hooked blade was sharp enough to effortlessly leave a deep gash in the earth; therefore, one could only imagine the damage it would do if they received a direct hit from it.

Izroth narrowly evaded the metal tail that aimed for his head without faltering.

'Hm?'

A small cut appeared on Izroth's cheek as a bit of blood trickled down the side of his face.

-8,035

The next moment, Izroth activated Rapid Regeneration as a light green aura formed around him and doubled his HP regeneration, restoring just over 400 points of his health per second.

'To remove a third of my HP from a small scratch even though I evaded it—As I thought, my natural defenses are useless. I'll have to decrease the window of my reaction time if I want to avoid taking damage.'

Typically, Izroth waited until the last moment possible to dodge attacks. After all, the situation could change at any given time; therefore, the longer he waited before reacting, the less time his opponents had to adjust their actions. However, he could not employ this method against attacks from Tigran's metal tail.

'It's still not enough.'

Izroth's speed reached its peak as his Light Feather Footwork approached its maximum boost of 125%, with his Flickering Steps nearing its end.

4 seconds...

3 seconds...

2 seconds!

With two seconds remaining on his Flickering Steps, Izroth gained a massive burst of movement speed. He used the active skill of his Light Feather Footwork, and although he lost the passive effects of the skill, he momentarily obtained a 250% movement speed boost—double that of his Light Feather Footwork's passive.

But, he did not stop there and executed his Sword Arts: Four Steps of Death twice within 0.25 seconds of one another. For a split moment, Izroth's movement speed bonus reached a frightening 2,250%! Paired with his more than 10,000 points of agility, the flickering silhouettes were replaced by solid and realistic versions of Izroth. It seemed as though he had suddenly cloned himself several times over!

"What is he up to?" Tigran thought to himself as the heat in the atmosphere began to rise by several degrees.

Before Tigran knew it, the ground around him within three meters had turned into a ring of molten lava.

«Immune»

«Immune»

Tigran remained unaffected by the damage of the Inferno Prints as the heatwaves slammed into him. Since it did not affect him, Tigran did not bother moving out of its range. After all, his Dragon's Scale was capable of receiving much harsher punishment.

But, what Tigran did not know was that Izroth was counting on that overconfidence in his defenses.

Bang!

Izroth slipped through the attack perimeter of the metal tail and landed a solid kick on Tigran's side. However, as expected, Tigran did not budge from where he stood. It was also at this point that Izroth's Flickering Steps and other movement speed skills came to a simultaneous end.

Woosh! Zeeeut!

The metal tail swiped out viciously at Izroth; however, just before it could run him through, Izroth used his final charge of Primed Instantaneous Movement to escape.

"Hm?" Tigran glanced down at his side, where Izroth kicked him to see a burning footprint on his armor.

When Tigran's gaze landed on the footwork, something strange took place. The footprint, as well as the ring of molten lava around him, released a bright flash of light.

...BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

An ear-ringing explosion erupted at the outpost's center that could be felt and seen at the far corners of the outpost.

A towering pillar of flames engulfed Tigran. The shockwave and heatwave from the blast were so intense that it was enough to inflict a burn effect on those who were more than fifty meters away from where it occurred!

For the next four seconds, a blazing tower of inferno appeared at the center of the outpost as though it were a new landmark.

Those who watched from a distance were horrified.

Just what kind of monsters were fighting right now?!

At this rate, the outpost that was already in a tattered state would never be rebuilt!

Some of them were tempted to rush in and get a closer look, but no one dared to do so. If the heat was this intense from so far away, they could only imagine what it was like at its source!