Just as everyone was preparing to launch another attack, the entire palace suddenly trembled. Nightblade's lips curled into a sinister smile; in his hand he held a small black crystal, clearly the source of the tremor. "Let me show you true power!" he sneered, raising the crystal high.
"This is bad!" Chen Ge's heart tightened, and he immediately shouted, "Everyone, take cover! Mela, Wright, prepare to counterattack!" His words echoed through the crowd like thunder. At that moment, the little girl who had just joined the group gripped her mother's arm tightly, a nervous yet courageous glint in her eyes.
"Mom...Mom, am I scared?" the little girl asked, looking up. Her voice trembled slightly, but her eyes were filled with determination. The woman gently stroked her daughter's soft hair and said tenderly, "Sweetie, everyone is afraid sometimes, but courage is not about not being afraid, but about doing what you believe is right even when you are afraid."
Hearing this, the little girl seemed to regain her courage, and she nodded vigorously. A deep, powerful voice came from not far away, "The little girl is right. The most important thing now is to stay united, no matter how difficult the obstacles ahead." It was the old man's voice; his eyes, weathered by countless storms, shone brightly, as if they could pierce through all the gloom.
The words had barely left his lips when a deafening roar erupted as the energy crystal at the palace's center exploded, releasing a blinding light and a powerful surge of energy. Everyone quickly scattered to avoid the shockwave's impact. Mela's arrows were ready, but she didn't fire immediately, waiting for the perfect moment. Hag, wielding his giant axe, roared as he charged towards the enemy: "Come on, let's see if you, this dark minion, are stronger than us, the warriors of justice!"
At the same time, some passersby began to discuss it.
"That warrior is so cool! I want to be like him!"
"Oh dear, that's so dangerous... but they really seem very powerful," an older woman nearby exclaimed.
"I wish I had that ability... at least I could help them do more things," another young man said hopefully.
Just then, Chen Ge noticed Nightblade using the chaos of the explosion to move quickly and attempt to attack the squad members in the weakest position of the defense from the side. Seeing this, he immediately shouted a warning: "Someone's coming from the left! Everyone be careful!" Almost simultaneously, Selena appeared in that position like a phantom, blocking the attack in time. Even so, the powerful force still caused her to stumble back several steps before regaining her balance. "Hmph, I knew I couldn't underestimate any attack," she muttered to herself.
As the battle intensified, the air thickened with the smell of gunpowder. Visker, dagger in hand, swiftly moved behind his opponent after a brief exchange, preparing to deliver the fatal blow. Meanwhile, Wright unleashed his skill, creating a massive sphere of light that slowly rose, illuminating the surroundings and providing shelter for his teammates. Each time the beam of light passed before an onlooker, they couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
"Wow! That's so cool!"
"What incredible power!"
However, Nightblade was not easily defeated. He suddenly leaped forward to dodge the energy blast unleashed by Wright, and then threw several small dark energy balls in all directions. "Haha! Let's see how you defend against so many attacks!" he shouted triumphantly.
Just as the situation was deteriorating, a strange fragrance suddenly wafted in from outside the palace, followed by light footsteps that broke the tense atmosphere. "Who is it?" Chen Ge keenly sensed something unusual approaching. "Come out, friend or foe? Our duel has reached its most crucial moment; stop playing hide-and-seek!"
As his words fell, a figure slowly emerged from a corner of the palace. This person was dressed in a long robe that concealed his entire body, and his face was obscured by a wide-brimmed hat, making it impossible to see his features clearly. He simply stood there quietly, neither answering nor moving. "Just who are you?!" Hag pressed on, not to be outdone.
The stranger was silent for a moment before speaking in a calm, almost icy voice: "My name is Saen, and I'm here to settle scores with Nightblade."
"Settle accounts?" Hearing this, everyone present was somewhat surprised, especially Nightblade, who had been arrogant and domineering, and became noticeably more vigilant. "Who sent you?" Faced with this sudden new threat, he couldn't help but become more alert.
Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the newly appeared figure, Saan suddenly moved. His movements were lightning fast; in a few leaps, he was already in front of Nightblade, and their conversation abruptly ended…
Saan's figure blurred into a streak of light in everyone's eyes, too fast to catch. Nightblade clearly hadn't expected his opponent to close in so quickly, and his face instantly turned ashen. The clash of their powers created invisible ripples in the air, making those around them feel an inexplicable pressure.
"Who dares to come looking for trouble with me?" Nightblade roared, gathering dark energy in his hands once more, attempting to suppress the uninvited guest before him. However, everyone present could clearly sense that the aura emanating from Saan was completely different from any of the enemies they had encountered before—it was a deeper, more ancient, and more powerful aura.
Discussions arose among the onlookers:
"What's going on? Has someone even stronger arrived?"
"Wow, this looks like a legendary duel between masters!"
"I don't know what grudge they have... but this new friend seems much more powerful than that bad guy."
Just then, a merchant not far away couldn't help but speak up, "Although I don't know much about these battles, my intuition tells me that the one in the robe seems to have more confidence." The young man next to him nodded in agreement, "Yes, look at how easily he approached the enemy without even taking a weapon. He must have some special ability."
Chen Ge carefully observed the exchange between the two, not rushing to intervene. "It seems I've really encountered a formidable opponent this time," he thought to himself. "I hope this guy named Saen is as powerful as he appears, otherwise..." This thought was interrupted by his own words as an unexpected change occurred on the battlefield—Nightblade, who had been on the offensive, began to retreat gradually, as if under pressure from some unknown force.
Meanwhile, Wright continued to maintain the shield's presence during the gaps, providing the team with maximum safety; Visker also closely monitored the situation while looking for the most opportune moment to launch a surprise attack; Hag remained steadfast in his position, using his body to block any attempts to ambush his teammates...
Suddenly, a clear, bell-like sound pierced the battlefield, startling everyone. It turned out that Mela had released a special signal flare hidden within her bowstring, used to draw the enemy's attention and create an opportunity for herself to fire. Sure enough, after a brief dodge, her arrow shot like a bolt from a bow towards the retreating Nightblade. Just when everyone thought victory was imminent, Nightblade abruptly turned and flew off in another direction!
"Trying to run? No way!" Saen snorted and sped off in pursuit.
The other heroes in the palace exchanged glances and immediately followed. Those who had originally planned to watch the spectacle or slip away in the chaos were now stunned. The scene was so shocking that everyone stopped and asked each other:
"What do you think will happen next?"
"I think we should stay here and not move around. Who knows if there will be other dangers over there?"
A slightly bolder little boy excitedly shouted, "I'm going to tell everyone what I saw today! Mommy, Mommy, do you know what? There are superpowered people fighting here!"
Just as the onlookers were buzzing with discussion, another deafening collision echoed from afar. Clearly, the duel between Saen and Nightblade was far from over, and with more people joining the fray, the situation was becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable.
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