The Author's POV

"Ren, stay back."

Extending his hand towards my direction, Waylan pushed me back. His piercing, ice-cold gaze indifferently scanned Durara who was standing opposite him.

Holding onto a wooden staff double her size, a red orb deeply embedded at the very top of it. A soft, misty red hue shrouded the area around the staff, creating a mysterious feeling.

A heavy tension enshrouded the hall as both sides were locked in an intense stare-off.

WIIIIING—!

In a smooth motion, Waylan took out his broadsword and pointed it in Durara's direction.

Comparing the pressure he was giving off to Durara's, I could tell that he was weaker than her. In fact, it wasn't even a close match as his aura was swiftly getting suppressed by her.

Waylan also seemed to know this fact as a never-before-seen look of seriousness marred his face.

Without wasting any time, he channeled what little bit of mana he had recovered in his body towards the tip of the broadsword.

'…His psyon control is leagues above mine.'

I thought to myself as I observed him from the side.

From how he managed to freely control the psions to reach a certain point of the broadsword unimpeded, I could understand just how capable Waylan was.

But as Waylan was getting ready to fight, contrary to his expectations, Durara's attention wasn't directed toward him or Ultruk, who had still not made a move and was quietly observing Durara.

Her attention was in fact directed towards me. Durara mouthed slowly, in a tone I couldn't quite place my finger on.

"This familiar aura…"

Her chilly voice traveled through the ears of everyone present as my face couldn't help but change slightly.

Durara's expression turned from ice-cold to gloomy as her eyes that contained a faint black light shone even more fiercely. Her mind was slowly processing everything happening before her.

Seeing that she was slowly figuring things out, raising my hand, I waved in her direction, in an almost mocking manner.

"Hi."

Having been paying close attention to me for the past week or so, she was already familiar with my aura. Although I could hide it, I didn't feel the need to do so anymore.

She had already figured out what had happened so there was no longer a need.

Karl's role was done. He was no longer needed.

Might as well piss her off to disrupt her mentality.

"…It can't be. N-No, it cannot be possible…!"

Upon seeing me wave my hand in her direction, it finally dawned on her. A look of absolute shock and betrayal appeared on Durara's face as she tightened the grip on her staff.

But it didn't take long for her to calm her emotions down. Her face returned to its usual cold and indifferent one. However, everyone in the room could feel the tangible bloodlust exuding from her body.

She was angry.

'What a bummer…'

Seeing that my taunt did not work, I felt that it was a bit of a pity.

into doing something stupid out of anger, we could've used

bad no such thing

get it. I finally get what you guys did. Clever

single one of her words chilled the very air

VUAM—!

from behind her small body, in the

direction, directing the murderous

pay for

out loud, her aura bursting forth in my direction like an unstoppable tsunami. Opening its mouth, the illusory skull shot in my

"Stay back, Ren."

further back, Waylan stepped forward and threw a regular palm in the direction of the skull. Though the palm looked

tangible reflection of Durara's bloodlust, a small white glow enveloped Waylan's palm as

me, chopping his hand down, a large gap formed and the skull split apart as though it was made out of water. What followed after was a strong gale that messed up my hair and clothes, but other than that, I was completely

"Hmph."

had not worked, Durara snorted. She then proceeded to tap

Crack! Crack!

the floor, everything beneath her feet

of the floor slowly rose in the air around her, encircling

around Durara, surrounding her completely.

"I'll kill you, traitor!"

frightening power surfaced from above the top of the staff. Within seconds, a powerful ball of energy materialized in front of Durara as she pointed the staff in my direction. The ball then proceeded

"Hieaak!"

But she wasn't done.

another high-pitched scream, the mana around Durara suddenly froze. Then, in unison, it

of this happened in a matter of seconds. By the time the mana had completely converged on top of the

standing still. Aiming their weapons in our direction, they were also getting ready

sides were ready as a threatening energy expanded from their

Waylan looked to his

can you handle her

it to

in defending against Durara's attack. Although he could feel just how

least, that's how it

as the seconds ticked by, the energy gathered at the top of her staff became more

could no longer quantify the power radiating from

"Huuuuarg!"

it reverberated throughout the hall, strongly shaking the surroundings. A devastating energy rooted

foot. His calf muscles tensed, revealing thick

even colder. The enormous

the staff at a forty-five degree angle, the two spheres of energy revolving around her merged together to form an even larger, inconceivable mass of destructive mana that quickly shot it in our direction. A wild and violent energy swept the wind apart, forcefully tearing down anything in

tore through the air at an extremely terrifying speed. Holding onto the large axe with

lower, its head angled right below his waist. But this was no

of the axe and ruthlessly smashed against Durara's

BANG—!

Ultruk to get forced backward. A bright light shot outwards, and everything close to

and Ultruk were pushed even further back

support. A thin

"Ugh…!"

we were not too close to the attack, I could see Waylan struggling to diffuse the aftershocks of the

battle, Waylan's face

I can interfere with…" he silently

Waylan realized that

grows as one gets closer to the top.' I thought