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.

something stupid out of anger, we could've used

no

finally get what you guys did. Clever

very air as a palpitating and almost

VUAM—!

that a murderous aura suddenly sprang out from behind her small body,

glared in my direction, directing the murderous aura revolving around her body

will pay for what

forth in my direction like an unstoppable tsunami. Opening its mouth,

"Stay back, Ren."

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

contact with the red skull, which was a tangible reflection of Durara's bloodlust, a

formed and the skull split apart as though it was made out of water. What followed after was a strong gale that

"Hmph."

small attack had not worked, Durara snorted. She then proceeded to

Crack! Crack!

the moment her staff touched the floor, everything beneath her feet completely shattered apart, revealing the

slowly rose in the air around her, encircling

suddenly materialized around Durara, surrounding her completely. She raised her staff in

"I'll kill you, traitor!"

whole building as a 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.

Then, in unison, it agglomerated towards the

mana had completely converged on top of the staff, a second had

happening, the dozen or so duergars weren't standing still. Aiming their weapons in

were ready as a threatening energy

look, Waylan

can you handle her

it to

Ultruk was confident in defending against Durara's attack. Although he could feel just

least, that's how it looked

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

could no longer quantify the power radiating from

"Huuuuarg!"

furious cry of thunder as it reverberated throughout the hall, strongly shaking the surroundings. A

floor beneath him cracked apart as fine, miniature crevices expanded from the area around his foot. His

eyes became even colder. The enormous energy lingering atop her

together to form an even larger, inconceivable mass of destructive mana that quickly

his calves, his body tore through the

this was no problem for him. Intensifying his grip on the axe, Ultruk's

red light surged from the tip of the axe and ruthlessly smashed

BANG—!

force emerged from the head-on collision, causing Ultruk to get forced backward. A

around Durara and Ultruk were pushed even further back as a

me, I had Waylan for support.

"Ugh…!"

attack, I could see Waylan struggling to diffuse the aftershocks of

the ensuing battle, Waylan's face couldn't be any more

I can interfere with…" he silently

just took place, Waylan realized that the fight was far beyond

each rank grows as one gets closer