"Lucas, now!" Elera urged, her eyes focused on maintaining the barrier.


    Seizing the opportunity, I darted to the side, avoiding the confrontation with Tony. I needed to use my agility and strategy to offset his raw power.


    While Tony was momentarily upied with Elera, I circled, looking for a chance to strike.


    "Get the hell out of my way, you bitch!"


    -Boom!


    -Thud!


    Tony angered by the sudden interference of Elra Cruse punches the mana barrier with his dark mana influence punch.


    The power behind that punch was so high that it sent Elera out of the mana barrier, the mana barrier created by Elera disappeared and Elera hit the wall.


    All of this happens within two seconds.


    "Damnit" I cruse aloud as I saw power behind that punch. Tony turned his head at me and pointed his sword in my direction.


    Acting quickly, I stashed my bow back into my smart bracelet''s dimensional storage and mentally prepared myself for hand-to-handbat.


    I know I can''t defeat a Tony alone without a weapon on me, but fighting to win isn''t my motive to begin with.


    By the looks of it,  Adrian will reach me in around 20 seconds. That''s all the time I need to stall for.


    Yes, I was fighting to stall time.


    I am not the main character of this story, so I won''t act like it and try to fight a stronger opponent than win.


    As soon as Tony stepped into the striking range, he thrust his sword forward at my head to drill open a hole in my skull with his de.


    He was quickly going for the kill.


    Unfortunately for him, I have no intention of dying here today.


    Fwoosh—!!


    I ducked and let his sword pass over my head while simultaneously willing mana into my right hand and balling it into a fist.


    Swish—!!


    However, my fist connected with nothing but air as Tony swiftly twirled to his right and firmly gripped my arm.


    Thwack—!!


    With the hold of my arm, Tony used my forward motion against me and yanked me in toward himself before thrashing his knee into my stomach.


    "Khuuk!"


    The impact knocked the wind out of me, leaving me gasping for air as the skilled assassin raised his sword high, poised to strike and plunge it into my heart from behind.


    "Arghha!"


    With a burst of adrenaline-fueled strength, I twisted my body to the side, causing Tony''s sword to miss its intended target by a hair''s breadth.


    Thwack—!!


    Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I mmed my elbow into his face, sending him staggering backwards


    My heart pounding in my chest, I scrambled to my feet and backed away from him.


    With each breath, I felt the sting of pain in my abdomen, a reminder of the knee that had collided with my stomach. Tony, unfazed by my retaliation, wiped a trickle of blood from his nose, his metallic eyes narrowing with a mix of annoyance and amusement.


    "You''re quite the pest," he remarked, his voiceced with disdain. "But pests can be exterminated."


    Tony lunged forward, the predatory grace of a skilled fighter evident in his movements. I needed to buy more time, keeping him engaged until Adrian and the others could intervene.


    I circled cautiously, my eyes locked onto Tony''s every move. He feigned a strike to my left, then swiftly changed direction for a jab at my right. Dodging his attacks required abination of instinct and quick thinking.


    "Come on, Lucas, is that all you''ve got?" Tony taunted, his sword dancing through the air with deadly precision.


    I gritted my teeth, focusing on evading rather than directly countering. The seconds felt like an eternity as I maintained a defensive stance, waiting for the arrival of reinforcements.


    In the midst of the intense exchange, I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. Adrian, Shion, Kael, and the others were closing in, determined expressions etched on their faces.


    Tony, sensing the impending threat, unleashed a flurry of strikes in an attempt to overwhelm me. The shing of our weapons echoed through the hall, a symphony of conflict that reverberated with the stakes of the battle.


    With thebined efforts of my teammates drawing near, I seized the opportunity to make a strategic move. Instead of dodging, I parried one of Tony''s strikes, redirecting the force of his attack and creating an opening.


    As Tony momentarily lost bnce, I retreated, giving the approaching group a chance to surround him. Adrian, his azure sword emanating with magical energy, took the lead, ready to face the formidable opponent.


    As Adrian stepped forward, his mana-infused sword glowing brightly, Tony turned his attention from me to the approaching threat. The air crackled with tension as the two powerful adversaries locked eyes.


    In that critical moment, Adrian unleashed a surge of magical energy, the azure glow intensifying around his sword. With a swift motion, he swung the weapon towards Tony, aiming for a decisive blow.


    Tony, however, proved to be an elusive target. He dodged with uncanny agility, evading Adrian''s initial strike and countering with a swift counterattack.


    Cling—!


    The sh of their weapons echoed through the hall, the force of their confrontation sending shockwaves across the floor. Adrian pressed on, his determination evident in every swing, but Tony responded with calcted precision.


    While the duel between Adrian and Tony unfolded, the rest of the group closed in, surrounding the Fallen Human. Shion, Kael, Evelyn, and Emma joined the fray, theirbined efforts creating a web of attacks that Tony struggled to navigate.


    In the midst of the chaos, I took a moment to catch my breath, my focus shifting to strategizing the group''s coordinated assault. Despite my earlier struggles, I knew that my strengthy not in directbat but in supporting my teammates.


    "Keep him busy!" I called out, directing their attention to the need for teamwork. "Adrian, watch for his patterns, and the moment he''s open—"


    Before I could finish my sentence, Tony''s dark mana surged once again, amplifying his strength and speed. The sudden burst caught the group off guard, and Tony seized the opportunity to break through their formation.


    With a sweeping motion, Tony knocked back Shion, Kael, and the others, creating a momentary opening in their defenses. Adrian, however, stood firm, his determination unwavering.


    "Enough of this," Tony dered, a malicious grin forming on his face. "Time to end this little charade."