West’s eyes narrowed. This wasn’t someone he recognised but he was well aware that they were awakened. He initially thought normal thugs or assassins were sent after the researchers... he didn’t realize that they were being hunted by an awakened this whole time.

"You cannot prevent their fate," the figure voiced with a calm tone. "They die here today."

Without saying a word, West body shot forward with his fist already swinging toward her head.

She didn’t even flinch despite seeing the incoming blow.

At the last moment, she turned her katana slightly and spun.

Swwwhiiiiihhh~

Her body rotated in a smoothly anticlockwise with the blade sweeping behind her in a reverse arc.

The timing was absolutely perfect, causing West’s fist to miss while her katana cut toward his back.

A killing blow that would most likely sink deeply into his flesh.

[ Radiant Acceleration activated ]

West body suddenly turned into a blazing streak of light, like a miniature sun tearing across the swamp as he vanished his previous position.

The blade passed through empty air while West reappeared several meters away.

Immediately after evading the strike, he dashed forward again but faster this time.

She reacted instantly by slashing repeatedly as he approached with astonishing speed.

Swwhiiiii~ Swhiiii~ Slash~ Slash~ Slash~

Each strike was aimed to intercept his path but didn’t successfully slow West down in the slightest.

He swerved continously, zigzagging forward to evade the repeated strikes.

As he closed in the distance with every step, she stepped back multiple times until her back hit a tree.

With no more space to retreat, West’s charged forward with a powerful fist raised, ready to bash her head in.

Fwwwhoooosshh~

However, at the last moment she leaped upwards, landing on a branch above.

BOOM!

West’s punch slammed into the tree trunk and the impact shook the surrounding area causing bark to explode outward while his fist sank deep into the wood.

For a brief moment, his hand was stuck in the hole he created from punching the tree.

The figure immediately dropped from the tree upon noticing this with the katana outstretched, aiming for his back again.

[ Shadow Anchor Has Been Activated ]

West’s body dissolved into shadow, slipping into the darkness cast by the broken tree, causing the blade to pass through nothing.

The woman froze for a second with a look of utter confusion breaking the usually calm expression on her face.

West suddenly emerged from another shadow several meters away, creating distance between them.

She turned toward him slowly. "...You are not my target."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you hinder their fate?"

West rolled his shoulder slightly, loosening it. "Who are you to decide someone’s fate?"

She raised her blade. "It has already been written... they die today. This is their destiny."

West smirked while stepping forward. "...Well... I’m about to make destiny my bitch."

Her eyes sharpened. "Then I shall cut you down as well."

They charged forward at the same time while she slashed once more...

West leapt upward and front flipped twice.

Fwwwhiii~

The blade passed beneath him while he descended with a heavy fist.

She twisted aside causing the strike to hit the ground.

BOOM!

Mud and water exploded outward from the impact.

She jumped backwards while her katana suddenly emitted a strange white glow.

She began to draw symbols in the air with it, striking at nothing repeatedly.

"You brought this upon yourself... meddlesome fool."

The symbols swept forward, wrapping around West instantly and binding him in place.

They felt stretchy and sticky, locking his limbs in place as they wrapped around him.

"What—" he struggled to free himself but the bindings tightened further like living ropes.

"No use," she said calmly. "Once my Bundle Gum touches you... it’s over."

Her gaze remained fixed on him as she stepped forward very slowly. "It dissolves after thirty seconds."

"But for those thirty seconds..." her grip on the katana tightened. "You will never escape."

West strained gathering as much power as he could into his muscles but the bindings didn’t budge.

He could barely even move his fingers at the moment because, the harder he tried to free himself, the tighter the bindings became.

"...Tch."

She stepped forward while raising her blade. "Goodbye."

She swung straight for his neck.

"WEST—!" Debra’s scream tore through the air as the blade slashed towards her son.

CLANG!

A sharp metallic sound exploded between them as the katana stopped before it could reach West.

The woman’s eyes widened because standing between them was a ten feet tall green and intimidating feminine figure. Gor’thala staff was raised, blocking the katana.

Then, it began to morph, transforming into a blade.

The assassin stepped back slightly in shock. "...A summon?"

Her gaze flickered toward West. "He’s a summoner?"

It made no sense to her because of her previous clash with West. How could a summoner be that physically strong? And he also used two abilities already...

Gor’thala didn’t even bother exchanging words, she swung her blade forward with force, causing the woman to block.

Bam!

The force from the collision of Gor’thala’s blade and her katana, sent her stumbling backwards with her feet sliding across the ground for a couple of meters.

Before she came to a stop, a tail whipped through the air, striking her from behind with brutal force.

WHAM!

The assassin was launched forward, spinning through the air uncontrollably.

Seraphyra had appeared out of nowhere and of course she was going to teach a lesson to anyone who dared mess with her master.

Up ahead was Aurethia with her glowing saber already drawn and her eyes locked onto the assassin spinning across the air from Seraphyra’s strike.

A crescent of energy tore through the air with immense pressure as she swung her glowing saber.

The wind itself split while the swamp trembled due to the power in that attack.

The assassin who was still in mid-air raised her katana slightly.

CLANG!

The impact shattered it instantly causing the blade to break into fragments.

However, even after a lot of the force had been dispersed from blocking with her katana, the rest of the energy still hit her, tearing a deep gash across her body.

SSSHHHHIIIKKKKKK~

Blood sprayed as her body was sent flying before crashing into a tree.

CRACK~

The tree toppled over from the collision while her figure lay sprawled out across the swamp grounds.

Gor’thala turned immediately and headed toward West.

She started to attack the bindings over and over with her blade but not even a mark was left on them.

West exhaled slowly. "...Don’t worry about this, it dissolves in a bit..."

His eyes shifted toward the fallen area. "Go get her here. I have questions for her."