My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 622: An Intense Battle - Part 2

"Pfft!" The black-cloaked man coughed up blood, clutching his chest in agony.

Had his mask fallen off, anyone would've seen the pale, pain-stricken face beneath.

"Damn it… How is she still alive?" He muttered through gritted teeth.

He had believed he held the upper hand—but Zelda was far more cunning than he'd expected.

"Cracked sternum… damn… it hurts…" He groaned, struggling to rise but collapsing again.

Reluctantly, he pulled out another healing pill and swallowed it.

*Buzz!*

His body glowed with a deep black light. Moments later, the wound began to close, though the pain lingered.

With effort, he finally rose to his feet, breathing heavily as his gaze locked onto Zelda, who now stood at the edge of the altar, wearing a cold smile.

"How did you come back to life?" he asked sharply, straightening and wiping the blood from his lips.

"Come back to life?" Zelda chuckled, mockery dancing in her eyes. "Since when did I die?"

Her words struck like daggers.

His eyes narrowed as he looked over at what had once been her lifeless body—now reduced to a piece of wood.

"How did you pull that off?" he asked warily.

He had underestimated her once—but not again.

Now, he was far more cautious… And in the depths of his gaze, a flicker of fear emerged.

He had assumed Zelda was strong but lacked experience.

It turned out his judgment had been completely wrong—Zelda was far more cunning and skilled at deception than he was.

Regret gnawed at him. If he hadn't underestimated her, he wouldn't have dropped his guard—or wasted one of his precious healing pills.

"I admit I lack combat experience," Zelda said calmly. "But I have a teacher who's trained me to fight and think strategically."

"Teacher?" The man's brow furrowed. "Who?"

"Who else but Leon—the man you're so desperate to kill?" Zelda laughed dismissively.

"Leon?" The black-cloaked man's eyes widened before narrowing once more, his hatred surging. "That man again! Is my life always destined to be overshadowed by him?"

He gritted his teeth, his left fist clenched so tightly it trembled.

Whether in the past or now, Leon's damn presence had always blocked his path, fanning the flames of his hatred.

"But it doesn't matter…" he muttered, regaining his composure. He swung his sword sharply to the side.

"Today, I'll make sure that man disappears from this world forever."

Then, pointing the blade at Zelda standing at the altar's edge, he added coldly,

"And you'll be the first to fall."

"Shadow Clones!" he roared.

*Fssshhh!*

Five swirling shadows appeared at his sides. Within seconds, they solidified—each one forming a black-cloaked figure that looked just like him.

"Charge!"

*Whoosh!*

The shadows surged forward with deadly speed, racing toward Zelda.

"Hmph! Pathetic." Zelda scoffed. She raised her right hand high and clenched it tightly.

"Wooden Golems!"

*Boom!*

Two towering wooden golems, each five meters tall, rose from the ground. They had human-like bodies with arms and legs, but their heads were massive tree trunks glowing with fiery red eyes.

The golems straightened, then charged at the black-cloaked man and his shadow clones.

Seeing this, his expression hardened.

"You five handle the golems. I'll take care of the woman," he ordered coolly.

"Understood," the five responded in flat, emotionless tones.

*Bang!*

The five shadows clashed with the two golems, igniting a brutal battle filled with chaos and destruction.

Meanwhile, the black-cloaked man darted to the side and then lunged straight toward Zelda.

"Die!" he roared, raising his sword high and swinging down with force.

*Boom!*

The impact shook the altar, sending dust and debris flying, obscuring the view.

"Strong... but too slow." A cold voice echoed beside him.

"What!?" His eyes widened as he whipped his sword to the side, bracing for defense.

*Bang!*

A powerful kick struck his side, launching him through the air like a rag doll.

"Damn it…" he growled, twisting midair to regain balance—only to be met by a blinding green flash.

*Bang!*

The blast struck him head-on, slamming his body into the wall with brutal force.

The green light faded, revealing Zelda's graceful figure, a glowing tree symbol etched on her forehead.

She hovered in the air, like a forest goddess descending from the heavens.

"Is that all you've got? Pathetic," she mocked bluntly.

"Ahem!" The black-cloaked man coughed, clutching his stomach.

His torn black cloak barely covered the severe wounds across his body.

He glared at Zelda with anger. "You…"

Her mockery echoed a taunt he had once heard from Leon.

Was this woman copying not only his fighting style but also his annoying taunts?

Brushing the thought aside, a dense, powerful black aura exploded from his body.

It flowed into his sword, enveloping the blade.

"I will defeat you!"

*Whoosh!*

He vanished like a shadow, reappearing right beside Zelda.

He slashed horizontally, but she dodged with ease.

Unfazed, the man unleashed slash after slash, each strike slicing through the air with force.

But Zelda always slipped away, her movements as graceful and fluid as a leaf carried by the wind.

"Arcus' martial arts style!?" He muttered in shock.

Arcus' technique belonged to that Dark Elf woman—but Zelda's skill was clearly sharper and more agile.

Undeterred, he continued to pursue her wherever she fled.

At last, he spotted an opening and smiled with triumph.

"Got you!"

He vanished again and reappeared behind Zelda, sword raised for a deadly strike.

Just as he raised his sword to strike, Zelda clenched her fist.

From the ground, a root snapped out like a whip, lashing toward him.

*Ssssscreeeet!*

His body jerked violently, crashing into the ground and leaving a crater nearly a meter deep.

"Ugh…"

Burning pain radiated through his body. His vision blurred, threatening to fade away entirely.

"How could… I lose?" He roared silently, consumed by frustration.

He had trained endlessly—only to be defeated… by a woman.

And that woman was the partner of the person he hated most.

It was a bitter truth that shattered him, but deep down he knew fighting any longer would be pointless.

Zelda was too strong. A prolonged battle would only hasten his death.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to rise. His gaze hardened as he stared coldly at the woman hovering in the air.

"You win… But I will return. Revenge will be mine!"

With that, his body dissolved into black smoke and vanished.

Zelda simply watched the hallway leading to the exit, her voice low and calm.

"Revenge? You're not even worthy…"