As the final word left his lips, a powerful gust of wind burst forth from the magic circle with a deep boom, howling with the voices of the forest.
In the nick of time, Yor and Ludwig dove behind a nearby boulder, just barely making it into cover as the blast swept through.
Others were hurled backward, their bodies flung through the air like leaves in a storm.
Trees groaned and snapped as their roots were torn from the ground. Dirt flew everywhere as the wind swept through the forest.
It seemed like the aftermath of a tsunami.
Yor and Ludwig heard a low grunt—like someone in pain.
"Ugh, I-I can't-"
They whipped their heads to the side and spotted the orange-haired guy lying beside them, curled up on the ground but completely unscathed.
"I'm hurt," the orange-haired guy growled, lying on his side with a dramatic wince.
"Dude it's not possible to feel pain here," said Yor.
Ludwig blinked, then quickly reached over and rolled him onto his back, checking for wounds or any signs of damage.
"You're not even injured," Ludwig said, frowning.
He paused as a health bar blinked into view above the guy's head—still full.
"No, my stomach hurts..." he groaned.
"I gotta go to the toilet. Goodbye."
He raised his hand in front of him, fingers spread wide—then swiped it downward in one smooth motion. A translucent rectangular window appeared in front of him, glowing faintly. He tapped the logout button, and his body began to glow. Slowly, he faded into small lights—like fireflies drifting into the air—before vanishing completely.
Ludwig sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead, clearly annoyed. "Bro..." he muttered under his breath.
"I wonder how many of us are still alive," Yor said quietly.
"After all that shit? I'm guessing just the two of us," Ludwig answered.
"Do we have a plan?" he added, turning his eyes to Yor.
Yor turned to him, eyes steady and sharp, holding the silence for a moment before answering.
--
The Flora Enchanter was intently looking around to see if there are still survivors.
Yor broke from cover, sprinting around the edge of the clearing as fast as he could to draw the Flora Enchanter's attention. As the Enchanter turned toward the movement.
The Flora Enchanter tilted his head, amused, as if considering how futile this little player was. A short, mocking laugh escaped his lips.
Yor skidded to a stop and pointed straight at him.
"Give me your best shot!"
The Enchanter grinned—and in an instant, vanished from sight.
Before Yor could react, a sharp blow struck the back of his head. His vision blurred as 150 HP vanished from his health bar.
He stumbled forward, now left with just 50 HP—but the Enchanter still hadn't cast a spell.
With a blur of motion, the Enchanter reappeared across the clearing, laughing.
"Ohh! That's hilarious! Watch your back—I might just do it again!"
He vanished once more and dashed toward Yor—but this time, Yor rolled aside just in time, avoiding the strike.
"Oh, good job," the Enchanter said, smirking. "How about this?"
He disappeared again—then reappeared directly behind Yor and swept his legs out from under him. Yor's knees buckled, and he crashed to the ground, elbows and head slamming down as ashes scattered from the impact.
Another hit—his HP dropped to just 3.
The Enchanter leaned in, inspecting him with a curious smile.
"Oh... you don't bleed."
He looked around the battlefield.
"You people just turn to ashes. Is that why I haven't seen any bodies?"
He stood tall, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"Anyway, you asked for my best shot. Fair enough. But I should warn you... it's going to hurt."
He thrust his staff forward. A glowing emerald magic circle spun into existence, humming with energy. He aimed it point-blank at Yor, who was lying on the ground.
"Juraia!"
At that moment, Ludwig broke from cover and drew a dagger from his baldric. He spun it once in his hand before locking onto his target—
and remembered what Yor had told him behind the boulder:
Don't miss, i trust you.
The dagger zipped through the air, its point glinting in the sun as it sliced through the wind, aimed toward the boss's nape.
"Grant me the strength to—"
The incantation was cut short as the dagger struck.
Blood splattered to the ground, cutting 1,000 HP from the boss's total of 6,000. The dagger had hit a vital spot. Immediately after, a wave of dizziness washed over him.
Staggering back, the boss quickly brought up his Air Barrier. He planted his staff into the ground with his right hand and raised his left to cast a healing spell. A soft glow wrapped around him as his HP climbed back up to 500, and the bleeding came to a stop.
"I never thought you'd figure out my Air Barrier."
"It was easy," Yor said, pushing himself up from the ground. He looked worn and beaten—his clothes were ripped, caked with dust. "The Air Barrier is powerful, but it comes with a catch."
He brushed the dirt off his shoulder, eyes locked on the Flora Enchanter.
"You can only use it when you're not attacking."
The Flora Enchanter let out a low chuckle, lifting his chin with a look of pure disdain.
"Impressive," he said coldly. "But knowing one of my many spells doesn't put you at an advantage. I'm stronger in every aspect. Against the two of you, this will feel like stepping on ants."
With a flick of his wrist, the ground beneath Yor and Ludwig cracked open. Vines burst forth, twisting upward like snakes. In seconds, they coiled around their legs, then their waists, slithering higher, tightening with every breath. The more they struggled, the more the vines constricted, wrapping around them like living chains.
The Enchanter's smile widened as he watched them squirm.
"If you hadn't interrupted my link with Azakkin, he would've self-destructed once he was weak. But no—you're the reason I lost that connection."
But then, suddenly—
A powerful presence stirred from behind the trees. The air grew heavy, like a storm about to hit. The wind picked up, rustling the trees and tugging at his robe and hair. His smile faded as the atmosphere suddenly changed.