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System Notification:

[ Mercenary Reinforcements Detected. ]

[ Total Hostiles: 12 ]

---

"Well, this is cozy," Gregarious said while gripping his sword tightly. "I hope you all wrote your wills."

The rogue assassin reappeared at the front of the group, smirking. "Welcome to our little party. I hope you didn't think you'd leave here alive."

Boris raised his axe, glaring at the mercenaries. "Bring it on."

"Ezran," Lilo whispered, "any big spells left?"

"Barely," Ezran admitted as sweat pooled on his forehead.

Gregarious smirked despite the tension. "Well, good thing I'm here. I've got enough hot air for all of us."

"Well, well. You've made it far, but this is where your luck runs out," the assassin said while stepping forward.

"Luck?" Gregarious quipped while raising his sword. "My lord says I make my own luck!"

"Your lord?" The assassin's smirk deepened. "Do you mean the clumsy berserker, or the mage who looks like he might faint?"

"Neither," Gregarious shot back. "I mean Lord Aleman! And when he gets here, you'll wish you'd stayed home with your mommy!"

Ezran groaned. "Can you focus, Gregarious?"

The assassin's smirk faded into annoyance. "Kill them all."

The mercenaries charged with weapons raised. Boris roared while swinging his massive axe in a wide arc.

---

System Notification:

[ Heavy Cleave used. Damage dealt: 2,200 to multiple targets. ]

---

Several mercenaries staggered back, but others pressed forward as their swords clashed with Boris's axe. Lilo unleashed a volley of arrows, each glowing with enchantments, pinning enemies in place and slowing their advance.

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System Notification:

[ Enchanted Volley used. Damage dealt: 1,200 to multiple targets. Effect applied: Slow (-20% movement). ]

---

Ezran cast Wind Surge, sending a blast of wind into the crowd which knocked several mercenaries off their feet.

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System Notification:

[ Wind Surge used. Damage dealt: 3,000 to multiple targets. ]

---

But the mercenaries weren't ordinary foes. Their coordination and individual strength were overwhelming.

One mercenary—a towering brute with a spiked mace—broke through and swung his weapon at Gregarious.

Gregarious yelped, barely dodging the attack. "Mummy! This is not how I planned my day!"

Lilo shouted, "Greg, stop whining and fight!"

He swung his sword wildly, landing a glancing blow on the brute's shoulder.

---

System Notification:

[ Basic Attack used. Damage dealt: 600. Target HP: 20,400/21,000. ]

---

Meanwhile, the assassin reappeared behind Ezran like a phantom and swung his dagger.

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System Notification:

[ Assassin Skill: Shadow Strike used. Ezran HP: -2,200. Remaining HP: 9,800/12,000. ]

---

Ezran staggered forward before casting a desperate Mana Shield to hold off the next attack.

"Hold on, Ezran!" Boris charged toward the assassin while yelling.

He axe swung down, but the assassin turned into black smoke, evading the strike.

"You're going to have to do better than that," the assassin sneered.

The fight got chaotic and desperate as the group tried to hold their ground.

---

Meanwhile, August had delved deeper into the cavern, following the glow and faint voices he'd noticed earlier.

The tunnels grew darker as the scent of damp stone and something metallic wafted through the air.

He moved silently with his Tier 2 Shadow Veil activated, rendering him nearly invisible.

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System Notification:

[ Shadow Veil (Tier 2) activated. Duration: 3 minutes. MP Cost: 350. ]

---

Ahead, he spotted several mercenaries patrolling the area.

They were spread out methodically like guards.

August observed them from the shadows, calculating his next move.

He darted forward, sticking close to the cavern walls, but then his foot accidentally brushed against a faintly glowing stone. The air shifted immediately as the found himself in a reverse gravity zone and got pulled upward.

"Not today," August instantly activated Phantom Blitz to teleport out of the zone.

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System Notification:*

[ Phantom Blitz (Tier 2) used. Distance covered: 200 feet. MP Cost: 800 ]

---

He landed silently on solid ground, resuming his approach. His daggers glinted faintly as he crept closer to the central chamber.

As he moved deeper, the cavern opened into a wide room illuminated by glowing blue crystals embedded in the walls. In the center, bound to a chair and surrounded by chains, was Lord Cavriel.

The royal's once-pristine robes were tattered, and his face bore signs of exhaustion and bruises. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Two mercenaries stood guard near him with their swords drawn and their eyes scanning the area.

"Great," August whispered. "More company."

He activated his telekinetic spell, Phantom Grip, targeting a loose stalactite above one of the guards.

The spell yanked it free, sending it crashing down onto the unsuspecting mercenary.

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System Notification:

[ Phantom Grip used. Target defeated. ]

---

The remaining guard spun around, raising his sword. "Who's there?!"

August stepped forward still cloaked in shadows and unseen.

The guard barely had time to react before August appeared behind him and slashed at his neck.

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System Notification:

[ Shadow Strike (Tier 2) used. Damage dealt: 7,800. Critical Hit! Target defeated. ]

---

Lord Cavriel's head lifted weakly as August approached. "Who… who are you?"

"Someone who doesn't have time for introductions," August replied while slashing repeatedly at chains binding the royal.

The damage was reflecting from his strikes but the chains were getting a bit difficult to get rid of.

August channeled mana like he was going to activate thunderspear, allowing a crackles of electricity to run through his fingers.

The electric arcs then were then transmitted towards his dagger's blade which he proceeded to raise with all his strength and hack down at the chains.

With a single strike, the chains snapped in half and even emitted a burning stench where the dagger had made contact.

'Hmm that was an interesting experiment,' August muttered internally before getting the rest of the binds off the royal.

"Can you walk?"

"I think so," Cavriel winced as he stood.

"Good. Stick close to me. Things are about to get messy," August stated.

He activated Shadow Veil again, pulling Cavriel into the shadows with him as he began to lead the royal toward safety.

....

The eerie silence of the cavern shattered as a loud, blaring alarm echoed through the tunnels.

The deep, reverberating sound jolted August and Lord Cavriel as they crept toward the exit.

"Great," August muttered under his breath. "Looks like the party's just getting started."

"An alarm?" Lord Cavriel asked with a weak tone. "What does that mean?"

"It means we've got company," August reactivated Shadow Veil to obscure their presence further. "Stick close, and try not to get yourself killed."

Meanwhile, in another part of the cavern, the group of battling the mercenaries paused as the alarm rang out. The rogue assassin gestured for half his men to split off.

"Go check it out," he barked. "Someone's meddling with the royal. The rest of you, stay here. These fools aren't going anywhere."

The remaining six mercenaries spread out as they advanced on Ezran, Lilo, Gregarious, and Boris.

"Finally," Boris muttered while hefting his axe. "Even odds."

Ezran adjusted his staff. "Still dangerous."

Lilo notched another arrow as her eyes narrowed. "Dangerous but manageable. Let's end this."

Gregarious twirled his sword theatrically. "Don't worry, my lord will be back soon to save us! Until then, I'll graciously allow you all to bask in my glory."

Boris rolled his eyes. "Just fight, Greg!"

---

The mercenaries charged, and the battle resumed. Lilo released a string of arrows, pinning one of the enemies in place.

---

System Notification:

[ Enchanted Volley used. Damage dealt: 2,100. Effect applied: Root (-30% movement). Target HP: 5,400/17,500. ]

---

Ezran raised his staff and channeled Wind Surge, sending a wave of wind that sent two mercenaries flying.

Boris leapt into the air while raising his axe with both hands and hacked at one of them, sending him crashing into the ground.

A loud thud reverberated across the surroundings but he didn't stop there.

He charged after the second one while roaring and swinging his axe in a wide arc.

The sheer force knocked the other mercenary into the cavern wall, leaving them motionless.

---

System Notification:

[ Heavy Cleave used. Damage dealt: 4,800. Target defeated. ]

---

Gregarious, meanwhile, was in a precarious duel with a dual-wielding swordsman. "Mummy! Why are they always so fast?" he yelped as he narrowly dodged a strike.

"Greg!" Lilo shouted before firing an arrow that grazed the swordsman, giving Gregarious a chance to counterattack.

---

System Notification:

[ Basic Attack used. Damage dealt: 450. Target HP: 2,500/18,000. ]

---

As the battle on this side raged on, August and Lord Cavriel moved through the shadowy tunnels.

The alarm had mobilized more mercenary guards and now they could hear the sound of heavy boots echoing behind them.

"We're not going to make it at this pace," Cavriel voiced amidst heavy breaths.

"Relax... We'll make it," August assured him.

The shadows rippled around him as he activated Phantom Blitz, teleporting them forward in rapid bursts.

The pursuing mercenaries struggled to keep up as their shouts grew more distant with each jump.

---

System Notification:

[ Phantom Blitz (Tier 2) used. Distance covered: 400 feet. MP Cost: 1400. ]

---

'I'm burning a lot of MP... I'll need to be careful,'

Just as they seemed to gain ground, a crossbow bolt whizzed past August, embedding itself in the wall inches from his face.

"Guess they're catching up," he muttered while spinning around to hurl a Thunder Spear down the tunnel.