Ignis, Adotinus, and Edward flew toward the runes floating in the now orange-colored sky due to the ongoing fire within Pescara. They couldn’t let that monster do as he pleased, the runes had to be destroyed before he could complete their construction. With an immobile target that was covering an immense span of the sky, they didn’t need to aim or restrict themselves. Edward gathered aura before sending a thirty-meter-long blade slashing through everything in its way. Adotinus did the same, preferring to use physical attacks rather than lightning which was more effective against living enemies than against constructions. Ignis opted for blades of wind, they were as effective to cut the runes and were less energy intensive than using raw aura.

Edward manifested his aura armor, expecting that the monster behind those runes would show himself before long, there was no way that he would let them destroy all of his hard work.

Their strikes were particularly effective, the runes hadn’t been made to resist all-out attacks against it, and one blade was able to cut through several constructs one after the other. In less than a minute an entire pan of sky was freed from the runes, and the streets and roof below were covered in fallen pieces. Given the state the city was in, they didn’t need to be concerned about additional damage. At this point, it would be easier to raze the capital to the ground to rebuild it anew rather than trying to save it.

Suddenly, Edward felt a slight tremor in space. Teleportation? The next instant he was sent flying as something impacted him right in the chest, he felt as if he had been rammed by a train. His armor protected him from the impact, but that didn’t prevent him from being sent away tumbling toward the ground. He broke through a roof and teleported into the sky before his momentum could send him crashing to the floor. Now, in the air but still falling down, Edward turned around and formed an aura platform under his feet. He controlled it so that it moved almost at the same speed as his fall, only slowing him down and bleeding his momentum. It didn’t stop his fall immediately but it prevented him from suffering from the impact. Even though he had been hit by a strong force, the damage he took was close to null.

“Rèng khwāmrĕw”, he activated his acceleration, not losing any time against an enemy that could move at such speed. He looked below him, Ignis had been sent flying away, and with no teleportation at his disposal, he had crashed through a building all the way to the basement. Adotinus on its own was barely holding on against the monster, and judging by the speed he was moving he had used his own acceleration as well. The monster he was fighting was more than three meters tall, with four arms and two horns jutting out of his skull. It had a gray cracked skin that looked like rocks and a single eye with several pupils flickering madly inside it. Edward was struck by a sense of unease after looking at it and he heard faint whispers before the medallion he had borrowed from Ignis glowed a faint light making the whispers disappear.

Adotinus was barely smaller than that monster thanks to his physical buff power, and his accelerated speed didn’t offer him any advantage over the monster, only letting him contend with him. However, he seemed to be weaker in terms of strength and he was struggling to defend against the monster’s four arms, he was clearly on the back foot. He blocked one of the monster’s arms coming at him, only for a second one to hit him with a fist glowing with purple energy, Adotinus was sent flying as well.

Edward teleported behind the monster swirling on himself, his daggers aiming for the monster’s neck, only for them to hit empty air. The monster had teleported as well and was now above him pouncing on him with a glowing fist filled with energy. Edward teleported once more to avoid the blow but he had to rely on his ten-meter size domain to bypass his teleportation cooldown, which meant he was still close to the monster. The creature twisted and fired blobs of energy at Edward with his four arms. Edward dashed to the side and swiftly fired a two-meter-long blade of aura. The monster trapped the blade holding it with two of his arms under Edward’s astonished gaze, it was the first time that one of his opponents was stopping his attacks barehanded. The monster other two arms hit the blade while coated in purple energy, causing it to collapse on itself. The creature grinned madly and a small cloud of mist spilled from his body, floating in the air and stopping his fall.

Adotinus and Ignis joined Edward back after having recovered from their fall. The creature was still smiling madly, his mouth didn’t move and yet they heard it. “You are the one responsible for destroying my work. I would normally tear you from limb to limb to pay for such an affront, but since you are smelling so nice, I’ll settle for only devouring you.” He didn’t wait for a reply and teleported above their group, bombing them with fist-sized balls of energy.

Ignis opened the distance, falling back and manifesting a dozen spears of blue fire that he sent flying toward the monster. Adotinus and Edward both dashed to the side to avoid the attacks and they charged straight toward the monster. The balls of energy changed their trajectory and collided with the spears of fire, nullifying the attacks. He is still keeping control of his attacks even after firing them. I have to keep that in mind if I don’t want to be hit from the back.

Adotinus and Edward sliced at the monster from both sides, the monster only swatted their attack away with his arms. His two free arms collided with each other producing a blast of energy that pushed Adotinus and Edward away. He is taking our attacks as if they are nothing. And it can teleport as well which means he can avoid charged attacks. How are we supposed to defeat it exactly?

With all of the ruckus the fight was causing other monsters had noticed them and Manticores were flying in their direction. If we have to fight his minions as well, we won’t be able to get out of it. We have to retreat and rethink our approach. We are not outclassed but we are not able to acquire any advantage either.

Edward sent a message to his teammates through telepathy. ‘Let’s retreat for now. We won’t be able to prevail against him with the current situation. I will distract it while you leave. Don’t worry about me I will be able to escape on my own.’

It was the first time that Edward was using his telepathy on them and yet they didn’t show any sign of surprise, themselves having experienced their fair share of unexpected events. As other monsters were swarming to their location, they swiftly left the battlefield leaving Edward behind.

“Leaving already?” the monster spoke. Edward fired an aura blade at him which was easily deflected to the side with only one fist. “I’m still here!” Edward reminded him.

The monster’s gaze landed on him, his multiple pupils flickering madly within his single eye. “If you are so eager to end up in my stomach I’ll gladly accept. I will eat those two later.” Uneasiness grew within Edward but he didn’t show any sign of it. From the way he is speaking, he is used to hunting others. He is seeing us as nothing more than prey. Is this why he is so powerful? He is hunting adventurers the same way we hunt monsters.

The monster didn’t give him more time and dived at him sending a blob of energy with every swing of his fists. Edward dashed to the side, the orbs of energy following him, he swung his daggers, sending small blades of aura to intercept them.

The monster teleported behind him even as he was falling back, Edward had barely the time to teleport himself away to avoid a right hook. He was in very close range to his enemy, and the latter had more reached than him by being taller. The extra pair of arms didn’t help either. In front of the onslaught of attacks, Edward was pushed on the defensive and wasn’t able to retaliate, all of his attacks got either blocked or deflected away. Even his teleportation only helped him avoid blows rather than ambush the monster since the latter could teleport just like him.

I don’t know how long I can hold on. The Manticores are getting closer as well. I need to hold for just a bit more. This monster is fast and can teleport, Ignis and Adotinus will need additional time to be certain of escaping. I need to delay.

“What is your name?” Edward asked, attempting to win a few seconds.

The monster erupted in a raucous laugh just like rocks grating against each other. “Trying to buy time, are we?” I wasn’t exactly subtle, but I’m quickly running out of options. “Let it not be said I wasn’t magnanimous! I am known as Nephelin. Now you can die in peace weakling!” the monster answered as his four arms coalesced in one point and all Edward had the time to see was a flash of light before the pain hit him.

Shit! He used his long-range teleportation, reappearing five hundred meters away, he was missing a part of his abdomen. His body had moved on its own, not enough to avoid the beam of energy, but just enough that the beam pierced through his abdomen rather than cutting him in two. He put one hand on his wound but it only came back covered in blood without stopping the hemorrhage. Shit! He quickly drew a healing syringe while he sensed a feeling of weakness crept into his body with the accumulation of blood loss. He injected the content of the syringe near the injury and he teleported away once more before it had the time to heal, he couldn’t stop, Nephelin was after him still laughing.

Edward drew a slow breath focusing his attention back on the fight, or rather on his escape. Nephelin was able to pursue him, but it seemed his teleportation had a shorter range than his own. As for the Manticores, with two teleportations Edward was already a kilometer away and he had left them behind. Nine hundred kilometers per hour was an impressive speed, not that far below the speed of sound. Within thirty seconds of the chase, Edward had already crossed the whole capital and found himself leaving it. Meanwhile, the distance with Nephelin was only increasing, it was already remarkable that this monster had been able to pursue Edward this far. Seeing Edward leaving the city and how he had no chance to catch up to him, he could only pest in anger before turning back hoping to catch Ignis and Adotinus. Edward wished him luck, Nephelin was on the opposite side of the capital and had a few minutes of delay, if Ignis and Adotinus weren’t able to escape with those advantages Edward couldn’t do anything for them.