"Let see if you can take this," With a calm demeanor, Erika focused her energy, channeling it into the ground. Having encountered a lot of tank-type enemies before, she knew how to approach this type of battle.
Instead of conjuring soft, flexible icy tendrils, she unleashed a formidable assault of sharp, giant icicles that erupted from below. The icy projectiles relentlessly targeted Argos's body, aiming to exploit any openings in his defense and deliver a barrage of precise powerful strikes.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
The collision between Argon's body and the sharp icicles generated a violent clash of forces. The impact reverberated through the air, shaking the ground beneath them. As the two formidable powers clashed, the force impact cracked the ice and sent shards flying in all directions, creating a swirling cloud of snow.
"Is that all you've got, Ice Empress?" Argos taunted, his confidence soaring as he realized that Erika's ice-based attacks were not as lethal as he had expected. He found himself able to withstand and handle the icy onslaught with relative ease.
The wounds he incurred from her icicle barrage were superficial, as his remarkable regeneration ability swiftly repaired the damage. Undeterred, he pressed forward, his determination intensifying.
"Now it's my time to attack!" With a burst in speed, he charged towards Erika again, his velocity reaching an astonishing 100 miles per hour.
STOMP!
STOMP!
STOMP!
The ground trembled beneath his heavy footsteps as he closed the distance with remarkable speed for his size. His massive form became a blur as he closed in, his horns ready to strike with devastating force.
But to Erika, his attack seemed almost sluggish, his movements predictable in front of her own speed and reaction time.
SWOOSH!
Once again, she effortlessly evaded Argos's second charge with ease.
As Argos charged past her, his momentum carrying him forward, Erika seized the opportunity he had provided. Reacting swiftly, she launched a series of precise long-range attacks, strategically targeting vulnerable areas of his massive form with the intent to weaken his defenses.
In addition , her icy domain responded to her commands, conjuring freezing gusts and icy shards that sought to further add damage to his body.
As the shards of ice tore through the air, they whistled with a chilling melody, their icy edges shimmering in the dim light. They sought out exposed skin and vulnerable spots, eager to embed themselves in flesh and draw forth a gasp of pain.
"Stop running!" Fueled by frustration, he abruptly halted his charge, pivoting on his massive form to turn and face Erika once more. His attack had been thwarted twice now, but he refused to let that deter him.
With a thunderous roar, he unleashed another relentless assault, launching himself at her like a bullet train.
STOMP!
STOMP!
STOMP!
This time, there was no hesitation or doubt in his movements. His charge came in rapid succession every time he missed, each strike fueled by a burning desire to overcome Erika's speed .
As the battle between them continued to unfold, it became increasingly apparent that she held a distinct advantage. With her unparalleled speed, agility, and sharp reflexes, she effortlessly dodged every strike that he excecute, seemingly playing with him.
But in the midst of her evasions against Argos's attacks, she momentarily forgot about someone, his presence overshadowed by the howling storm. Unbeknownst to her, this person had been biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Seizing the opportunity, Tauric unleashed a devastating attack of his own from the sidelines, charging at her after accumulating energy , and enough momentum.
Caught off guard, Erika's heart skipped a beat as she sensed a sudden shift in the air behind her. The very atmosphere seemed to vibrate with an unknown force, and she instinctively turned, her eyes widening in surprise.
In that split second, her instincts kicked in as she realized the imminent danger. With lightning-fast reflexes, she raised her arms and covered it with ice to shield herself, bracing for the impact of the incoming attack.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The force of the blow collided with her outstretched arms, sending a shockwave rippling through her body. Despite her efforts to block the attack, the sheer power behind it was overwhelming, causing her to flew backward under the impact.. She soared through the wintry landscape, her figure a mere blur against the backdrop of swirling snowflakes. The sheer distance she covered, roughly 200 meters, was a testament to the immense power behind that surprised attack.
CRASH!
As the dust settled and she regained her balance, she focused her gaze on the source of the unexpected attack. Standing a distanced away from her was Tauric, his massive form still radiating with the residual energy of his lightning-fast assault.
She could sense his arrogance, his belief that he had dealt a decisive blow and that victory was within his grasp.
Erika's expression hardened as she recognized the threat that he posed. She had been so preoccupied with evading Argos's relentless strikes that she had momentarily neglected to account for Tauric's presence.
"He was just a little bit slower than Vincent, but how did he do it?" she muttered to herself, perplexed by his sudden burst of speed despite his bulky physique. How could he possibly move with such agility and swiftness, defying the limitations of his own body?
"This is really getting interesting," she added, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and curiosity, as she realized that time had wrought profound changes for everyone .
.
.
.
.
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On the other side of the metal door.
SWOOOOOSH!
SWOOOOOSH!
SWOOOOOSH!
Vincent's heart raced as he zoomed towards the center to rescue his target, driven by a sense of urgency. However, to his bewilderment and frustration, he found himself caught in an inexplicable loop, trapped in a seemingly endless cycle with no escape.
No matter how hard he tried to alter his course or change his direction, he still found himself inexplicably drawn back to the same starting point. It was as if the very fabric of space around him had twisted into a labyrinth, confounding his senses and trapping him in an eternal cycle of repetition.
His mind raced with questions. How could this be happening? What force was at work, ensnaring him in this maddening loop? The more he struggled against it, the more it seemed to tighten its grip, confining him to an unyielding path with no deviation.
What was even worse was the fact that his sense of space had been completely distorted. The frustration grew within him, fueled by the seemingly futile efforts to escape this perplexing predicament.
"How can I escape this damn place?" He paused his frantic running and took a moment to collect his thoughts, realizing that a clear-headed approach was necessary to find a way out.
With a keen eye, he scanned the area, searching for any subtle details or anomalies that could hold the key to his escape. He examined the walls, the ground beneath his feet, and the path ahead, hoping to find a clue, a hidden passage, or a means of breaking free from the confounding loop.
He noticed that the environment seemed eerily consistent, with each revolution of the loop revealing familiar landmarks and features.
"Let's try destroying the wall again !" Determined to find a way out, he decided to put his power to the test once more. He summoned his ice abilities, conjuring a swirling storm of frost around his claws. With a slash, he directed a blast of icy energy towards the walls of the maze.
The ice collided with the solid surface, causing it to crack and shatter, but to Vincent's frustration, the damage quickly repaired itself as if the whole place was regenerating.
Gritting his teeth, he realized that his powers alone might not be enough to break through this confounding maze. He needed to think outside the box, to find a way to outsmart the illusion that held him captive.
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