Chapter 96: The Tide Turns (Bonus)

Neo raced through the burning streets of Veldra, gravity magic propelling him forward as the world blurred around him. He quickly spotted a group of dark elves cutting down the remaining defenders.

He didn’t hesitate. The moment he reached them, his starlight-wrapped blade pierced the chest of the nearest dark elf before the attacker even realized he was there.

The dark elf let out a choked gasp before collapsing to the ground. The two beside him immediately turned toward Neo, their dark eyes narrowing as they sensed the threat standing before them.

"Another one? Kill him before he causes any more trouble!" one of them snarled, raising a curved blade that seemed to reflect the firelight as they prepare to swing it.

Neo didn’t give them time to react. He swept low and struck the first dark elf’s knee with a concentrated burst of starlight. A sickening crack rang out as the bone shattered, sending the attacker crashing sideways with a scream of pain.

Before the second dark elf could take advantage of the opening, Neo had already slipped past its guard. His blade flashed across its throat, ending the fight in a single, decisive strike.

Around him, the settlement had transformed entirely from the scene of helpless slaughter it had been only minutes earlier, with villagers who had never once held a weapon with any real confidence now fighting with a fierce, almost desperate precision born from the sudden surge of power flooding through their veins, archers along the rooftops raining down volley after volley of spirit energy-infused arrows that tore through armor. while hunters and farmers alike surged forward in loose but surprisingly effective formations, cutting down invaders who found themselves increasingly outmatched against their relentless attacks.

"They’re actually pushing back," Neo muttered under his breath, parrying a overhead strike from another dark elf before countering with a punch coating with frost directly into its chest, watching with expressionless face as the creature staggered backward, clutching the wound while two nearby villagers finished the job with their spears.

The dark elves hadn’t expected the battle to turn against them so suddenly. Their organized assault quickly fell apart as the villagers fought back with newfound strength, forcing them to retreat in scattered groups.

Neo continued pushing forward, cutting down any dark elf who stood in his way while keeping an eye on the battle around him. Near the central square, he spotted Diana leading a group of surviving hunters. The World Tree’s blessing had clearly strengthened her, making her movements faster and her attacks deadlier than he’d ever seen before.

For a brief moment, a flicker of hope rose in Neo’s chest. The tide of battle was turning in the villagers’ favor, and the dark elves who had once slaughtered them without hesitation were now struggling to hold their ground. For the first time that night, the villagers were fighting back instead of being helplessly cut down.

Then, without warning, the atmosphere changed. Neo sensed it before he could see the source. An oppressive pressure spread across the battlefield, so heavy that several nearby villagers stumbled, their newfound confidence shaken by a presence far more dangerous than anything they’d faced so far. He turned sharply toward the source.

A tall, imposing figure was walking calmly through the chaos, seemingly indifferent to the battle raging around him. His dark skin glistened beneath the firelight, and he held a curved blade in each hand as if they weighed nothing. His dark eyes remained fixed on Neo from a distance, watching him with the cold, predatory focus of a hunter who had finally found his prey.

[Ding!]

[Do you want to Appraise the target?]

[Y/N]

Neo clicked ’yes’ without breaking his stride, continuing to cut down whatever enemies remained directly in his path while the system quietly processed the request.

[Appraising begins...]

[Ding!]

[Name: Varkos Nightedge]

[Type: Dark Elf]

[Rank: Grandmaster (III)]

[Level of Threat: Extreme]

Neo’s expression tightened as he read the rank displayed beneath the creature’s name.

’Grandmaster... He’s an entire realm above me.’

He didn’t have much time to process the Neo barely had a moment to react before Varkos suddenly lunged at him. The dark elf crossed the distance in a flash, moving far faster than his earlier, unhurried steps had suggested.

Neo hurriedly raised his sword to block, but the moment their blades collided, an overwhelming force crashed down on him, nearly breaking the weapon from his hands.

The collision sent a shockwave through the battlefield, cracking the ground beneath Neo’s feet. He was forced back several steps, struggling to withstand the force behind Varkos’s strike.

Before he could regain his balance, the second blade came slashing in from the side. Neo barely had time to react before it struck his chest, sending him hurtling through the air and crashing backward with tremendous force.

Neo slammed into the remains of a nearby wall, breaking what little was left of it. Bricks and splintered wood came crashing down around him as the impact knocked the air from his lungs. Pain shot through his entire body, leaving him struggling to move.

For a few seconds, he could only lie among the rubble, his vision blurred and his ears ringing. Nearby, the villagers cried out in alarm. They had only just started fighting back, and now they watched in horror as the person who had given them hope was knocked aside with such ease.

Varkos lowered his twin blades, a faint smile spreading across his face as he looked toward the rubble where Neo had landed. There was no sign of concern in his dark eyes, only a hint of amusement as he studied the destruction.

"So, you’re the brat who ruined our hunt tonight."

Neo groaned as he pushed himself out of the rubble, shoving a broken beam aside before struggling to his feet. Blood trickled down his temple, and every movement sent pain through his battered body. He staggered for a moment before managing to steady himself.

Looking back, he saw the damage he’d caused. The impact had been so powerful that he’d smashed straight through the wall, leaving a large crater surrounded by broken wall and shattered wood.