The clearing remained shrouded in tension, the oppressive aura of the spider tracient hanging thick in the air. Karadir stood firm, his rocky form glinting faintly under the dim light that filtered through the valley. His golden horns gleamed like twin beacons of defiance. Across from him, the spider tracient tilted her head slightly, observing him with an unsettling curiosity.
Even #3 among the Hazël was affected by my poison... but this ordinary goat wasn't? she mused silently, narrowing her six eyes.
"What's wrong, spider?" Karadir called out, his tone steady and defiant. "Did I upset you?"
Her lips curled into a sadistic grin. "You are quite something. Let's see what you can do."
With a sharp flick of her wrist, she unleashed a torrent of silken threads that sped toward Karadir, their edges glinting with deadly precision. Karadir tensed, his mana flaring around him like a protective aura.
"ARCEM: Dağsever!"
He charged forward, his hooves thundering against the ground as he ran headlong into the flurry of threads.
He plans to rush through again? The spider thought, amusement flickering in her eyes. I wonder how long that will last.
But before the threads could ensnare him, Karadir roared, "Dağsever: Kayan Kılıç!"
His arms morphed instantly, the smooth rock-like texture sharpening into dual stone-metallic blades. With one swift motion, he sliced through the threads, the sheer force of his attack dispersing the silken trap. He kept moving, gaining speed with every step.
The spider's grin faltered slightly as she noted his growing momentum. He's keeping up... The nature of his Arcem, an earth type, suits his terrain perfectly.
The spider tracient darted backward, her movements swift and fluid. With a twist of her hands, she sent another wave of threads toward Karadir, each one glowing faintly. Karadir dodged and countered, his stone blades deflecting the attacks. Their battle moved across the valley walls, each combatant navigating the steep terrain with incredible agility.
Adam watched from his position, his body still weakened by the lingering effects of the poison. His sharp eyes followed every move, awe mixing with confusion.
Incredible... Adam thought. It's strange. I didn't sense this level of power from him until he activated his Arcem. The ranking system allows us to sense the rank of any Özel or Hazël before we even know their names... Yet Karadir's rank was invisible to me until now.
Karadir deflected a cluster of threads but was struck by several others, blue-tinted blood trickling down his rocky skin. His resilience, however, didn't waver.
So this is the strength of the strongest Özel... Rank #1...
The spider's voice cut through the air, her tone sharp and commanding. "Kesik Ağlar!"
A flurry of white threads blanketed the battlefield, their sheer number creating a web that seemed impossible to escape. Karadir hesitated for a moment before stomping his hooves into the ground and raising his arms high.
"Earth Shaper: Kaya Dönüşü!"
The ground beneath him responded immediately, shifting and folding as though space itself was warping under his command. The threads collided with the moving terrain, erupting into a massive explosion that shook the valley.
As the dust settled, Karadir was revealed on one knee, panting heavily. His stone-like skin was cracked and bleeding in multiple places, his mana nearly depleted. Across from him, the spider emerged unscathed, her sadistic grin returning.
"I'll be honest," she said, her voice dripping with mockery. "İpekkan is impressed with your talent. You were a worthy foe."
Karadir tried to rise but faltered. He knew he had little left to give.
"But in the end," she continued, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him, "you are still an Özel. Even if you are the strongest."
She raised her hands, and the threads around her turned a menacing crimson hue. They spread out like a deadly web of veins, each one pulsating with destructive mana.
"Also, I hope you didn't think I was fighting at full strength." Her grin widened as she whispered, "İpekkan: Crimson Death..."
The crimson threads shot forward faster than lightning. Karadir closed his eyes, lowering his head in resignation.
But then—
"Fifth Fang: Kasırga Kesik!"
A whirlwind of slashes tore through the crimson threads, shredding them into harmless fragments. Karadir's eyes shot open, and he turned to see Adam standing tall, his three-segment staff resting on his shoulder. The glow of the Kurt Clan symbol on Adam's tunic was unmistakable.
"I owe my life to you, soldier," Adam said, his voice calm but commanding. He flipped the staff to his other shoulder. "Thank you for holding out. You can rest now."
Karadir let out a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground, his body too drained to continue.
The spider's mana erupted in excitement, her six eyes gleaming with unrestrained glee. "İpekkan is excited! Hahaha! Such intense aura coming from one tracient! This will be a feast!"
Adam's intense blue eyes locked onto hers. He adjusted his stance, his grip on the staff tightening as his aura flared.
"Let's go, number #14," he said, his voice low and resolute.