The Return of the God Level Assassin

THE sword and the gauntlets clashed once again. Bellona, with her sword, moved swiftly across the surface of the river. Bai Ze, wielding gauntlets, countered her strikes with precision. Bellona aimed a slash at Bai Ze's torso, but he deflected it with his armored forearm.

Bai Ze retaliated with a rapid series of punches, forcing Bellona to step back. She parried and launched a low sweep at his legs. Bai Ze jumped, avoiding the strike, and delivered a powerful downward punch. Bellona blocked it with her sword, the force pushing her slightly into the water.

Bellona regained her footing and thrust her sword forward. Bai Ze sidestepped, then swung a heavy punch at her side. Bellona twisted, narrowly avoiding the blow, and slashed at his exposed arm. Bai Ze grunted, his gauntlet absorbing the impact, and he pushed forward with a shoulder charge.

Bellona staggered, but quickly regained her balance. She circled Bai Ze, looking for an opening. Bai Ze remained steady, fists raised, ready for her next move. The river's surface rippled around them as they prepared for another round of battle.

Bai Ze gritted his teeth. His HP continued to decrease. If this continued, his HP would drop to zero before he could even defeat this girl.

Bai Ze's resolve hardened. He needed a new strategy to turn the tide. As Bellona lunged forward, he stepped aside, using her momentum against her. He grabbed her arm, pulling her past him, and landed a solid punch to her back. Bellona staggered forward, briefly off balance.

Seizing the moment, Bai Ze launched a flurry of blows, each hit reducing Bellona's HP. She recovered, blocking a critical strike that would have severely damaged her. They exchanged a rapid succession of attacks, the sound of metal clashing echoing over the river.

As both neared their limits, Bellona feinted a high strike; Bai Ze instinctively raised his gauntlets to block, but it was a ruse. Bellona spun low, her blade sweeping towards Bai Ze's legs. He barely jumped in time, evading the attack, but the close call left him rattled.

Regaining his composure, Bai Ze prepared to unleash his most powerful skill, a move he had been saving for the final moment. As he channeled his energy, the surface of the river beneath them stirred violently. Without warning, a group of monstrous creatures leapt from the water, their sudden appearance causing Bai Ze to falter.

The monsters, their teeth bared and eyes wild, added chaos to the battlefield. Bai Ze tried to refocus, but the distraction proved too costly. Bellona, seeing her chance, swiftly closed the distance. With a precise and forceful strike, she aimed at Bai Ze's core, the blade piercing through his defenses. Bai Ze's HP plummeted to zero, his figure becoming light particles as he fell.

"Shit--"

That was what Bai Ze last said as he completely disappeared.

Tao Ning breathed a sigh of relief. The monsters controlled by Zhu Lian had come through in a clutch. If not for them, she would have been the one defeated by now.

Before she could continue toward where Zhu Jingyi was, a strike of purple lightning hit her from the front. Because her HP was still low from her fight with White Marsh, the strike instantly turned her avatar into light particles. Just before she disappeared, she caught sight of YUN's figure in the distance.

So, the two teams each received a notification, one after another.

[White Marsh has been eliminated!]

[Bellona has been eliminated!]

Shen Ji Yun watched as the team Siren's vice-captain disintegrated into light particles. While searching underwater for the Mage, he had a bad feeling and rushed back to the surface just in time to see Bai Ze turn into light particles. Without wasting a moment, he attacked Bellona.

The fact that she pinpointed Bai Ze and even prepared an ambush meant that the team Siren must have some way of knowing their location. Which meant that searching for the Mage like he had been doing now would only waste his time. The other could just move away whenever he's closing in.

For now, he should warn Luo Yan and Luo Jin first.

YUN: [Team Siren knows our location. Be careful when approaching their captain. She might already know where you are and is just waiting for an ambush.]

-----

Luo Yan read Shen Ji Yun's message on the team channel, then looked towards Nereid in the distance. She was sitting on a huge clam, resembling a mermaid princess, protecting the green light that Team Yunyue needed to pass in order to deliver the Aqua Relic.

If Team Siren was aware of their location, hiding under the Invisibility Cloak would be pointless. Indeed, he and Eclipse were currently concealed by the Invisibility Cloak.

They planned to launch an ambush once Shen Ji Yun defeated the Mage. At that point, Luo Yan could use his [Shadow Walk]. With the bulk of their offense gone, Luo Yan and Eclipse were the only ones who could attack Nereid at this moment. Since it had come to this, he and Eclipse should just do it.

He sent a message to the team channel.

Noctis: [Ah Jin, stay where you are and fire a shot whenever you see an opportunity.]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [Got it.]

"Eclipse, let's go," he said to the teenager beside him.

"Okay!" Eclipse said excitedly, as if he had been waiting.

Luo Yan took off the Invisibility Cloak and signaled to Eclipse. They moved in sync; he darting ahead while Eclipse flanked from the side. Luo Yan's movements were swift as he closed the distance, his daggers aimed at Nereid's side.

Eclipse created multiple illusions of himself to cause diversion. Luo Yan lunged, his daggers ready for a decisive strike. However, Nereid reacted quickly, raising a barrier of shimmering water. The barrier deflected Luo Yan's attack and pushed him back.

She then played a note from her harp, instantly dispersing the illusions Eclipse had created. She played another note, and monsters from the river jumped up from the water, attacking Luo Yan and Eclipse.