Ryo casually walked toward Velmond, taking his sweet time as the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. The wind whispered softly through the trees, and the peaceful ambiance made the whole situation feel almost trivial. His mind wandered, but the system’s voice soon broke his relaxed thoughts.

  System: “You know, for someone who's been through so much, you really have a way of taking things slow. I mean, there’s an entire city in chaos, and you're strolling.”

  Ryo chuckled, not in the least bit phased by the system's comment. He kept walking, scanning his surroundings. A random rock caught his eye. He picked it up and, without much thought, squeezed it tightly in his hand. The rock crumbled to dust as his fingers tightened around it.

  System: “Well, that’s one way to show off. Maybe you should awaken it, too. Or better yet, let it awaken you.”

  Ryo couldn’t help but smirk at the system’s comment. He casually tossed the remains of the crushed rock aside, continuing his leisurely walk. “Maybe I’ll save that for later,” he muttered to himself.

  Shikavas, the Lizard Emperor, towered over Seraphine, his jagged spear dripping with the blood of fallen B-rank hunters. He let out a low, guttural growl as he approached, dragging his massive form across the battlefield. The air around him seemed to tremble with the weight of his presence.

  “You... you are nothing but insects," he hissed, his voice thick and slow, struggling to form words. He lifted his spear, his eyes narrowing at Seraphine, who was barely holding herself together.

  “Weak... You think you can stop me?” he continued, his words slow, heavy, and almost like he was forcing them out. His reptilian tongue flicked out, tasting the air as his massive claws tightened around the spear.

  Seraphine’s breath was ragged. Her body ached, but she refused to back down. She struggled to stand, her sword barely in her grip as she faced him. Despite the exhaustion weighing her down, she locked eyes with the Lizard Emperor.

  “You’re... not worthy,” Shikavas muttered through clenched teeth, the frustration in his voice evident. He swung his spear down, but Seraphine swiftly blocked, though the force behind the strike sent her stumbling.

  "Pathetic human," he hissed again, spitting the words like venom. "All of you are weak... but it will be over soon."

  With another roar, Shikavas slammed his spear down again, forcing Seraphine to dodge, her strength fading with every movement. She could barely keep up with the relentless power of the Lizard Emperor, who seemed to be getting more enraged with each failed strike against her.

  As he lunged at her again, his movements quick, he finally forced a moment of quiet.

  “I will... crush you,” Shikavas said, his voice thick, like his throat was struggling to pronounce the words, each one heavier than the last.

  Seraphine tried to move, but her body was slowing. She could feel the weight of his words and the imminent doom of the battle. The Lizard Emperor was still there, relentless, but his speech had a new, desperate edge, as if he knew his victory was inevitable.

  Seraphine wasn’t sure how much longer she could last, but she wouldn’t give up. Not yet.

  “Pathetic, you say?” Seraphine’s voice was strained, but defiant. She struggled to stand, her legs shaking, but her will was unbroken. Violet lightning crackled around her, the air humming with power.

  "Weak, you say? Not worthy?" Her glare could’ve burned a hole through stone, and her words were laced with fury. “How dare you underestimate us humans!”

  The energy swirling around her intensified, the lightning flashing more violently, her wounds slowly knitting together as the violet storm enveloped her. Her breath was ragged, but she refused to fall, her grip tightening on her sword.

  The ground beneath her feet cracked as the violet energy coursed through her, and in that moment, something shifted. The world seemed to hold its breath.

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  Suddenly, Ryo stopped, sensing something immense brewing in the air. A notification pinged in his mind from the system.

  System Notification: Seraphine is undergoing her 4th Awakening. Prepare for a power surge beyond the limits of her current state.

  Ryo watched, wide-eyed, as the air around Seraphine seemed to warp and bend, her entire form glowing with an otherworldly light. The ground beneath her cracked further, and her aura expanded, flooding the battlefield with an intense energy that could almost be felt in the bones.

  Seraphine’s gaze locked onto Shikavas as her violet lightning became an unstoppable storm. "I will show you... what it means to underestimate humanity," she growled, her voice now steady, stronger than before.

  The Lizard Emperor recoiled slightly, sensing the shift in power. But it was too late. Seraphine had already begun her ascent to something far beyond what he had anticipated.

  Seraphine’s hands rose high, her fingers crackling with violet lightning, each bolt pulsating with the raw force of her awakening. The air seemed to tremble in anticipation as she summoned all her power, a storm contained in her grasp. With a swift, decisive motion, she slammed her hands down towards Shikavas, the lightning converging in a wild arc that split the sky, striking with such ferocity that the Lizard Emperor was unable to escape its path.

  The ground beneath her feet cracked open as she surged forward, her body moving with fluid grace, ready to end the battle. In a single, fluid motion, Seraphine took a battle stance, her sword raised and gleaming with the pure energy of her lightning-infused aura. Her feet dug into the earth, cracking it under the pressure as a surge of lightning cascaded down her body, her power converging at the tip of her blade.

  With one final, resolute motion, Seraphine dashed forward, piercing through the air with a blinding flash. Her sword thrust straight into Shikavas' stomach, the blade glowing with the searing power of her awakened lightning. The impact was devastating, sending a shockwave of energy rippling outward.

  But as the sword made contact, Shikavas, with a final, desperate roar, thrust his jagged black spear in retaliation. The spear pierced Seraphine’s stomach with brutal force, and for a moment, the two combatants were locked in a deadly embrace, their weapons buried deep in each other’s bodies.

  Both of them staggered, the force of the blows rattling their bodies as their life force waned. The air grew heavy with the tension of the moment, their powers crackling around them like thunder, but neither of them gave an inch.

  Seraphine’s breath was ragged, her vision blurred with the agony of the wound, but her grip on her sword never faltered. She forced herself to stand, her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to stay conscious.

  Shikavas, too, was reeling from the impact, his body shaking as the life drained from him. His eyes, once filled with primal rage, were now clouded with the realization that he might not survive this battle. But even in his weakened state, he snarled, his breath coming in harsh gasps.

  "This... isn't... over," he hissed, his voice filled with venom, but his strength was fading.

  Seraphine, however, was resolute. With a final, determined breath, she steadied herself. "It is."

  The system notification rang out in Ryo’s mind, cold and mechanical, “Seraphine’s 4th awakening is canceled. Likely due to imminent death.”

  Ryo’s pace quickened as he observed the struggle, the weight of the situation sinking in. His eyes never left the battlefield, but his steps remained casual. The system, as always, made its usual comment, “Ryo... are you really going to stand there? Well, that’s just like you, huh?”

  Ryo couldn’t help but smirk at the system’s antics. “I’ll get there when I get there.”

  Meanwhile, the battle raged on.

  Shikavas, barely holding on to his last vestiges of strength, glared down at Seraphine. His mouth twisted into a grotesque grin, a chilling, guttural sound escaping him as he hissed, "You... cocky... human."

  Suddenly, his mouth opened wide, and a massive pulse of water began to gather, swirling within his throat like a storm building in the sky. The water charged with such intensity that it rippled through the air, like a tsunami about to be unleashed. His eyes locked onto Seraphine, and the intent to kill was clear in his gaze.

  Seraphine, struggling to stay on her feet, saw the water gathering, but her energy was already spent. Her body trembled, pain lacing every movement as she attempted to escape, but the spear that had pierced her abdomen was still embedded in her flesh. She tried to break free, but the agony was unbearable.

  In a desperate attempt to release herself, Seraphine attempted to leave her sword behind, but before she could fully pull away, Shikavas twisted his spear. The movement was swift, and the pain was excruciating.

  "AGH!" Seraphine’s voice broke into a roar of pain as she clutched the spear, her hand gripping it tightly to stop it from twisting further. Blood flowed freely from the wound in her stomach, and her vision blurred with the intensity of her suffering. But she refused to let go.

  The water pulsed dangerously in Shikavas’s mouth, and Seraphine’s heartbeat raced as she realized the inevitable: if she didn’t do something soon, the blast would obliterate her.

  As the water grew, so did her desperation. She could feel her energy slipping, but she couldn’t let this monster win. Not like this.

  With a final surge of willpower, she dug her feet into the ground, leveraging all her remaining strength. "Not today," she muttered under her breath, her hands tightening around the spear as if to will herself forward through the pain.

  And that's when she saw him.

  Ryo, now moving with purpose, was heading straight for them. His pace didn’t falter; his eyes were locked onto Shikavas, the cold determination clear in his expression.

  "Let's wrap this up," Ryo muttered to himself as he closed the distance.