Saroviny's power and speed had improved dramatically thanks to the Abyss of Despair battle robe . With its Foresight ability, her offense and defense were now impeccable .

She was now the perfect Warrior!

On the other hand, Link had also received a great deal of power after absorbing Frost Queen Lily's soul energy . However, he was still slightly weaker than Saroviny with her Abyss of Despair battle robe . Fortunately, his nigh flawless swordsmans.h.i.+p, complemented by various support spells that he had cast on himself, was enough to compensate for this difference in power level between them .

They had been going at each other for ten seconds, and still, their duel was no closer to a conclusion .

In the span of ten seconds, both sides had exchanged 325 blows with each other, setting off ripples of power which spread out in all directions . The ground undulated beneath them like the surface of a stormy sea . It was a truly horrific scene .

In the realm of Aragu, most duels between two Level-16 masters would not last for more than two seconds . As a rule, one blow was all it would take to end the other . This was due to the fact that Level-16 masters had access to various methods of execution, which most of them were usually not in the habit of advertising to the world . Any misjudgment on their opponent's power level would prove fatal for them .

The outcome of a duel also hinged on the stamina of its partic.i.p.ants .

For instance, with just five powerful swings of his sword, Frost Warrior Therodeau's power reserves would be depleted completely .

Only combat masters of unmatched skill and power were capable of trading blows with each other for ten seconds!

Link and Saroviny were two such masters . One of them had the body of a dragon, while the other was a demon from the depths of the Abyss . One had full mastery of the essence of his own power, while the other was in possession of Legendary Pinnacle equipment . Both sides seemed to have come to an impa.s.se right now .

Frost Warrior Therodeau had wanted to join the battle . However, the power released by both sides was so intense that he was pushed back 40 miles away from the action .

He watched as the duel raged on before him, a look of astonishment on his face . Both Warriors had attained power levels beyond his wildest imagination .

Therodeau had no trouble understanding how Saroviny came to become this powerful . She was the child of a G.o.d, after all . However, Link was a different matter entirely . On the surface, he simply looked like an ordinary-looking, if somewhat well-built Magician . The ferocity that he had displayed in his attacks had caught Therodeau completely off guard .

Still, waters ran deep indeed .

Three seconds pa.s.sed . The duel before Therodeau seemed to have come out of its standstill . Link now had the upper hand, forcing Saroviny to a.s.sume a defensive stance . She lashed out a few times in retaliation but was ultimately pushed back by Link .

Heavy, sonorous clangs rang out from their swords every time they collided against each other, due to the huge amounts of power flowing inside them .

Every time Link stabbed his sword out, numerous black rune circles would appear around its blade, causing severe distortion to the s.p.a.ce around it . The spatial distortion was the result of an invisible forcefield that Link had conjured around his sword .

As a result, every blow from Link's sword was driven by the sword's own power and the forcefield that had formed around it . Every time Saroviny swung her sword, her power was greatly weakened by said forcefield . Despite the power boost the Abyss of Despair battle robe had given her, Saroviny now found herself being driven into a corner by Link .

Thankfully, her combat abilities were not terribly affected by this sudden drop in her power . However, Saroviny soon realized that the battle robe's Foresight ability was not as effective as she hoped it would be .

Foresight: During battle, its user would be able to see one second into the future .

If Saroviny's opponent had been a Warrior or a typical Elemental Magician, with such an ability activated, she would be able to finish him or her off with a single blow . No matter how powerful her opponent was, she would be able to triumph over them with ease .

However, even though the ability was still in effect, the predictions she had received from it during their fight had become less accurate .

What made this ability so powerful was the precision of its predictions . If she could no longer predict her opponent's movements accurately in such a tense battle, what was the point of having it activated at all?

Link's swordsmans.h.i.+p was indeed flawless, but his accomplishments in the field of magic were what made him such a formidable opponent . Though he had yet to master time magic, he had learned enough of it to be capable of disrupting the flow of time and consequently rendering Saroviny's Foresight ability useless .

Link's swordsmans.h.i.+p was indeed flawless, but his accomplishments in the field of magic were what made him such a formidable opponent . Though he had yet to master time magic, he had learned enough of it to be capable of disrupting the flow of time and consequently rendering Saroviny's Foresight ability useless .

Saroviny began gasping for breath as Link continued his a.s.sault, seamlessly combining his combat techniques with his magic .

She now felt as if she was stuck in a mire . The more she tried to struggle, the deeper she felt herself being dragged down into an invisible pit . Anger began rising in her until finally, she snapped!

"Argh!!!" screamed Saroviny . "Die!"

Taking advantage of the Abyss of Despair battle robe's damage reduction effect, she decided to charge at Link with everything she had .

Reckless as it might seem, this technique was also extremely effective!

Link's sword pierced Saroviny's arm . The sword's tip sank into the battle robe's fabric, which managed to absorb much of its impact . Link felt as if the sword had plunged into a layer of thick, viscous mud .

Link's sword had left a deep cut on Saroviny's arm . To Saroviny, however, this was no more than a flesh wound . She could still fight . Her retaliation would be a hundred times more terrible than what she had received .

Ignoring her injury, Saroviny thrust her sword out towards Link's heart . Link would definitely die on the spot if he were to take this. .h.i.t .

Link immediately avoided the attack . However, this allowed Saroviny to turn the tables on him . Realizing that her self-harming tactic had paid off, she decided to continue with it until one of them finally collapsed .

For the next few seconds, Link managed to land a few hits on Saroviny . However, he was now in a precarious position himself as well . The moment he slipped up, it would be the end of him .

Five seconds later, Link had left 18 cuts on Saroviny's body, which was now completely covered in blood . His sword had also left a hole through her abdomen .

Link was no better himself . Despite his efforts to dodge her attacks, her blade managed to land a few hits on his arms, thighs, and back . His flesh flapped loosely around his wounds . Blood flowed out of them profusely . He could also feel Saroviny's Abyssal power lingering on his injuries, hindering his body's ability to heal itself up .

Link was no better himself . Despite his efforts to dodge her attacks, her blade managed to land a few hits on his arms, thighs, and back . His flesh flapped loosely around his wounds . Blood flowed out of them profusely . He could also feel Saroviny's Abyssal power lingering on his injuries, hindering his body's ability to heal itself up .

His injuries were evidently more severe than Saroviny's .

Her Abyss of Despair battle robe had managed to offset the difference between their combat powers .

The duel went on for another five seconds . Both sides had depleted much of their power reserves . Their attacks also became more erratic .

However, Link seemed even more ragged than Saroviny . The latter had decided to focus more on her offense, knowing that her battle robe would be able to reduce the damage she would receive from Link's attacks .

Two seconds later, the sound of tearing flesh rang out in the air as Saroviny and Link flashed past one another .

When she finally came to a stop, Saroviny's feet gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground . Her body was riddled with cuts . Link's sword had left a particularly deep wound through her stomach . Portions of her intestine had been torn apart by it . The pain that now a.s.saulted her entire body was more than even a demon with a st.u.r.dy physique like hers could handle .

However, the look on her face was one of ecstasy as she turned around to look at Link .

Link was still standing on his feet . However, he remained motionless like a statue . Seconds later, blood spurted out of his chest . It then flowed down his body, staining his battle robe along the way until it reached the soil beneath his feet .

Link fell to a half-kneel on the ground, with one hand pressed firmly against his chest and one hand holding onto the Ode of a Full Moon sword . His head was limply drooping over his chest .

He was unable to avoid Saroviny's final attack . Her sword had pierced through his chest and sliced his heart in two . The fact that he was able to remain standing for so long was due to his own st.u.r.dy const.i.tution .

"Hehehehe . . . " Saroviny was now laughing on the ground . Her laughter was punctuated by coughing fits which sprayed out blood from her blood . Though her injuries were severe, it did not change the fact that she had won this fight .

Finally, Saroviny had finally defeated Link, who had been the bogeyman in her dreams for so long .

"I've defeated you, Link! Your soul will be enslaved by my father for eternity! Hahaha . . . cough . . . " Saroviny coughed up even more blood .

Finally, Saroviny had finally defeated Link, who had been the bogeyman in her dreams for so long .

"I've defeated you, Link! Your soul will be enslaved by my father for eternity! Hahaha . . . cough . . . " Saroviny coughed up even more blood .

Link remained kneeling on the ground . He did not hear what Saroviny was saying to him .

He was now looking back at everything that had ever happened in his life, from his time on earth to all that he had accomplished during his time in Firuman . Faces of those closest to him in this world flashed before his eyes: Celine, Herrera, Rylai, Gretel, Eliard, Vance, Nana, and even Ferde . Finally, every other face faded into oblivion, leaving only Celine's before him .

His sight was beginning to blur . He could now feel his spirit leaving his body .

"Goodbye," whispered Link . There was not a hint of regret in his voice . He was about to die a hero's death on the battlefield . This was more than enough for him . He was simply pa.s.sing on into the afterlife before everyone else in this bleak and empty world . As for his soul, he had no intention of handing it over to anyone . He had a plan in place to snuff his own soul out before anyone could lay their hands on it .

Link's body relaxed, ready for the cold embrace of death .

At that moment, n.o.body seemed to have noticed the wooden box hanging from Link's waist . It had been holding the Shadow Divine Fragment all this time . Due to the intensity of Link's duel with Saroviny, a small crack had appeared on the box .

Link's blood had seeped into the box through the crack and was now dripping on the Shadow Divine Fragment .

The black crystal skull's eye sockets started to glow with a black light as it was gradually being soaked in Link's blood .

At first, a few weak rays of this black light radiated from the skull's sockets . Then, the light expanded across the entire black crystal skull . It then trembled for a moment . Without warning, the entire fragment evaporated into a column of silver-black smoke which burst out of its wooden container and dove into Link's body .

In an instant, a jolt of electricity exploded in his head . The fog in his mind lifted, and he was once again back in the world of the living .

An ancient voice boomed out in Link's mind moments later . "You who would rather die than be someone else's slave, you whose veins are filled with the blood of a hero, shed off your mortal skin for I now proclaim you ruler over all!"

Sarovinys power and speed had improved dramatically thanks to the Abyss of Despair battle robe . With its Foresight ability, her offense and defense were now impeccable . She was now the perfect Warrior! On the other hand, Link had also received a great deal of power after absorbing Frost Queen Lilys soul energy . However, he was still slightly weaker than Saroviny with her Abyss of Despair battle robe . Fortunately, his nigh flawless swordsmans.h.i.+p, complemented by various support spells that he had cast on himself, was enough to compensate for this difference in power level between them . They had been going at each other for ten seconds, and still, their duel was no closer to a conclusion . In the span of ten seconds, both sides had exchanged 325 blows with each other, setting off ripples of power which spread out in all directions . The ground undulated beneath them like the surface of a stormy sea . It was a truly horrific scene . In the realm of Aragu, most duels between two Level-16 masters would not last for more than two seconds . As a rule, one blow was all it would take to end the other . This was due to the fact that Level-16 masters had access to various methods of execution, which most of them were usually not in the habit of advertising to the world . Any misjudgment on their opponents power level would prove fatal for them . The outcome of a duel also hinged on the stamina of its partic.i.p.ants . For instance, with just five powerful swings of his sword, Frost Warrior Therodeaus power reserves would be depleted completely . Only combat masters of unmatched skill and power were capable of trading blows with each other for ten seconds! Link and Saroviny were two such masters . One of them had the body of a dragon, while the other was a demon from the depths of the Abyss . One had full mastery of the essence of his own power, while the other was in possession of Legendary Pinnacle equipment . Both sides seemed to have come to an impa.s.se right now . Frost Warrior Therodeau had wanted to join the battle . However, the power released by both sides was so intense that he was pushed back 40 miles away from the action . He watched as the duel raged on before him, a look of astonishment on his face . Both Warriors had attained power levels beyond his wildest imagination . Therodeau had no trouble understanding how Saroviny came to become this powerful . She was the child of a G.o.d, after all . However, Link was a different matter entirely . On the surface, he simply looked like an ordinary-looking, if somewhat well-built Magician . The ferocity that he had displayed in his attacks had caught Therodeau completely off guard . Still, waters ran deep indeed . Three seconds pa.s.sed . The duel before Therodeau seemed to have come out of its standstill . Link now had the upper hand, forcing Saroviny to a.s.sume a defensive stance . She lashed out a few times in retaliation but was ultimately pushed back by Link . Heavy, sonorous clangs rang out from their swords every time they collided against each other, due to the huge amounts of power flowing inside them . Every time Link stabbed his sword out, numerous black rune circles would appear around its blade, causing severe distortion to the s.p.a.ce around it . The spatial distortion was the result of an invisible forcefield that Link had conjured around his sword . As a result, every blow from Links sword was driven by the swords own power and the forcefield that had formed around it . Every time Saroviny swung her sword, her power was greatly weakened by said forcefield . Despite the power boost the Abyss of Despair battle robe had given her, Saroviny now found herself being driven into a corner by Link . Thankfully, her combat abilities were not terribly affected by this sudden drop in her power . However, Saroviny soon realized that the battle robes Foresight ability was not as effective as she hoped it would be . Foresight: During battle, its user would be able to see one second into the future . If Sarovinys opponent had been a Warrior or a typical Elemental Magician, with such an ability activated, she would be able to finish him or her off with a single blow . No matter how powerful her opponent was, she would be able to triumph over them with ease . However, even though the ability was still in effect, the predictions she had received from it during their fight had become less accurate . What made this ability so powerful was the precision of its predictions . If she could no longer predict her opponents movements accurately in such a tense battle, what was the point of having it activated at all? Links swordsmans.h.i.+p was indeed flawless, but his accomplishments in the field of magic were what made him such a formidable opponent . Though he had yet to master time magic, he had learned enough of it to be capable of disrupting the flow of time and consequently rendering Sarovinys Foresight ability useless . Saroviny began gasping for breath as Link continued his a.s.sault, seamlessly combining his combat techniques with his magic . She now felt as if she was stuck in a mire . The more she tried to struggle, the deeper she felt herself being dragged down into an invisible pit . Anger began rising in her until finally, she snapped! Argh!!! screamed Saroviny . Die! Taking advantage of the Abyss of Despair battle robes damage reduction effect, she decided to charge at Link with everything she had . Reckless as it might seem, this technique was also extremely effective! Links sword pierced Sarovinys arm . The swords tip sank into the battle robes fabric, which managed to absorb much of its impact . Link felt as if the sword had plunged into a layer of thick, viscous mud . Links sword had left a deep cut on Sarovinys arm . To Saroviny, however, this was no more than a flesh wound . She could still fight . Her retaliation would be a hundred times more terrible than what she had received . Ignoring her injury, Saroviny thrust her sword out towards Links heart . Link would definitely die on the spot if he were to take this. .h.i.t . Link immediately avoided the attack . However, this allowed Saroviny to turn the tables on him . Realizing that her self-harming tactic had paid off, she decided to continue with it until one of them finally collapsed . For the next few seconds, Link managed to land a few hits on Saroviny . However, he was now in a precarious position himself as well . The moment he slipped up, it would be the end of him . Five seconds later, Link had left 18 cuts on Sarovinys body, which was now completely covered in blood . His sword had also left a hole through her abdomen . Link was no better himself . Despite his efforts to dodge her attacks, her blade managed to land a few hits on his arms, thighs, and back . His flesh flapped loosely around his wounds . Blood flowed out of them profusely . He could also feel Sarovinys Abyssal power lingering on his injuries, hindering his bodys ability to heal itself up . His injuries were evidently more severe than Sarovinys . Her Abyss of Despair battle robe had managed to offset the difference between their combat powers . The duel went on for another five seconds . Both sides had depleted much of their power reserves . Their attacks also became more erratic . However, Link seemed even more ragged than Saroviny . The latter had decided to focus more on her offense, knowing that her battle robe would be able to reduce the damage she would receive from Links attacks . Two seconds later, the sound of tearing flesh rang out in the air as Saroviny and Link flashed past one another . When she finally came to a stop, Sarovinys feet gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground . Her body was riddled with cuts . Links sword had left a particularly deep wound through her stomach . Portions of her intestine had been torn apart by it . The pain that now a.s.saulted her entire body was more than even a demon with a st.u.r.dy physique like hers could handle . However, the look on her face was one of ecstasy as she turned around to look at Link . Link was still standing on his feet . However, he remained motionless like a statue . Seconds later, blood spurted out of his chest . It then flowed down his body, staining his battle robe along the way until it reached the soil beneath his feet . Link fell to a half-kneel on the ground, with one hand pressed firmly against his chest and one hand holding onto the Ode of a Full Moon sword . His head was limply drooping over his chest . He was unable to avoid Sarovinys final attack . Her sword had pierced through his chest and sliced his heart in two . The fact that he was able to remain standing for so long was due to his own st.u.r.dy const.i.tution . Hehehehe . Saroviny was now laughing on the ground . Her laughter was punctuated by coughing fits which sprayed out blood from her blood . Though her injuries were severe, it did not change the fact that she had won this fight . Finally, Saroviny had finally defeated Link, who had been the bogeyman in her dreams for so long . Ive defeated you, Link! Your soul will be enslaved by my father for eternity! Hahaha . cough . Saroviny coughed up even more blood . Link remained kneeling on the ground . He did not hear what Saroviny was saying to him . He was now looking back at everything that had ever happened in his life, from his time on earth to all that he had accomplished during his time in Firuman . Faces of those closest to him in this world flashed before his eyes: Celine, Herrera, Rylai, Gretel, Eliard, Vance, Nana, and even Ferde . Finally, every other face faded into oblivion, leaving only Celines before him . His sight was beginning to blur . He could now feel his spirit leaving his body . Goodbye, whispered Link . There was not a hint of regret in his voice . He was about to die a heros death on the battlefield . This was more than enough for him . He was simply pa.s.sing on into the afterlife before everyone else in this bleak and empty world . As for his soul, he had no intention of handing it over to anyone . He had a plan in place to snuff his own soul out before anyone could lay their hands on it . Links body relaxed, ready for the cold embrace of death . At that moment, n.o.body seemed to have noticed the wooden box hanging from Links waist . It had been holding the Shadow Divine Fragment all this time . Due to the intensity of Links duel with Saroviny, a small crack had appeared on the box . Links blood had seeped into the box through the crack and was now dripping on the Shadow Divine Fragment . The black crystal skulls eye sockets started to glow with a black light as it was gradually being soaked in Links blood . At first, a few weak rays of this black light radiated from the skulls sockets . Then, the light expanded across the entire black crystal skull . It then trembled for a moment . Without warning, the entire fragment evaporated into a column of silver-black smoke which burst out of its wooden container and dove into Links body . In an instant, a jolt of electricity exploded in his head . The fog in his mind lifted, and he was once again back in the world of the living . An ancient voice boomed out in Links mind moments later . You who would rather die than be someone elses slave, you whose veins are filled with the blood of a hero, shed off your mortal skin for I now proclaim you ruler over all!