Holding Off The Pressure

A woman with a graceful figure now stood between Kai and Shing. She looked absolutely majestic, her long, jet-black hair floating in the air, lifted by the surge of mana she was channeling. Her colored robe fit her perfectly, accentuating her curves just enough to enhance her commanding presence.

She stood like an immovable wall, exuding confidence and power, ready to face anything that came her way.

After blocking the initial attack, her head snapped toward Isla.

"Fairy, how much time do I need to buy before you can leave with him?"

"As much as you can!" Isla replied urgently, her thoughts racing in every direction.

She couldn't comprehend what was unfolding before her eyes, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. She needed to act decisively because, in a few moments, more powerful beings would arrive—beings under Shing's orders. The man Lady Myre now faced was far from their only problem.

"I see," Myre replied coldly, her gaze shifting back to Shing. "Make sure he survives."

"Myre!" Shing shouted, his voice laced with rage, his eyes burning with fury. "You'll regret this!"

Shing's irises glowed as if lightning coursed through them. His robe began to float as his mana surged, crackling and rippling in the air around him.

In an instant, Shing mirrored Myre's preparation, ready to fight to the death.

"Betraying the Order? You know the punishment for that, don't you?" Shing smirked, mana gathering in his right hand in a swirling, ominous orb. His gaze remained fixed on Myre, completely ignoring Kai behind her.

Unbeknownst to Shing, this was exactly what Myre had been waiting for. She only needed to stall for a few more minutes to allow the soul transfer to complete. It was progressing steadily, and while those final moments felt like an eternity, they were all that stood between Kai and survival.

"The punishment for betraying the Order?" Myre let out a cold laugh. "I believe it's death. But that doesn't matter since I won't be dying here."

Shing shrugged casually, a mocking grin on his face. "Let me ask you one question before I kill you."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you helping weaklings you've never met before? Why do they matter so much that you'd sacrifice your life for them?"

Myre smirked, floating upward as she too began gathering mana in her hands. "They seemed like an interesting bunch. So, I thought, why not save them?"

Shing shook his head, clearly unimpressed. He knew her words were pure deflection, a way to avoid giving him the real answer.

Before their battle could begin in earnest, several of Shing's lackeys entered the Corrupted Tree, their expressions a mixture of confusion and hesitation as they took in the scene.

"Everyone! From this moment forward, consider Lady Myre an enemy of the Order. Kill her if you can," Shing commanded, his voice sharp and unyielding.

The lackeys froze, their disbelief evident. Killing a high-ranking member of the Order? To them, it was tantamount to suicide.

None of them even approached Myre's level of power. If they dared to oppose her, death would be certain—delivered with a flick of her fingers.

Paralyzed by fear, most of Shing's lackeys remained rooted in place, unwilling to act. They knew the hierarchy of the Order well: the stronger you were, the higher the realm you governed. Myre, responsible for the fourth realm, stood far above Shing, who was tasked with managing the first. The gap in strength was undeniable, yet Shing radiated unshakable confidence.

"I'll prove I'm stronger than you and take your place," he declared, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"Blah, blah, blah. Is talking all you can do?" Myre retorted, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder.

The soul transfer was progressing smoothly, and she estimated it would soon be complete. Once it was, her focus could shift entirely to dealing with Shing, and she wasn't worried about the outcome of a one-on-one battle.

With a swift motion, Myre summoned a portal at her side, reaching into it to retrieve a massive scythe. The weapon was nearly as large as she was, yet she wielded it with ease, the blade gleaming ominously in the light flooding the tree's hollow.

Shing's expression changed the moment he saw the weapon. Myre was serious. She was even bringing out her signature weapon, leaving no doubt that she was prepared to fight with everything she had.

Before Shing could summon his own weapon, Myre was upon him, closing the distance in a blur of motion. She slashed downward with the scythe, its blade humming with concentrated mana. Shing barely managed to reinforce his arms with mana in time to block the blow.

The impact was devastating, sending shockwaves rippling through the hollow. The ground cracked beneath them, and the air hummed with energy. Shing skidded backward, his feet scraping against the ground as he struggled to keep his balance.

But Myre didn't relent. Her strikes came faster and faster, each swing of the scythe a calculated arc of deadly precision. Sparks erupted each time Shing's mana clashed with the blade, illuminating the tree's dark interior with bursts of light.

Shing growled in frustration as he struggled to keep up. Each of Myre's attacks pushed him further back, his defense faltering under the relentless onslaught.

"Attack the dragon!" Shing roared, desperation creeping into his voice as he realized he was being overwhelmed.

Instantly, a dozen of Shing's lackeys charged toward Kai, who remained oblivious to his surroundings, entirely consumed by the energy coursing through him.

Myre disengaged from Shing with a powerful leap, her scythe spinning in a graceful arc as she landed in front of Kai. Her stance was unyielding, her weapon gleaming with a menacing light.

The attackers hesitated, their charge faltering as fear gripped them. Myre seized the moment, swinging her scythe in a deadly horizontal slash.

The blade released a shimmering wave of energy that sliced through the air, cutting through three lackeys in one fluid motion. Their bodies crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

"Stay away from him, and I'll let you live," she declared, her voice cold and commanding as her piercing gaze swept over the remaining lackeys.

Their terror was palpable, and none dared move.

As Myre turned her attention back to Kai, she noticed something critical—the Catalyst was gone. The soul transfer had finished. It was a success.

But now, the real challenge began.

The escape.