The First War

"Deka, Deka, Deka," Second said with a smirk. "What are you doing, my friend?"

"I am quitting now as a Slave Hunter," Deka declared.

They could hear each other clearly since the barrier was only about two centimeters thick.

Deka's barrier manipulation had a flaw.

When he focuses it on a smaller space, it becomes thick, just like the one he had used to trap Draven earlier.

But when he expands it, the barrier becomes thinner. 

"Oh really? Are you sure about this?" Second asked mockingly.

"I don't want to live in darkness anymore," Deka answered, his voice firm. "I want to prove that I am worthy of being saved!"

Second smirked, knowing Deka's abilities. 

"Let's see how long your body can handle maintaining a barrier of this size."

Clicking his tongue, Deka understood his weakness. 

Even though his strength had tripled, his physical endurance was still lacking. 

He wouldn't be able to maintain the barrier for long.

Draven placed a firm hand on Deka's shoulder. 

"Don't worry. I'll take care of the rest. Can you create a small opening for me to dash through?"

Deka nodded. "I can do it."

Draven was about to charge head-on into the entire Mad Clan. 

He positioned himself, adjusting his stance for maximum power. His legs tensed, muscles coiling like springs.

"Hey, hey… Is that guy really going in alone?" Second muttered, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Now!"

Deka opened a small gap in the barrier.

Draven exploded forward.

A thunderous impact followed as Draven smashed into the first wave of the Mad Clan. 

A lot of Mad Clan members were sent flying, crashing into trees.

The ground continued to tremble.

Cracks expanded and trees collapsed from the force of impact.

But the three division leaders flew up, narrowly escaping Draven's devastating attack.

"Where's Third?" Fourth called out as they were suspended in the air. 

"I'm here!" Third's voice boomed from the ground. 

He had used his Warhammer as a shield, but the force had still sent him skidding back, tearing up the earth beneath him. 

"This guy is strong!"

Second smirked, clearly enjoying the chaos. 

"Obviously, he's no ordinary Verdant. This is gonna be fun! Hahaha!"

"Let's see who gets to kill him first." 

Meanwhile, Draven was also observing them.

'These guys... They are really stronger than their leader. 'They manage to escape at my speed.'' 

Fifth launched a rapid succession of fiery spears, each one searing like a meteor.

Draven weaved through them with precise, effortless movements. 

He twisted his torso to dodge one, sidestepped another, and dropped into a low slide to avoid the rest.

Before he could regain his footing, Fourth flicked her wrists, sending her levitating axes hurtling toward him. 

They came from unpredictable angles, spinning in a deadly whirlwind.

Draven pushed off the ground, flipping backward mid-air to evade the first axe.

Then he contorted his body mid-spin to avoid the second.

'An elemental skill and a skill that can control an axe?'

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Third's Warhammer came crashing down.

The sheer force splitting the earth beneath them.

'The other one that can manipulate his weapon size.'

Draven twisted his body at the last possible moment.

The massive weapon slammed just inches away from where he had stood.

'And the last is Shadow clone.'

Second's clones emerged from the dust, striking in rapid succession. 

Their attacks come from multiple angles in an unpredictable sequence.

Draven raised his Morphos pipe, parrying a downward strike while twisting his body to dodge another.

'His shadow is different now. It's much stronger than before.'

He drove his knee into a clone's stomach, pivoted, and smashed his pipe into another's head.

"Feels different?" Second taunted. "Hihihihi. The more my shadow is near with me, the more they can copy my movements."

The other Mad Clan members who survived Draven's massive attack could do nothing but watch.

"What should we do? Should we join them?"

"Idiot, do you want to die? You'll just get in the way of the division leaders." 

"Let's surround this barrier and wait for Deka to be exhausted."

They surrounded the barrier, scaring the villagers inside as they saw their menacing faces.

Meanwhile, Draven continues to fight.

A blade was about to slice his ribs.

But he deflected it with the Morphos pipe, twisting his body to avoid another strike.

Using his free hand, he caught an incoming wrist.

Then he drove his knee into the attacker's gut before slamming the Morphos into another clone's skull.

A third clone lunged low, thrusting forward.

He evaded, then spun, bringing the Morphos down like a hammer.

Without pausing, he shifted and used his momentum to deflect another attack.

Then he drove a kick into a clone's chest, sending it crashing backward.

"So you're telling me you are weak? I already beat all your shadows," Draven said as the dust settled.

"Really? Then... try to beat them all!" Second shouted as countless shadows formed around him.

'This is a bit complicated. Four vs. one? No! It's hundreds vs. one.'

Second and his clones charged forward.

At the same time, Fourth's swirling axes closed in behind Draven.

"This is thrilling," Draven grinned even as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. 

Suddenly, someone parried the axes.

Naisha.

"Leave the girl to me!" she shouted to Draven.

"Oh, you're here," Draven responded, grinning. "Why? Are you jealous?" 

"Whatever."

Naisha dashed toward Fourth, meeting her axes head-on, parrying each strike.

"Oh, you think you're like him?" Fourth sneered, referring to Draven. "You think you can keep up with me?"

"Not just keep up. I can definitely beat you," Naisha replied as she busied Fourth.

Meanwhile, Draven continued cutting through the endless swarm of Second's shadow. 

His Morphos pipe crushed skulls.

His knee shattered ribs.

And his kicks sent clones flying.

Still, they kept coming endlessly.

To make matters worse, Third and Fifth attacked in tandem.

Draven was forced to weave between their strikes. 

Third's Warhammer slammed down, shaking the battlefield.

The Elemental Spear, the Warhammer and the Shadow Clone were all aiming at Draven.

But suddenly, arrows struck the clones of Second.

It was Gil!

He was still inside the barrier. But Deka had created a small hole every time the arrow needed to pass through. Then he closed it again.

The arrows were being shot fast at the shadows and the Mad Clan members that were surrounding the barrier.

"F*ck this unfair f*cking Deka! Run!"

The Mad Clan members ran as fast as they could and hid from Gil's sight.

But that wasn't all.

The villagers were also working together. 

They placed a basket and filled it with supplies for Gil to use. 

Others quickly crafted arrows made entirely of wood.

Meanwhile, Draven talked to Gil while fighting with the rest of the Mad Clan leaders.

"Free hit? That's cheating, bro," Draven grinned as he launched himself forward again.

He aimed at Third, while Second's shadow clones followed closely, continuously attacking him.

"I'm just buying you time," Gil replied. 

Whenever Fifth tried to attack with his elemental spear, Gil would always intercept him.

"Fuck! What's wrong with this guy?!" Fifth muttered while hiding among the trees. "I've already moved far away, but his arrows are still reaching me!"