Chapter 331: Facing Team Lucy 7

Lucy witnessed everything. Her body stood tall, but her eyes trembled—not from injury, not from her opponent... but from one thing Lucy had never imagined before: fear.

Something within Lucy cracked.

This was where Lucy began to lose control—and for someone like her, that was more terrifying than death. Her breaths came in short gasps, as if choked by the weight of an imagination too heavy to bear.

Lucy raised her right hand, but it trembled slightly. She conjured a blade of wind, sharp and nearly invisible, surrounded by a small vortex that rustled the leaves around her. She aimed it at Yuna, but—

Annie had already moved. With a swift motion, Annie pulled Yuna down. The blade sliced through the air, producing a sharp sound that echoed like a death whisper. Yuna's hair fluttered, almost...

On a small hill, Rinka stood filled with power. Flames began to burn within her, consuming her from the inside out. This was no ordinary fire—it was anger manifesting in elemental form. The flames enveloped Rinka's skin like a living cloak. The wind around her ceased to move, bowing to the heat that now dominated.

The air changed. Heavy. Thin. Too hot to breathe comfortably. The trees groaned, their leaves drying instantly and turning black before crumbling to ash. The ground cracked, burning from below. The fire in Rinka's hands formed wild shapes, like a dragon ready to devour the world.

As Rinka directed her hands toward the battlefield, it was then that she realized—the opponent she intended to attack was not there. Rinka's eyes swept around, and that was when she understood: the enemy had vanished.

On the other side, far from Rinka's reach, Harl leaped. Harl's spear spun through the air—fast and sharp—then shot forward, the tip aimed straight at Goujiro's chest, like lightning striking from the sky.

"ARGHHHH!!" Goujiro screamed, his cry sounding like the tearing of flesh and destruction. As Goujiro staggered, blood gushed from the wound in his chest.

William saw an opening. Like a shadow moving in the midst of a storm, William's body was almost blurred from sight. In one swift step, he was right in front of Goujiro. William's sword pierced without hesitation—sharp, cold, with deadly precision.

The blade penetrated Goujiro's chest, seemingly stopping time for a moment.

Goujiro's eyes widened. Breath caught in his throat. He coughed violently—blood flowed from the corner of his lips, staining his chin, falling to wet the cracked ground. Goujiro's body began to collapse slowly, like a tree unwilling to fall.

Two members of Team Lucy had fallen.

Four remained. Including Lucy.

The sky above the artificial forest remained bright. The artificial light shone as if everything was fine. But not for Team Lucy.

...

...

...

Jae Hyun slammed his axe into the ground. A small explosion occurred, and the earth trembled. Dust floated. Small cracks spread toward Ai Lin, and in a split second, Ai Lin lost her balance.

That was when Oliv arrived. Oliv's movements were like a deadly dance—fast, sharp, and almost silent. Appearing behind Ai Lin like a shadow, Oliv's knives were already raised. Oliv attacked with both blades—a deadly cross strike.

Ai Lin reacted instantly, her iron fan opened to parry. The clash of metal produced small sparks, and Ai Lin's fan held the attack, but—

Every scratch from Oliv slowed Ai Lin's body... just a little at first. Like ordinary fatigue. But second by second, Ai Lin's movements became heavier. Her muscles tensed. Her head spun. Ai Lin realized. This was not from exhaustion.

This was Oliv's ability.

Oliv's knives slowed anyone they struck. Whether through poison, magic, or a curse, Ai Lin did not know. But the effect was clear. Ai Lin could no longer match Oliv's speed. Her fan began to respond too late.