‘Clang!’

‘Clang!’

The vines and blades flew as they strung at each other.

‘Bam!!’

‘Bang!!!’

‘Krrrriiiiiihhh!!!!’

Sparks flew as the the enhanced plants clashed with the branch blades of Pheobe’s dagger.

The exchange lasted for some moments as both sides remained in their positions, their gaze transfixed on the other’s movements and strikes.

Pheobe’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she slashed and weaved her now enlarged weapon to find an opening to strike Talia down. But since the vines around Talia were greater in size and numbers, they were able to parry all other attacks and even engage in counterattacks.

“What’s the matter? Will you keep staying in defense forever? Why don’t you attack for a change?!” Pheobe taunted.

Talia maintained her cool. Inasmuch as she didn’t want to kill Pheobe, she had no choice in the matter. But she didn’t want to be impulsive. If she overexerts herself, she would go down. However, by using the minimum amount of power to attack, she would be able to draw the fight to her advantage and overwhelm her opponent with greater force and numbers.

“Bah, this is no fun!” Pheobe said.

Suddenly, she ceased her strikes and leaped back, preventing the vines from striking her since she stopped attacking. She finally landed safely outside the range of attack, beyond the reach of the vines and smiled widely.

“You’re really strong Talia. No one has managed to last this long against me other than big brother Gwain and Commander Gerund.” Pheobe said with an obsessive look.

She licked her lips in anticipation and decided to take things to another level. She took a deep breath in and finally released a surge of energy, with waves being emitted from her body.

“What is this…? Something is different about her now” Talia asked herself, noticing the change in Pheobe’s energy.

“Ha… Finally I can let loose. I’m so happy, Talia is so strong that I’ll be going all out! Shino is happy too, let us go all out together!” She said, licking her dagger again.

The sight grossed Talia out, but she did her best to control herself. She maintained a calm demeanor and gazed down at Pheobe, who was laughing maniacally.

“I can finally use it! Finally…” She mumbled.

“Now that that Apostle isn’t here… I can finally use it… Hex!” She grinned widely and widened her eyes, directing them to Talia.

A bead of sweat dropped from Talia’s face.

“Hex?!” She asked herself.

“Isn’t that Master Hexarion’s… She can also use it?”

Talia slowly started to lose her composure. Since she had seen Hex and it’s effects, she knew better than to underestimate such a powerful Art.

“Out of us Terrible Trio, my Relic is the weakest. Big brother Gwain possessed the Sword of Rupture, and Big brother Lance possessed the Limit Breaker. But Shino isn’t as strong as those Relics. Shino just likes to feed endlessly on blood…” Pheobe said.

Talia felt the aura around Pheobe grow even more as she spoke.

“But… Even though I lack the strength of a Relic… I possess something the other two do not! Mastery of the Art of Hex!” She smiled.

“I don’t like where this is heading to…” Talia said nervously.

“With this Art, I’ll show you just why I’m ranked as a Terrible, why I possess the title of ‘Fiend of the Battlefield’!” She grinned.

Due to the Apostle, Lauria’s presence, she could not use her Hex Art since it is considered blasphemy and an abomination to the gods. But now, she was finally able to let out all the pent up bloodlust she had been witholding.

Transforming the depraved emotions into power, she gripped her dagger tightly and readied herself.

“Hex #85… Crimson Armament”

Suddenly, her entire body become enveloped in a blood-like aura. The dark red energy covered her entire being, generating an ominous feel throughout the battlefield.

“T-That is…” Talia stuttered as she stared in surprise.

“You’ll have to forgive me… When I’m in this form, I lose all form of reasoning… From this point on… We won’t have our fun talks anymore… Now then… Time to dig in!” Pheobe grinned in a devilish manner.

Immediately, her eyes glowed red and she crouched. Her teeth brought forth drool as she growled like a wild animal hungry for prey.

“Grauuuuuhhhh” She let out.

Immediately, she dashed, on all fours, she ran straight for Talia.

Nervous about the new state her enemy was in, Talia ascended higher into the sky, ensuring she was far above ground, unable to be reached by the berserk Pheobe.

“With my current height there’s no way she can re-”

As Talia was still grimacing on the distance she had made, Pheobe immediately created wings behind her from the crimson energy which enveloped her. She took to the sky, leaving a trail of red energy behind her as she accelerated at great speed.

“W-What?!” Talia said in shock.

Before she could fully make sense of the situation she found herself in, Pheobe appeared in front of her in a flash.

“She’s fast!” Talia noticed.

“Rarghhh” Pheobe let out as she used her claws, which had been further enhanced by the red cloak , to strike at Talia.

Talia dodged as quickly as she could, backflipping in haste. This let her avoid the attack, but Pheobe wasn’t done yet. Within a moment’s breath, she leaped in to get Talia, and once again closed the distance.

She raised her fist to hit Talia, but she quickly flew backward, missing the attack only by a little, however… Using the crimson energy, the aura extended, forming a fist-like structure and reached Talia. The blow hit her stomach, causing her to cough out in pain.

“Keukk” Talia groaned.

She was sent flying by the blunt hit and crashed down to the ground.

“Gahhh, it hurts…” Talia said in pain, holding her stomach.

Before she had enough time to think about her predicament, Pheobe descended to the ground, facing Talia with a wild look on her face.

“Blood… Blood!” She said mechanically.

“Need… Blood… Give me… B-Blood…”

She drooled even more as she spoke, with no signs of intelligence, only instinct.

“Damn… To think she’s this strong!” Talia groaned to herself.

“I have to-”

Before she was done with her line of thought, Talia crouched and dashed to Talia again.

“Tch!” Talia said, stretching her hands immediately and sent nearby vines to attack Pheobe.

The vines lunged at Pheobe, who ran rapidly, dodging their every strike as fast as she could. None of them could reach her as she turned and twisted her body to avoid them, tearing through the ones that blocked her path, while outrunning the ones which chased her.

Talia used this opportunity to ascend to the sky. However, as she took flight, Pheobe immediately noticed and released a powerful surge of energy, destroying all the vines around her.

She immediately glared at Talia, once again summoning her crimson wings for flight and flew to reach her prey.

“I suppose I have no choice…” Talia said to herself.

As Pheobe reached out to grab Talia with her crimson energy hands, Talia immediately flexed her hands.

Suddenly, light radiated around her and the force pushed Pheobe away, repelling her back to the ground.

She crashed into the ground with a great force, shattering the earth she met.

“Grughhhh” She let out as she lifted her face up to gaze upon her enemy.

Light filled the evening sky as Talia floated in the air. Light particles floated around her in the shapes of tiny spheres which glowed brilliantly with white light.

“… I’ll have to stop holding back as well.” Talia said, raising one of her hands.

Immediately, giant vines emerged from the ground , glowing silver white as they danced around her. With her powerful vines swirling around her and the light orbs surrounding her, she gazed down at the deranged Pheobe who only growled in madness as the red energy grew even wilder, consuming her body further.

“Now… It’s just a race against time. Who will go down first? You, with your Crimson Armament, or me… With my first Seal unlocked and set at maximum.” Talia grimaced.

“Garuuuuwllll”

“Let’s end this…. Pheobe!”