Chapter 130: Dragon Claw The world twisted around him, like the night sky itself had been pulled into a whirlpool. Snow and shadow swirled together in sickening patterns, it was very disorienting. Ding! [Kyone’s Blessing is reacting... You are immune to Stat reductions.] The words flared across Azel’s vision like carved light. Then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the spinning stopped. The suffocating pressure ebbed away. The world snapped into focus. The battlefield stretched out around him once more — the Divide bleeding its purple light into the night, the endless snow crunching beneath boots, and the tide of shrieking spirits. Yet where Azel stood clear-headed, the others faltered. Veyra’s sharp eyes darted at shadows that weren’t there. Anya’s knuckles were white against her blade, her breathing shallow as though fighting something only she could see. Anthony’s grip trembled, his spear wavering. Even Drew’s teeth were clenched tight, his massive frame stiffened as though bound by invisible chains. All of them were caught in illusions. All except one. Medusa stood utterly still, her serpentine hair twitching irritably. She crossed her arms, expression darkened, as if the ghosts’ tricks were beneath her notice. She was annoyed. Azel understood immediately. ’So it only hit me for a moment... Kyone’s blessing protects me. And Medusa — she isn’t so easily deceived.’ Azel thought. Though he wanted to ask the members... didn’t they have any items for resisting illusions? However this was not the time. Without hesitation, he reached into his storage ring. His fingers closed around a small, unassuming strip of parchment — a talisman, bought in the Empire. It had sat unused in his collection, just one to be cautious in case he was ever under an Illusion. Now, it was exactly what they needed. He poured his magic into it. The talisman shivered, then glowed with a soft golden light that quickly brightened into brilliance. The glow expanded outward in a sweeping wave, washing across the snowy battlefield. It rushed over Anthony, Anya, Drew, and Veyra, and even rolled down the cliffside, bathing the crater where Julius’s body lay buried. One by one, their eyes snapped open. Confusion replaced fear. "Wh—what?" Veyra blinked rapidly, her head shaking clear. Her sharp gaze darted immediately toward Azel, who still held the fading talisman. Her lips curled into a smirk, and she tossed her hair back with casual bravado. "Thanks, cutie." Before Azel could respond, she launched herself into the fray. Snow erupted under her feet as she blurred forward, her sickle flashing. With sweeping arcs, she carved through the lesser ghosts, their misty forms dissipating like smoke under her strikes. The snow bent to her will, rushing in curved currents around her slashes, amplifying each strike until it shredded spirits by the dozens. "Show-off," Azel muttered under his breath. Anthony, his spear already spinning in hand, followed suit. His weapon sang as he hurled it toward the monstrous Rank 3 Sprite. The spectral head reeled back with a guttural roar as the spear pierced through its cheek, glowing with residual aura. Without pause, Anthony leapt after his weapon, seizing it midair and lunging again. Drew, meanwhile, broke from the group, his massive strides shaking the earth as he dashed down the slope toward Julius’s crater. His armored boots smashed into the snow, kicking up flurries as he reached their downed comrade. "You don’t get to sleep yet, you bastard," Drew growled, hauling Julius up by the arm. Azel, standing firm with Anya and Medusa at his side, tightened his grip on the Goddess’s blade. He glanced toward Medusa. "Meda, feel free." Her eyes widened, lips curling into a slow, wicked grin. A flush of magical energy pulsed outward from her body, sharp and wild like lightning tasting freedom. "Yes, Master~" Without hesitation, she dove headfirst from their position, plummeting several meters before slamming into the ground below. The impact cracked the frozen earth in a spiderweb pattern, sending shards of ice scattering outward. Her hands pressed together, glowing with unstable force. Between her palms, a sphere of pure mana bloomed, growing brighter, denser, until it seared against Azel’s eyes even from a distance. The ghosts reacted instantly. Drawn to the overwhelming light, they swarmed, their hollow sockets blazing as they rushed her in droves. Medusa only laughed. She released the spell. The orb detonated in a shockwave of white mana, shredding through the horde. Ghosts shrieked in chorus, their forms unraveling as they scattered into harmless mist. Medusa stood amidst the fading remnants, her chest rising and falling with exhilaration. A giddy laugh slipped past her lips, unrestrained and wild. ’I wish I had my weapons though,’ she thought wistfully, glancing around the field. Her chained blades would have done wonders right now. Then her eyes caught something half-buried in the snow — a jagged piece of bone, long and sharp enough to serve as a crude blade. It wasn’t elegant like the weapons the members of the Furious five used but it would do. She bent, picked it up, and poured her mana into it. The bone vibrated violently before sharpening of its own accord, its edge gleaming with unnatural light. A grotesque, bulbous eye-ghost barreled toward her, its body pulsing with pale veins. Medusa smirked, spun, and smashed it aside with a single mana-infused strike. The creature howled once before collapsing into mist. ’It’s a good weapon,’ she thought, twirling the bone in satisfaction. A rumble beneath her feet snapped her attention sideways. Tremors shook the battlefield as Drew re-entered the fight, his greatsword cleaving through a pack of phantoms in a single swing. Beside him, Julius had returned as well — face bloodied, body bruised, but his eyes alight with a fury that seemed almost inhuman. He tore into the ghosts with savage precision, each strike of his shadow-coated daggers laced with killing intent. Medusa paused only for a moment, her gaze flicking back toward Azel, who remained on the cliffside with Anya. A pang of jealousy twisted in her chest at the sight of Anya standing so close to him, their stances aligned. But she shook it off, refocusing on her own fight. There would be time for that later. ... Azel adjusted his grip on the Goddess’s blade, eyes locking on the true threat: the Rank 3 Sprite. Its massive, twisted head floated unnaturally above the battlefield, grotesque features contorting with every pained howl. Broken teeth gleamed in its permanent crooked grin, violet mist seeping from its maw. ’Sprite, huh?’ Azel thought grimly. It was nothing like the Sprite drink he remembered from Earth. Anthony kept the creature at bay with precise long-range strikes, but Azel could tell — it wasn’t enough. The aura on those spears was strong, but not decisive. Against a Rank 3 Ghost, no one could solo like that. ’I could use Star Strike again,’ Azel reasoned. ’But this... this is the perfect chance to test Dragon Claw.’ Azel’s jaw tightened. He took his stance. Feet braced firmly in the snow. Knees bent low. His sword angled just as Kyone had drilled him, until the posture felt burned into his bones. Aura poured into the blade, flooding it until its edge gleamed with vibrant green light. Anya’s sharp eyes widened as she caught the motion. ’Does the Prince want to try something?’ she thought, her lips pressing into a line. Azel exhaled, steadying his mind. His focus narrowed until the world seemed to quiet. Then he swung. The blade cut through the air with a deafening whistle. A massive arc of green energy exploded outward, soaring across the battlefield. But just as Kyone had promised, the energy split — once, twice, thrice until five separate slashes streaked forward, a dragon’s claw of light. They collided with the Sprite. A thunderous explosion tore across the Divide, snow and mist blasted skyward. The ground quaked under the force. Azel’s heart surged. ’Did I—’ [Wrong!] Kyone’s voice rang in his skull, killing any joy he had. Azel staggered back, his grip on the blade tightening. Confusion rattled him. ’It was five slashes was it not?’