*Gulp*
*Gulp*
The cool sensation of the HP potion going down his throat felt refreshing to Leo, as the smooth, consistent liquid helped take his mind off the pain stinging all over his body.
A slash wound here, a stab wound there—his entire body was a mess of injuries, each one a testament to the brutal battle he'd just endured.
His muscles ached and his breathing came in ragged bursts, as every movement of his lungs sent fresh jolts of pain through his battered frame.
However, the worst injury of them all was undoubtedly the deep sword gash across his right shoulder, which continued to ooze blood despite the potion's gradual healing effects.
The torn flesh throbbed painfully, each pulse a reminder of the devastating blow Denver had landed at the end, as while the minor injuries healed fast, this particular wound did not seem to close down at all.
*Huff*
Leo let out a shaky breath, his free hand clutching the wound as he leaned against the cold, cracked palace wall for support.
His sharp eyes flicked toward Denver's lifeless form that slumped on the cobblestone floor, with the pool of his own blood beneath him growing wider by the second.
"That bastard didn't make it easy," Leo muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.
The battle could have easily ended with Denver as the victor, but it seemed like lady luck was on his side today, as it often had been ever since he boarded the Arc Ship.
Tilting his head back, Leo stared towards the sky for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts amidst the chaos that still raged around him.
However, instead of the serene calm that he so desperately craved, the sounds of combat echoed in the distance, filling his ears with nothing but more carnage and chaos.
Clashing steel, shouts, and the occasional explosion were all he could hear when he closed his eyes, as without even needing to look at the battle, Leo could already imagine how it was.
Regardless, he opened his eyes and threw a glance in the direction of the battle, where he saw Dumpy and Ben to still be fighting, as they kept the remnants of the royal forces at bay.
The two of them fought ferociously and although they were not surrounded or on the verge of dying, they did not have an evident upper hand either, as Leo could see that they needed every help that they could get.
Pushing himself upright, Leo winced as the motion sent another spike of pain through his shoulder.
"No rest for the wicked," he murmured, gripping his daggers tightly as his focus sharpened once more.
However, the moment he tried to take the first step, he stumbled and fell face first once again, as his left leg simply refused to carry his weight.
"What?" He wondered, punching his leg, however, no matter how hard he tried, his limb did not seem to recover.
Even after her death, Vivienne's attack still seemed to hound him, as despite taking a healing potion, Leo could still not feel his leg recovering at all.
"What the fuck? What is this injury?" He wondered, as he opened the system notification panel once more and shifted through all the notifications once again, looking for the one describing his injury.
[ System Notification: You have been slashed by the Mana Severance Chain, an advanced paralysis spell disguised as a physical strike. This magical injury disrupts mana flow and neural signals to the affected limb, immobilizing it for the next 40 minutes. Attempts to use the limb may result in further damage or extended immobilization. ]
Leo's eyes narrowed as he read the description. "Forty minutes?" he muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting.
His fingers drummed against the dagger hilt in his right hand as he processed the gravity of his situation. The inability to use his left leg effectively meant he couldn't fight, dodge, or even retreat properly, which for an assassin, was akin to a death sentence.
He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm despite the surge of anger building within him.
"Damn that woman," he growled, his gaze flicking toward the bloodied remains of Vivienne, as even in death, the master mage's cunning lingered, her spell proving to be a thorn in his side.
Leo pushed himself back up against the wall, balancing awkwardly on his one good leg.
He tested the injured limb again, but it remained stubbornly unresponsive, as a sharp pang shot through his nerves as he applied even a little pressure, forcing him to grit his teeth and lean against the wall once more.
'Alright,' he thought, his breathing slowing as he shifted into problem-solving mode.
'Forty minutes. I need to hold out until then.' he thought, as he gazed toward the ongoing battle where Ben and Dumpy continued their relentless assault on the royal soldiers.
'Sorry boys, this time you're on your own' he thought, as he clutched a couple daggers and stood on stand-by to provide long range assistance as and when needed, but powerless otherwise.
—-----
(Meanwhile Ben and Dumpy)
While Leo was busy fighting Vivienne and Denver, Dumpy and Ben had an equally difficult challenge of their own.
Facing off against hundreds of well-trained royal soldiers, the two had to be constantly on guard, as a single mistake could easily end their lives.
Over the last 30 minutes, the duo managed to kill a total of 397 soldiers, their combined efforts keeping the enemy forces at bay, but it was a brutal and exhausting battle.
Dumpy, towering over the battlefield in his colossal form, was a relentless force of nature, and his twin swords carved through the enemy ranks with devastating sweeps, each swing scattering soldiers like ragdolls. Yet, his enormous size made him an easy target.
His thick skin deflected many projectiles, but not all. Arrows peppered his body, and a deep slash from a halberd marred his hind leg, causing him to limp slightly.
His underbelly bore burn marks from magical attacks, and the strain of his continuous movements was beginning to show in his slower swings and heavier croaks, as although he still held strong, it was clear that he was slowly beginning to tire out.
Ben, meanwhile, fought like a whirlwind of steel. His precise strikes felled soldier after soldier, but the overwhelming numbers meant he could never afford a moment of reprieve.
A gash across his left arm bled freely, and his right thigh carried the bruises of a close call with a hammer blow.
His movements remained sharp, but the fatigue of prolonged combat was evident in the slight hesitations in his dodges and counters.
The royal soldiers were no amateurs. Their formations were tight, and their teamwork impeccable.
Shield-bearers created impenetrable walls while spearmen thrust forward in calculated strikes.
Support mages enhanced their movements with haste spells, while healers revived the wounded, making the battle an uphill struggle for Ben and Dumpy.
Yet, despite their injuries and the mounting pressure, the duo held their ground.
Dumpy's massive form kept the soldiers from advancing, while Ben exploited every opening, ensuring that the line didn't falter.
The two fought not just for survival, but to ensure that none of the soldiers could divert their attention to Leo, as even when the soldiers noticed that their Duke was in danger, none of them were allowed to interfere.