Chapter 245: Ch245: A Deadly Gamble

A sinister smile stretched across Klaus’s face as the ritual reached its climax.

Above him, the air twisted.

A dark-red portal slowly opened in the ceiling, its edges writhing like living flesh. From within it, two small crimson hands emerged, each no larger than a child’s hand, their tiny fingers ending in sharp, claw-like tips.

The hands reached downward, as though something monstrous was forcing its way into the world.

*BZZzzPzp BOOM!*

Without warning, Daniel unleashed a brilliant blue-white surge of electricity from his palm, striking Klaus squarely in the back.

The instant it hit, the lightning burst outward, spreading into a wide, cone-shaped surge that tore through the room.

*BOOOOM!*

The impact launched him forward.

Klaus’s body slammed onto the floor and skidded across it, his clothes scraping against the rough surface as sparks danced around him.

"Gah!"

Above him, the crimson clouds twisted into a furious vortex, churning like a thunderstorm trapped inside the room.

Then—

"Kaaaaahhh!!"

A low-pitched, childish cry rang out from within the portal. The clouds suddenly burst apart and dissolved into the air.

The demonic hands were severed at the wrists, their red, flesh-like energy breaking apart as they plummeted toward the ground.

*thud-thud*

Klaus slowly raised his head, his eyes widening as he tried to process what had just happened. "What the—?"

Before he could turn his gaze back, Daniel unleashed another bolt of lightning, shattering the wooden chamber door.

*KABOOM!*

Splinters and chunks of wood blasted inward, filling the entrance with dust and debris.

But before Klaus could turn his gaze back or even catch a glimpse of the striker, Daniel raised both palms and unleashed a barrage of lightning, each bolt aimed directly at Klaus.

*BzZap! Zap! BZzZap!*

From his left palm came the First Form, while the Third Form erupted from his right, overwhelming Klaus beneath a relentless shower of lightning.

Klaus struggled to get back on his feet as the lightning not only tore through his body with searing force but also left him stunned, his muscles refusing to respond.

"Status," Daniel whispered under his breath.

——————

Name: Klaus Marrow

Age: 43

HP: 11560/12600 ~> 11160/12600 ~> 10940/12600

Mana: 7890/11100

Description: A man who works as an assassin under the shadow of the Saint Royals...

——————

Meanwhile, Klaus crouched over Zane’s body, shielding him from the relentless barrage of lightning. But as the attacks continued, Klaus could no longer bear the force. He quickly flipped Zane’s body around and used him as a shield instead.

Only then did Daniel stop the assault.

*CRACK!*

With barely a second to catch his breath, a thick stone wall rose from the ground, completely covering the two of them and leaving no opening between them.

Seeing the situation, Daniel sprinted out of the ritual room and into the main chamber of the fifth floor.

Floryn’s eyes widened as Daniel emerged from the doorway, staring at him in pure shock. But as Daniel approached, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed.

"Hey, what do you think you’re—? N-no!" she cried out.

...

"Where are you?!" Klaus stormed out of the ritual room, his face twisted with anger.

His eyes swept across the chamber before finally landing on Daniel.

"You! So it was you, brat," Klaus spat.

But before he could take another step, Daniel drew his dagger and pressed the blade against Floryn’s neck.

"You dare take another step, and I’ll kill her," Daniel warned, his voice cold and unwavering.

Floryn’s eyes widened at the cold blade pressed against her neck. A single movement was all it would take to slice her throat. She didn’t dare move a muscle.

A series of questions erupted in Klaus’s mind, but one bothered him more than the rest — how did Daniel enter the fifth floor?

Impossible.

"Sorry, my love," said Klaus.

Without hesitation, he raised a hand and fired a stone spear straight at them, intending to pierce both Daniel and Floryn.

*Swoosh~*

"Shit!" Daniel cursed.

*Thud*

Reacting at the last second, Daniel twisted Floryn’s body aside and barely dodged the spear, separating the two of them. Even so, the tip grazed Floryn’s stomach, leaving a shallow cut.

Suddenly, stone walls erupted from the ground around Floryn, forming a solid cube that completely sealed her inside, leaving only a small opening like a window.

Klaus clenched his jaw and slowly stepped forward.

Seeing that Daniel no longer posed any critical threat, his confidence returned.

"Now what are you going to do? Huh?" Klaus taunted.

Daniel rose to his feet and quickly settled into a defensive stance. His knees bent low, ready to spring in any direction at a moment’s notice. Both palms remained raised, lightning crackling between his fingers.

...

*Whoosh~*

*Boom!*

*Whoosh~ Whoosh!*

*Boom! Boom!*

Rocks shot toward Daniel from every direction, each one carrying enough force to shatter bone on impact. Daniel blasted them apart before they could hit him, reducing the stones to tiny smithereens that scattered across the floor.

Then—

*CRACK!*

Long, thick stone spikes erupted diagonally from beneath Klaus’s feet and shot toward Daniel at high speed.

Daniel sprinted aside, narrowly avoiding the attack, then turned and fired a concentrated bolt of lightning at the incoming spikes, shattering them before they could reach him.

Klaus didn’t break a sweat. Still, he refused to take Daniel’s lightning powers lightly. One clean hit could give Daniel the opening he needed to overwhelm him.

*BzZz! ZzAP!*

Every time Daniel sent a bolt of lightning toward Klaus, Klaus quickly raised a stone wall to block it.

Most of the attacks were stopped, but the walls often cracked under the impact before shattering into pieces, forcing Klaus to keep moving rather than rely on his defenses.

The two moved in a constant circle around the chamber, neither willing to give the other an opening.

Daniel’s entire focus was on dodging the attacks and keeping his eyes on Klaus. Then, without noticing, his foot caught on a palm sized round stone lying in his path.

*Slip~*

*Thud!*

Daniel lost his balance and crashed onto the ground with a hard thud. As he pushed himself up with both arms, he raised his gaze — and saw a huge rock hurtling straight toward his face.

His eyes widened in sheer panic.

"Shit!"

Daniel desperately tried to move, but his body was still off-balance.

The rock was already too close.

For a split second, his mind went completely blank.

"Oh no," Daniel muttered.