I Know the Secret to Surpass Level 100

The intensity of their battle reached a fevered pitch as Lance and Elliot fought with everything they had to match Malice. It was a tough battle, but they aimed for nothing but the outcome they had decided upon.

Victory.

As they clashed blades with the Black Queen, they realized her weapon was not just powerful—it was a manifestation of her intent, her desire to kill and destroy, capable of cutting through the fabric of reality itself.

"This is going to be a tougher battle than I thought," Lance chuckled sarcastically. He gripped his twin swords, taking a deep breath before he continued to dance blades with Malice. Despite his strength, he realized Elliot and Malice were on a different level. It was a realization that should have shattered him, but instead, it fueled his motivation to grow stronger.

He had no choice but to surpass his limits to survive.

The lingering ghost of his past self had to be shed; it had to die so he could become one who could fight alongside his friends and protect them. They couldn't afford to lose now, not with so much at stake.

Gripping his swords, Lance thought of all the moments that he spent together with his friends and how he cherished those. He was alone most of his life, and people around him were afraid of him as the prince who could easily put them in their place.

But he didn't want that life. He became an Adventurer for that very reason. To be free. Elliot, Connor, Ed, and Hope. All of those people made him discover who he really was and become comfortable with that. He was glad when he was with them and he was happy when he was thinking of what sort of things they would do next.

He will do anything for his friends and he will make sure that they are safe. He will make sure that all of them will all see each other in their older years. Dying is not an option.

"Dazzling Blaze!" Lance slashed with his white sword, launching a burst of energy. He spun his sword before it could fully manifest, dashing forward and wielding the same attack from his black sword. "Pitting Gloom."

The man fired a vortex of an attack, spinning like a drill. Malice rolled her eyes and slashed her sword, cutting the attack in half. "That was some cheap trick—"

"Merge!" Lance crossed his swords, commanding his attacks to meet. This forced Malice to react, her eyes widening as she conjured a protective dome before the rushing energy reached her.

"That was good," Malice smirked, crazed with exhilaration and thrill. "But it wasn't enough!"

The moment she let down her shield to fire an attack was the moment Elliot had been waiting for. The boy appeared behind her, his sword gleaming with bright dark red flames that ignited like wildfire in his hands.

"Crimson Ablaze!" Elliot yelled, spinning with his sword. He suddenly stopped and used the air itself as a springboard to launch himself toward Malice.

She was finally unable to dodge the attack. The burning red flames approached her, swallowing her and gushing like a raging river in a storm.

Elliot was panting, his lungs burning and his body sore. He put all his strength into that one attack, hoping it would reach her and kill her once and for all. But his hope was shattered when Malice chuckled beside him, her figure appearing inside the dark red flames.

"Not so bad."

Malice swung her scythe with unnatural speed. Elliot barely dodged her, his wound splitting in half as he tried to heal it with his magic. He rolled back, distancing himself from the woman.

"You still have a lot to learn, kid," Malice laughed maniacally. She was toying with Elliot, knowing she was stronger than both of them, even as they exhausted all their strength trying to weaken her. "But you can't learn all of that if I kill you right now."

As Elliot tried to stand, it dawned on him that, even after all the time they spent fighting, Malice still had more to offer. She wasn't actively trying to kill them; she was toying with them, tactically draining their strength.

Elliot glanced at Lance, who had his shoulders down in exhaustion. His twin blades barely glowed with the faint light, contrasting with their usual bright energy.

"Lance!" Elliot yelled. "I have a plan!"

Malice quirked an eyebrow, wondering what kind of fool would announce a crucial battle plan like that. Her eyes narrowed, and she raised her guard, ready for any sudden attack. It seemed like a suicidal move.

But Elliot couldn't care less. He knew they stood no chance against Malice in a fair fight. He had to come up with creative methods to defeat her.

The two boys circled around Malice, staring at her with narrowed eyes. She raised her guard, preparing for a sudden attack. She could read them clearly and anticipate any odd movements to counter them before they could even reach her.

"I know what you're planning, and I swear to you, it will only be ineffective against me," Malice warned. "If you give up now, I might reconsider sparing your life. Continue to be stubborn, and I'll make sure what I do to you will make you regret living."

"Nice offer, but pass!" Lance yelled, dashing towards her with his blades coated in energy. He had no idea what Elliot's plan was, but if his friend had something in mind, he needed to create a distraction.

"There you are," Malice said, blocking Lance with her scythe and using her free hand to catch Elliot, who had appeared in front of her. They were at a standstill for a couple of seconds before Elliot attempted to cut Malice's hand off with his sword.

She pulled her hand back, grinning as she foresaw the boy's move. It was too late, however, when she felt her right side grow lighter. Malice snapped her head in that direction, eyes widening when she saw that her arm had been cut off.

With a smirk, Elliot stepped back, distancing himself from Malice as the arm that had wielded the scythe dragged away. Malice was momentarily confused, unable to process what was happening.

"Trick was really helpful."

A familiar voice spoke. Elliot grinned as Irus revealed himself, emerging from the cloak that had hidden him. He took the scythe Malice had wielded, grinning at the woman.

"You really summoned this artifact that you stole," Irus laughed. "The Forsaken were furious when the Paragons took this. Turns out it was you who ordered them."

"That scythe doesn't respond to just anyone," Malice muttered. She grunted as a black gush of sticky liquid flowed from her arm, forming a new one, fully regenerating herself. "It only allows the summoner to wield it."

"I know that," Irus said. "But without this, you're vulnerable."

"As if—" Malice wasn't able to finish when Elliot appeared in front of her, a fraction of a second before she could process what was happening. She could only watch as the burning blade neared, feeling the heat of the flames on her neck.

"Frenzied Miracle!" Elliot yelled, collecting all the strength of his friends who believed in him. He used all his power to conjure the last skill, along with layers of Reckless Faith.

"Your tyranny ends here!"