A ripple of foxfire flickered across his body before separating into two distinct silhouettes as he made two clones with a style since he always made them in his signature style of nonchntly waving his hand.


    The two clones carried 80% and 90% of his power repeatedly, as he took his opponent more seriously this time around.


    Bastion''s eyes widened. "Such a cheap trick," he spat, but he couldn''t hide the tension rising in his voice since he now had three enemies instead of one.


    _Clone A charged forward, mimicking Cain''s partial transformation with menacingly long nails. It shed downward, unleashing a torrent of foxfire that scorched the ground underfoot.


    _Clone B circled to Bastion''s left, seeking a blind spot andunching orbs of Foxfire Explosion that burst on impact, hitting Bastion repeatedly with sts of heat.


    Meanwhile, the real Cain hung back slightly as he gathered tiny crystals around his ws before he thrust them outward.


    Sharp shards of frost shot through the air like javelins aimed at Bastion''s nk, testing how his opponent handled the sudden shift from fire to ice.


    Bastion responded with admirable skill, spinning in ce and creating a ming Spiral that melted the iing spikes midair. Molten water dripped onto the scorched terrain.


    He then deflected Clone A''s sh, turned, and shed apart one of Clone B''s foxfire orbs with an explosive hiss.


    Nheless, thebined attack forced him to go on defense.


    Three sets of attacks—two highly aggressive clones and the real Cain, whounched both fire and ice—kept him in continual motion. Despite his higher stats, the relentless pace began to wear on hisposure.


    The ng of Bastion''s sword rang out again and again as he parried nails, foxfire whips, and scything ice shards.


    Embers and shards of ice littered the battlefield, and glowing footprints trailed in arcs where Bastion dodged as his boots ignited the ground with each step.


    Seizing an opening, Cain dashed to Bastion''s side, unleashing a Foxfire Explosion at close range. The st caught Bastion off-guard, scattering flickers of red me across his shoulder guard.


    Bastion hissed, swinging around for a backhand sh, but Clone A leaped between them, crossing its arms and absorbing the hit with its Demonic Barrier.


    The clone''s barrier shattered under Bastion''s superior strength, but it blunted the lethal edge. A fraction of a secondter, Clone B jumped in from behind, raking its scorching nails across Bastion''s exposed side. mes sparked along Bastion''s armor as it left molten streaks.


    Bastion spinned fluidly with his teeth clenched, firing a Cinder Wave in a full 360-degree arc. A massive wave of me erupted outward, forcing both the clones and Cain himself to back away. The air shimmered with intense heat, turning the dust on the ground into ss-like fragments.


    Cain exhaled a slow breath before showing a wicked smile unknowingly as he thought. ''So he''s truly strong—like Lucan, but more refined.''


    He then decided to experiment further with his ice abilities.


    Raising his hand, Cain summoned Frost Armor, encasing himself in a thinyer of crystalline ice. The translucent barrier glistened in the firelight.


    Bastion immediately locked his eyes on him, understanding Cain''s unexpected shift in approach.


    He then charged, swinging his sword low and channeling his [Scorching Edge] skill, a technique that ignited a wide swath of mes along the sword''s steel. Sparks danced against the ground as Bastion''s attack aimed to cleave Cain from waist to shoulder.


    Cain''s Frost Armor shattered on impact, but he swiftly created a strong barrier as he used his [Demonic barrier] skill on his skin. However, Cain was still pushed backward beforeing to a halt as he scraped his nails on the earth.


    Even though the protective ice scattered into shards, it served its purpose well enough since he only used it as he wanted to experiment things. He also assumed that skill level would be important, as he learned his ice skills from Nix, who had recently reached GrandLord Rank Beast.


    Subsequently, the clones descended on Bastion again in coordinated fashion.


    _Clone A leaped overhead, creating a Foxfire de in the shape of a curved sword.


    _Clone B went low, using Ice Spike to disrupt Bastion''s bnce with a sudden protrusion of frozen spikes beneath his feet.


    Bastion half-turned to intercept Clone A''s overhead sh, meeting foxfire with his own meced de. Sparks flew in every direction. Meanwhile, his foot stomped down, crushing the forming ice spikes before they could fully emerge.


    He attempted to break away, but Cain dashed in from the side, spitting out an Ice Breath that clouded Bastion''s vision and slowed his movements. The searing air around them crackled as ice and fire shed in a steamy burst.


    For a few moments, Bastion was cornered in by the clones and Cain, forced to alternate between offense and defense at breakneck speed.


    _Clone A made a shallow cut across Bastion''s leg; in response, Bastionshed out, forcing the clone to avoid a devastating upward slice. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    _Clone Bnded another foxfire explosion on his back, but Bastion''s own searing mes wearied the st before it could take full effect.


    Yet little by little, the toll became gradually apparent on Bastion. Though his raw power exceeded Cain''s, the synergy among the real Cain and his two formidable clones was undeniable.


    One would bait him out, another would nk, and the third would attack from behind.


    Bastion let out a loud roar as he unleashed a zing shockwave that pushed the three opponents back. His breathing became heavier as superficial burns scorched his armor where foxfire hadtched on. Small ice fragments clung to the edges of his clothing.


    He could still fight, but it was clear that Cain''s tactics and teamwork with his clones were starting to wear Bastion down.@@novelbin@@


    With every heartbeat, the temperature rose, and the battlefield was battered by craters of me and jagged pirs of ice. Bastion''s sword crackled with renewed intensity, the mes around its edge leaping to life once again.


    Across from him, Cain and his two clones formed a triangle, each bursting with powerful foxfire and ice.