Chapter 108 - Ya cheating...!

[Well this is going nowhere. You both appear to be evenly matched], Voxea commented as I commanded Azalea to do another [Body Double] technique. Azalea's body disappeared in a cloud of dust and leaves as it was replaced by a log that got pierced by the Jewel Satyr's glaive.

I'm not sure how long this duel has been going, due to how the fog of war messes with one's perception of time, but we've been having this back and forth for a while...and I'm starting to notice something.

[Azalea, use Branch Barrage]!

A moment after disappearing, Azalea reappeared right behind the bejewled mutton man. Her bush-hair began to glow with a dark green light as several branches inside of it began to violently shake and spin, changing their shape into rudimentary stakes. With a loud cry, the branches went flying in a shower of deadly missiles.

But before the Jewel Satyr became lamb kebabs, it abruptly turned towards the shower of piercing branches and slashed a long gash across the ground in front of it. The gash glowed with aether before abruptly exploding into a wall of stone, blocking the branches.

[That is the third time she has blocked your counter attack in a row, she is surprisingly intuitive].

[I know...Voxea, are Jewel Satyrs known to have some kind of hidden danger sense trait?], I asked Voxea with a bit of suspicion growing in the back of my head. As I carried on this conversation, I had Azalea launch another attack which also got blocked.

[Huh? No, the guy who made them designed them to be brutes or bodyguards. Why?], Voxea asked confusedly. Meanwhile, the Jewel Satyr attempted to stab Azalea with a weird mystic technique that caused its glaive to leave after images. Thankfully, a well timed [Body Double] prevented that from doing any damage.

[Everytime Azalea launched an attack or performed a counter, I've been hearing this weird buzzing sound going off a little before she actually does it. Weirder still, it sounds like it's moving around the area so I can't pinpoint where it is...you got detection abilities right? Would you mind...], I began to ask as Azalea had managed to catch the Jewel Satyr's glaive with her gauntlets.

[Oh alright, but just because you're my favorite apprentice].

[I'm your only apprentice].

[Oh hush...huh, you're right. There is a third monster in the fog of war, and it's not hers. It appears your noble cousin is cheating and using outside assistance], Voxea said in confirmation of what I was thinking.

[That bloody cheating thug of a noble! I'm gonna call her out right now]!

[Wait one moment], Voxea interjected before I called out Diamonda, [I have a better idea].

[Oh]?

[The next time you have Azalea use her defense technique, have her teleport right in front of that loudmouthed lackey from earlier, her back towards her, and punch straight ahead with a fury technique].

[...Oh! Right on], I replied as a devious smile appeared on my face.

[Azalea]!

"Hmm"!

Just as the Jewel Satyr launched another assault on Azalea, she used [Body Double] once more to avoid it. However, instead of appearing behind it like she was doing before, Azalea appeared right in front of Diamonda's entourage. This sudden action illicit a bit of surprise from the onlookers, but I could hear her group's hearts begining to pulsate ever more quickly, especially the loudmouth from earlier!

[Seething Strike, right in front of you]!

"Fuua"!

"Goooo"?!

Azalea shot out her fist dead ahead, but instead of hitting empty space, a loud crack sounded out as a strange distortion occured in the air. A vaguely humanoid shape took form from the sudden impact, and my Dragon's eye identified the strange air as a [Sombra]. The loudmouth from earlier suddenly jerked as well, apparently the Sombra belonged to her.

[Well hello little air ghost], Voxea commented.

"Bori was right! They are cheating!", I heard Silvia cry out despite the battle sense taking over.

"Care to explain, miss noble"?

"I said one monster each, not the amount of participants. Soldiers?", she said as she snapped her fingers.

Two more summoning circles appeared out of thin air as a pair of brutish looking binders stepped forward from behind Diamonda with their drajules at the ready.

"Well this hardly seems fair", I commented.

"Then let's even the odds!", I heard Albina yell out as she, Silvia and Bori abruptly appeared next to me.

[Looks like we got a battle Royale going down]!