Lofan wasted no time. He drew back his Hydro Bow to its full extent, unleashing a barrage of arrows imbued with potent Hydro energy at Navia.
Navia swung her greatsword to deflect the arrows, but the astonishing force behind each shot halted her intended charge.
"Miss Navia, we're here to help!"
Melus and Silver, witnessing Navia's struggle against such a formidable foe, immediately abandoned their own opponents and rushed to her side. When they saw the Hydro-infused arrows hurtling toward them, a wave of shock washed over them.
"He's the one who nearly killed Monsieur Grett!"
"And the madman who slaughtered hundreds, no, thousands of Fleuve Cendre residents!"
Like Navia, Melus and Silver's hearts burned with righteous fury.
Melus, ever the pragmatist, maintained his composure despite his rage. He swiftly began calling for reinforcements, fully aware of the opponent's overwhelming strength.
"Melus, Silver, help me intercept his attacks!"
Navia's eyes remained fixed on Lofan, refusing to let him out of her sight. She took a deep breath, and a surge of potent Geo Elemental Power erupted around her, intensifying the brilliant amber glow of her claymore.
"I'm going to settle every score with him, one by one!"
"Yes, Miss Navia!"
Melus and Silver, though lacking Visions, were formidable warriors. Blocking Lofan's arrows strained their defenses, but they managed to hold their ground.
Navia needed only the slightest opening to close the distance and engage him in close combat, where she could decide the battle.
"Deflecting my attacks?" Lofan chuckled, his youthful voice, utterly unlike Grett's, reaching Navia's ears. "Then let's see how well you do."
A fleeting image of Snezhnaya's top toy salesman flashed through Lofan's mind. Once again, he drew his bowstring taut, this time aiming at the sky.
Hydro Elemental Power, many times more potent than before, coalesced on the arrow. A towering pillar of Hydro light erupted into Navia's vision, soaring skyward.
"Riptide!"
The moment Lofan unleashed his attack, Navia sensed an overwhelming pressure. Without attempting to block it, she grabbed Melus and Silver by the scruffs of their necks, one in each hand, and swiftly dodged aside.
At the last possible moment, the trio narrowly escaped the blast radius. However, the force of the Hydro impact against the ground still sent them tumbling a considerable distance.
"Miss Navia!"
"Monsieur Melus, Monsieur Silver, are you alright?!"
The onlookers stared in horror at the water-ravaged landscape.
Before their eyes, a massive crater had formed in the earth. Rainwater rapidly filled the void, transforming it into an artificial pool.
"Being controlled by your emotions isn't a good thing, Miss. It'll shorten your life."
Navia's strength had grown significantly since the previous day, but Lofan wondered if she could break through to even greater heights.
Navia was an exceptional student. Whether it was grasping new concepts, mastering complex combat techniques, or even music, her progress was astonishingly rapid. This prompted Lofan to reconsider his initial plan of making a brief appearance before moving on to his next objective. He decided to invest some time in assessing Navia's potential.
This was undoubtedly risky, but Navia's unexpected decision to address him as "Teacher" had already deviated from his expectations. Adjusting his subsequent plans was therefore a natural consequence.
"You bastard," Navia spat, using her claymore to steady herself as she rose to her feet. Her eyes still blazed with fury as she glared at Lofan, but the recent attack and his words had shaken her out of her emotional haze.
She had indeed acted rashly, failing to consider whether he had held back or possessed hidden techniques. If she hadn't reacted in time, she might have escaped with only severe injuries, but Melus and Silver...
The thought tightened her grip on the claymore. She had nearly gotten them killed.
"We're alright!" Melus and Silver scrambled to their feet, calling out to reassure the others and Navia.
Hearing that they were unharmed, Navia's heart eased slightly. But then she froze, her expression shifting dramatically.
She had spotted several figures stealthily approaching Lofan, poised to launch a surprise attack. Though Lofan feigned unawareness, Navia clearly saw a glint of mockery in his eyes.
"No!" Navia shouted, desperate to stop them from throwing their lives away, but it was too late.
Sensing the commotion beside him, Lofan effortlessly raised his Hydro Bow, intercepting the descending sword blade. With a fluid twist of his body, he coiled the bowstring around the blade's edge, transmitting the twisting force through the taut string. The attacker instantly lost his balance under the immense force, leaving himself vulnerable. Without hesitation, Lofan kicked him flying.
Drawing his Hydro Bow, Lofan leaped into the air and unleashed a powerful mid-air shot. Hydro Element coalesced into a massive torrent of water that slammed into the remaining opponents, who barely managed to raise their weapons in defense before being swept away by the force.
Lofan landed lightly on the ground. At that moment, a gust of wind far stronger than any he had sensed before rushed past him, its immense weight instantly registering in his senses. A faint smile flickered across his face.
The Hydro Bow split into two, forming twin Hydro blades. Crossing the blades overhead, Lofan channeled overwhelming force into his arms. His legs sank into the ground, one foot already partially submerged.
Though the attack posed no real threat to him, Lofan controlled his body to spit a mouthful of blood to the side. Then, with a sudden surge of strength, he unleashed a burst of power, sending the claymore hurtling back.
Navia had no intention of wasting the perfect opportunity her comrades had risked their lives to create. Planting her foot firmly, she swung the claymore in a wide arc, her Geo Vision once again blazing with radiant amber light.
Navia's eyes blazed like a raging fire as she stared at Lofan.
Lofan simply sighed softly. "Didn't I tell you, Miss Navia? Never underestimate your enemy."
"A fleeting opening—seize it!"
Lofan merged his twin blades into a spear. Facing Navia's strike, which pushed her to the absolute limit, he slashed a brilliant blue arc of water before him. The spear erupted with Hydro Elemental Power, sending Navia flying backward. Lofan himself was forced to stagger back dozens of meters, clutching his blood-soaked chest and spitting out another mouthful of blood.