*Thud*

Alex’s body fell to the ground as he legs seemed to have given in. But he remained unharmed from the Nacla’s attack. He raised his head up only to find that its claw’s had been blocked by a spear and the person responsible was a familiar one.

“You alright kid?!” Merissa asked as she glanced back at him.

“H-How are you here?” Alex asked surprised at her arrival.

*Scccreeecchh!!*

Having its claw blocked seemed to enrage the Nacla as it was unable to fulfil its master’s wish. Merissa quickly kicked it on its stomach pushing it back and followed with a hit from the spear’s opposite end.

Before the creature could recover, she quickly pulled Alex back with her. “I followed that summoner. Apparently, he was in the café and left after you. Fortunately, he released a bit of his bloodlust causing his mana to soar and I was able to detect him, otherwise he would have slipped from under my radar.

“Bloodlust? Mana… it’s a bit difficult to make—

“I know kid and this is not a class either, so I want you to run in the direction of school and don’t look back.” Merissa stated as she stood in front of him.

“What about you? You can’t use mana, right? You will die… these things, they are not normal.” Alex said standing up.

“That might be the case but I can still fight.” Merissa spun the spear in her hand skilfully and pointed it at the Naclas.

“Don’t worry about me and- huh… that’s right, run with all you might, don’t get tangled in this.” Merissa thought Alex wouldn’t leave her side easily but contrary to her expectations he was already running away.

“Who are you human? You just let an important treasure get away.” Marx asked in a cold tone.

“Someone whom you don’t want to mess with.” Merissa stated as she suddenly dashed forward.

“Tch… kill her!” At his order all four of the Nacla’s pounced on her from different directions. Merissa quickly sidestepped as the next second a claw was buried in the spot she stood. The Nacla confused as to how he missed looked at her with its mouth agape.

*Schlk*

The sound of the spear’s blade resounded throughout the forest as it pierced through the Nacla’s mouth. This caused Marx to held back his other three summons because the Nacla who got impaled suddenly began to disintegrate.

“You… what is that weapon?!”

“This? This is just a simple spear whose blade is smeared with kalecien powder, basically the bane of such ethereal beasts.” Merissa said with a smirk as she gestured at Marx to come at her.

“It takes a lot to capture and impose a bind on them to make them my summons. You just killed one of them… you’ll have to pay the price now woman! Rip her apart!!” Marx ordered enraged. He quickly joined his hands together as a thin black smoke began to arise from the Naclas bodies.

‘Strength enhancing? He knows support spells too…’ 

The Naclas then began to move in unpredictable ways making their way to her. Merissa planted her feet on the ground firmly trying to read their moves.

*Clank*

Her battle experience of years and honed senses saved her life as she turned around in the nick of time to block a claw. She quickly followed with a side kick but the Nacla was fast enough catch it. However, it failed as she feinted that one and aimed the next at its head giving it a clean hit. She promptly tried to impale it with her spear but it suddenly received a shock as another Nacla kicked it away.

She quickly backed up but found the third one falling from the sky upon her, ready to chomp her head up. Just before it’s fangs could bite on her she manoeuvred the blade of her spear in between the fangs. Then once it bit on the blade, she used all her strength to flung the Nacla away with the spear.

Not even a second later she spun around and using the spin of her body severed the arm of a Nacla who had sneaked up behind her. As the arm disintegrated the screeching sounds reverberated as the Nacla cried in pain. She was about to land a finishing blow when she suddenly felt a presence beside her and quickly used her spear to defend herself. The kick from a strengthened Nacla made her body flew away as she rolled on the ground.

But she quickly got up ignoring the pain because a pincer attack was coming from the Nacla. Both the Naclas charged at her with incredible speeds spreading their arms wide open not wanting to let her escape. Merissa simply smirked and glanced at Marx who had a smile on his face. He was thinking along the lines of ‘I got her.’

But that was hardly the case. Merissa stabbed the spear in the ground and using it as a support, jumped gracefully in the air in a semi-circular manner. The two Naclas kept on moving ahead unable to stop themselves due to motion. Merissa was already on the ground removing her spear.

As the two Nacla’s turned back to face her again something shocking happened as they also began to disintegrate.

“H-How?!” Marx was baffled but Merissa wasn’t. While suspended in air she briefly let go of the spear and pulled two small knives from her pockets and threw them precisely at the two Naclas back. The two knives were also smeared with kalecien powder.

Merissa didn’t let her guard down as she glanced back and quickly ducked and spun around using the opposite end of her staff to flung the last Nacla into the ground. Since it was in mid-air, she used the advantage of the creature having no footing and overpowered it. Their sneak attacks were good but Merissa had simply dealt with better.

As the Nacla recovered from the shock of being crashed into the ground, it simply saw something spinning in Merissa’s hand before pain followed briefly after which his world turned dark. Merissa had impaled it through the head. As the Nacla disintegrated she turned her gaze towards the sweating Marx.