Terra Nova Online: Rise of The Strongest Player

(Vivienne and Denver's POV)

Vivienne's sharp eyes studied the scene below from the observation deck, her fingers lightly gripping the stone railing.

The faint shimmer of the barrier enclosing Ben and Leo reflected off the moonlight, and she watched intently as the two captives pressed their hands against its surface.

"What are they doing?" Denver asked, his voice tense with both curiosity and concern.

He stood beside her, his arms crossed, and with eyes fixed on the unfolding events.

"That barrier is one of our strongest spells. Do you think they've figured out a way to break it?" he wondered, as Vivienne shrugged her shoulders in response.

"Possibly," she admitted, her gaze narrowing. "Ben Faulkner isn't the kind of man to resign himself to captivity, no matter how impenetrable a spell may seem. If there's a weakness, he'll find it."

Her words hung in the air as the pair below adjusted their positions, Ben's sharp movements guiding Leo to a specific spot on the shimmering surface.

"They're coordinating," Denver observed, his frown deepening. "It's not just instinct—they've found something. Should we interfere? Strengthen the barrier?"

Vivienne shook her head, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "No. Let them try. If they break it, I want to know how. It's always better to study your enemies while they work. Besides, if they fail, it will demoralize them further."

Denver exhaled slowly, his jaw tight. "And if they succeed?"

Vivienne shrugged lightly, though her eyes betrayed her calculating nature. "Then we'll deal with it. We still have the numbers, and the barrier has already served its purpose—it stalled them long enough for us to prepare."

Below, Ben and Leo moved in perfect synchronization, their hands pressing against the barrier with calculated precision. The faint ripple of mana became visible, tracing intricate patterns across the surface. Denver's eyes widened slightly.

"They've found the focal point," he muttered. "That shouldn't be possible."

Vivienne didn't respond immediately, her gaze locked on the scene below. "It's not surprising," she finally said, though there was a hint of unease in her tone. "Ben has decades of experience, and that boy… he's more dangerous than he looks. Watch closely, Your Grace. This is a rare opportunity to see how they operate under pressure."

As the faint ripples grew more pronounced, Vivienne leaned forward, her smirk fading into a serious expression. "They're about to make their move."

*****

Below, the air around the barrier shimmered violently as Ben and Leo channeled their mana into the weak point they had identified. The courtyard was eerily silent for a moment, save for the faint hum of energy building to a crescendo.

"Three!" Ben barked, and in unison, the two unleashed a surge of mana. The barrier resisted for the briefest of moments before a deafening CRACK echoed through the courtyard.

The spell shattered like glass, fragments of glowing energy scattering into the air.

From the observation deck, Denver's fists clenched as he watched the duo burst free, their weapons already in motion.

"They broke it," he said through gritted teeth. "I need to intervene before more men die."

Vivienne raised a hand to stop him, her voice calm but firm. "Wait. Let's see how they fight now that they're free. They may reveal more of their strategy."

Denver hesitated, his body tense as he watched the pair cut through the nearest soldiers with brutal efficiency. Then he could not resist anymore, as he refused Vivienne's advice and decided to go ahead anyways.

"They're slaughtering my men," he said darkly.

"There's no honor in letting this continue." He concluded, as he gripped his sword and leapt off the side of the parapet.

Vivienne's eyes flicked to him, her expression unreadable.

"Honor doesn't win wars, Your Grace. Patience does….." she said, however, her words fell on deaf ears, as Denver jumped straight into battle.

*******

(Meanwhile at the palace gardens)

The palace garden was a whirlwind of chaos as Leo, Ben and Dumpy tore through the ranks of royal soldiers with absolute precision.

The royal soldiers tried their best to pin them down, but they found it difficult to do so, as the trio's coordination seemed unbreakable.

However, despite their skill difference, the relentless pressure from the royal guards forced the trio to fight tooth and nail for every step, as they had no room to even breathe for a second.

If the three of them were careless even for a split second, they ran the risk of being injured critically or even losing the life, as the entire fight seemed to be hanging by a narrow thread, tilting ever so slightly in the favor of the trio, however, that dynamic was about to change.

*CLANG*

With a deafening CLANG, Denver entered the battlefield, as his sword strike reverberated throughout the courtyard knocking both powerful Ben and Leo backward.

Immediately the balance of power shifted in the favor of the royal guards, as knocked back, the trio wasted a precious few milliseconds trying to regain their footing.

"Enough!" a deep voice shouted, as Denver Willow personally stepped into the fray, his armor glinting in the torchlight, his massive broadsword resting against his shoulder.

The royal soldiers immediately froze as a commanding voice cut through the noise, as his presence alone seemed to drain the air of its tension, replacing it with a heavy sense of authority.

"You've proven your skill," he said, his voice steady and commanding as his gaze swept over Leo and Ben. "But your fight ends here."

Then, before either could respond, Denver moved with startling speed for a man of his size.

His sword swung in a wide arc, forcing Ben and Leo to leap apart, as he predicted their counter and acted before Ben or Leo could make a move, striking preemptively.

*SHUA*

His blade struck the ground with a thunderous impact, sending shards of stone flying and leaving a deep gouge in the cobblestone.

Leo winced as a thin line of blood appeared on his arm—a shallow cut from Denver's initial strike.

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While Ben, too, staggered slightly, a graze appearing on his side where Denver's blade had barely missed.

The two took damage for the first time in the fight, as they realized the actual danger that Denver Willow posed.

The man was no pushover and he was proving that with actions rather than words.

"That was a warning," Denver said coldly, his voice carrying the weight of finality. "Surrender now, or I won't hold back next time."