Unexpected intrusion

Without hesitation, Lisa sprinted towards the source of the explosion, ready to confront Orion and deliver the reprimand he seemingly deserved.

Upon reaching the site of the explosion, though, Lisa encountered a shadowy figure hidden within the veil of dissipating smoke. It immediately became evident that Orion wasn't the culprit; instead, an intruder had infiltrated the space. In response, Lisa swiftly retrieved her sword from the dimensional ring and got ready for confrontation.

As if sensing Lisa's presence, the tall figure pivoted toward her, gradually emerging from the dissipating smoke.

Lisa's gaze narrowed upon the intruder's appearance. A woman, or at least appearing to be one, stood before her. The defining feature was a large horn extending from her right temple, curving over her forehead to the other temple. A smaller horn adorned her left side, barely visible beneath the curve of the larger one.

Beyond the horns, the intruder possessed striking green reptilian eyes, complemented by a mane of green hair, creating an appearance more reminiscent of a beast than a human.

Upon observing the intruder's formidable appearance, Lisa wasted no time. She unleashed her mana without any restraint, its resonance unfurling the unmistakable power of a silver core mage.

Sensing the surge of potent mana in the vicinity, the adversary became equally alert. There was no need for words; the unspoken understanding hung heavily in the air. Both recognized the other as an enemy, aware that only one would emerge victorious today. With that mutual acknowledgment, Lisa took the initiative, her sword swinging into action, and thus, their battle commenced.

Resting in his room, Orion's body ached from his earlier practice session, he was about to drift into sleep, when the distant explosion echoed through the air. Initially assuming it to be, Lisa's venting of anger in the training, he didn't took immediate action, her flaring mana only confirmed his assumption. Yet, in the next moment, another presence registered—an unfamiliar energy, akin to mana but distinctly different. Though he could sense the disparity, he had no time to discern its nature.

With urgency gripping him, Orion hurried towards the source of Lisa's mana. Along the way, the echoes of multiple explosions heightened his concern, prompting him to quicken his pace.

As he approached, Lisa's magic manifested in all its glory, indicating that their adversary was no ordinary foe. Realizing the potential danger, Orion understood that rushing recklessly into their battle wasn't an option. With caution, he approached the battleground, moving stealthily to avoid detection.

Closing in, he caught sight of the ongoing duel just as another explosion resonated. The ceiling and walls crumbled around him, but with practiced ease, he evaded the falling debris without diverting his gaze from the fierce clash. Before him stood a beast-like woman, adorned with a large horn over her head. Using her formidable claws to fend off Lisa's relentless sword strikes, they appeared evenly matched. Orion poised himself, ready to seize the opportune moment that would tip the scales in Lisa's favor and break the stalemate.

He tracked every strike with unwavering focus, his mastery of swordplay allowing him to predict some of their movements, searching for a moment of opportunity to intervene. However, in a sudden turn of events, the enemy blurred, and for a fleeting moment everything plunged into pitch blackness.

The blackout was brief, a mere flicker, yet when vision returned, Orion's eyes widened in disbelief. The horned woman's claws had penetrated his sister's abdomen. Lisa was also staring at her opponent in shock, her expressions mirroring Orion's.

Without hesitation, Orion lunged forward, a blur of determined motion, but even in a fit of anger, he didn't act blindly and aimed to intercept the enemy, to prevent further harm to Lisa, rather than going for a killing blow to an opponent that was clearly superior in strength. Augmenting his sword with the flames magic to the best of his ability, Orion prepared to unleash a slashing strike to halt the adversary's advance.

The opponent had already sensed his presence, but despite her awareness, Orion cared little. Concentrating all his mana into the sword, he prepared to strike with unwavering determination, aiming to pull the enemy away from Lisa. However, before his sword could make contact, a sudden flash of blue light compelled him to shut his eyes.

Orion raised his arm, attempting to defend himself while out of vision. But when he opened his eyes again, he found himself enclosed within a transparent barrier, softly radiating a light blue glow. The rectangular enclosure surrounded him, leaving him separated from the ongoing confrontation. On the other side, the horned woman retained her claws embedded in Lisa's stomach.

Turning toward Orion with a big smirk appearing on her mouth, she leisurely withdrew her claws from Lisa's abdomen. The act elicited a scream of pain from Lisa, and blood began to flow from her grievous injury. The horned woman, visibly amused by the sudden turn of events, reveled in the unfolding chaos as she took her time gazing over Orion.

At the sight of Lisa's bloodied figure, Orion's eyes went bloodshot and a surge of anger coursed through his whole being. Fueled by rage, he unleashed a barrage of fierce punches upon the barrier, trying to break free to aid his sister.

'Boom! boom! boom!' the sound of his punches resounded through the surroundings like war drums, yet the barrier stood resilient, radiating a dim blue light as if impervious to the onslaught. Despite dozens of strikes, not a scratch marred its surface, portraying the vast power disparity between the enraged yellow mage and the formidable barrier.

On the opposite side, observing Orion's futile desperation, the horned woman's smile only widened. She callously allowed Lisa's wounded form to crumple to the ground, where she lay amidst her own pooling blood.

Disregarding Lisa's suffering, the horned woman menacingly advanced toward Orion. Her deliberate steps exuded a threatening aura, and a malevolent smirk adorned her face, revealing feral, razor-sharp teeth. Her eyes, saturated with ominous darkness, emitted a sinister energy as she slowly closed in on Orion.