Bab 132: They Back Again

As Ethan completed his Soul-binding ritual, he felt a rush of satisfaction. The beast's soul was now his to command, its essence and knowledge at his disposal. This would be a valuable asset in infiltrating deeper into the cultists' stronghold.

However, his moment of triumph was short-lived. He suddenly sensed four other presences nearby. His Soul Sense flared, alerting him to their approach. He turned quickly to face the source and summoning his swords.

BOOF!

Before he could react further a smoke bomb exploded at his feet, enveloping him in a thick black cloud. His vision was obscured, but he didn't panic. Relying on his Soul Sense, he could detect the movements of his assailants even through the smoke.

One of them lunged at him from behind, aiming for a quick, lethal strike. Ethan pivoted smoothly, his Twin Blades flashing as he parried the attack. The clash of metal on metal echoed through the smoky haze.

CLANG!