But then two more figures rushed in.

Amiya attacked low, her scythe flashing as Reaper fully manifested. Janus came high, crimson claws extending from his right gauntlet as Cú Chulainn manifested. They struck simultaneously from different angles.

Honor's banner became blurred.

It swept down to deflect Amiya's strike, then up to catch Janus's claws. Both attackers were thrown backward. Amiya's smaller frame lifted completely off her feet, Janus's crimson gauntlet sparking as it scraped across the root surface.

The entire exchange took three seconds.

Honor stood at the center, completely unfazed. The torn banner settled back into its ready position as if nothing had occurred.

Eight thousand souls versus one thousand. The gap manifested in speed, strength, and durability all multiplied eight times over.

Drasil Step!

Blue ripples swept from beneath Reinhard's feet, and time didn't stop, but it crawled. Everything around has slowed down as if it were frozen.

Reinhard rushed towards Honor before hacking up with Zenuken, who swept out, blade catching Honor's banner mid-swing and redirecting the force. Then he lashed out with a kick, which crashed into his stomach.

Reinhard released Drasil Step.

Honor's strike veered off-course, missing Marie by inches, and then his body slightly tilted down, leading his eyes to lock on Reinhard.

But then Marie thrust her spear forward, and Longinus drove toward the warrior's exposed side. Joseph also followed as the wind gathered around Arondight, and he blasted out with his lance towards the other side.

Honor's banner swept in a figure-eight pattern, catching both weapons. But the coordinated timing meant he couldn't throw them back as easily as they both held him down.

Amiya rushed in during the lock, her scythe erupted in flames as she hacked towards Honor's legs. But then three black orbs appeared without Honor looking before they blasted out, crashing into flames.

But Janus then came from above.

He'd leaped during the exchange, using fallen root sections as platforms. His crimson claws thrust downward toward Honor's helm.

"Gae!"

The claws burst outward, multiplying as they descended. What started as five became fifteen, all driving down in a piercing barrage.

Honor's form shifted.

His body became ghastly and ethereal, like a translucent shadow. The crimson claws passed straight through, finding no resistance, and Janus himself landed with a stumble before he tried turning.

Honor solidified before the banner swept around in a devastating arc. The attack smashed Marie, Joseph, and Amiya way before it came rushing towards Janus, who barely got his gauntlet up.

The impact lifted him completely off his feet and sent him tumbling across the root fragment. His spiritual armor cracked audibly, magic flickering as it struggled to absorb the blow.

But Reinhard had appeared next to Honor with Zenuken hacking upwards. Honor swiftly twisted his body, the blade scraping across the massive Beast Master's spiritual armor, black-blue wisps trailing from the impact point.

The blow connected, but barely scratched, the eight-times-stronger armor absorbed what would have been a devastating strike.

But it forced Honor backward a single step.

Marie thrust into that opening with Joseph, attacked from the side, and Amiya came low. All three struck at the same moment, weapons closing in on Honor's repositioned form.

The banner became an absolute blur, deflecting all three attacks simultaneously through pure speed and strength. But Honor gave another step of ground, and Honor's helm tilted slightly, those black pools assessing.

Then his banner waved deliberately.

Black orbs formed, and it was five this time before spreading in a wide arc around him. They rushed outward, swirling and pulling, creating death zones that began breaking down anything they touched.

The group scattered, forced apart by the spreading spheres. Honor advanced into the gap, Banner already seeking his next target.

Butterfly Princess - 5 Strikes.

Marie leaped upwards before four clones materialized mid-air, each one surrounded by swirling light. They descended together, light swords manifesting in their hands as they struck from five different angles simultaneously.

Honor's banner swept in a defensive pattern.

It caught three clones, dispersing them into golden particles while the fourth clone's sword scraped across his spiritual armor before dissipating.

Marie herself delivered the fifth strike, Longinus driving down with both hands. The spear's crimson-gold surface blazed with a terrifying power that smashed into Honor's side, sending him flying through the air.

The speed of Marie's strike was too fast for him to react. Then a figure appeared above with Marie hacking down with Longnius, but the banner in Honor's hand intercepted.

The collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, but Marie twisted mid-air, already following with another combo. Her wings manifested, two spectral forms swirling around her body before transforming into bladed weapons that hacked out independently.

Honor was struck twice by the Edge Blades, which slashed through him. No wounds appeared, no blood spilled, but his posture shifted as he felt mental and physical pain sweeping through him.

Then Marie smashed her feet down onto Honor's face before he was forced to crash down into the ground. Just as Joseph moved with wind gathered in a violent spiral around Arondight, the grey lance became the center of elemental fury.

But then five black orbs formed in front of Honor before rushing towards Joseph. But he still thrust forward, and instead of striking directly, Joseph closed his hands.

The black orbs rushing forward suddenly compressed as Joseph's elemental control seized them. He then began crushing the dissolution spheres inward against their own nature, leading to them flickering.

Honor's eyes narrowed before he waved his banner again, reinforcing the orbs. They expanded back to full size, but the moment of distraction cost him.

Amiya attacked from ground level. Her scythe flashed in rapid succession, twelve slashes onto Honor's body, each one targeting joints and weak points with precision born of Vlad's training.

Honor stumbles back, releasing a groan as some parts of his clothing are torn. Then Janus came from the opposite side, his crimson claws thrust outward, multiplying into a forest of piercing death.

Fifteen crystallized blood spears drove toward Honor's torso and legs simultaneously.

The banner became an absolute blur, deflecting more of Amiya's strikes while twisting to catch Janus's claws. Yet he was forced back as Marie, and Joseph rushed and hacked down on his other two directions again.

Then, golden light erupted around Reinhard before a second sword materialized in his left hand.

Hjorleifa.

The blade's metal shifted between molten gold and hoarfrost blue, as if unable to decide whether flame or ice had forged it. The weapon pulsed with power that made even Honor's rotating eyes pause.

"When did you become a Second Class Beast Master?" Honor's question carried genuine surprise.

Reinhard's smile appeared. "Just a couple of minutes ago."

Reinhard rushed forward, and both swords swept forward in a crossing pattern. Zenuken trailed black-blue wisps while Hjorleifa left after images of gold and blue fire. The dual assault forced Honor's banner into a defensive position.

Purple barriers materialized around Honor's flanks.

Veryn stepped forward from where she'd been frozen, white robes billowing as Argos manifested. The purple walls boxed Honor in, limiting his movement options.

"I refuse to believe the Saint would want this!" Her voice carried across the battlefield, steady despite trembling hands. "I can't believe Honor is willing to kill their ally and friend over the Star Jewel!"

Honor sighed, and then his banner swept out, shattering two barriers with ease. "It's the will of my friend, and I will help him."

Veryn shook her head, hair whipping with the violent motion. "That doesn't make any sense!" Her voice pitched higher, cracking on certain syllables. "The Honor I know fights injustice and bloodshed! If you wanted the Star Jewel, why couldn't you ask or make a trade with Rein? Instead of trying to kill him to take it away!"

She gestured wildly, purple light gathering around her trembling fingers. "Don't you know this is betrayal? The same thing you hate! The same thing you despise and actively tried to suppress and cut off!"

Honor fell silent, but his banner continued its defensive patterns. Deflecting Marie's continued assault, redirecting Joseph's elemental attacks, and catching Amiya and Janus's coordinated strikes.

But he offered no response.

"So how could you do the same thing you hate!" Veryn screamed, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "How could you betray your ways and morals!"

Honor's banner swept out.

This time, he didn't attack but unleashed a terrifying pressure.

The pressure erupted from his massive frame in a crushing wave that made reality itself seem to compress. The invisible force slammed down like a mountain bearing down from all directions.

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