Rise Of The Hoarder



"Pfft! you've really changed a lot, haven't you… Lily."

The moment Lilith heard that name, and the voice that accompanied it, she felt a sharp sensation course through her brain, causing her to stumble backwards almost instantly.

She grabbed her face, gasping as her blurry vision slowly began to regain its focus.

Unfortunately, that was already enough for the intruder to become free of her grasp.

"Y-you… what do you know about me?!"

Her calm demeanor instantly flipped, and a deep glare was now plastered on her face as she focused on the now-free intruder.

He seemed to snicker under his mask and hood, and that pissed Lilith off.

"TALK!"

Silence enveloped the room as both stared at each other, until the intruder finally spoke up in the most condescending manner possible.

"... Or what?"

~VWUUUUUMMMM!!!~

An instant wave of energy suddenly burst from Lilith as she glared deeply at the man, who seemed to be stretching his body, preparing for the inevitable clash to occur.

"I'll MAKE you!" With a deep growl that betrayed her cute demeanor, the power that emerged from her reached a height unlike earlier in their fight.

The atmosphere crackled with tension as they prepared for combat.

Lilith wasted no time. She summoned her most effective Skill, given the situation.

'[Infinite Projectiles].'

It was a formidable power that granted her control over the very essence of energy itself, allowing her to generate and launch a seemingly infinite amount of projectiles. 

With a flick of her wrist, she launched a barrage of energy projectiles toward the intruder, who deftly dodged, displaying agility that hinted at his own remarkable abilities.

The intruder retaliated, his hands emitting an eerie, violet glow as he unleashed a wave of dark energy. 

Lilith countered with a protective barrier, deflecting the attack effortlessly.

Their battle was a spectacle of power and skill, the room shaking with each clash of their abilities. 

Lilith called upon her Skill of [Elemental Manipulation], conjuring streams of water, torrents of fire, gusts of wind, and shards of earth to assail her opponent.

The intruder held his ground, his movements fluid and precise. 

He utilized his own abilities with calculated precision, countering Lilith's elemental onslaught with his shadowy powers.

It frustrated her, the way he kept avoiding or countering her assaults. It almost felt like this individual was toying with her.

However, her curiosity and frustration only prompted her further to attack.

The battle between Lilith and the hooded intruder raged even further as they both released respective clouds of energy to clash.

Their distinct energies crackled in the air, and the room seemed to warp and shift with each exchange of power.

'Is he copying me now?' She thought to herself as she narrowed her gaze on him.

Still, he seemed inferior to her when it came to combat. She only needed on decisive hit against him, while also minimally damaging the office, and the entire building by extension.

The stranger found himself on the defensive as Lilith pressed her advantage.

She brandished a gleaming sword conjured from pure energy, and with a graceful flourish, she sent a series of slashes slicing through the space toward him.

Once again, the intruder's movements were swift, barely avoiding the deadly strikes. He retaliated with tendrils of shadow that lashed out like serpents. 

Lilith twirled, her form illuminated by a radiant aura, and the shadows disintegrated upon contact with her protective field.

"This is futile, intruder," Lilith declared with unwavering resolve. "You cannot win."

The man remained silent, his face obscured by the hood, but his eyes burned with determination. 

For a moment, no one spoke or moved.

Then…

~WHOOOOOOSSSHHH!!!~

In a sudden burst of speed, the stranger dashed forward, closing the distance between them with blinding agility. 

He unleashed a flurry of punches, each strike a manifestation of raw energy.

~WHUUUM!~

Lilith parried and dodged with remarkable grace. She summoned a crystalline shield from an Item at her side, deflecting his blows. 

As he pressed the attack, she countered by launching a barrage of energy bolts from her fingertips.

Their powers clashed in a dazzling display of light and shadow, creating a surreal dance of combat within the office.

Lilith's red eyes gleamed with determination. "You're persistent, I'll give you that."

The stranger finally spoke, his voice indicating a light chuckle. 

"I have to be."

His lackadaisical demeanor irked Lilith once more as she gritted her teeth and pushed herself forward.

That was her mistake.

With a sudden surge of power, he unleashed a shockwave of energy that shattered the room's windows and sent debris flying. 

~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!~

Lilith soared into the air, using her Skill of Flight to evade the destructive force barely in time.

"Oh? That's impressive!" She heard from the stranger as she huffed lightly.

Her eyes narrowed on him, but once again, she encountered interference.

Who would have thought that her own Gift would be useless in this fight due to the strange power the intruder exuded?

'He's getting more and more destructive. I can't hold back too much now!'

As she hovered above the chaos, Lilith's form became an embodiment of the elements. 

She summoned a tornado that swirled around her, lifting her higher into the air. From above, she unleashed a torrent of icy spears that rained down upon her prey.

He responded with a barrier of darkness, deflecting the ice spears. The room was now a battlefield of clashing elements, but it seemed as though Lilith had the upper hand.

"Hehehe…"

The stranger chuckled, appearing to have a final trick up his sleeve. 

He conjured a sphere of shadowy energy, expanding it until it enveloped the entire room. Darkness swallowed everything, and Lilith's vision was obscured.

In the midst of the darkness, his voice echoed, cold and determined. "You underestimate me, Lilith."

~WHIIIISSSSHHHH!!!~

Suddenly, tendrils of shadow surged forth, seeking to entangle Lilith. She reacted swiftly, her crystalline shield forming once more to block the shadows. But the relentless darkness pressed on, threatening to consume her.

'It seems I have no choice but to go all-out…'

She wasn't equipping her full gear, so this was most certainly not her full strength. However, the time had arrived for her to get serious even in this base form.

"[Illumina]" With a final, desperate effort, Lilith called upon one of  her most potent Skills. 

A blinding burst of radiant energy erupted from her, dispelling the darkness and sending the stranger crashing backward.

~BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!~

Gasping for breath, the stranger stumbled to his feet, his hood and mask barely clinging to his body as he staggered.

As he stood there, battered, yet rising to his feet, Lilith's red eyes widened in shock.

"You… how can you be so persistent?" Lilith muttered.

However, it seemed he was already at the end of his rope. That was perhaps the only thing that let her keep her composure.

Lilith seized the opportunity that now presented itself before her, summoned yet another one of her most devastating Skills.

"[Eternal Flame]."

~BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!~

A blazing inferno that roared to life, engulfing the intruder in searing flames. It consumed his clothing, and his mask began to melt away.

If not for the enchantment all around the office, her attack would have certainly destroyed everything within it and even leaked out to the other compartments in their floating fortress.

Fortunately, her partner had built this place to last.

As the flames subsided, the intruder stood exposed amid the smoke, his identity revealed. 

The moment she saw him, however, Lilith's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the face before her.

"N-no…" Everything within her seemed to shatter as she looked at the face presented before her.

"Y-you are...?!"

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[A/N]

Who do you think she saw?

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