She approached Greg first, looking down at him as he remained dazed from the blow. Her staff rose, poised to deliver the final strike.
Greg lifted his Guardian's Oath shield one last time, fully aware that it wouldn't be sufficient. Yet, he couldn't stop trying. The shield manifested, but the previous attack had already compromised its surface.
Agatha's staff descended. Greg had never experienced anything like that before.
It wasn't merely about physical force. It was the culmination of Agatha's will, years of master craftsmanship, and the Calamity's corrupting power converging in a single strike.
Greg's shield lasted only two seconds before it disintegrated. He had sworn the Guardian's Oath for the sake of his family and his own safety, but it shattered into fragments of light that scattered like dying stars.
"W-What...? Impossible...!"
The spell failed dramatically, causing the arm guard that facilitated it to break. The magic circuits went dark.
