"Stay focused and take them down!" Grace shouted. Her dagger gleamed with a cold light, and a stream of sword aura slashed at a charging gray shadow.

The attack made the wraith waver and thin out, its form growing fainter. It let out a piercing shriek but didn't vanish. Instead, it surged forward with renewed fury.

The other guards weren't faring any better. Their sword aura proved pathetically ineffective against these mist-wraiths. It took multiple strikes to break apart a single one.

However, the wraith's attacks were deadly. They could easily penetrate the guards' protective armor energy. The moment one made contact, a deep, soul-chilling cold set in, and the victim's life essence began to drain away at an alarming rate.

One guard's attention slipped for just a second. A wraith grazed his arm, and his limb instantly turned pale gray and shriveled, as if every bit of moisture and vitality had been sucked dry. He groaned in pain and staggered backward, face pale as death.

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