"Stop."
Zephyrion felt his blood seize. His body ca to an abrupt halt, suspended midair by an unseen force.
Before him, the Reaver’s crimson eyes widened as they locked onto him.
"...what the hell are you?"
"Increase weight."
The air around Zephyrion trembled as a crushing force dragged him downward.
"...what?"
The sudden surge in weight snapped the Reaver’s control. The mont Zephyrion’s feet touched the ground, he shot back, creating distance.
With a narrowed gaze, he studied the Reaver, his thoughts moving rapidly.
His reaction speed, his control over blood...
’He’s mark six.’
Authority. Which ant he could impose control over the blood around him. His blood.
’Hmm...’
This situation was entirely different from Noss and the Sarakel he had fought in Mount Ferravyr. Even with the darkness and his speed, it was impossible to sneak up on a Blood Ascendant.
’...I have to end this quickly.’
A prolonged fight would only put him at a disadvantage, and with the exit blocked, it was only a matter of ti before Fiona returned.
His gaze flicked to the campfire at the center of the cavern, pausing briefly before returning to the man.
"You... you’re crazy, aren’t you?"
The Reaver stared at Zephyrion with disbelief.
"To think Calderalth hid sothing like you. You’re not a cub... you’re a rising dragon, aren’t you?"
"..."
The Reaver let out a low chuckle at Zephyrion’s silence. His crimson eyes glowed as his expression shifted, turning feral.
"Heh... now I’m curious. Just how far can you go?"
The Reaver vanished, reappearing before Zephyrion in a blur. Blood surged around his arm, condensing into a gleaming blade as he thrust forward in a flash.
A blade snapped into Zephyrion’s grip. His arm shot forward, eting the strike head-on in an explosive clash.
The impact rippled through his body, rattling him to his bones and forcing him two steps back. Still, his expression didn’t change as he steadied himself.
"You took that? ...impressive."
The Reaver closed the distance in an instant. His arm blurred, unleashing a torrent of lethal strikes all at once.
A ntal lattice flickered in Zephyrion’s eyes, mapping every incoming attack. His blade moved in a dance, intercepting each strike in bursts of sparks.
Every clash sent a surge of force through his body, but the pain barely registered as his mind kept pace.
The Reaver didn’t even seem to be trying. Though his arm had beco a blur, a faint, amused smile lingered on his face as he advanced at an unhurried pace, steadily forcing Zephyrion back.
"This is insane... you’re still holding on?" the Reaver said, shaking his head. "...what if I speed it up?"
His eyes glead, and his strikes accelerated. The impacts grew sharper, heavier, the constant booms intensifying as Zephyrion was driven further back.
Each attack still unfolded within his perception, but he could no longer keep up with all of them.
Even so, the fact that he was still standing was enough for the Reaver to stare at him with disbelief.
"This guy..."
The Reaver exhaled and abruptly stopped. Zephyrion imdiately shot backward, widening the distance.
As he felt the faint warmth of fire beside him, Zephyrion gave a subtle inward nod.
’Close enough.’
"You..."
The Reaver raised his blade, pointing it toward him.
"...how about you join the Redmaw?" He grinned. "I can see it in your eyes—you’re a killer, aren’t you?"
"...."
The Reaver’s smile widened.
"Don’t let the rumors scare you off. The Redmaw know how to grow talent—especially yours. Co with us. We’ll push you to your limit."
"...."
At Zephyrion’s silence, the Reaver’s expression dimd slightly.
"...you don’t have many options here, kid. Join us... or get captured and sold to the highest bidder. Tensions with the Pyrians are rising—they’ll pay well. But it doesn’t have to co to that. So... what’s it going to be?"
"No."
A flicker of coldness crossed the Reaver’s eyes.
"...with eyes like that, I thought you’d be smarter." He scoffed, shaking his head. "Tch... what a waste."
An overwhelming pressure suddenly erupted from him, crashing down onto Zephyrion.
His eyes flushed red. Thick, throbbing veins spread from his eyes, trailing down his neck until they covered his entire body. His muscles tightened, swelling with barely restrained power.
The Reaver fixed his gaze on Zephyrion, an intense chill pressing against him.
Yet, even under the overwhelming pressure, Zephyrion showed no trace of strain.
"Since you impressed ... I’ll give you my na." the Reaver said as he stepped forward.
"Nial Tundra."
He vanished, leaving a streak of red as he appeared before Zephyrion. His palm drove forward with such force that concentric circles rippled around it.
"It’s over."
Whoosh!
As Nial reached for Zephyrion’s neck, a sudden flash of light pulled his gaze to the side.
Before he could react, the flickering campfire burst in a surge of scaling flas that swept between them like a curtain, briefly obscuring his vision.
’Fire?’
There were no fire Ascendants here... how did it move?
A shockwave burst from Nial, clearing the flas instantly. His eyes tightened as he realized Zephyrion was gone.
’Where?’
He spread his awareness, but the sharp sound of air being cut made him snap around.
A tal spike tore toward him.
"This again?"
Nial tilted his head back just in ti, the spike grazing past him. He had already begun to turn away when he felt the tal tremble.
Nial’s eyes widened.
"Wha—?"
It detonated in a violent explosion, unleashing a storm of tal shrapnel toward his face.
"Ark!"
Nial staggered back, teeth clenched. The fragnts tore across his face, even striking his eyes. His vision blurred instantly.
"...you really think that’s going to change anything?"
A shift in the blood behind him snapped his attention back. He spun, his arm driving forward without hesitation.
Squelch!
His strike pierced through a chest, blood splattering across the ground.
"...look at what you made do. Tch... what a waste of talent... and money."
He moved to fling the body aside when another disturbance stirred behind him.
’What?’
He glanced down at the corpse he’d just pierced, and through his blurred vision he caught a glimpse of crimson hair and lips.
’A decoy!’
He twisted back, just in ti to see Zephyrion’s blade a breath away from his neck.
This fucking kid...
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