Hunger.

Rael's sword clashed against Lucian's twin daggers in a rapid exchange of steel on steel. The masked assassin moved like liquid shadow—every twist and lunge unpredictable, his footwork blurring the line between instinct and artistry. Rael parried a sweeping strike aimed at his ribs, pivoting as Lucian vanished from sight and reappeared at his flank.

Shadowmeld.

Rael's instincts flared. He twisted just in time to block both daggers, but the impact sent a jolt up his arms. His HP dipped slightly—Lucian's weapons chipped through his defenses faster than expected.

The assassin pressed the advantage, his strikes chaining into one another with uncanny fluidity. A curved blade sliced toward Rael's shoulder, followed instantly by a thrust at his abdomen. He blocked the first but had to twist away from the second, feeling the air shift as the dagger grazed past.

Rael's HP ticked down again—a shallow cut along his side. Not deep, but Lucian's momentum was relentless.

I can't match his speed head-on.

Rael Soulstepped backward, creating distance in a blink. The crowd murmured, but neither fighter paused. Lucian surged forward again, daggers flashing as he closed the gap in a heartbeat. Rael sidestepped and swung his sword in a controlled arc, aiming to force Lucian back—only for him to duck low and twist beneath the blade with uncanny grace.

Rael barely managed to block the retaliatory strike, but the impact drove him back a step. His HP dipped below eighty percent.

He's too fast. I need to force him into a predictable pattern.

Pivoting on his heel, Rael lunged forward with Ruinous Strike. Lucian twisted aside, the dark energy grazing his shoulder but failing to land cleanly. Before Rael could recover, Lucian closed in—daggers blurring in a rapid chain of blows aimed at his vitals.

Rael's sword intercepted the first two strikes, but the third nicked his shoulder, draining more HP. Gritting his teeth, he deflected another thrust and countered with a swift slash aimed at Lucian's side. Lucian twisted away, but Rael followed with a quick step forward, closing the distance before Lucian could fully retreat.

Their weapons clashed in rapid succession—steel ringing out in sharp bursts as they traded blows across the arena. Lucian's footwork was unpredictable, but Rael began noticing subtle patterns in his movement: a slight pause before each dagger thrust, the faint shift of his shoulders telegraphing his next attack.

There it is.

Feinting a slash to the right, Rael baited Lucian into dodging left—then instantly Soulstepped behind him, sword already descending in a swift arc. Lucian twisted mid-motion, raising both daggers to intercept the strike. Steel clashed with a burst of sparks, but the force of Rael's blow drove him back several steps, breaking his momentum.

The clash of steel against steel echoed across the arena as Lucian's daggers met Rael's sword in rapid succession. Their movements blurred with speed, each exchange faster than the last. The crowd's awed murmurs grew louder with every strike.

"How is he keeping up with Noctus?" someone gasped.

Kaiden's voice crackled through the air, amplified by his hovering camera orb. "This is insane! That guy's pressure is relentless—and Noctus is actually getting pushed back!"

Rael slid to the side, narrowly dodging a downward slash. His HP had dipped below half from the dozens of shallow cuts Lucian had landed. Every time Rael thought he'd found a rhythm, Lucian would twist his body at an unnatural angle, turning a predictable attack into a sudden feint.

It's like fighting a beast, Rael thought, his grip tightening around his sword.

They clashed again, sparks flying as metal scraped against metal. Rael twisted his wrist, parrying Lucian's strike and countering with Ruinous Strike. The dark energy burst from his blade, slamming Lucian backward with enough force to scatter dust across the courtyard.

Lucian skidded to a halt, crouched low with his daggers scraping against the stone to slow his momentum. His hood fell back slightly, revealing the full visage of his oni mask—the hollow eyes, carved in a sorrowful gaze, seemed to weep shadows as faint wisps of haze began to seep from its surface.

"As expected of you," Lucian muttered, his voice low and steady.

Rael's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the shift in atmosphere.

The eyes of Lucian's bone-steel daggers began to glow with a deeper, blood-red hue, as if awakened from slumber. His posture changed—lower to the ground, shoulders slightly hunched, his fingers curled around the hilts with a predatory stillness.

Then, almost too quietly to hear, Lucian whispered, "Feral Hunger."

The air seemed to thrum with invisible tension.

"Wait—what's happening?!" Kaiden's voice cracked through the silence. His stream chat exploded into a flood of messages:

"WTF is that effect?!"

"Those daggers are glowing?!"

"Yo, his stance just changed—he looks like he's gonna pounce!"

"This fight just hit a whole new level!"

Lucian's foot scraped against the stone as he launched forward. His movements were no longer precise but feral—erratic lunges, unpredictable swipes, and sudden bursts of speed. Rael barely managed to deflect the first few strikes before Lucian vanished from his line of sight.

Behind!

Rael twisted, raising his sword in time to parry a slash aimed at his back. The impact jarred his arms. Lucian's movements were faster than before, his attacks chaining together with no pause.

Rael gritted his teeth, falling into full defense as the assault intensified. His stamina dipped with every step he took to evade the whirlwind of daggers. Lucian struck from impossible angles—low sweeps aimed at Rael's legs, quick jabs toward exposed gaps in his armor, and unpredictable leaps that forced Rael to waste stamina dodging rather than parrying.

"Come on, Noctus!" someone shouted from the crowd.

But Rael had no time to hear them. Another series of slashes forced him back, and Lucian was already closing the gap. Soulstep flared beneath Rael's feet as he teleported behind Lucian, but the moment he reappeared, Lucian twisted mid-air, reacting with unnatural speed and driving a dagger toward Rael's stomach.

Rael barely deflected it, but the second dagger raked across his side. His HP dropped by another fifteen percent.

If this keeps up, I'll get overwhelmed.

Lucian didn't give him a second to breathe. His relentless assault was like fighting a wild predator—a creature driven by instinct and bloodlust. Yet beneath that savage rhythm, there was undeniable skill. Lucian wasn't just attacking wildly—he was pushing Rael toward a corner of the arena where evading would become harder.

Rael's eyes narrowed as realization hit. He's herding me. He's still in control.

A burst of movement from Lucian forced Rael to parry two quick strikes in succession. His endurance was draining fast, and Lucian's attack speed showed no signs of slowing. Each successful hit only made him faster, like a predator growing more frenzied with every taste of blood.

I need to break his momentum…

Rael ducked beneath a horizontal slash, shifting his stance as his sword flared with dark energy once more. Timing it precisely, he lunged forward with Ruinous Strike just as Lucian committed to his next attack.

The shockwave sent Lucian flying back again, but this time, Rael charged after him before he could recover.

Lucian suddenly ducked low, vanishing into shadow once more. Rael pivoted, anticipating Lucian reappearance—only to feel a sharp sting as Lucian struck from the opposite side, bypassing his guard. Rael's HP dropped past seventy percent.

Rael surged forward the instant Lucian hit the ground, his boots skidding across the stone as he closed the distance. Lucian rolled mid-fall, landing low on one knee. His bone-steel daggers flashed as he intercepted Rael's strike with a harsh scrape of metal. The impact forced Lucian back a step, but he retaliated without pause—his movements still a blur of speed, aggression, and instinctual precision.

The crowd barely had time to react before the two clashed again, their silhouettes a blur of motion across the courtyard. Each time Lucian struck, Rael deflected or narrowly dodged, but his HP continued to chip away—small cuts stacking up with every missed parry. Lucian's Feral Hunger was still active, and Rael could feel the pressure mounting as the assassin's speed grew sharper with every exchange.

"He's not slowing down—how long can Noctus hold out?!" Kaiden's voice rang out from somewhere above.

Not long.

Rael could feel it—the strain in his arms, the heaviness creeping into his legs. His HP had dropped dangerously low—barely above twenty percent. His stamina was just as depleted, each swing of his sword costing more than it should.

Lucian pressed the advantage. His movements were unpredictable—leaping forward with jagged slashes, only to vanish mid-lunge and reappear from another angle.

"Soulstep!" Rael vanished, barely evading a fatal blow, but Lucian adjusted faster each time—predicting where Rael would appear and closing the gap before he could retaliate.

"Soulstep!" Another dodge, another swift pursuit. Each time Rael called out the skill, Lucian closed in with sharper precision, whittling down the space between them with relentless pressure.

Their footsteps echoed against stone as they circled each other again, both breathing heavily. Rael's sword trembled slightly from fatigue, but his grip remained steady. His mind worked furiously behind the calm mask of his expression.

Almost there.

Lucian's head tilted slightly, as if sensing the shift in Rael's stance. Without a word, he lunged forward—daggers flashing as he slashed in rapid succession. Rael ducked beneath the first strike, pivoting on his heel as he narrowly deflected the second. Lucian pressed forward—faster, stronger, more relentless with every strike.

Rael's HP dropped further—fifteen percent, then twelve. The crowd's cheers mixed with sharp intakes of breath as they watched Noctus teeter on the edge of defeat.

Lucian's movements blurred into a single fluid assault—slashes that came from impossible angles, leaving Rael with no room to breathe. His breath hitched as another slash grazed his side—ten percent HP remaining.

The next strike could end it.

And then—

"Soulstep."

The word cut through the air, clear and deliberate.

Lucian's eyes flared with anticipation as he shifted his momentum instantly, anticipating Rael's teleportation. His stance lowered, ready to react the moment Rael reappeared—daggers poised to strike the instant he materialized.

But Rael didn't teleport.

He never activated the skill.

Lucian's breath hitched—a fraction of a second too late—

"Ruinous Strike!"

Dark energy burst to life along Rael's blade as he lunged forward. With Lucian caught mid-step, his defense faltered. The sword connected squarely against his chest with a thunderous impact that echoed through the courtyard.

The force sent Lucian hurtling backward, his body tumbling across the stone until he skidded to a halt near the arena's edge. His HP , directly plummeting to one.

Silence.

For a heartbeat, the arena was utterly still.

Then the crowd erupted.

"NOCTUS WINS!"

"He faked his blink—holy crap, that was genius!"

"He baited him—he baited that guy right into that Strike!"

Kaiden's voice cut through the chaos, breathless with excitement. "Unbelievable! Noctus just pulled off one of the craziest mind games I've ever seen! The masked guy had him down to the wire, but Noctus turned it around in the final second—what a finish!"

Rael stood still, his sword still extended from the final strike. His breath came hard and fast, his HP bar flashing critically low.

But he didn't smile.

Slowly, he lowered his sword and turned toward Lucian's fallen form, expression unreadable.

At that moment, a system notification echoed within Rael's mind:

[Duel concluded. All combat statuses have been refreshed.]

Lucian stirred, slowly pushing himself upright. His breath was uneven beneath the eerie visage of the desolate oni mask, yet his posture remained composed despite the defeat. For a moment, he simply stood there, the faint glow of his bone-steel daggers now extinguished. Then, without a word, he reached into his inventory and withdrew the weapon. The faint gleam of dark steel peeked from beneath the cloth as he approached Rael, stopping a few paces away.

"As agreed," Lucian said, his voice low and steady. He extended the weapon without hesitation. "Here is your reward."

Rael accepted the scythe with a slight furrow in his brow. Before he could speak, Lucian stepped back and turned sharply on his heel. His footsteps echoed against the stone as he walked past the stunned crowd, disappearing beyond the courtyard's edge without a backward glance.

Rael's fingers tightened slightly around the scythe's shaft as he watched Lucian vanish into the throng of spectators. His grip loosened a moment later, shoulders subtly relaxing as a faint exhale slipped past his lips.

Complicated.

He glanced down at the weapon in his hand, turning it slightly so the dark steel caught the sunlight. The faint curve of the blade gleamed with a muted sheen, its edge razor-sharp even without testing. The craftsmanship was undeniable.

"...Now what do I do with you, huh?" he muttered under his breath before sliding the scythe into his inventory.

The crowd was still buzzing with excitement—some calling his name, others discussing the duel's final moments. Ignoring the noise, Rael turned his gaze back toward the arena. His voice carried clearly above the lingering commotion.

"Anyone else want a challenge?"

A ripple of anticipation swept through the spectators at the declaration.

* * *

Beyond the glass walls stretched a coastline bathed in amber hues. Waves rolled in steady rhythm beneath the sun's fading light, their distant murmurs lost beyond the thick glass. The city skyline stood in the distance—majestic yet distant, as though the world outside belonged to someone else entirely.

Within the office, the faint hum of electronics accompanied the muted clash of weapons from a holographic screen mounted beside the window. The duel between Rael and Lucian played on loop—yet the man seated in the leather chair paid it little mind. Shadows veiled his face, obscuring all but the faint gleam of his eyes.

Before him sat a chessboard of polished ebony and ivory, pieces arranged mid-game. His fingers hovered briefly over a black knight before withdrawing, as if reconsidering.

A soft chime broke the silence. Without hesitation, he answered.

"Cipher."

The voice on the other end was low and direct. "The situation in Vash'kar… What's the next step?"

Silence lingered, broken only by the distant hum of the city beyond the glass. Then Cipher spoke—calm, deliberate, as if measuring each word.

"A single spark ignites the prairie blaze.

The arrow strikes before the war drums sound.

Victory blooms in shadows unseen—

For the master of war holds the final thread."

The words settled like the faint echo of distant thunder. Cipher tilted his head slightly toward the holographic screen, where Rael's final strike replayed in slow motion.

"Krieg, do you know what this poem signifies?"

A pause. Then a low chuckle crackled over the line. "You know I've never understood those poems of yours."

Cipher's smile was faint, yet unmistakable. "It means strength alone decides nothing." His fingers grazed the black queen. "...The wise choose when to strike. And when to wait."

"...So?"

Cipher didn't answer. The faint hum of the city stretched into the silence until the caller exhaled, understanding the conversation was over.

"Right. I'll be ready."

The call ended with a faint beep. Cipher leaned forward, tapping a command on the console. The screen shifted, displaying a detailed map of Vash'kar—streets and districts marked with faint gridlines, player activity indicated by shifting clusters of soft blue and red blips.

For a moment, Cipher simply watched, his gaze reflecting the city lights beyond the glass.

Then, without hurry, he reached forward and grasped the black queen, moving it into position with a soft click.

"Your move, Noctus."

* * *

Rael leaned back against the couch, the faint hum of traffic filtering through the cracked window. The distant rhythm of waves lapping against the shoreline mixed with the faint buzz of city life, muted by the walls of his apartment. City lights shimmered faintly against the glass, their reflections flickering across the floor like distant fireflies. The soft glow of his phone screen cast faint shadows across his fingers as he scrolled through the message he'd sent Elias—weapon stats gleaming in clean system text.

Across from him, Elias sat cross-legged on the carpet, leaning back against the coffee table with his phone tilted toward the ceiling. His eyes scanned the screen, eyebrows slowly raising as he skimmed through the scythe's attributes. A low whistle slipped from his lips.

"Yo… this thing is sick. Hollow Requiem, huh?" He tapped the screen twice as if bookmarking the message. "Man, you'd look badass with this."

Rael smirked faintly, locking his phone and tucking it into his pocket. "Maybe. I usually stick with swords since they're more adaptable, but I'm not picky. If the scythe works, I'll use it."

"Come on, you've already got that whole edgy aesthetic going—black armor, dark abilities, mysterious teleporting moves." Elias waved his hand vaguely. "A scythe would complete the whole 'silent reaper' vibe."

"Edgy, huh?" Rael chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "I'll test it out first. No point using it if it doesn't mesh with my build."

"Fair enough," Elias relented. He leaned back against the coffee table, tilting his head toward the ceiling with a contemplative hum. "Still, that match paid off. All those system contracts mean you can start throwing your weight around once territorial fights kick off."

"Exactly," Rael replied, his tone more thoughtful. "With those contracts, even the bigger guilds will think twice before trying to push us out. Influence is everything once cities open up for player governance."

Elias nodded, his gaze drifting toward the window as if gathering his thoughts. "Yeah… though we've still got a long climb. Most top guilds are already locking down dungeon rights. Without a dungeon of our own, our growth's gonna hit a ceiling sooner or later."

"It's only a matter of time," Rael replied calmly. "Dungeon claims have to be defended eventually. The first wave of owners will get tested hard once other guilds start making moves."

"True," Elias agreed, tapping his phone against his knee. "Oh, speaking of that—have you checked the market boards lately? Prices have been kinda weird."

Rael glanced over. "Weird how?"

"Dunno, maybe just more competition than usual. Arcane catalysts, mana cores, some blacksmithing stuff—they're getting scooped up faster. I was gonna buy a few things yesterday, but they were already gone." Elias shrugged, already moving on. "Guess everyone's gearing up lately."

"Yeah, with guilds prepping for dungeon claims, demand's bound to spike."

"Yeah." Elias waved it off with a casual motion. "Anyway, enough guild talk. When are you logging back in? I wanna see you swing that scythe around."

"Soon." Rael's smirk returned, faint but unmistakable. "Just try not to blow yourself up with your traps in the meantime."

"Pfft, please. Only twice last week. Progress, right?"

"Progress is progress," Rael replied, the edge of amusement in his tone.

Their laughter blended with the distant hum of the city as the conversation drifted toward lighter topics.