The Phantom Archery

The Phantom Archer – A Fight in the Fog

The air around Mri grew heavy.

His shoulder throbbed where the arrow had struck, but he ignored the pain. Pain could wait. Right now, he had a fight to win.

The Phantom Archer stood across from him, their bow lowered, unreadable behind a dark mask. They had already proven their speed and precision.

But Mri was done playing defense.

He yanked the arrow from his shoulder in one swift motion, blood dripping onto the damp earth. His aura flared.

"You're strong," the archer said again. "But not strong enough."

Mri smiled. "We'll see about that."

---

The Battle Begins

Before the last word even left his lips—

The archer vanished.

Mri's instincts screamed, and he dodged just in time to see another arrow pierce the air where his heart had been.

Too fast.

Mri spun, but the next attack came from above.

The archer had leaped into the air, already firing another shot.

Mri crossed his arms, aura hardening into a barrier. The arrow struck the shield but didn't shatter it completely—it pushed him back several meters.

He barely had time to recover before the next wave of attacks began.

Three arrows in rapid succession—one at his legs, one at his chest, and one at his head.

Mri ducked, rolled, and deflected the last one with his forearm, but the sheer force sent him staggering.

The archer didn't let up.

They were already moving, appearing behind him again.

Mri smirked.

"Predictable."

He spun with a burst of speed, grabbing the archer's bow mid-draw.

For the first time, the hunter hesitated.

Mri used that moment.

With his free hand, he threw a crushing punch toward their stomach.

But in an instant—they disappeared.

A whisper of wind, and suddenly—

A blade was at his throat.

---

Mri's Past Awakens

A sharp, silver knife rested against his skin.

The archer was right behind him now.

"Checkmate," the hunter whispered.

But something stirred in Mri's mind.

A memory. A sensation.

This moment… This feeling… He had been here before.

Years ago.

Back when he had been the General of The Three Souls in Dibrugarh.

A battlefield. His enemies had surrounded him.

A knife at his throat.

That day…

He hadn't lost.

And he wouldn't lose now.

--

Mri's Counterattack

The second the blade touched his throat—Mri moved.

With a sudden burst of unseen speed, he twisted his body, grabbed the hunter's wrist, and threw them over his shoulder.

The archer flipped midair and landed gracefully—but Mri was already in front of them.

For the first time, the hunter's body language changed.

A fraction of a second too late—they hesitated.

Mri's fist collided with their stomach.

The impact sent them flying.

They crashed into the ground, rolling across the mud.

Silence.

Mri exhaled, his aura still glowing around him.

The archer groaned, holding their ribs.

Mri walked forward, towering over them.

"Not bad," he said, flexing his fingers. "But not good enough."

---

The Truth Behind the Archer

The archer coughed, pulling off their mask.

Mri's eyes widened.

It was a girl.

Her dark hair clung to her face, and her amber eyes glowed slightly in the dim light.

She wiped blood from her lip and smirked.

"Looks like you're stronger than I thought."

Mri frowned. "Who are you?"

She hesitated.

Then—

"I'm not your enemy."

Mri tensed.

The girl sighed and sat up, stretching her sore muscles. "This isn't what you think it is."

Before Mri could ask more, a loud explosion rocked the swamp.

BOOM!

The ground trembled, and in the distance, a red flare shot into the sky.

Mri's heart pounded. That was where Jasmine was.

Without another word, he turned and ran toward the smoke.

The archer watched him go.

Then, reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small radio communicator.

Click.

"Sir, he's stronger than we expected."

A voice crackled through the device.

"Understood. Maintain surveillance. He still doesn't know the full truth."

She sighed, watching Mri disappear into the fog.

"Yeah. He doesn't."

The Shadow Reapers

The Shadow Reapers – A Storm Unleashed

Mri's feet barely touched the ground as he sprinted toward the source of the explosion.

The eerie red glow of the signal flare still hung in the sky, casting an ominous light over the battlefield.

Jasmine…

His heart pounded. She was there.

And something was coming.

---

The Battlefield

By the time Mri arrived, the air smelled of smoke and burnt earth. The once-calm training grounds were now a warzone.

Figures in black cloaks—the Shadow Reapers—moved like wraiths through the mist.

And in the center of it all—Jasmine.

Her aura burned like wildfire, illuminating the darkness.

She was surrounded.

Three enemies lunged at her from different angles.

Jasmine twisted, dodging one, grabbing another by the wrist, and flipping him over her shoulder.

The third attacker slashed at her with a dagger—only to be met with a spinning kick to the ribs.

They crashed to the ground, unmoving.

Mri had to admit—she was good.

But this wasn't a normal fight.

Something was wrong.

The moment Jasmine landed, her body staggered. She winced, pressing a hand to her side.

Mri's eyes widened. She was injured.

---

The Arrival of the Reaper Commander

A slow clap echoed through the clearing.

From the shadows, a man in a deep crimson cloak stepped forward.

Unlike the others, his aura was different—twisted, suffocating.

"Impressive," he said, his voice smooth and mocking. "You put up a good fight, girl. But you should know when you're outmatched."

Jasmine wiped sweat from her brow, her breathing uneven. "Shut up and fight me, then."

The man chuckled. "As you wish."

He raised a hand—and the air around him shifted.

A gust of black wind erupted.

Before Jasmine could react, she was slammed backward.

She hit the ground hard, coughing.

Mri clenched his fists. That was it.

---

Mri Joins the Fight

"That's enough."

The moment he spoke, all eyes turned to him.

Jasmine, struggling to push herself up, blinked. "Mri...?"

The cloaked man raised an eyebrow. "And who might you be?"

Mri stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Someone who's about to kick your ass."

Silence.

Then—laughter.

The Shadow Reapers chuckled, their leader shaking his head. "Bold words, kid. But you're not on my level."

"Try me."

The man smirked. "Alright, then."

He vanished.

Mri barely had time to react before a knee slammed into his stomach.

The air was forced from his lungs as he was thrown backward, skidding across the dirt.

---

The Awakening

Pain.

Mri coughed, wiping blood from his lips.

The man's speed was unreal.

But Mri wasn't done.

Something inside him stirred.

A flicker of power.

A distant memory of battles past.

The General of The Three Souls…

Mri took a slow breath, rising to his feet.

His aura began to glow.

The air trembled.

The Reaper leader's smirk faltered. "What…?"

Mri vanished.

The next second—he was right in front of him.

A punch to the gut.

The Reaper leader's eyes widened as he was lifted off his feet, sent flying into a tree.

For the first time—fear flashed in his eyes.

"Impossible…!"

Mri rolled his shoulders, his aura still surging. "You were saying something about levels?"

---

The Final Blow

The Reaper staggered to his feet.

He wasn't done.

With a snarl, he unleashed his full power.

Dark tendrils of energy shot toward Mri.

Mri didn't move.

He simply raised a hand.

BOOM.

The darkness shattered.

Mri appeared behind the Reaper in a blink.

And then—he struck.

A devastating palm strike to the chest.

A shockwave rippled through the air as the Reaper was sent crashing to the ground—unconscious.

Silence.

The remaining Shadow Reapers stood frozen.

Jasmine, still panting, stared at Mri in shock.

He had won.

Mri dusted off his jacket and exhaled. "Next time, don't mess with my friends."

The Shadow Reapers hesitated—then vanished into the mist, carrying their fallen leader.

The battle was over.

---

Aftermath

Jasmine coughed, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Mri walked over and extended a hand. "You okay?"

She smirked. "Yeah. But you totally stole my fight."

Mri laughed. "You were getting your ass kicked."

Jasmine pouted. "Shut up."

She took his hand, letting him pull her up.

For a moment, they just stood there—breathing, recovering.

Then—Jasmine nudged him. "Hey, Mri?"

"Yeah?"

She smiled. "Thanks."

Mri scratched the back of his head, suddenly feeling awkward. "Whatever. It's not like I was worried or anything."

Jasmine giggled. "Sure, sure."

As they walked away together, the last embers of battle faded into the night.

But Mri knew—this was just the beginning.

The Shadow Reapers would return.

And next time, they wouldn't be so easy to defeat.