A Clash of Strength

Aurora approached the bar counter, her violet eyes locking onto Celeste Varian. The woman radiated confidence, her silver hair and piercing gaze giving off the aura of a seasoned warrior. There was no doubt—this was someone who had survived countless battles.

"If you've got something to say, say it," Celeste said without turning.

Aurora smirked. Sharp senses.

"I heard you're strong."

Celeste finally looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "And? Do you want an autograph?"

The nearby hunters chuckled, but Aurora wasn't fazed. She leaned against the counter, tapping the surface.

"No. I want to see how strong you really are."

The room fell silent. Then, Celeste's lips curled into a grin. "Now that's interesting. You're either confident or suicidal."

"Only one way to find out."

The challenge was set.

The Duel Begins

The Hunters' Guild sparring area was an underground training hall, reinforced with barriers to withstand high-level fights. Word of the duel spread fast, and soon, a crowd gathered, eager to see the newcomer vs. the S-rank hunter.

Celeste stretched, rolling her shoulders. "I don't hold back. If you regret this later, that's on you."

Aurora simply smiled, activating her void energy.

Around her, several transparent orbs flickered into existence—faint distortions in space, almost invisible to the naked eye. Unlike the golden Herrscher cubes, these void distortions were subtle, unrecognizable, and most importantly, not tied to Kiana's identity.

The onlookers murmured.

"What kind of ability is that?"

"Some kind of spatial manipulation?"

Celeste's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Alright, let's make this fun."

She vanished.

Aurora barely had time to react before Celeste reappeared behind her, aiming a precise knife-hand strike toward her neck.

Aurora sidestepped, one of her distortions shifting instantly to block the attack.

A shockwave burst from the impact, shaking the room.

Celeste whistled. "Impressive reflexes."

"You're not bad either," Aurora replied, smirking.

The duel escalated. Celeste moved like a ghost, striking from unpredictable angles, but Aurora countered with instantaneous distortions, subtly warping space around her to block or redirect attacks.

Then, she made her move.

One of her distortions expanded, collapsing inward—like a small gravitational well. Celeste's footing wavered as space twisted slightly beneath her, slowing her movements.

"A trap? No—she's warping space itself!"

Celeste reacted quickly, using brute strength to break free. She landed a powerful kick toward Aurora's midsection—

Aurora twisted her body midair, using a distortion as a stepping platform, flipping over Celeste to counterattack.

Her fist, coated in compressed void energy, struck toward Celeste's side.

The impact sent a burst of force outward—

BOOM!

Celeste staggered, eyes widening slightly in surprise. She hadn't expected that much force.

The crowd gasped.

"She landed a hit on Celeste?! No way!"

Celeste grinned, rubbing her side. "That actually hurt. You really are something."

She clenched her fists, energy crackling around her. "But let's see how long you can keep up."

She vanished again—faster than before.

Aurora barely had time to react as a fist came straight for her face—

Interrupted by Reality

Just as their fight was about to intensify, a loud alarm blared.

[Emergency Notice: A high-threat dungeon break has occurred nearby!]

The tension shattered as both fighters turned toward the alert screen.

"Tch. Looks like we have a more important fight ahead," Celeste muttered, rolling her wrists.

Aurora smirked. "Good. I was starting to get bored."

Without another word, they both turned toward the exit—toward their real battlefield.