In a flash, James moved in a blur, reappearing at Raven’s flank with a kick aimed at his face.

  Raven instinctively raised his arm, but he was flung across the field. James then dashed furiously toward Wolfton and face-palmed his chest, hurling him back as well.

  To both of them, it happened too fast.

  If I hadn't reinforced my arm with mana at the last second, it would've shattered. Even now, my arm won't stop trembling from the trauma.

  And I still lost twenty HP from one attack. What kind of power is he packing? He did that without mana reinforcement or medicine.

  Raven stood and grabbed his trembling arm, squeezing it tightly until it turned slightly blue.

  “Enough… this guy is a lot more than I gave credit for.”

  If I can’t even handle him, then my path to surpass the Archmage is more than a thousand miles away, he finished in his mind.

  James gave them a brief moment to recover. Wolfton began charging his ability, his sword glowing with brilliant flames and lightning as he swung repeatedly.

  James twisted and weaved gracefully, avoiding every strike and closing the distance inch by inch. The moment he reached a striking range, he accelerated and raised his arm to punch, but a crimson slash interfered, giving Wolfton time to blast James with his fire-lightning attack.

  James staggered back and removed his trench coat. His skin sizzled with red marks.

  I saw it, his shadow moved in sync with him. It felt like it was showing me what he’d do before he did it, but he changed at the last second. Is this the second application of Umbral Vision?

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  “It seems your ability hurts him more. I’ll distract him while you finish him,” Raven whispered. Wolfton nodded.

  James moved again, speed just as aggressive. Raven stood still, eyes closed, breathing slowly in and out.

  “Fifth stance: Phantom Strike.”

  Time seemed to slow. His body blurred, leaving afterimages trailing behind him.

  He slashed, clean and precise. But he frowned as James shifted slightly, narrowly avoiding the strike.

  A thin cut appeared on James’s arm, no more than half a centimeter, but James ignored it and continued toward Wolfton.

  Fire and electricity flared wildly as Wolfton fought desperately, but James evaded everything and finally closed in, punching Wolfton and sending him flying.

  A crimson aura sliced through the air, making James pause. He scanned his opponents: one skilled but low-damage fighter, the other average skill but dangerous ability. He judged Wolfton as the greater threat.

  Raven closed in, ready to strike. James prepared to dodge.

  'I knew you would try and avoid getting hit, and you would move to the left'.

  Raven feinted, then redirected precisely toward James’s predicted step. James’ eyes widened, surprised, but instead of dodging, he grabbed Raven’s blade bare-handedly and countered, striking multiple pressure points before chopping the side of his neck.

  Notifications stacked rapidly as Raven’s body went numb. He collapsed to his knees, paralyzed.

  “Dammit, dammit, damnit, damnit, move… MOVE!” Raven strained, veins bulging, muscles twitching uselessly as Wolfton struggled against James’s relentless assault.

  He refused to stay down. He forced strength into one finger, it twitched. Gradually, sensation returned to his arm, then his body.

  He stood shakily, only to realize two things:

  First, the baby chick in his pouch was gone.

  James had taken it while striking him.

  Second, he was too far to intervene in time.

  “First stance: Crescent Strike.”

  Still shaking, Raven breathed steadily. His sword ignited and released a crimson arc across the field.

  Wolfton was barely holding on, flames and electricity exploding around him as James effortlessly dodged and countered with brutal force.

  The crimson slash roared across the field. James didn't flinch, instead, he grabbed Wolfton by the neck and hurled him into the attack like a shield.

  Wolfton screamed as the slash tore into his back, blood spraying violently. He collapsed, gasping, eyes half-open, breath shallow.

  “WOLFTON!” Raven shouted, voice breaking as he watched blood pool around him.

  Raven’s breathing turned ragged. The sight of Wolfton’s torn body overlapped with memories of his kin screaming under the Archmage’s inferno.

  His teeth clenched, fists trembling, killing intent spilling like a tide. James lifted his emotionless blue eyes to meet his.

  In a flash, Raven moved, leaping high, sword raised.

  “I’LL KILL YOU!!!”