Nathan's boots skidded against the dirt before coming to a stop as he glanced at the hooded man standing across from him.
A low chuckle rumbled from beneath the shadow of the hood.
"You fight quite well for a spoiled little brat."
Nathan scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "And you guys are much weaker than I'd thought you'd be. Why? Is the main force still on its way? By the way. How are things on the frontlines. I hear it's not looking too good."
The hooded man's fingers twitched in anger for a brief moment before he calmed himself. He raised his left hand.
A sudden surge of mana flared around him, warping the air with its pressure.
With a flick of his wrist, the ground split open, and a massive chunk of earth and stone—easily the size of a carriage—shot towards Nathan.
Nathan's wings snapped open. With a single beat, he propelled himself into the air, twisting mid-flight to narrowly dodge the makeshift projectile.
As he flipped, he caught sight of the hooded man leaping after him, his fist cocked back, mana crackling around his knuckles like jagged lightning.
Nathan crossed his arms just as the punch connected. While he blocked it, the force behind the punch still sent him crashing down.
He flared his wings to slow his descent, his feet carving deep trenches into the dirt as he landed.
The hooded man touched down gracefully, shaking his hand as if flexing out the residual impact. "What's wrong, brat? Cat got your tongue?"
Nathan stretched his body a bit as he replied in an irritated tone. "Not really. Just don't think you're worth bantering."
The hooded man didn't say anything, instead the ring on his finger glowed and a gleaming longsword materialized in his grasp.
The blade pulsed with mana, a faint hum vibrating through the air.
Nathan didn't wait for him to settle tho. He lunged forward, his katana slicing through the space between them.
The hooded man reacted instantly, parrying the strike with his sword. Sparks flew as metal screeched against metal, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the ground.
Nathan twisted, using his momentum to drive a knee toward the man's ribs.
The hooded man caught it with his forearm, but the sheer force sent him skidding back.
Before he could recover, Nathan spun, using his wings to propel himself forward. His katana came down in a brutal arc.
The hooded man barely had time to block, his feet digging into the earth from the impact.
He let out a low growl, his lips pulling back slightly—just enough for Nathan to catch the glint of sharp, wolf-like fangs.
With a snarl, the man pushed back, forcing Nathan away.
His hood, torn from the clash, fluttered to the ground, revealing his face fully.
A half-beastman—wolf-like fangs, elf-like ears, and piercing golden eyes filled with mana-fueled rage.
Nathan cocked an eyebrow. "A half-breed? Isn't that rare. Aren't half-breeds considered freaks in fantasia?"
The beastman's face darkened as he exclaimed. "Brat!"
Mana flared violently around him as he dashed forward. His speed was much greater than before.
Nathan barely had time to bring up his katana before the beastman's sword slammed into it. The impact sent him staggering.
"Shit!" Nathan cursed under his breath. Though he mocked him, he was still a beast man even if only a half-breed, his physical strength was still beyond that of regular humans.
The beastman pressed the attack, his sword a blur of silver as he unleashed a relentless assault.
Nathan dodged, ducked, and parried, his katana adjusting with each strike to counter the beastman's overwhelming force.
The beastman then grabbed a nearby tree, his fingers digging into the bark like it was mere paper. With a grunt, he ripped it from the ground and hurled it at Nathan.
Nathan's wings snapped open, and he shot upwards as the tree crashed on the spot he stood before. "You fucking animal. A tree?!"
The beastman snarled, leaping after him with mana-fueled speed. "Serves you right Terran brat!"
Nathan barely managed to twist mid-air, evading the beastman's sword by inches.
But the bastard was relentless as he somehow changed stance mid-air as he lashed out again, forcing Nathan to block.
The sheer impact sent him spiraling downward, crashing into the dirt hard enough to form a small crater.
Dust filled the air as Nathan groaned. His muscles ached badly.
He forced himself up just in time to see the beastman dropping toward him, sword aimed straight for his chest.
Nathan rolled at the last second. The beastman's sword slammed into the ground, carving a deep fissure into the earth as the crater widened.
Nathan then seized the opening, pivoting sharply and bringing his katana in a sweeping arc.
The beastman twisted, barely avoiding a fatal strike, but not unscathed—Nathan's blade sliced across his side, drawing blood.
The beastman hissed, staggering back. His free hand clutched his wound, and when he looked at it, his fingers were now a crimson color. His eyes locked onto Nathan with pure fury.
Nathan exhaled, gripping his katana tightly. "Had enough yet?"
The beastman roared, mana surging around him like a violent storm. His body twitched unnaturally, his muscles swelling as he poured everything into one final attack.
Nathan's eyes narrowed as he too, took a stance.
The beastman lunged, his sword carving through the air with devastating force.
Nathan moved as well.
Using his wings to increase his speed as he moved. His katana whirred. His body twisted, slipping past the beastman's strike by a hair's breadth. And then—
SHING!
A clean cut.
The beastman's charge faltered. His eyes widened. His grip on his sword loosened.
His head slipped from his shoulders.
Nathan exhaled as the beastman's body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling around the severed head.
He barely had the energy to stay standing. Blood dripped from his katana as he swung it, wiping the blood away before he turned to face where Natasha and the others were.