The first clash was quiet.
No grand shouts.
No charging blows.
Just the sound of boots grating over stone, the low rasp of air pulled into steady lungs.
Jin moved first, the broken katana sliding through the air in a tight, lethal arc aimed at Hanuel's shoulder.
The boy stepped lightly aside, barely shifting his stance, pole snapping up in a lazy parry that deflected the blow without committing his balance.
Jin adjusted immediately, cutting low toward the ribs.
Hanuel ducked, body folding like a shadow itself, pole swinging back across his body to guard his side.
Fast.
Loose.
But not careless.
They separated without a sound, drifting back into their orbits, watching.
Jin narrowed his eyes. Hanuel's base footwork was solid, clean lines, no wasted steps. But there was still a hint of hesitation when he shifted shadows. A fraction of a second where the real body was visible before the darkness took over.
A weakness.
Not enough to exploit yet.
But something to note.
