The man swung his Katana.
The katana sliced through the air in a silver flash.
Gravel exploded outward in a clean arc, a cloud of dust rising as the blade cleaved deep into the earth. Pebbles ricocheted across the clearing, some skipping into the roots of the surrounding trees.
Daniel staggered back, heart pounding in his ears. The wind from the strike had stung his cheek, leaving a faint line of blood.
Before he could even take a breath, Ragna was gone.
The forest stood still. The faint buzzing of insects faded into an oppressive quiet.
A shadow stretched over him.
Ragna stood behind him now, the katana's tip grazing the air just above Daniel's waist. His presence was suffocating, his eyes sharp and unreadable.
"You would have died," Ragna said, his voice calm but cold. "If I was using full force."
Daniel's breath caught.
That… was holding back?
The katana rose from Daniel's side and came to rest on Ragna's shoulder. He didn't move aggressively, but there was a weight to his posture, a quiet confidence that pressed down harder than the steel itself.
"You didn't even get the chance to fight back," Ragna continued, his tone flat. "Leave. You disgrace the copy technique."
Daniel's face lowered, shadow hiding his eyes. For a moment, he didn't speak. Then, slowly, a small smirk formed at the corner of his mouth.
"Well," Daniel said, his voice low, "some big talk from a guy who's been hiding."
Ragna's gaze narrowed.
"You may be strong," Daniel continued, stepping forward, boots crunching the gravel, "but at least I face my weaknesses. Since that guy disappeared, you've been living here like a rat—out of sight, avoiding the world." His tone hardened. "It's time you faced your fears."
The words landed like stones.
Ragna's eyes didn't blink, but something in his expression sharpened, as though Daniel had struck a nerve. The cicadas in the trees seemed louder now, the air heavier.
Daniel scanned the ground. A branch lay nearby, weathered gray, its length and shape reminiscent of a katana. He bent down, picked it up, and gripped it firmly.
The wood was rough in his palms, lighter than a blade but long enough to mimic its reach.
He shifted his stance. Feet angled, shoulders relaxed, grip precise.
The branch moved.
It wasn't the devastating force Ragna had unleashed moments ago, but the motion was flawless. The same arc. The same weight shift. The same deadly precision—minus the killing edge.
Ragna's eyes narrowed further, his head tilting slightly.
"…How do you know him?"
Daniel knew exactly who he meant—the man who had fought the current Divine King to a draw. A name never spoken carelessly.
"That's not for you to know," Daniel said, his smirk widening. "What I want is power—enough to destroy my enemies. And you're going to help me get it."
The forest seemed to draw in closer. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, broken into shifting patterns across the ground.
Ragna took a slow step forward. "You've got the potential to perfect the copy technique… but you'll have to endure pain equal to death. And not just once. Again and again, until your body either masters it—or breaks."
Daniel didn't move. His grip tightened around the branch.
"What's your name?" Ragna asked.
"Daniel."
A faint, dangerous grin formed on Ragna's face. "Daniel… this will be the end of that cheap imitation you've been clinging to. When I'm done, the word 'copy' won't fit you anymore."
He turned his head slightly, gaze sweeping the clearing. The air shifted, the light dimming as a breeze pushed through the trees.
"Show me that stance again," Ragna ordered.
Daniel obeyed, planting his feet firmly and raising the branch into position.
The moment he did, Ragna moved.
There was no warning, just the sudden rush of his presence closing in. The katana struck the branch at an angle, and the impact sent a jolt up Daniel's arms. His knees buckled, the shock rattling his bones.
Ragna didn't let up. He pressed forward, his blade a blur of movement, each strike faster than the last. Daniel blocked where he could, deflecting some blows, but most glanced off and forced him back across the gravel.
The ground tore under their footwork, dust swirling between them.
Daniel's breath quickened, muscles burning from the relentless pace. His branch felt heavier with each passing second, the vibrations numbing his fingers.
Then Ragna vanished again.
Daniel's eyes darted—left, right—
A searing pressure hit from behind.
Instinct screamed, and Daniel twisted just in time to catch the strike, the wood of his makeshift weapon splintering under the force. He stumbled forward, barely keeping his balance.
Ragna's voice came from somewhere behind him. "Not bad. You read the movement. But you hesitated."
Daniel grit his teeth, spinning to face him.
The older man was already resetting his stance, katana angled low. "If you hesitate in the middle of the copy technique, you die. It's that simple."
Daniel's chest rose and fell with each breath, his eyes locked on Ragna's. "Then I'll stop hesitating."
Ragna smirked, a brief, almost approving expression. "We'll see."
The next exchange was faster. Ragna closed the gap in a heartbeat, their weapons clashing in a storm of strikes. Daniel's arms screamed with each block, each deflection, his footing slipping on the loose gravel.
A final strike shattered the branch in half. The two pieces hit the ground with dull thuds.
Daniel stood there, breathing hard, sweat tracing lines down his face.
Ragna slid the katana back onto his shoulder. "You lasted longer than I thought."
Daniel met his gaze. "And I'll last longer next time."
The wind rustled the trees, carrying away the dust that hung between them.
Ragna's grin returned. "Good. Because next time… I won't hold back."