Byun stood tense, his blond hair catching the light like molten sunlight, his shadows coiling restlessly around him, dark tendrils curling around his arms and legs, their edges shimmering with faint, eerie mana.
Across from him stood Dae, his older brother, his dark hair meticulously combed, his luxurious silk robes adorned with intricate silver embroidery that glinted in the sunlight, a sly smirk playing on his sharp features.
"You're young and foolish, Byun," Dae said, his voice smooth but laced with a cutting edge, his green eyes glinting with a condescending sharpness that pierced through the warm air. "You'll understand life soon enough."
Byun's jaw tightened, his scowl deepening, the sting of Dae's words striking harder than any blow he'd taken in the tournament, his heart thudding with a mix of anger and frustration.
