The night was shrouded in darkness. Thunder roared, and flashes of lightning clashed across the sky, painting the heavens with a terrifying brilliance.
Beneath that dreadful sky, a lone figure stood tall and proud. His long silver hair shimmered under the glow of the stone lanterns scattered around the courtyard, each strand glinting like threads of moonlight. His pale blue eyes, beautiful yet weary, were fixed ahead, narrowing sharply at the enemy who dared stand before him.
Opposite him, another man waited. His entire form was cloaked in black, every inch of his body and face concealed, save for a pair of crimson eyes glowing in the darkness. Those eyes, cold and merciless, radiated a menace that could make even the bravest falter.
The mysterious man raised his sword, pointing it directly at the silver-haired warrior as if declaring his intent to kill.
The warrior straightened his stance, sliding into a firm guard position. Though his eyes gleamed with determination, there was an undeniable exhaustion hidden within their brilliance. Still, he raised his sword high above his head, gathering his mana until the blade erupted with a radiant blue light so bright it forced his opponent to shield his eyes with his arm.
Then—without warning—the hero unleashed all his power in one devastating strike.
The cloaked man's eyes widened. He twisted aside just in time, his body moving with inhuman reflexes as the blade cleaved into the earth. A thunderous explosion erupted, sending shockwaves across the courtyard. Stone shattered, dust and debris scattered violently, and the cloaked figure was hurled backward, crashing against the towering walls of the hero's grand castle.
From somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of hurried footsteps echoed. Reinforcements were coming.
The silver-haired warrior did not hesitate. In a blur, he dashed forward, his glowing blade raised to strike down his adversary. The cloaked man recovered swiftly, steel clashing against steel as he intercepted the blow. The impact rang out, a sharp metallic screech that set teeth on edge.
Their duel began in earnest.
Every swing, every parry was executed with deadly precision. They were equals in speed, agility, and strength—two masters locked in a battle that neither could afford to lose. Sparks danced through the night as their swords met again and again, the sound of their clash echoing like the song of death.
Blue mana surged into the hero's sword, wrapping it in dazzling brilliance. He swept the blade in elegant arcs, unleashing waves of slashing energy that tore through the air. Each strike carved destruction into the castle grounds, slicing apart walls and towers when they missed their true target.
Yet the cloaked man was relentless. He wove through the storm of attacks with impossible grace, dodging, deflecting, his every movement a taunt to the hero's desperation.
Then, in a flash, he closed the distance. His sword lunged for the hero's chest. The silver-haired warrior barely avoided the fatal blow, but the assault did not stop.
The cloaked man's left hand glowed with sinister energy, a surge of violet lightning edged with a faint crimson aura. Without hesitation, he thrust it forward—straight at the hero's heart.
The warrior's eyes widened. There was no time to escape. He crossed his arms to shield himself.
The impact sent him flying. His body smashed through the trees at the castle's edge, splinters exploding around him as he tumbled to the ground. Blood spilled from his lips as he staggered upright, clutching his chest.
"Purple Flame Lightning… Impossible!" he gasped, his voice hoarse with disbelief.
That power was beyond rare. Only a handful across the world were known to wield it—a mana affinity so unique it was almost mythical. Yet the stranger before him wielded it with terrifying ease, as though it had always been his own.
"Who… are you?" The hero's voice trembled between rage and pain. Though he had blocked the worst of it, his wrists bore bruises from the sheer force of the blow.
The cloaked man gave no answer. Instead, he surged forward, faster than thought, and his boot collided with the warrior's chest. The impact cracked against bone, flinging the silver-haired man like a ragdoll into the castle wall. Blood stained his once-radiant hair, trickling down his forehead from the brutal strike.
But mercy was not in his opponent's nature.
Before the hero could recover, the cloaked man descended upon him, sword raised high. The silver-haired warrior gritted his teeth, forcing his battered body to rise. With all his remaining strength, he caught the blade, locking it against his own.
Mana flared violently between them. The hero roared, pushing with everything he had, forcing the enemy back.
The cloaked man slid to a halt, standing tall and unmoving, crimson eyes gleaming with cruel patience. It was as though he was waiting, almost mocking the hero by granting him a moment to summon his last reserves of power.
The silver-haired warrior's hands trembled as he raised his sword before him, the blade pointing skyward. Mana surged through his veins, wind swirling wildly around his body. The sword pulsed with radiant light, a tranquil blue glow that enveloped him entirely. His hair shimmered, his entire form glowing like a beacon in the storm.
The cloaked man's eyes narrowed. He stepped back instinctively, feeling the sheer danger that radiated from his foe's awakening power. The night wind howled, carrying dust and debris into the air.
In the next instant, the hero struck.
His sword blurred with supernatural speed, a relentless storm of strikes hammering at the cloaked man. Each blow carried thrice the force from before, each swing fast enough to blur into afterimages.
Steel clashed. Sparks flew. The cloaked man staggered, straining under the assault. Yet he adapted—mana surged around him, shaping into an illusory form that split away from his body.
Through the haze of dust and wind, the hero's eyes locked on the false image. He attacked without hesitation, driving his sword through the phantom.
The blade met nothing.
His eyes widened. "An illusion?!"
A sharp sound ripped through the air.
The cloaked man's real blade carved into the hero's back, tearing through his protective aura and leaving a deep gash across his flesh.
"Ugh!" The silver-haired warrior spun, countering with a desperate slash, but the stranger was already gone, stepping aside as though he had predicted every move.
Purple-red energy engulfed his sword. With a single merciless strike, he cut through the hero's glowing defenses, slicing into his side. Blood sprayed across the stones.
"AAAGH!" The hero's scream pierced the storm.
He staggered, dropping to one knee, his body trembling under the weight of his injuries. Blood pooled around him, staining the earth.
The cloaked man advanced without pause, driving his boot into the warrior's chest and hurling him back against the castle wall once more. Red streaks smeared the stone where the hero struck.
As his battered body slumped forward, the cloaked figure appeared before him in an instant. His hand drove into the warrior's chest, piercing flesh and bone with terrifying precision.
"UGH!" The silver-haired man choked, blood flooding his throat as agony consumed him.
The cloaked man's fingers curled. His hand clenched tightly around something still beating inside the hero's chest.
With a sickening pull, he tore the heart free.
The warrior's cry was broken, weak, yet filled with despair. Blood cascaded down his silver hair as his body collapsed onto the cold, unforgiving ground. His once-bright eyes dulled, their light fading into lifeless stillness.
The last sight he beheld was of the cloaked man, walking away into the storm, crimson eyes glowing faintly… the hero's heart still gripped in his hand.