Everything seemed to be going according to plan until Kaiser abruptly decided to abandon the fight and escape.
Yet he didn't appear to be losing at all; on the contrary, because of Kris's impulsiveness during the battle, the latter had wasted far too much mana uselessly on futile movements, whereas Kaiser had calculated every gesture to inflict maximum damage with minimum effort.
The dust slowly settled over the battlefield, forming a grayish veil that clung to the survivors' clothes and hair. Kris planted both hands on his knees, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. Every inhale burned his throat, and his legs threatened to give out at any moment. He raised his head, sweeping his gaze across the area where his opponent had stood just seconds earlier. There was nothing left. Just churned earth and debris.
"Come back! YOU FUCKING COWARD!" he roared through clenched teeth so hard his jaw ached.
Silence answered him. Kaiser had truly disappeared.
