He didn't choose to retreat in a straight line.
Instead, at a near-impossible angle, he twisted his waist, took a light step, and pivoted.
His movements were fluid and seamless to the extreme, like a light feather drifting down into a torrent of molten lava.
The Crimson Flame Fist Seal whistled past the lapel of his clothes, the terrifying heat wave searing his skin.
At the same time, his right hand, which had been building up power, finally moved.
ZING!
A clear, ringing cry of a blade echoed.
It was no longer a series of afterimages, but a single strike, impossibly fast! A nearly transparent, pale line of light!
That was the ultimate expression of the Shadow-Stealing Form at 85% mastery, enhanced by "Absolute Focus" and the power of his Primordial Spirit!
Fast! Faster than the speed of thought!
