The two figures locked eyes, each scrutinizing the other with meticulous intensity, absorbing every detail with a piercing gaze. The masked man’s attention was drawn instantly to the aura of force emanating from Edward. Though only slightly stronger than his own, Edward’s force was purer, more potent, radiating a strength that left the masked figure with a stark realization: any direct confrontation could end disastrously for him.

  He studied Edward further, taking in the compact yet muscular frame, the dual axes clenched at his sides, and the air of aggression that hung around him like a second skin. It was clear that Edward was a warrior who wielded offense as his ultimate form of defense, a combatant whose very presence signaled a fierce, relentless aggression.

  [In that case... I’ll keep you at a safe distance] thought the thief with calm resolve, gripping his long metal staff firmly, a smirk of confidence playing on his lips.

  Edward’s gaze drifted to the weapon in his opponent’s hand, but he gave it only a cursory glance, barely acknowledging it. Confidence radiated from him—he trusted his own abilities deeply. Besides, he held a hidden advantage, a secret weapon that he was certain the thief could never counter. This trump card lingered in his mind like an untouchable flame, fueling his conviction that, no matter how the battle unfolded, he held the upper hand.

  “Before killing you… might I know your name?” Edward hissed, barely able to contain himself from charging forward.

  The Dungeon Raider, however, didn’t seem particularly interested in talking. In fact, at Edward’s question, the masked man gripped his Gùn even tighter, signaling that he was ready for battle.

  “A man of few words, huh? I like you, you filthy bastard!”

  With a fierce roar that echoed through the air, Edward lunged forward, initiating the fight. His speed, which turned out to be surprisingly high, caught the Dungeon Raider off guard. In just a few steps, the apprentice Reaper closed the distance with ease, entering his opponent's range.

  “Die!”

  With a swift, powerful swing of his arm, Edward unleashed a brutal slash, cutting through the air with astonishing speed as though slicing through butter. Yet, despite its ferocity, Edward’s attack lacked any real technique. Although the blade advanced with terrifying speed, the Raider evaded it with ease, moving just enough to dodge the blade, which narrowly grazed his mask.

  Edward’s missed attack not only failed to hit its mark but also threw him off balance, nearly causing him to stumble at the Raider’s feet, who watched with a sigh of relief.

  [If this is his level... I can defeat him easily...] thought the Raider, preparing to launch a counterattack. But before he could even think of striking, Edward focused his force on the tip of his foot, using it to pivot and rotate his body. Following his spinning motion, Edward delivered an uppercut; this time, his attack was faster and more ferocious due to his momentum—and, crucially, much closer than before.

  [TAKE THIS!]

  With a mischievous grin, Edward felt certain that his sudden, unexpected strike would land, killing the masked man on the spot. He could already imagine the reaction of everyone once they learned of his accomplishment—taking down a Dungeon Raider.

  But his satisfaction quickly faded when the masked man, though caught off guard once more, reacted with speed rivaling Edward’s. With precise technique, he deftly maneuvered his metal Gùn into the path of the strike, blocking it just in time.

  The clash of the two weapons was immense and intense. Although the Raider managed to parry, the impact was strong enough to launch him back several meters from where they were fighting.

  “Wow,this guy... he’s more stronger than i thought…” the masked man whispered, with his hands trembling from the impact with Edward’s axe. He’d assumed, after that first attack, that his opponent was finished, but his own negligence had left him unprepared for such a swift, precise reaction, revealing that escaping this Dungeon unscathed wouldn’t be as easy as he’d thought.

  Edward was even more shocked than his opponent. He was certain that he couldn’t avoid that vicious blow. In his mind, his victory was certaain. Yet that bastard—as Edward called him—had not only avoided a deadly, close-range blow but emerged completely unharmed.

  It frustrated him deeply, but at the same time, it stoked the fire within him—the fire of battle.

  “Hey!” Edward called out, slowly advancing toward the masked man, who was trying to regain feeling in his hand. “Tell me, what’s your Mark?” Edward asked, though he already had an idea.

  Marks are unique attributes that distinguishes Reapers; through awakening, some Reapers develops heightened senses. These enhanced senses are called Marks, and Edward was sure the masked man had one.

  At the same time, the masked man had reached the same conclusion; recalling their brief exchange of blows and his failed surprise attack, he realized that, more than a strong instinct, his opponent had an unusually high adaptive ability, far beyond his own.

  “...Your Mark is Quick Shift, right?” the masked man asked, though he already knew the answer.

  “And yours must be Pure Sense, am I right? The way you responded to my attacks was almost too quick; without a hyper-developed instinct, you couldn’t have pulled that off,” countered Edward, almost as if to prove to the Dungeon Raider that he was just as sharp.

  “Well, that won’t change the outcome of this fight…” the masked man muttered, having regained strength in his hands after blocking that brutal blow.

  Upon hearing this, Edward let out a small laugh, leaving the masked man slightly puzzled.

  “Eh…heh… You know, you might have an enhanced instinct, but you won’t be able to run forever, and I’ll prove it to you!”

  Brimming with confidence, Edward charged toward the Raider again,with his eyes locked onto the target. The Raider, sensing the threatening aura of the apprentice Reaper, instinctively withdrew, keeping his distance to avoid a close-quarters fight that could be fatal. He was confident that maintaining this distance made it impossible for his opponent to strike. But just as he planned his counterattack, Edward did something unexpected: he abruptly halted his dash and, from what seemed an unreasonable range, swung his scythe in a wide arc.

  A red flash lit up the dark blade, casting an eerie glow across the air. The Raider’s eyes widened, bewildered by the strange light emanating from the weapon; his initial surprise quickly turned to pure terror as a blazing crescent of fire erupted from the blade, roaring menacingly as it hurtled toward him. The flame, swift and sharp as lightning, tore through the air, melting the snow on the ground with a sizzling hiss.

  [That damn bastard can control the flame?!]

  The attack was far faster than the previous strikes, forcing the Raider to throw himself sideways clumsily to avoid it. His desperate move succeeded, with the fiery slash passing close enough for him to feel the searing heat; had it hit, he realized, he might have been out of the fight for good.

  But before he could fully regain his footing, Edward closed in again, forcing him into close combat; Edward couldn’t replicate such a complex attack; his flames were still too wild and untamed. So, he decided to use the long-range strike as a diversion, seizing the chance to close the gap and turn the fight into a chaotic brawl where his sheer brute force would give him the advantage.

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  And Although his opponent was skilled, Edward knew that in a close range fight, a weapon like the Gùn had major disadvantages.

  “Let’s see how you handle this, motherfucker!”

  With his black axes shrouded in scarlet flames, Edward launched a furious, relentless assault. Each strike was an explosion of brute strength, a savage onslaught that allowed no respite. The Raider, trapped by the limited maneuverability of his long Gùn, found himself unable to maintain distance, forced into a desperate defense. Though Edward’s technique was far from refined, his increasing speed and power were beginning to overwhelm. It was a frenzied, chaotic barrage, but deadly nonetheless.

  With the Quick Shift Mark in full effect, Edward adapted to every faint resistance from the masked man, changing tactics on the fly and making his relentless offensive more effective with each passing moment. His aggression was taking its toll; while not yet fatal, his strikes found their mark, leaving cuts and shallow burns on the Raider’s skin.

  Behind the mask, the Raider gritted his teeth, focusing his Pure Sense Mark to sharpen his reflexes and perceive every threat with animal-like precision. His breath grew heavy, cold sweat beading on his skin as he dodged blows that narrowly missed, threatening his balance. Even with his superhuman focus, Edward’s strikes continued to graze him, destabilizing him and breaking his stance.

  Edward, exhilarated by his own strength, attacked relentlessly, his assault building into a crescendo of brutality that shredded the Raider's defenses. The flames around his axes intensified, spreading a suffocating heat that began to melt the snow around them, filling the air with a thick, unsettling vapor. The Raider dodged as best he could, but the heat was relentless, seeping through his clothes and burning the skin beneath. A faint smell of charred flesh wafted through the air, stinging his nostrils and igniting a growing fear within him.

  But the worst of it wasn't just the injuries: it was the exhaustion. He could feel his strength slipping, his body slowing down, strained to its absolute limits. Every dodge demanded immense effort, and he began to realize, deep down, that if the battle continued much longer, he wouldn’t walk away from it whole.

  "I’ve got you now!" Edward panted, his face twisted into a triumphant grin as he advanced, feeling victory slipping into his grasp.

  The Raider, though in a dire situation, refused to panic. He observed Edward carefully, realizing that despite his opponent's overwhelming power, a chance for victory might still be within reach. But winning would mean breaking the promise he had made to his master.

  "Sensei… forgive me, but I don’t think I can keep that promise…" he murmured, his voice a mixture of resignation and determination. In that moment, he understood that holding back against someone like Edward was too great a risk.

  Suddenly, the Raider's body was engulfed in a bright glow. Edward, caught off guard, halted in surprise, but in the next instant, he was hit by a wave of energy that hurled him several meters away, sending him tumbling into the snow, which cushioned the impact. Dazed but not seriously hurt, he quickly got to his feet, eyes wide with a mix of astonishment and wariness.

  "What… what the hell was that?" he muttered in disbelief. He had never seen anything like it; he hadn’t thought such a release of energy was even possible. Not in that way.

  The Raider didn’t reply. Instead, he lowered his stance, gripping his Gùn with both hands as a sharp blue light emanated from it like an aura. Edward looked at him, still exuding an air of superiority. "Do you really think you can change things now, after all I’ve put you through?" he sneered.

  But again, only silence and the cold wind answered his taunt. Edward clenched his teeth, the flames around his axes flaring up. "Not going to talk, huh?" he hissed, gripping his weapons with increasing intensity. "Too bad. That was your last chance to say anything, because I swear you’re going to die right here and now!"

  With a menacing roar, he launched himself at the Raider, aiming straight for his heart. Edward thought he had predicted his enemy’s every move: the Raider's stance clearly signaled a frontal attack. He prepared to sidestep, confident of his advantage.

  But the Raider, despite the apparent disadvantage, was a clever fighter, forged by years of training and battle. This wasn’t his first time facing a Reaper, and he knew well how to use his opponents’ overconfidence against them. [Thank God… you’re an idiot] thought the Raider, a flash of determination in his eyes as he channeled a massive amount of energy into his Gùn, causing it to vibrate dangerously.

  Edward entered his range, charging like an arrow, and the Raider struck with blinding speed. [DIVERGENT STRIKE!] The blade of the Gùn shot forward like a projectile, catching Edward off guard. Yet, thanks to his unique ability, Edward calculated the maximum distance of the strike and sidestepped, dodging it with confidence.

  "Ha… you’re mine—!" His triumphant smirk froze in an instant. The Gùn, like a whip, bent abruptly, following an unexpected trajectory. The tip of the iron staff struck Edward's temple with brutal force, emitting a sharp, deafening sound that made his ears ring.

  “…Did he just hit me?!” Edward thought, bewildered and staggering. Though powerful, the strike wasn’t enough to knock him out completely due to his resilience. But instead of pausing to regroup, he was overtaken by rage and lunged at his enemy, more ferocious than ever.

  [You really are…an idiot!] thought the Raider, now feeling victory within his grasp.

  And indeed, the pattern repeated: Edward tried to dodge more carefully, convinced he had figured out how to evade the attack. Yet the Gùn changed trajectory once more, like a snake ready to strike, and this time struck his collarbone with a resounding crack that clearly indicated a shattered bone.

  Pain flooded him, searing and relentless. He dropped both of his weapons onto the soft snow beneath him, releasing a scream of agony that echoed through the air.

  "AAAAARGH!"

  Hearing that painful scream, the Raider saw his moment: his opponent was exposed, a gap had opened in his defenses. He couldn’t afford to hesitate. With fierce determination, he unleashed a furious barrage of blows with the Gùn, an unstoppable rain of strikes targeting his opponent’s vital points. Each strike shifted trajectory at the last moment, transforming the attack into an unpredictable whirlwind of lethal movements.

  Temples, nose, jaw, sternum, solar plexus, liver, kidneys: he struck each vulnerable point with lethal precision, rendering even the enemy’s awakened power futile. Each impact was accompanied by a dull, ominous sound, as the Raider, well aware of the fragility of these hidden angles, showed no mercy, moving in a deadly dance that pushed his enemy’s body beyond its limits. Edward was powerful, yes—but these were his vital points, and there was no way he could withstand such precise and well-aimed strikes for long.

  Indeed, the Raider’s strikes quickly began to show their effect. With every hit, Edward’s resistance waned, his body responding with spasms, and the threatening aura surrounding him began to fade. At the end of the devastating storm of blows, Edward collapsed. He fell onto the snow with a dull thud, his body limp, unconscious.

  The Raider looked down at his fallen enemy for a moment, and when he was certain the fight was over, he let out a long sigh of relief.

  “Phew… that was close!” he said, panting, his voice relaxed as he sheathed his Gùn in the scabbard on his back.

  Victorious, he turned toward the goods he had stolen, ready to leave, but to his surprise, he found his path blocked by Edward, who, though completely debilitated, didn’t hesitate to place himself between him and the loot.

  “What… do you think you’re doing, you bastard?!” Edward asked, his gaze sharp and unsettling, though his face showed that he was on the verge of collapse.

  “Uh… I’m grabbing my stuff?” said the Raider with a sarcastic tone, though he was genuinely impressed by his enemy’s resilience.

  “Don’t mess with me,” Edward shot back, his voice trembling with anger as he struggled to stay on his feet. “Why… why didn’t you kill me? You Dungeon Raiders are supposed to kill anyone who sees you, right?”

  In truth, he wasn’t wrong; Dungeon Raiders were Reapers who violated the rules of the Reaper Association. They were thieves working for the black market, tasked with raiding dungeons, stealing important information from guilds, venturing into forbidden zones, and much more.

  Normally, if caught by Reapers or observers, Raiders would do anything to kill them. But this Raider hadn’t done that. And it angered Edward, as if he were being spared. He felt humiliated, having lost to someone supposedly weaker, deeply embarrassed.

  [I’d rather die than live with this shame…] he thought, his vision beginning to blur as he tried to hold on.

  “Well… I don’t kill people. Or at least, you’re not the ones I want to kill.”

  The Raider approached Edward, giving him a slight push, just enough to make him fall. Edward tried to get up, but the immense pain he felt rendered his body unwilling to cooperate.

  Still, as he lay on the brink of unconsciousness, his eyes remained fixed on the Raider; he would not easily forget such an affront.

  “I… I… will make you… pay…” were his last words before blacking out.

  “This guy… is really scary!” the Raider exclaimed, feeling a twinge of fear at Edward’s words and that piercing, fierce gaze—so like his intense and brutal flames.

  Then, suddenly, he sensed two powerful energies approaching from afar; he instantly recognized them as Reapers of B and B+ Rank.

  “Oh… Those must be the instructors!” he muttered, grabbing his bag with urgency. “It’s time to get out of here before I get caught!”

  Exhausted but mustering his last reserves of strength, he dashed in the opposite direction, clutching his loot tightly. Things had taken an unexpected turn, but once again, he had completed his task. It was his 500th job since he had first awakened his force as a frightened 13-year-old, four years ago.