Ethan exhaled, steadying his grip on his sword. He had killed before, but from a distance—a cold, calcuted press of a trigger. It was different now.
Up close, he could feel their fear, see their eyes, and hear their dying breaths.
This was real combat.
But hesitation was a weakness. And right now, he couldn’t afford it.
He smirked and activated Phantom Step.
“Let’s go, you bastards!”
His body blurred, his speed enhanced beyond his previous limits.
In a heartbeat, he appeared behind one of the armed men, aiming to sever his head in one swift stroke.
But—
CLANG!
The silver-haired woman intercepted him at the st second, her bde meeting his with terrifying speed. The force of the csh sent a violent shockwave through the tunnel.
She smirked, her piercing blue eyes gleaming in the dim light.
“You’ll need to do better than that.”
Ethan barely had time to react as she retaliated. Her dagger fshed forward, carving a deep gash along his forearm. Blood spttered against the grimy subway floor.
Ethan gritted his teeth, biting back the pain. He twisted his stance, bringing his sword down in a diagonal arc, aiming for her legs.
But she was too fast.
The moment his bde descended, she was already gone, dodging with inhuman grace. Her movements left afterimages, flickering distortions in the air—post-images of where she had just been.
Shit.
She was faster than him.
While Ethan struggled against the woman, Lisa was unleashing hell.
Her magical bow didn’t need arrows—it conjured them from pure energy. Every time she pulled the string, a glowing projectile appeared, unching with the speed of a bullet.
She moved swiftly, never staying in one pce, her barrage of arrows cutting down their enemies one by one.
A man with a war hammer charged her.
She fired.
An arrow pierced his knee.
Before he could scream, she fired again, this time straight through his eye socket.
Another enemy lunged from behind, aiming a bde at her neck—
But Lisa ducked, twisting her body mid-motion, and loosed an arrow point-bnk into his chest.
Three down.
She looked toward Ethan, her heart pounding.
And her eyes widened.
The silver-haired woman, Reyna, was relentless.
Her bde danced, striking at Ethan with blinding precision. Every time he dodged, she was already one step ahead.
Ethan could barely keep up.
[Swordsmanship: gives an small boost in general strength when using an sword.]
His sword cshed against hers, sparks flying in the confined space. He parried one stab, then another, but each exchange pushed him back.
She’s stronger. Faster. More skilled.
And worst of all—
She’s not even trying.
Reyna suddenly vanished, her afterimages scattering in different directions.
Ethan’s instincts screamed at him—
Behind!
He twisted just in time to block an incoming stab to his ribs. But Reyna had anticipated it—she pivoted, smming a knee into his stomach.
The air was knocked from his lungs.
He staggered, struggling to breathe—
And then the dagger came.
Cold metal bit into his side, just beneath his ribs. Not deep—but deep enough.
Ethan roared in pain, sshing wildly to force her back.
Reyna merely smiled, twirling her bde effortlessly.
“You’re not bad,” she mused. “But I expected more.”
Ethan spat blood, his vision blurring for a moment.
Lisa was still fighting, still killing, but he was losing.
He needed something more.
Something stronger.
Then—
His mind snapped to his Unique Ability.
Fusion.
Unlocking Fusion
Ethan gritted his teeth, focusing on the two abilities he had.
Phantom Step. His speed-enhancing movement skill.
Swordsmanship. His natural talent for combat.
What if—
His heart pounded. He pushed past the pain, past the exhaustion, and focused.
His abilities merged.
[Ability Fusion Activated.]
[New Ability Created: Phantom Bde.]
Ethan felt it instantly. His entire body felt lighter, his movements sharper. His sword became an extension of himself, moving in perfect synchronization with his speed.
Reyna lunged.
This time, Ethan saw it.
Before she could attack, he vanished, his speed surpassing hers for the first time.
He reappeared above her, his bde descending like a falling star.
Reyna barely managed to block—
But the force behind his strike sent her skidding back.
Her smirk vanished.
Ethan exhaled, adjusting his stance.
“Not bad, huh?”
Reyna tilted her head, then—
She ughed.
“Finally,” she said, flipping her dagger. “This just got interesting.”
Ethan felt his pulse quicken.
This fight was far from over.
Ethan tightened his grip on his sword. His body felt lighter, faster, and his instincts were sharper than ever. Phantom Bde had shifted the momentum in his favor.
But Reyna was still smiling.
The moment she stopped underestimating him, Ethan knew—
She was about to get serious.
Reyna vanished.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed, tracking the subtle distortions in the air. Post-images flickered, and then—
A dagger appeared at his throat.
Shit!
He tilted his head back, just barely avoiding a fatal cut. But Reyna twisted her body mid-air, her heel smashing into his temple.
CRACK!
Ethan was unched backward, smming into the wall of the subway station. His vision blurred, his ears ringing.
She’s too fast.
Reyna nded gracefully, twirling her dagger. “Better,” she mused. “But not good enough.”
Ethan coughed, tasting blood. His ribs ached. His side was still bleeding.
His breathing was ragged.
But he forced himself to smile.
“Damn. You hit like a bitch.”
Reyna chuckled. “You’re fun. I’ll make sure you die quickly.”
Ethan readied his sword. His legs felt like lead, but he forced them to move.
Lisa was still fighting in the background, keeping the rest of the enemies at bay. But she wouldn’t st forever.
He needed to finish this.
The Breaking Point
Reyna rushed forward, her dagger a blur of silver.
Ethan activated Phantom Bde, his body moving on instinct. Dodge left—ssh—step back—counter.
CLANG!
Steel met steel, sparks flying as they exchanged strike after strike.
Ethan’s sword cut through her afterimages, but he could never nd a direct hit. Reyna moved like a shadow, always one step ahead.
And then—
He miscalcuted.
A faint blur appeared on his left, and Ethan swung preemptively—
But it was a feint.
The real Reyna appeared on his right, her bde driving straight for his heart.
His muscles screamed, but he was too slow.
He couldn’t dodge.
This was it.
Time slowed.
He saw the dagger approaching—death itself staring him in the face.
And then—
Something awakened.
The Moment of Illumination
Ethan’s mind expanded in that single moment. His Essence, the very core of his being, pulsed violently.
A memory surfaced—
The first time he held a gun in training. The first time he felt the weight of a bde. The first time he killed.
It was always the same feeling.
Power wasn’t just strength.
It was about control.
The dagger neared his chest.
Ethan focused.
And then it happened.
A pulse of Essence surged through him, flowing into his bde.
His mind screamed one thing—
Cut.
His sword moved on its own, the motion as natural as breathing.
A sharp crescent of energy erupted from the bde—
A Ssh of Essence.
[Ability unlocked.]
[Ssh of despair(uncommon): your despair made you stronger, give a small bonus when in an despair situation.]
Reyna’s eyes widened in shock.
The energy wave ripped forward, intercepting her attack. She barely managed to twist away, but the sheer force sent her skidding across the ground.
A deep gash now marred her left arm, blood dripping onto the subway floor.
Ethan stood there, breathing heavily, staring at his glowing sword.
He had just unlocked something new.
Reyna’s Response
Reyna stared at her wound, then at Ethan.
And then—
She grinned.
“Well, well,” she murmured. “Looks like you finally learned something.”
Ethan rolled his shoulder, feeling the new power coursing through him.
He exhaled.
“This fight just got interesting.”
Reyna ughed.
And then they charged at each other again.
