The Author's POV

Drip! Drip!

The rain continued to fall steadily, each droplet creating a ripple as it collided with the surface of the water.

It was a dreary and ominous atmosphere that surrounded the two figures standing at the edge of the water. Their stillness only added to the sense of foreboding.

Prince Murdock's warily stared at the figure before his eyes.

He had never encountered anyone like this before. The stranger's appearance was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult for Murdock to discern any distinguishing features.

However, the sheer power emanating from the figure was palpable, sending chills down Murdock's spine.

Despite his wariness, Murdock stood his ground, his expression stoic as he faced the shadowy figure. He spoke in a measured tone, trying to keep his composure.

"What are you?"

His voice was firm, but there was a hint of trepidation underlying his words.

"..."

The figure remained silent, its dark form seemingly immobile.

"Not much of a talker, are we?"

Murdock continued to scrutinize the figure, trying to glean any information he could from its appearance. The stranger appeared to be human in build, but there was all he could make out.

"I've never heard of a human as strong as you, nor―"

Drip!

He was interrupted by the subtle sound of a raindrop hitting the water, which resounded through the air unlike any of the other drops around him. "Swoosh!" In that split second, the shadowy figure vanished from where it was standing.

"Uh?!"

Swoosh―

Murdock's eyes widened in surprise as he felt a sudden force against his cheek. He stumbled backward, narrowly dodging a swift punch aimed at his face.

"Rather hurried, aren't we?"

Murdock quipped, trying to regain his composure. As he distanced himself from the shadowy figure, Murdock noticed a cold glint reflecting off a blade being unsheathed.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, but it was too late. Murdock's gaze met with the figure's, and time seemed to come to a standstill.

The only sound was the raindrops falling around them.

Drip!

SHIIIING―! In that moment, Murdock watched in horror as his arm was sliced clean off by the blade. The pain was intense, and he could feel warm blood gushing out of the wound.

Spurt―!

Black blood spurted out, staining the water and adding to the eerie atmosphere. Murdock could barely comprehend what had just happened. He looked up at the shadowy figure, whose features were still obscured by the darkness.

"Arghhh!"

He eventually succumbed to the agony and let out an agonized scream as a result. He glared at the figure in the shadows while clutching his right hand, and he flapped his wing once.

and then he materialized

he reached out his hand

Swoosh―!

directly through his body, and when he turned around, he saw him standing a few hundred meters away with his

'Fast.'

Murdock could think about at that

at him, he was just about to take a step forward when he suddenly

the area that he was previously in, and when he turned

It was cracked.

that's how

murmured to himself as he analyzed the

it took was a glimpse for him to understand what had happened, and he instantly calmed down. He had faced many skilled opponents before, and

"Your mastery o―"

to say, but his expression shifted mid-sentence, and he moved his body to the right, narrowly avoiding the tip of the blade that brushed

blade. Now that he understood how it worked, he wasn't

SHIIIIIING―!

said, the attacks were relentless, coming at him from all sides. Just as another blade passed by his body, he flapped his wings and appeared before the shadowy figure. With his

Swoosh―!

ducked down and counterattacked with a punch, aimed directly at his abdominal

to act quickly if he wanted to

"Hup!"

way toward his stomach,

Boom―! Boom―!

them, and thunder began to

Kracka! Kracka!

Boom―!

shadowy figure, he flapped his wings and appeared right

Splash―!

against the water, diving deep under it. Prince Murdock followed him down, his figure plummeting into the water beneath, and with one

of the shadowy figure and clenched

as the two plummeted down from above at high speeds and

Boom―!

two of them crashed deep under the ocean, sand spilling around the area they were in. When the sand settled, Prince Murdock's figure was revealed, standing above the shadowy figure with his hand

had the upper hand now, and

"Tell me…"

spoke, holding tightly onto his neck. He

figure looked at him with a calm look, seemingly unbothered by the predicament he

left the Prince unsettled, but he brushed it toward the back of his

you? What race

Cruch―!

sound and felt intense pain. When he looked down,

"Arghhh!"

of his throat. The shadowy figure quickly appeared

Boom―!

Prince was thrown back, crashing against a couple of rocks in the distance. The rocks shattered upon impact,

once more, brandishing a sword in hand and pointing it

'Shit.'

breath, his pupils dilating as

again with a force and

He felt a searing pain in his hand as one of his fingers was severed, and black blood

shock. 'How is this possible?'

SHIIIING―!