Amidst the dust and crushed stones of the trench, the cloud dissipated. Ethan stood up without a scratch, brushing the dirt off his shoulder as his eyes glowed in a deep amethyst hue.
Atop the obsidian mound, the figure that had ambushed Ethan remained standing. It was the swordsman sent by the Silver Dragon Kingdom. Though he fought under the banner of swordplay, his true specialty was absolute stealth—the ability to erase one's presence, breath, and killing intent from the physical plane.
The Chaotic Queen, furious at the interruption, swung her body and lunged at the swordsman with open jaws. Yet just before the beast's maw snapped shut, the young man's silhouette distorted like a mirage and vanished into thin air, leaving the queen biting empty space.
[Master, he is on the left flank!] Crul warned within Ethan's mind.
"I don't need you to tell me," Ethan replied mentally.
