The forest had gone eerily quiet.
Ash and frost mingled in the cold air, the last traces of battle fading into silence.
Only two figures remained — Knox and Jasil.
The others were gone, lying motionless under the pale moonlight.
Knox stood in the center of the clearing, six faintly glowing Aether Funnels orbiting him in a slow spiral. Their light pulsed with his breath, flickering like dying stars.
Jasil's armor was cracked and bleeding light. His once-golden eyes were sharp with rage, yet dulled by exhaustion and poison.
"I'll kill you for this…" he hissed, voice trembling with anger.
Knox tilted his head slightly, lowering his katana.
"Your men said the same thing," he replied, tone calm. "But they all ended up the same."
Jasil roared and charged, greatsword raised high, holy light flaring from his blade like a miniature sun.
Knox's funnels responded instantly — shooting streams of blue mana that collided with Jasil's aura mid-swing, disrupting his rhythm.
Now. Knox's eyes narrowed as he crouched slightly.
Eight Leaves One Blade – First Form – Shizuna's Version – Raging Blizzard.
His body dropped low — blade poised near the ground — then he thrust upward, spinning in a perfect arc.
Frost burst from his feet, coiling around his movement like a spiral storm. Wind howled; shards of ice scattered outward as his katana traced a blinding circle overhead.
The final downward slash detonated with violent force — a wave of freezing air that tore through the clearing like a blizzard's scream.
The ground cracked under the surge, trees glazed white in an instant. Jasil was hurled backward, armor shrieking as ice crawled up his limbs, freezing flesh and metal alike. He smashed into a half-frozen trunk, the impact leaving a crater of frost. Blood splattered, freezing midair before it even hit the ground.
He growled, his breath steaming in ragged gasps. Holy mana flared again, burning away the frost that clung to him. "You… damn brat—!"
But Knox was already gone from his sight — his figure vanishing into motion.
Eight Leaves One Blade – Second Form – Shizuna's Version – Silver Winds.
He leapt sideways, body turning midair, blade flashing in silver arcs. Each strike came from a new direction — forward, flank, rear — a blur of light that tore through the holy barrier Jasil tried to raise.
The funnels darted with him, firing short bursts to blind and distract.
A final slash crashed against Jasil's blade, sending sparks and shockwaves through the forest. The air was filled with the sharp scent of ozone and blood.
Knox landed lightly, exhaling a steady breath. Not done yet.
Eight Leaves One Blade – Fourth Form – Shizuna's Version – Duality.
He stepped forward once — just one smooth, flowing motion. The katana sliced through the air with precision so sharp it was silent.
For a split second, a shadow blade trailed behind the real one — a ghostly afterimage of silver light that followed his motion.
The twin slashes struck almost as one — first steel, then spirit.
Jasil's armor shattered with a metallic cry, his barrier splintering like glass. The afterimage left a trail of shimmering motes before fading into mist.
Jasil staggered backward, blood dripping down his lips, his sword arm trembling. His breathing was ragged, body shaking from the combined effects of poison, exhaustion, and cold.
He dropped to one knee, glaring up at Knox through the crimson haze. Suddenly, his hand reached to his belt — fumbling — before pulling out a small, glowing feather.
Knox's eyes flicked toward it. His expression hardened, though his tone remained level.
"An artifact?"
Jasil gave a strained grin — more pain than triumph.
"I didn't want to use this," he muttered, half to himself. "But it seems I've got no choice."
He clenched the Lumen Plume tight in his fist. The artifact dissolved into radiant dust, pouring light into his body.
Flesh knit, frost melted, and the shattered armor reformed in streaks of divine shimmer.
"Heh… I may not pray anymore," Jasil spat, voice low and bitter, "but I can still borrow Heaven's strength when it suits me."
He stepped forward, greatsword blazing with white-gold fire.
"Let's see how long you can last, you devil."
Holy light erupted from the blade in waves, each swing carrying the weight of divine fury. The air rippled from the sheer pressure, and Knox was forced to parry — sparks scattering with each clash.
Every impact sent a numbing vibration up his arm. His mana was thinning, his control over the funnels slipping.
One shattered. Then another.
Sweat rolled down his jawline, mixing with the ash on his skin.
Damn… even blocking feels heavy now… my reserves—
His breathing slowed. The weight of battle pressed on his chest, every movement draining more mana than the last. The funnels flickered erratically, their orbits unstable.
—It's draining too fast.
His knees nearly buckled as Jasil's next blow came down like a hammer of light. Knox barely managed to parry, sparks bursting from the clash — then the force sent him flying.
He crashed through a half-frozen bush and rolled across the ground, carving a trail in the snow and dirt.
For a moment, he just lay there — chest heaving, katana still in hand. His vision wavered, the world spinning between blurs of frost and firelight.
This is getting bad…
Think, Knox, think…!
He forced himself to move, boots digging into the frost as he tried to rise. His hand trembled on the hilt, blood dripping from a cut along his forearm.
Across the clearing, Jasil hadn't followed up.
The man stood still, shoulders rising and falling with each labored breath. The holy glow around him flickered weakly now — fading just as Knox's funnels had moments ago.
Both of them were running on fumes.
Knox steadied himself, tightening his grip.
He took a step forward — and then—
A faint chime.
The sound was soft but clear, cutting through the silence of the ruined forest.
Knox froze mid-motion as a glowing notification materialized before his eyes, the light casting sharp reflections in his crimson irises.
[Congratulations. The Shadow Monarch skill has been unlocked.]
The letters pulsed once — deep violet — before fading into the air like mist.