North of the city, in a dark alleyway, two figures clashed in a blur of motion, disappearing and reappearing in rapid succession.
Rivor slashed upward, sending a green arc of energy toward the hooded man. The man flickered, his form becoming ghostlike as the attack passed harmlessly through him.
*Assassin class... These are the trickiest to deal with,* Rivor thought, his expression grim.
Sensing danger behind him, Rivor didn't even turn. Instead, he raised his sword just in time to block a strike aimed at the back of his head.
*Clang!*
The force of the blow pushed him forward, but Rivor used the momentum to spin around, unleashing a wave of green energy in all directions.
The hooded man, caught off guard, activated his skill, slashing an "X" in front of him to deflect the attack.
*Clang! Kiiin!*
The sound of metal clashing echoed through the alley as dark energy enveloped the man's daggers. He vanished again, reappearing in four different positions simultaneously, each poised to strike a vital point on Rivor's body—his head, legs, arm, and heart.
Without hesitation, Rivor slammed his foot into the ground, unleashing a burst of green energy that exploded outward, colliding with the dark slashes.
*BOOM! BOOM!*
The two forces canceled each other out, creating shockwaves that rattled the surrounding buildings.
Rivor leaped into the air, slashing downward just as the hooded man reappeared below him. Their blades met, sparks flying as Rivor pressed down with all his strength, forcing the man back to the ground.
Rivor landed, panting heavily, his eyes locked on his opponent. The hooded man was bleeding from multiple wounds—his hands, waist, neck, and ribs all bore clean cuts, some dripping blood.
But Rivor wasn't unscathed either. His arms were bruised, his neck bore shallow cuts, and a deep gash on his leg dripped blood onto the cobblestones.
*Five minutes... It's only been five minutes since this fight started, and I'm already at a disadvantage,* Rivor thought, glancing at his nearly depleted stamina bar.
The earlier fight with the thugs had been a ploy to drain his energy, and it had worked. The hooded man had sacrificed his own men without hesitation, all to increase his chances of victory.
*This bastard doesn't value the lives of his own men. People like him don't deserve to live,* Rivor thought, his anger flaring. Green energy surged around him as his eyes glowed faintly red.
With a roar, Rivor charged forward, his speed momentarily stunning the hooded man. In an instant, he was in front of his opponent, slashing downward with all his might.
The hooded man's instincts kicked in. He crossed his daggers, forming an "X" to block the attack, dark energy swirling around his blades.
The moment Rivor's sword connected, a blinding green light erupted, slamming into the dark "X" with explosive force.
*BOOOOOM!*
The collision sent shockwaves rippling through the alley, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
A few seconds later, a gust of wind cleared the smoke, revealing Rivor standing amidst the wreckage, panting heavily. At his feet lay the hooded man, his body split in two, blood pooling around him.
Rivor sheathed his sword and bent down, retrieving two glowing orbs from the man's corpse.
*Hmm, these will be useful,* he thought, examining the orbs before turning to Zilon, who stood a short distance away, waving at him.
"This kid... I thought he was shaking earlier," Rivor muttered, a small smile of relief crossing his face.
---
Earlier, while Rivor battled the hooded man, Zilon had kept his distance, observing the fight with an indifferent expression.
*Their fight is... basic. No flashy skills, no over-the-top attacks. Rivor seems to be holding back, but the hooded man...* Zilon narrowed his eyes, barely able to follow their movements.
"Forget it. Rivor's strong enough to handle this," he said, his body no longer trembling. The cut on his neck had already healed without him noticing.
Suddenly, a flash of rainbow light caught his eye. Turning, he saw a small, multicolored orb lying near one of the dead thugs.
Curious, Zilon walked over and picked it up.
*Crack.*
The orb, which looked like a gem, began to fracture in his hand.
"What...?"
Before he could react, the gem lost its color, and a small beam of light shot out, entering his forehead.
[Congratulations on acquiring a new skill.]
"What the...?" Zilon muttered, confused.
[Skill cannot be absorbed until you reach the next level.]
Zilon stared at the messages, his mind racing. He felt lightheaded, as if the gem had drained some of his energy.
"What just happened to me?" he said, shaking his head.
He looked at his hand, but the gem was gone.
*Hmm, a skill? A reward for defeating enemies? But I didn't kill them... How did I get it?* Zilon thought, his brow furrowing.
"I guess there's still a lot I don't know about this world," he muttered, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
When he opened them again, he saw the smoke clearing from Rivor's battle, revealing the hooded man's lifeless body.
"Brutal," Zilon said under his breath, his expression unreadable.
As Rivor approached the corpse and retrieved a similar gem, Zilon waved to get his attention. Rivor noticed and waved back, a small smile of relief on his face.
"How can he smile after something like that?" Zilon muttered, his expression a mix of awe and unease.
But this moment solidified another truth for Zilon: *In this world, it's kill or be killed. Survival doesn't care about morality.*
His trust in others had diminished, and even Rivor wasn't exempt. While he knew he couldn't do much if Rivor turned on him, at least he wouldn't be caught off guard.