The bandit announcer steps into the center of the arena, raising his cone-shaped brass, his voice carrying over the restless crowd.
"Tonight, the sands will once again be stained with blood. Two assassins stand before us, one is feared and one is revered. From the group of the Grimknights, a storm in human form—Kaiser Reiss. His quas blood surges through his veins, a force of nature waiting to be unleashed."
The Grimknights' very few supporters roar in approval, fists pounding against the wooden barricades as Kaiser steps forward, rolling his shoulders with a confident smirk.
"And facing him, a warrior whose presence alone bends the will of those around him. From Stallion's Champions, Navid Zarif—a man gifted with two hands of god. Time - manipulation - time itself bends at his command, and his king's presence is enough to turn warriors into servants."
The crowd erupts, a mix of excitement and unease rippling through them. Navid walks forward with slow, deliberate steps, his eyes fixed on his opponent, as if already seeing the fight unfold in his mind.
The announcer sweeps his gaze across the frenzied audience, savoring the moment. "Two assassins, two daggers stand before us, but only one will leave victorious. Place your bets, raise your drinks, and prepare to witness a battle that will be remembered long after the dust has settled!"
The war drum sounds!
The air in the arena was thick with tension. The flickering torchlights cast long, wavering shadows on the crude stone walls, illuminating the eager faces of over a hundred bandits, all roaring with excitement. The atmosphere reeked of sweat, blood, and unfiltered brutality. They had gathered here for one reason—to fill their amusement of a bloody fight.
On one end of the pit stood Kaiser, his figure shrouded in a cold, unreadable aura. In his right hand, he gripped his Shadow Blade—a dagger he could summon at will, its black steel glistening ominously under the dim light. His stance was loose but prepared, like a coiled viper waiting for the right moment to strike.
Opposite him, Navid stood with a composed expression, his dark eyes locked onto his opponent with unwavering focus. He held a dagger of his own, its blade etched with peculiar markings that seemed to shimmer faintly. Unlike the flashy fighters the crowd was used to, neither of these assassins wasted movement. This was no brawl—this was an execution waiting to happen.
A loud gong signaled the beginning of the duel.
In an instant, both assassins moved.
Kaiser lunged first, his dagger slicing through the air in a deadly arc aimed at Navid's throat. But Navid twisted his body at the last possible second, the edge of the shadowy blade missing him by a hair's breadth. Without hesitation, he countered with a quick, precise stab toward Kaiser's ribs, but Kaiser had already shifted, redirecting the attack with a flick of his wrist.
The crowd erupted in excitement, but neither combatant paid them any mind. Their world had shrunk down to nothing but each other, their daggers, and the silent exchange of deadly intent.
Navid pressed forward, his movements sharp and efficient. He was fast—inhumanly fast. His dagger blurred as he launched a series of relentless thrusts and slashes, each one aimed at a vital point. But Kaiser was no amateur. He parried and dodged with equal finesse, his shadow blade intercepting Navid's attacks with the precision of a seasoned killer.
A sudden feint—Navid's dagger aimed at Kaiser's heart—forced Kaiser to sidestep, but it was a trap. Navid twisted his wrist mid-strike, redirecting the blade toward Kaiser's exposed side.
A clean hit.
Or so Navid thought.
At the last second, Kaiser pivoted, twisting just enough to reduce the impact. The dagger's edge grazed his side, drawing a thin line of blood, but not deep enough to hinder him. In retaliation, Kaiser countered with a brutal knee strike to Navid's stomach, forcing him to stagger back.
The crowd roared in approval.
Navid wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes now gleaming with newfound respect. "Not bad. But you'll have to do better."
Kaiser smirked, gripping his dagger tighter. "Same to you."
The fight was far from over. Their daggers gleamed under the torchlight as they circled each other once more, their deadly dance just beginning.
The tension in the arena was thick as Kaiser and Navid squared off once more, their bodies bearing the marks of their first brutal exchange. The bandit audience leaned forward, eager to witness the true abilities of these deadly assassins. This time, there would be no holding back.
Kaiser exhaled sharply, gripping his shadow blade. "Enough testing. Let's see if you can keep up, Navid."
Navid twirled his marked dagger, eyes narrowing. "Likewise."
Without warning, Kaiser lunged, hurling his shadow blade forward. Mid-air, his body flickered—vanishing in an instant. A breath later, he materialized where the blade had been, slashing in a fluid motion.
Navid barely had time to react. His instincts screamed, and he activated his time manipulation. For 1.5 seconds, everything slowed. Kaiser's deadly strike came at him in slow motion, allowing Navid to pivot away with precise efficiency. His dagger flashed as he countered with a thrust aimed at Kaiser's ribs.
Time snapped back to normal. Kaiser barely avoided a fatal wound, twisting his body at an impossible angle, the blade grazing his side. He smirked. "Interesting trick. How many times can you use it?"
Navid remained silent, already moving. His footwork was impeccable, weaving between Kaiser's relentless attacks.
Kaiser threw his blade again. Another flicker—he reappeared mid-air above Navid, twisting downward with a brutal overhead slash.
Navid, already anticipating, activated his ability again. The world slowed as he adjusted his posture, twisting just enough to evade the incoming strike. He retaliated instantly, aiming his dagger for Kaiser's exposed back.
Time resumed. But Kaiser had planned ahead.
He had already thrown his shadow blade before his flicker ended. In a blur, he vanished from Navid's strike, reappearing a few feet behind him. His blade was already swinging.
Navid barely dodged, rolling forward as Kaiser's dagger sliced through the space where his throat had been.
Panting, Navid stood. "Your flicker… it's troublesome."
Kaiser rolled his shoulder, grinning. "And your time trick is annoying. But now I know the timing. You can't spam it, can you?"
Navid's expression remained unreadable. "You talk too much."
The fight resumed, faster and deadlier than before. Kaiser flickered unpredictably, his movement patterns becoming erratic. Navid relied on his time manipulation sparingly, knowing each use drained him. Every second counted.
The bandit audience roared as the assassins clashed in a storm of blinding speed and lethal precision. Neither had gained the upper hand.
Yet.
And the next move might just decide it all.
The air in the arena grew tense as Kaiser steadied his breath, his fingers gripping the hilt of his Shadow Blade. Navid, unfazed, twirled his marked dagger between his fingers, his eyes locked onto his opponent with a cold, calculating gaze.
Kaiser lunged forward, flickering in and out of view with his Phantom Flicker. The bandits in the audience barely kept track of his movements as he vanished, reappeared mid-air, and struck from unpredictable angles. His speed was overwhelming, but Navid remained calm.
"Predictable," Navid muttered, sidestepping just before Kaiser materialized.
Before Kaiser could react, Navid twisted his dagger and activated his time manipulation—1.5 seconds of complete control. To the spectators, Navid blurred for a moment before suddenly appearing behind Kaiser, his dagger slashing towards his neck.
Kaiser barely managed to pivot, but the blade sliced across his shoulder. He gritted his teeth as blood seeped through his coat.
"You're fast, kid," Navid remarked, adjusting his grip. "But speed without foresight is nothing but wasted movement."
Kaiser flickered away, now keeping his distance. He knew Navid wasn't just a veteran assassin—he was a master of efficiency, making every move count. His ability to manipulate time, even for just a short burst, was proving too overwhelming. Every time Kaiser tried to strike, Navid's precise counter left him reeling.
Navid lunged, his dagger flashing under the arena's dim lights. Kaiser blocked, but Navid manipulated time once more, subtly shifting his position within that short seconds window. His dagger slashed across Kaiser's ribs before the young assassin could even register the attack.
Staggering back, Kaiser clenched his jaw. He was outclassed in sheer experience. Navid wasn't just fighting him—he was reading him, predicting his every move.
A smirk curled across Kaiser's lips. "Then, I'll just have to ask for help now!"
Closing his eyes for a brief second, Kaiser exhaled sharply. Shadows coiled around him, and a faint, sinister presence manifested behind him—Alzalel.
A monstrous whisper echoed in Kaiser's mind. "Shall we dance, Kaiser?"
When Kaiser opened his eyes again, his irises glowed with a faint, eerie blue. A second Shadow Blade materialized in his free hand.
Navid's eyes narrowed. "You've finally decided to show me something interesting."
Without warning, Kaiser lunged forward, his movements faster, sharper, and far less predictable. With Alzalel's presence, he now had a second weapon and an extra force assisting his attacks. As he slashed forward with one blade, Alzalel's shadowy claws lashed out in tandem.
Navid blocked the first strike but barely managed to evade Alzalel's follow-up attack. Even with his time manipulation, Kaiser's newfound coordination was relentless.
The crowd roared as the battle reached a new level of intensity, the air thick with the clash of blades and the echo of inhuman whispers.
Navid smirked, wiping a small trickle of blood from his cheek. "Alright, kid… let's see how long you can keep up."