Zander hovered mid-air, his expression twisted in irritation as he stared down into the deep crater below. The destruction was impressive—the aftermath of his last devastating attack—and yet he felt no satisfaction. Instead, frustration gnawed at him.
"Oi, oi, Alpha," Zander called out, his tone sharp and dripping with sarcasm. "You were sent to lure me out, right? Kill me and all that? Right now, all you're doing is pissing me off. I came here expecting exhilaration—the thrill of facing a worthy opponent. And here I am, crushing you without even bothering to draw my sword. If you're hiding anything—some trump card, some miraculous ability that'll turn the tide—you'd better use it now. Because the way I'm feeling, I could just end this and go home. Forget about finding out who your conspirators are."
Silence hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, as no response came from the crater. The Alpha lay still, his broken form concealed in the debris, unmoving.
Zander exhaled a long sigh, shaking his head. "Typical," he muttered. With a flick of his wrist, he wove his hand through the air in an intricate pattern, drawing upon the surrounding mana with skillful precision. A subtle force began to take shape, emanating from Zander as its center.
The mana didn't disturb the surroundings, leaving the molten earth untouched, but instead focused solely on the Alpha. A strong, controlled pull wrenched his broken body out from the depths of the crater, exposing him to Zander's gaze.
The Alpha's condition was pitiful. His enhanced regenerative ability—a trait inherent to his Sirius bloodline—was working desperately to mend his wounds. Yet it failed to make any meaningful progress. The damage Zander had inflicted, particularly from his white flames, was catastrophic. The flames refused to extinguish, their searing essence having seeped into the Alpha's body, wreaking havoc from within. Fresh wounds were slowly closing, but deeper injuries were left untouched, rendering the Alpha in a perpetual state of weakness.
Zander grasped the Alpha by the neck, his hand tightening as he lifted the battered wolf to eye level. Staring at the pitiful creature before him, Zander sighed deeply. "Truly what a pity. If only you were stronger—maybe, just maybe, I could have been pushed to my limits, even if just a little. That way, I might've had some fun before being dragged back to that cursed office to deal with mundane paperwork."
He tilted his head slightly, his crimson gaze narrowing. "Oh well. Every party must come to an end, and I guess it's time to put this one to bed."
Just as Zander made his move to finish off the Alpha, his senses screamed danger. A tingling sensation crept up his spine, warning him of an imminent attack. He acted instantly, his body shifting to the side as a cloaked figure appeared out of nowhere, a dagger flashing as it aimed directly for Zander's neck.
The strike missed, the blade slicing harmlessly through the air as Zander twisted away. In the same motion, Zander retaliated with a swift, precise punch. His fist cut through the space between them, aiming to knock the intruder off balance.
But the cloaked figure vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, moving with breathtaking agility. In a blur, it reappeared a safe distance away from Zander, its movements fluid and calculated.
Zander released the Alpha's neck, letting the wolf collapse to the ground as he turned his attention to the new arrival. His expression shifted, annoyance giving way to curiosity.
"Now what do we have here?" Zander mused aloud, his voice light but edged with suspicion. "I didn't realize the Sirius Clan had backup hiding in the shadows. Or are you someone else entirely?"
The cloaked figure said nothing, the dagger in its hand glowing faintly with mana. Its stance was poised, ready to strike again at any moment.
Zander's smirk returned, his crimson eyes flickering with amusement. "What's the plan, hmm? Sneak around, jab me a few times, and hope I keel over? Hate to break it to you, but I'm not that easy to kill. If you've got tricks, now's the time to show them."
The cloaked figure shifted slightly, the faint rustle of fabric the only sound it made. Zander's grin widened. "Silent type, eh? Fine by me. It's been a while since I've had to deal with someone who relies on finesse over brute strength. Let's see what you've got."
With that, Zander adjusted his stance, his flames roaring back to life as he prepared for the next round.
As Zander stood, flames flickering around him like restless serpents, his crimson gaze locked onto the cloaked figure, unperturbed by the sudden interruption. He rolled his shoulders casually, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk that practically dared his assailant to make another move.
"Alright," Zander drawled, his tone dripping with mockery, "you've shown off your agility. I'm impressed. But stabbing people from the shadows? It's a bit… underwhelming. You sure you're not just another dog hiding under someone else's table?"
The cloaked figure remained silent, its stance rigid and poised for combat. The glowing dagger in its hand shimmered faintly, mana rippling off it in delicate waves. Even so, its lack of reaction only fueled Zander's amusement.
"Oh, so we're going with the strong, silent type routine," Zander mused. He raised an eyebrow, tapping a finger against his chin in mock contemplation. "I'm starting to think whatever organization you guys' hail from is made up of nothing but mutes. Any ways have you got anything besides that fancy disappearing trick. Come on—surprise me."
In response, the figure lunged forward with staggering speed, its dagger aiming straight for Zander's chest. The sheer precision of the movement spoke volumes—it was no ordinary soldier or mere backup. Whoever had sent this assassin had ensured their skills matched their purpose.
But Zander was no novice. He shifted to the side effortlessly, his flames flaring briefly as he dodged the strike. In one fluid motion, he retaliated with a swift kick aimed at the figure's midsection. The strike landed partially, forcing the cloaked figure back a step before it vanished again, retreating to a safe distance.
The assassin reappeared several meters away, crouching low as it observed Zander carefully. This time, a voice emerged from beneath the cloak, its tone cold and measured. "You talk too much."
Zander's smirk widened, a glint of mischief lighting up his crimson eyes. "Guilty as charged. You'd think after all these years someone would figure out how to shut me up. But here's a secret—every one of my fights ends the same way. And if you're hoping to rewrite that story, you'll need more than parlor tricks."
The figure didn't respond, instead raising its dagger slightly as mana gathered at the tip. The energy coalesced rapidly, shaping into a piercing blade of pure light. It was clear that this attack wouldn't be as simple as the earlier strikes.
Zander's grin shifted into something sharper, his flames roaring to life once more. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere. A little more effort—just what I like to see."
The assassin vanished once more, its form blurring as it sped toward Zander with unnatural agility. Zander, ever watchful, braced himself as the dagger shot toward him like a missile, its mana-coated edge threatening to pierce through his fiery defenses.
With a burst of movement, Zander blocked the incoming strike, his forearm wreathed in white flames meeting the glowing dagger. Sparks erupted between them as their mana clashed violently, the surrounding air trembling under the pressure.
The assassin twisted sharply, disengaging from Zander's defense with remarkable finesse. They leapt backward, but Zander was already following, his speed matching theirs stride for stride. "You've got skill," Zander admitted, flames trailing behind him as he lunged forward. "But do you really think that that's enough to take me down?"
The assassin didn't falter. Instead, it threw the glowing blade with precision, sending it hurtling toward Zander with enough speed to blur its trajectory. Zander tilted his head slightly, watching the blade approach—and in a single motion, he raised his hand, catching it mid-flight. The mana-infused dagger hissed against his flaming grip, but Zander remained unfazed, casually examining the weapon.
"Nice throw," he said, inspecting the glowing blade as if it were nothing more than a trinket. Frustrated don't be, as an assassin you are pretty skilled but, in all honesty, you are jus too weak for those skills to mean anything. Especially when you are in the ring with Zander Phoenix"
The assassin hissed in anger, summoning another blade as Zander tossed the first one aside. The ground trembled slightly as their mana flared, a silent testament to the escalating tension.
"I'll give you one chance," Zander said, his crimson gaze narrowing slightly. His flames surged outward, their heat warping the air around him. "Give me everything you've got. If you don't, this little game will end faster than you can blink."
For the first time, the cloaked figure hesitated, their movements faltering just slightly But the hesitation didn't last long. They raised their new blade and charged again, determined to prove their worth—or perhaps to fulfill their mission at any cost.
As the battle resumed, the intensity of the clash escalated. Zander moved with effortless precision, his flames serving as both offense and defense, while the assassin relied on speed and mana-infused weaponry to keep up. The two danced across the battlefield, neither yielding, each strike sending shockwaves through the air.