Kain twisted in midair, regaining his balance before landing lightly on the ground, his body slightly crouched, hands raised in a battle stance. There wasn't a hint of pain on his face—only sharpened focus in his eyes.
"If you think mere rocks will protect you..."
He vanished.
There was no time for the Falconir leader to react before he felt Kain's fist smash into the side of his face, sending him staggering back. Kain seized the moment, driving his knee into his opponent's stomach, momentarily forcing the air from his lungs.
But despite the pain, the Falconir leader didn't fall. Instead, he took advantage of Kain's proximity, grabbing him with both hands and crushing him in his powerful arms before hurling him forcefully into the ground. The floor shattered beneath Kain's body.
Yet, he didn't remain down for long.
Kain sprang up, spinning in midair before delivering a brutal elbow strike to his opponent's shoulder.
"Not bad."
The Falconir leader took a step back before slamming his fist into the ground. This time, the stones didn't rise to attack—they coated his body, forming an impenetrable armor before he charged forward, his fist descending toward Kain like a massive hammer.
But Kain was no longer there when the blow landed.
He appeared behind his opponent at the last second, his hands moving at lightning speed—rapid, precise strikes targeting the ribs, shoulder, and back, each blow landing without hesitation.
The Falconir leader gritted his teeth, feeling his body grow heavier. But he refused to fall. He spun around, attempting to grab Kain, but the latter ducked beneath his arm, lifting his leg and delivering a powerful kick to the back of his knee, causing him to stumble for just a moment.
And in that brief moment, the fight was over.
Kain appeared in front of him, his fist clenched, aimed directly at his opponent's stomach—then he drove it forward with full force.
The battle stopped.
The Falconir leader stood still for a few seconds, his body frozen. Then, he dropped to his knees before collapsing face-first onto the ground, motionless.
Kain stood beside him, gazing down for a moment before turning away, walking out of the ruined palace, leaving behind the destruction and the raging fires that had yet to die.
meanwhile
Raven moved silently through the halls of the manor, slipping past the guards with precise, fluid motions. There was no need for a fight yet—his objective was clear: reach the head of the Everin family and take him without killing him.
When he reached the grand chamber where the leader was supposed to be, he stood before the door, took a breath, then slowly pushed it open.
Raven: "Alright, let's—"
Before he could finish, a powerful punch slammed into his face, sending him staggering backward!
Everin Leader: "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
Raven rose from the floor, rubbing his jaw where the blow had landed, then smirked slightly.
Raven: "Did you forget me?"
The leader's eyes narrowed as he observed Raven for a few seconds, then realization dawned on his face.
Everin Leader: "Oh… So you're not dead after all. Don't tell me you came here to kill me."
Raven: "That's up to you… Either you come with me quietly, or you die here."
The leader chuckled confidently, straightening his posture, his expression unfazed.
Everin Leader: "You sound awfully sure of yourself. Let me show you the strength of the Everin family."
Raven: "I'll warn you… I'm not the same as last time."
At that moment, the leader stomped the ground and lunged forward at incredible speed, but Raven was ready!
The Battle Begins!
The Everin leader charged toward Raven with surprising speed, his fist shooting forward like a cannonball aimed at Raven's chest. But Raven tilted his body with expert precision, dodging the attack by mere inches. He didn't stop at evasion—he countered with a quick punch to the leader's ribs, forcing him to stumble slightly.
Not wasting a second, Raven closed the gap, his knee driving into the leader's stomach, followed by a clean punch aimed at his face. But the leader blocked it, then retaliated, gripping Raven's arm and flinging him across the hall with sheer brute force.
Raven crashed into a side column, cracking the stone, but he didn't let that slow him down. He quickly regained his footing and launched himself forward again, dipping under an incoming strike before delivering a flurry of rapid punches to his opponent's torso. Each blow sent shockwaves through the leader's body, pushing him further back.
Everin Leader (gritting his teeth): "Damn… Your strength—"
But Raven didn't let him finish. He ducked under the leader's arm, spun around, then delivered a sharp roundhouse kick to the side of his head, sending him crashing into a table, shattering it into splinters.
The leader groaned, pushing himself up, his breath coming in heavier now. His expression turned serious.
Everin Leader: "Not bad…"