Both our Lumin radiated. His red silhouette shifted to a faint white figure. Dominio dashed toward me, then disappeared again.
I closed my eyes, focusing all my senses. Then I heard it—a short, quiet step behind me.
There you are.
I turned and parried his slash. Sparks flew between us. Dominio jumped back, dashing around me in a white blur, circling at impossible speed. His speed was unprecedented.
Vrikni Barrage.
He lunged, but the storm of my barrage countered his attack. Barrage against barrage. His white slashes against my purple slashes. Then he vanished again.
His blade flew toward me. Fast. I dodged left—it grazed my cheek. Smoke erupted from the dagger.
"What?"
I dashed back. Even in the smoke, I can still see you, Dominio. Your Lumin gives you away. My berserker state counters your tricks.
I lunged forward, tracking his silhouette. My claymore pointed ahead. A purple boar manifested before me.
"Screaming Boar."
I launched myself forward and split him in half. His body opened vertically.
I stood over him. Blood pooled like a lake beneath the corpse.
That's not him.
I leaped back. Dominio phased up from the floor, dagger aimed at me—he barely missed.
"Oh, you're actually good." He stood beside his body. White Lumin slowly consumed the corpse, dissolving it into small particles that floated toward him.
"So you can split your Lumin to make a clone?"
"You're a fast learner." Dominio moved back, picking up the broken dagger from his earlier battle with Rela.
He settled into his stance. Lumin radiated stronger now. He was preparing something.
He came at me again. I raised my blade, countering his barrage. His movements were faster now. More precise. His dagger grazed my wrist.
I jumped back. Air Slash! The crescent moved faster than before—the purple Lumin enhanced its strength. Dominio sidestepped, dodging easily.
"Too slow."
He dashed toward me again. Threw his dagger. I dodged—then his kick slammed into my midsection, sending me flying.
The flying dagger curved back and stabbed into my back. My body hit the wall, driving the blade deeper.
He charged again. I threw every blade I had—he dodged them all mid-sprint.
When he got close, I grabbed his face and slammed him into the floor.
The wood shattered. My grip tightened. I lifted him and ran toward the opposite railing, ignoring his continuous stabs at my gauntlets.
I pulled him close—heard him muffling—then hurled him into the air.
I grabbed my claymore and threw air slash after air slash.
Even mid-flight, Dominio parried. One. Two. Three. The fourth caught his leg. The fifth sliced his shoulder.
Then his body slammed against the railing. He coughed blood and pushed himself up.
Then he laughed.
A laugh of pure amusement.
He lunged at me again. I met him halfway—but he was faster. He kicked my chin. Punched my ribs. Elbowed my jaw. Then he spun, Lumin blazing around his foot. I raised my knee. His foot met my knee in a clash of equal force.
He used my knee as leverage and kicked my neck. I flew into the wall.
This guy's strength is weaker than mine, but his skill... it's beyond talented. I've faced skilled opponents before, but this one—he's like Callius. But more skilled.
And why... why wasn't I scared? No stress. No anxiety. No fight-or-flight.
Instead, I felt the opposite.
Excitement. Happiness. Fulfillment.
I was happy. Excited.
This was my life now.
Back on Earth, I'd always felt empty. Work. School. Pressure. Relationships. But here...
This world was more dangerous than Earth. More brutal. But I felt fulfilled.
My time with Kora. My training with Draka. My survival.
This world wasn't mine. But I was feeling closer to it every day.
And people like Dominio? They were what made this world special. Obstacle after obstacle. Threat after threat. Fight after fight. I could have run from all of it. But I didn't.
I was here. In circumstances that would terrify anyone else.
But here?
I was happy. Excited. I felt more joy than I ever had. I could feel. I could express. And the fights—gosh, the fights I'd had. I felt more alive in these battles than I ever had back home.
Being sent to this world wasn't a curse.
It was a new beginning. A revelation. A turn for the best.
And I was glad I'd been taken.
I got up, gripping my claymore.
Dominio walked toward me. His stance was tense, but his smile was evident. Not a smile of pride—a smile of joy. Of excitement.
He stopped.
"Zain. Why do you fight? Why did you choose this fate—an adventurer's life?"
I rose to my full height. Blood from my forehead blocked my left eye.
"I don't really know. I used to fight for survival. But now..." I smiled. "Fighting—dancing with death—has become an addiction."
I met his eyes.
"At this point? I don't know why. I just know I love doing it."
Dominio's smile widened. He adjusted his hat.
"You, my friend, are an interesting one."
He dropped into his stance. The Lumin around his dagger was weaker now. He was fading.
I settled into mine. Held my blade tight. Blood and sweat dripped from both of us. His nose bled. His cheek was cut. My eye was blocked. My arm and shoulder were soaked red.
Two exhausted fighters. Lost in their battle. Breathing heavy. Tired. Unwilling to lose.
"This is a worthy fight for a rogue, don't you think?" My voice was tired.
Dominio nodded. "It truly is. And this is a worthy fight for a berserker."
"Then let's see who wins." I tensed my muscles.
"Between a berserker and a rogue." He lowered his stance.
"AND WHO WILL WIN!"
We dashed toward each other.
Neither of us knew who the victor would be.