The rooftop trembled again under the heat of Devika's flames.
Chunks of broken tiles slid down the edges of the damaged building, falling into the dark streets below. The smell of burning stone lingered in the air while distant shouts from the city echoed faintly between the buildings.
People had begun noticing the battle.
Lantern lights appeared in nearby windows.
But none of the citizens dared approach.
On the shattered rooftop, the fight continued.
Rudra Sen stood facing Devika, sword raised once again. The hunter's silver aura still flickered around the blade, though the light pulsed unevenly now.
The fight had pushed him hard.
But his eyes remained focused.
Across the rooftop, Arivaan leaned against a cracked pillar of stone.
He looked completely relaxed.
Almost bored.
That annoyed the hunter.
"You're letting her fight alone," Rudra Sen said.
Arivaan shrugged.
"Seems efficient."
Devika's flames surged again under his command.
Her body moved instantly, launching forward with another powerful attack.
Rudra Sen blocked the strike.
CLANG!
The clash sent sparks flying across the rooftop.
But this time—
The hunter moved differently.
Instead of retreating—
He stepped closer.
Inside the flames.
Devika reacted instantly.
Her fire spiraled outward again.
But Rudra Sen slipped past the attack and struck the ground with his sword.
BOOM!
Another shockwave burst outward.
Arivaan barely moved.
But he felt the Command Link vibrate again.
The floating panel appeared briefly.
Control Stability: 92%
Still strong.
Arivaan smirked.
"You're trying the same trick again."
Rudra Sen replied calmly,
"Because it works."
Devika attacked again.
But the hunter ignored her next strike entirely.
Instead—
He launched forward toward Arivaan again.
This time even faster.
Arivaan sighed.
"You're persistent."
Devika intercepted instantly.
Flames exploded between them.
But Rudra Sen kept moving through the fire, forcing Arivaan to react again.
The rooftop battle turned chaotic.
Devika attacked repeatedly.
Rudra Sen blocked and redirected every strike.
But his real goal was obvious now.
Disrupt Arivaan.
Force him to concentrate.
Force him to split attention again.
The floating panel flickered.
Control Stability: 89%
Arivaan frowned slightly.
"So annoying."
Devika whispered through the link,
"He's exhausting you."
Arivaan shrugged mentally.
"A little."
Rudra Sen dashed sideways suddenly.
Devika swung another arc of flame.
But the hunter stepped around it.
Then struck the rooftop again.
CRACK!
The building groaned.
A large section of stone collapsed behind Arivaan.
Dust filled the air.
Arivaan stepped aside calmly.
"You're destroying the whole building now?"
Rudra Sen answered,
"If that's what it takes."
Devika attacked again.
But the hunter slipped past her strike once more.
This time he moved so fast that even Arivaan blinked.
Rudra Sen appeared directly in front of him.
The sword stopped inches from Arivaan's chest.
Devika's flames roared instantly.
But the hunter held his position.
Arivaan stared at the blade calmly.
"You like doing that."
Rudra Sen's voice remained steady.
"You're distracted again."
Arivaan glanced at the panel.
Control Stability: 84%
He sighed.
"Fine."
Arivaan raised his hand slightly.
"Devika."
"Yes."
"Stop holding back."
Her flames exploded outward instantly.
The entire rooftop ignited.
Heat blasted across the air like a shockwave.
Rudra Sen jumped backward quickly.
But the firestorm followed him.
Devika advanced relentlessly.
This time her attacks were faster.
More aggressive.
Because Arivaan had stopped worrying about the building.
Or the surroundings.
Only the fight mattered now.
The hunter blocked several strikes.
But the pressure increased.
One flame burst grazed his shoulder armor.
The metal glowed red instantly.
Rudra Sen frowned slightly.
"You're escalating."
Arivaan smiled.
"You started it."
Devika launched another massive wave of fire.
The flames spiraled outward across the rooftop like a burning cyclone.
Rudra Sen dashed through the attack.
But the heat slowed him slightly this time.
Just enough.
Devika's next strike forced him backward again.
The hunter slid across the broken tiles.
Arivaan clapped slowly.
"Better."
Rudra Sen steadied himself.
His breathing had grown heavier now.
But his eyes still burned with determination.
"You're enjoying this."
Arivaan nodded.
"A little."
Devika glared at him.
"You're insane."
Arivaan shrugged.
"Probably."
The floating panel flickered again.
Control Stability: 96%
The link had stabilized once more.
Because Arivaan had stopped reacting personally.
He simply watched.
And let Devika fight.
Rudra Sen realized the shift instantly.
His eyes narrowed.
"You adapted again."
Arivaan grinned.
"Learning fast."
The hunter raised his sword again.
But this time—
His expression had changed.
Not frustration.
Not anger.
Something else.
Resolve.
Devika felt it immediately.
"That look…"
Arivaan raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Devika's voice turned tense.
"He's about to do something dangerous."
Rudra Sen lifted his glowing blade toward the sky.
The silver energy around it surged violently again.
But this time—
The aura spread across the entire rooftop.
Arivaan blinked.
"Well…"
"That's new."
The hunter's voice echoed across the battlefield.
"If I cannot break the bond…"
"…then I'll remove the battlefield itself."
The rooftop trembled violently.
Cracks spread across the structure beneath their feet.
Arivaan's smile widened slowly.
"Oh."
"Now that's interesting."
Because if the building collapsed—
The fight would move somewhere far more dangerous.