Turning his attention to the new challenger, Orpheus let out a low growl, a sound that sent shivers down the spines of the remaining trolls. The playful facade vanished, replaced by a cold, predatory glint in his eyes.
The monstrous challenger, emboldened by a misplaced sense of bravery, roared and swung its club with a ferocity that could fell a lesser opponent. The air itself seemed to crackle with the force of the blow. But Orpheus, his crimson eyes blazing with a newfound intensity, was no longer the toying phantom. He had become the predator.
With a movement that defied logic, Orpheus vanished from where he stood. The challenger's club whistled harmlessly through the empty air, the troll momentarily stunned by the sudden disappearance. Then, a blur of crimson reappeared behind the troll, so fast it seemed like teleportation. Orpheus's black sword, imbued with a power no longer hidden, sang a deadly song.
