**Gael's PoV**
Saffron closed his eyes and snickered slightly. Within the blink of an eye, shadows emerged from underneath the bandits and yanked them to the ground, forcing them to bow.
"You were saying?" Saffron said, crossing his toned arms, a confident smirk on his face.
The blond bandit gritted his teeth. "You bastard..." he growled. In a desperate move, he summoned a wave of snow that surged toward Saffron, aiming to bury him underneath a torrent of ice and powder.
But Saffron was ready. With a swift motion, he extended his arm, and dark tendrils erupted from the ground, intertwining with the incoming snow and redirecting its force. The shadows twisted and morphed, absorbing the energy of the attack and allowing Saffron to draw on that power.
"Nice try!" he shouted, his voice echoing with authority. "But you're going to need more than a little flurry to take me down!"
