Elba's heart pounded in his chest as the moonlight cast eerie shadows around him. He turned back just in time, narrowly avoiding a powerful wind spell. The air around him cracked as it passed, grazing his arm, leaving a sharp sting. Blood trickled down, but the earlier warning had saved him from worse.
From the darkness, a cloaked figure stepped forward, his voice cold and mocking. "Oh, you're alive. I guess." The man wore two large knives, spinning them with deadly precision, as though they were extensions of his hands. "I don't have time to waste. Die," the man hissed, throwing one knife straight at Elba.
Elba barely dodged the flying blade, the metal whistling past his ear. It was pure luck—his body reacting before his mind could. But there was no time to celebrate. The man used a burst of wind magic, dashing toward him at an impossible speed, knives gleaming under the moonlight.
Elba stood his ground, determination hardening his resolve. Am I going to be weak every time? he thought bitterly. No. Never again. He dropped into a combat stance. Despite the chaos in his mind, his body knew what to do—he had trained for moments like these.
The thief, Remuru, lunged at him with deadly intent. As his blade sliced through the air, Elba twisted his body just in time, narrowly dodging the lethal strike. With a sharp movement, Elba countered, landing a precise punch to Remuru's side. The thief stumbled back a step, clearly surprised.
Remuru chuckled, his grin hidden under the hood. "Well, well. I'm impressed. You'll get a reward for that. I'll even tell you my name before I kill you. I am Remuru, the thief—and I'm here to collect the bounty on your head. Now, die!"
He launched forward again, faster and more relentless. This time, the knives in his hands moved with ferocious speed, cutting through the air in blinding arcs. Elba's instincts screamed danger, but something inside him stirred—his mana. Almost without thinking, he channeled the energy flowing within him.
His body responded instantly—his movements becoming sharper, his senses heightening. Every swing, every step Remuru took seemed to slow down, as though Elba could read his attacks before they happened.
The clash of their battle echoed across the rooftop. Elba ducked, dodged, and parried with precision, landing counterattacks whenever he found an opening. But Remuru was no amateur. His blades were quick and deadly, grazing Elba's arms and legs as the fight dragged on. Elba could feel fatigue creeping in, but he refused to give up.
Remuru spun low, sweeping his knife toward Elba's legs. Elba leaped back just in time, using his mana-enhanced reflexes to avoid the strike by a hair. But the thief pressed on, attacking with relentless speed. Elba gritted his teeth, blood seeping from small cuts on his body. His muscles ached, but his resolve burned brighter.
With a burst of energy, Elba caught Remuru's wrist mid-strike, twisting it sharply. The thief grunted in pain, and in that split second, Elba drove his knee into Remuru's gut, sending him staggering backward.
Panting, Elba watched as Remuru clutched his stomach, his breath ragged. "You've got some fight in you," Remuru growled, wiping blood from his mouth. "But you're not going to last much longer."
Elba didn't respond—he didn't need to. His body was screaming in pain, but his mind was clear. He knew what he had to do.
When Remuru charged at him again, Elba sidestepped at the last moment, delivering a crushing blow to the thief's temple. The force of the punch sent Remuru sprawling to the ground, his knives clattering away.
Elba stood over him, panting heavily. His body throbbed with pain, his limbs felt heavy, but he had won. Barely. He looked down at the defeated thief, blood dripping from his own wounds.
"This... is just the beginning," Elba muttered to himself, realizing that this victory was only the first of many battles to come. He wasn't ready yet—not fully—but he knew one thing for sure. He wouldn't be weak anymore.
The wind howled as he stood there, battered but unbroken. And for the first time in a long while, Elba allowed himself to smile.