The clearing stilled—mist circling the corpses of charred wolves.
Katrina wiped sweat from her cheek, eyes flicking upward at the figure stepping into the open.
She smiled.
> But it wasn't friendly.
It was like a sword being unsheathed.
Katrina:
> "Amusing. No more wolves, I guess."
The man chuckled faintly.
???:
> "Ha ha… I'm Alex Zoteb."
His tone shifted. Cold now.
> "And my job—"
"—is to assassinate you."
No wind. No movement. Then—
> BLINK.
He vanished.
> BOOM!
A kick landed straight into Katrina's gut.
She skidded backward, boots digging trenches through dirt—finally halting after several meters, crouched, panting, teeth clenched.
She looked up.
> "Fast," she muttered.
Too late.
> CRACK!
A fist slammed into her right rib.
> CRACK!
Another hit from the left.
> "Ggh—!"
Katrina staggered, arms up, but he was gone again.
Then—
> SKZZZZZT!!!
The whip ignited.
Lightning danced across its length, turning violet with rage. She held it coiled, senses sharp.
> Her mana flared.
Her stance tightened.
Katrina (mind racing):
> "He's fast. I can't keep up like this… I've used too much mana already."
She readied herself, expecting him from any of the four directions. The roots behind her were meters away—Ashen still hidden.
A low whistle echoed from the mist.
Alex Zoteb (grinning):
> "Magnificent. I do love watching you glow, Whisper's Light."
Katrina's expression didn't shift. Her voice dropped like a dagger.
Katrina:
> "Who sent you?"
"Speak—till you can."
---
[FLASHBACK – West Sea, 2 Days Ago]
> Iverro stood on the deck of a fog-covered ship—palms sweating, lips dry.
Far from Brevia. Somewhere over the West Sea. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere lawless.
A huge man with knotted dreadlocks and shark tattoos glared at him, slamming a mug of steel beer onto the oak table.
> Captain Ryven:
"We were headed to Veilstream, right?"
Iverro (nodding rapidly):
> "Y-yes… yes."
The captain's voice roared.
> "Then where the hell are the weapons you promised!?"
> Everyone on deck froze.
Iverro's throat clicked.
> "B-burnt. We think it was Katrina. From Whisper's Light…"
Silence.
Then the sound of heavy boots.
The captain turned, raising a hand.
> "Bring me Alex Zoteb. One job for him."
> "Yes, Captain."
Footsteps left.
Iverro exhaled—relief flooding his trembling body.
He shouldn't have.
> BANG.
The captain pulled a pistol and blew out Iverro's knee.
Iverro screamed, fell to the floor.
> "Your debt's paid in blood."
Two men grabbed his arms, dragging him to the edge.
> SPLASH.
The sea swallowed him whole.
{ BACK TO THE PRESENT}
Katrina tightened her stance—feet dug in. Her breath came steady but strained. Her clothes were already torn from the earlier fight. Her back still bleeding.
Alex Zoteb stood tall, his long frame coiling like a whip.
> "Come on. Show me how bright you burn."
He vanished.
> BAM!
She caught the punch—barely.
Their forearms slammed together, sparks flying.
Katrina twisted, trying to counter—but he was already gone.
> WHACK!
A low kick swept her off balance—she flipped mid-air, landing hard on a knee.
Another hit came from above—she blocked with her elbow, teeth gritting from the shock.
Katrina (mind):
> "He's reading my tempo. Every move I make, he's a second faster."
---
Ashen, hidden beneath the thick roots of the tree, watched with wide, terrified eyes.
> "They're not fighting. They're tearing the air apart…"
He flinched with each blow. Every crash, every gust of wind, every grunt of pain—it all rang like thunder from just meters away.
---
Katrina pivoted—landed a punch in his gut.
Zoteb didn't budge.
He grinned—and headbutted her.
> THWACK!
Her vision blurred. She stumbled back, one knee dragging.
He charged again.
She ducked—grabbed his arm—twisted—
> THUD!
She threw him clean over her shoulder.
Dust exploded as he hit the ground. But he rolled, flipped upright, and was back on his feet before she could capitalize.
Katrina (panting):
> "Tch…"
He dashed again. His hands were like knives, slicing the air.
She blocked. Countered. Spun.
> Fist. Knee. Palm. Elbow.
Their styles clashed like steel on stone.
Then—one of his hits landed.
A sharp jab to her ribs.
> CRACK.
She gasped, staggered, and nearly dropped.
---
Ashen bit his fist to stop from yelling.
> "She's—bleeding. She's losing."
But then, she moved again.
> Slower. Hurting.
But still moving.
---
Katrina backflipped, created distance.
> Her back screamed. Her ribs ached.
Her bracer pulsed low with mana—still loaded.
She looked down at her whip.
Katrina (mind):
> "If I strike with the whip or bracer, and he dodges... that mana's wasted."
"And I don't have enough left to miss."
She gritted her teeth.
She charged in again.
> A wild exchange.
Punches traded. Kicks collided. Blood flew. They each took hits—equally relentless.
Then—
> SLAM!
Zoteb caught her arm mid-punch—spun—and tossed her against a tree.
Bark exploded. She hit the ground hard.
> "Ghh—!"
Katrina groaned. Her fingers twitched. The world spun.
She spat blood. Her head lolled, just for a second.
Ashen, trembling, watched her still body.
> "Get up… please get up…"
---
Katrina's fingers clawed the dirt.
She forced herself upright—one eye swollen, blood running down her chin.
Alex strolled forward, shaking off his coat.
> "You're durable. I'll give you that."
Katrina didn't respond. She stared at her bracer.
Katrina (mind):
> "I've never used it at 100%."
> "Madhav said my body wasn't ready."
She stood.
Her legs shook—but she stood.
Katrina (aloud):
> "Screw it."
She raised her hand.
> Her fingers hovered over the dial—past 90%.
Then 100%.
Katrina (mind):
> "If I fire it at max charge, I can launch myself forward with the recoil."
"He won't expect me to use it for mobility."
"It's a gamble. But that's all I've got left."
She let him come.
> "One more exchange. Then I end this."
---
Zoteb dashed in.
She met him head-on.
> CRACK!
She ducked—landed a gut punch.
> WHACK!
He elbowed her temple.
> SLAM!
She countered with a spinning kick that barely grazed his ribs.
Then—she retreated.
Three quick steps back.
Zoteb smirked.
> "Finally giving up?"
But Katrina had other plans.
The air screamed.
> BRRRRRZTTT!!!
Mana exploded from the bracer's core—lightning bursting in reverse.
> Not outward—backward.
The explosion shot her forward like a missile—wind tearing the ground behind her.
> Alex's eyes widened.
He raised his arms to block—
> Too slow.
> CRACK!!!
Her fist hit his jaw.
> BAM!!!
A second in the ribs.
> CRUNCH!!!
A final blow to the temple.
His body spun—crashed—rolled through the forest like a ragdoll.
Silence.
Smoke rose.
Katrina staggered, almost collapsing.
Her bracer sparked and hissed—mana drained. Arm nearly limp.
She looked toward the tree.
> "I think it's over."
Ashen poked his head out.
Eyes full of awe.
> He nodded slowly.
She smiled.
And fell to one knee.
---