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"So," Korvan said, his voice low but carrying easily across the space between them, "this is the bastard who\'s been cutting down my men." He crossed his arms, the muscles in his shoulders bulging under his tattered cloak, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp. "I\'ve been hearing a lot about you, stranger. Loren, Lothar, and another one. Impressive."

Lucavion slowed his steps, his grip on his estoc tightening as he met Korvan\'s gaze. The air between them was tense, filled with a quiet intensity that neither seemed willing to break. The starlight energy around Lucavion\'s blade flickered, and Korvan\'s eyes briefly flicked to it before returning to his face.

"I\'ve been waiting for you," Korvan continued, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. "Did you really think you\'d walk in here, kill a few of my men, and everything would go according to plan?" His grin widened, dark and predatory. "You\'ve made a grave mistake coming here, boy."

Lucavion\'s eyes narrowed. "You talk too much," he said coldly, this time without any playfulness.

He could feel the raw power radiating off Korvan, the unmistakable presence of a peak 3-star Awakened. This would not be an easy fight, but Lucavion had never intended for it to be.

Korvan chuckled, unfolding his arms as he took a step forward. His hand rested on the hilt of a massive, blackened axe strapped to his back, the weapon gleaming ominously in the dim light of the camp. "You\'ve got guts, I\'ll give you that. But guts alone won\'t save you."

"Why do I hear that a lot? It seems your men like to use the words that you speak of."

Korvan\'s grin twisted into a snarl, his fists clenching so tightly that the veins in his arms bulged. "Useless!" he spat, his voice seething with contempt. His eyes locked onto Lucavion\'s with a fiery intensity. "You really think you\'ll get a normal death? No, boy, I\'ll make it as painful as possible. You\'ll beg for it to end."

Lucavion remained unfazed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he lifted his estoc, the starlight energy coiling around the blade like a serpent. His smirk returned, but it held no amusement this time, only cold resolve. "Do your worst."

Korvan\'s lips curled into a dark smile as he reached behind him, drawing his weapon. It wasn\'t the axe Lucavion had initially thought—it was a spear, its shaft blackened as if charred by fire. The tip glowed faintly, pulsing with heat as if the flames within were barely contained.

"I will," Korvan growled, his voice now a low, dangerous rumble. With a flick of his wrist, flames erupted from the tip of the spear, dancing along the length of the weapon. The heat radiated off him in waves, the fire swirling around him like a living thing, eager to consume everything in its path.

Lucavion stood his ground, watching as Korvan\'s fire mana surged through the air. The intense heat threatened to smother the cool glow of his starlight, but Lucavion held steady, his eyes never leaving Korvan.

The showdown between the two had started.

*******

I tightened my grip on the estoc, feeling the familiar hum of starlight mana coil around the blade. The cool, soothing energy felt at odds with the heat radiating from Korvan\'s spear, but I held steady. I couldn\'t afford to be intimidated by his strength, even though I knew—on all fronts—he outclassed me.

\'He\'s stronger… faster… and that spear isn\'t just for show,\' I thought, watching the flames ripple along the blackened shaft. He\'s a peak 3-star, no doubt about it. His mana felt like a suffocating wave, ready to crash down.

My eyes tracked every movement he made, every slight shift of his weight. Korvan\'s smirk hadn\'t faded, a predator sizing up prey he believed already defeated. He stepped forward, deliberately slow, as if testing how long I could keep calm under pressure. The air between us simmered with heat, the fire mana dancing in the air.

\'He\'s toying with me.\'

The moment the thought crossed my mind, he lunged. A blur of motion, faster than I\'d anticipated. I barely had time to react, raising my estoc just in time to parry the searing tip of his spear.

–CLANK!

The force behind his strike was monstrous; my arms rattled from the impact, my feet sliding back despite my attempt to hold firm.

\'Damn, he\'s strong.\'

Korvan\'s spear twisted, sweeping toward my side in a brutal arc. I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding being gutted by the flaming tip. The heat singed my cloak, but I couldn\'t focus on that—there was no time.

\'Stay calm. Find an opening.\'

He was already coming at me again, his movements fluid and relentless. I ducked beneath another swipe, feeling the rush of heat as it passed inches from my head. A quick glance upward and I saw his eyes—focused, calculating. He wasn\'t just a brute with strength; he had precision too.

CLANK!

Another strike and my estoc barely held. I could feel my arms trembling from the force of the blow.

\'He\'s faster than me, too,\' I thought, gritting my teeth as I parried another brutal swing.

Korvan\'s grin widened as if he sensed the gap between us. His spear came down in a vicious overhead strike, aimed to split me in half. I spun away, the ground cracking where the spearhead landed. The force of the impact sent dust and debris into the air.

I spun away from Korvan\'s overhead strike, dust swirling in the air as his spear smashed into the ground. My breath came in short bursts, sweat dripping down my face from the intense heat of his mana. But then I saw it—a fleeting moment, barely noticeable. His guard dropped ever so slightly as he pulled his spear back. It was only for a split second, but it was enough.

\'Now.\'

Without hesitation, I lunged forward, channeling starlight mana into my blade. The familiar surge of energy flowed through me, coiling like a serpent around my estoc. I aimed for his exposed side, my blade a blur of silver light as it cut through the air.

But just as my strike was about to land, flames roared to life—sudden and blinding.

–BOOM!

A wall of fire erupted between us, the heat hitting me like a tidal wave. I could barely see through the blaze, but I knew—this was no mistake.

\'It\'s a trap—!\'

Before I could fully retreat, a blast of fire surged toward me, and I threw myself backward with every ounce of speed I could muster. My instincts screamed at me to move, and I obeyed without question. The fire barely missed, the heat scorching my skin as I leaped away. I rolled across the dirt, my lungs burning from the effort.

But Korvan was faster. He didn\'t let me catch my breath. The moment I retreated, he was on me—closing the distance with frightening speed, his spear now fully extended. The range of his weapon was deadly, and I was too far to parry in time.

\'Too fast!\'

Korvan stormed through with his spear, the blackened tip cutting through the air like a deadly comet. I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike, but his spear grazed my shoulder, searing through the fabric of my cloak and biting into my flesh.

"Gah!" I grunted, the pain sharp and immediate. But I couldn\'t stop—he was relentless.

Korvan followed up, spinning the spear in a wide arc, the flames licking dangerously close to my face. I barely had time to react, throwing up my estoc to block the strike.

CLANK!

The impact rattled through my bones, forcing me back again. My feet slid across the dirt as I struggled to maintain my footing, my shoulder throbbing from the fresh wound.

Korvan\'s grin widened as he advanced, the heat from his fire mana suffocating. "Caught you off guard, didn\'t I?" he taunted, his spear crackling with flames. "You\'re quick, but not quick enough."

Feeling the pain of burning on my right shoulder, I could not help but admire the way Korvan fought.

The searing pain in my shoulder was sharp, but it was nothing compared to what I\'d endured before. I\'d felt worse—much worse—thanks to my unique condition. Pain was something I had grown used to, something I had learned to bury beneath my focus.

"You are just as crafty as I could expect from a bandit," I said, my voice calm, steady. My eyes locked on Korvan, watching his every move.

Korvan snorted, his lips curling into a sneer. "Crafty, huh? You\'re acting tough, boy, but I see the pain in your eyes. Don\'t think you can fool me."

I didn\'t answer. The burn in my shoulder pulsed, but I willed it away, focusing instead on the cool energy coursing through me. I could feel the starlight mana gathering in my estoc, wrapping itself around the blade like a living thing, flickering with cold, radiant power. It flowed not just into the blade but through my entire body, strengthening my limbs, sharpening my senses.

Korvan\'s sneer deepened, clearly thinking I was putting on a show, pretending not to feel the agony that burned across my skin. But I wasn\'t pretending. The pain was real, but it wasn\'t enough to stop me.

I raised my estoc, the blade glowing with the pale, cold light of starlight mana. My breath steadied as I entered the stance, feet planted firmly on the ground, my gaze never wavering from his.

\'Focus. Channel the mana.\'

The energy flowed in sync with my breath, each inhale pulling in more power, each exhale sharpening my focus. The world around me narrowed—there was only Korvan and the starlight running through my veins.

I gestured toward him with the blade, a silent invitation. "Come at me."