The Devouring Knight

On another part of the battlefield, minutes earlier, while Skitz carved through soldiers in a frenzy, his daggers flashed toward another man's throat. But before the steel could bite, a heavy blade slammed down, stopping the strike cold.

The soldier behind the clash stumbled back, eyes wide.

"Kn…Knight Varros, thank you for saving me!" he stammered.

"Get out of here," Varros ordered, his voice calm but firm.

The soldier ran off without looking back, leaving Skitz staring at the man before him. The Knight's movements had been sharp, faster than any of the others Skitz had cut down.

"You're one pretty unique monster," Varros said, his gaze steady as he lifted his massive sword.

Skitz's eyes narrowed. He could sense it clearly, this man's aura was different. Heavy and oppressive. 'A Knight Two Stage.'

Skitz's pulse quickened. He was only in the Mid-Knight One Stage Level. A direct fight would be suicide.

"Hehe… how can I help you, Sir?" Skitz chuckled nervously, shifting his stance.

Varros tilted his head, studying him. "Were you the one who assassinated Dorne? No…" His lips curled faintly. "At your level, you wouldn't have been able to kill him."

His blade rose, pointing straight at Skitz. "No big deal. I'll just cut you down too."

Skitz gritted his teeth, fingers tightening around the hilts of his daggers. He weighed his options fast, escape, stall, or call Shade for backup. He leaned slightly, ready to shout the signal…

but then a voice, sharp and familiar, cut through the air behind him.

"So… there's someone worth cutting here."

Both Skitz and Varros froze, their eyes darting toward the voice.

From behind, a man in a loose yukata strolled forward, his twin swords resting at his side. He moved with an unsettling calm, as though the battlefield chaos around him was nothing more than background noise. Each step was unhurried, like he had all the time in the world.

Skitz's face lit up the moment he saw him. 'An ally.' Relief flickered across his sharp features.

"Sir Daigo, you came at the right moment," he said with a sly grin. "Since you look bored… I'll leave this Knight to you."

Before Varros could react, Skitz's form shimmered and blurred. His outline wavered like smoke until he vanished, melting into the shadows.

Varros tensed, his grip firm on his greatsword, eyes scanning for the slippery assassin. But Daigo's chuckle drew his attention back.

"Heh… that one's pretty slick," Daigo muttered, almost amused. His hand slid casually to his hilts, and in a smooth motion, he drew both katanas. Their polished edges caught the light, glinting like fangs.

"Forget about him," he said, his tone shifting into a sharper edge as he fixed his gaze on Varros. His lips curved into a smile that carried both challenge and confidence.

"Let's see your sword skill."

Varros planted his feet firmly, his greatsword gleaming as he raised it high. With a roar, he brought it crashing down.

Daigo's twin katanas flashed, crossing in perfect timing to deflect the strike. Sparks scattered in the air, the force of the clash shaking the ground beneath them.

"Hoh… not bad," Daigo said with a grin, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Varros didn't reply. He twisted his massive blade in a wide arc, forcing Daigo back. Yet Daigo moved with ease, his steps light, body weaving between each heavy swing. The clash of steel rang again and again, a rhythm of sharp strikes and quick deflections.

Though Varros's strength was immense, Daigo's twin blades flowed like water, meeting every strike without faltering.

Neither man held the advantage. Every attack was answered. Every push met with equal pull.

But while Varros's expression was sharp and focused, Daigo laughed, his voice carrying over the clash of steel.

"Hahaha! Now this is a fight! Come on, swing harder!"

He shifted his stance, his blades cutting out in playful, almost careless arcs, yet his speed never faltered. Mana surged through his body, faint wisps of energy wrapping around his limbs as he moved, his strikes quick and precise.

Varros's aura flared in turn, his muscles swelling with power as mana coursed through him. Each blow carried the weight of a boulder, yet Daigo's twin blades split the pressure in two, never breaking rhythm.

To the side, hidden in the shadows, Skitz watched with narrowed eyes. His lips curled into a grin, though his chest tightened with unease.

'That Daigo… he's not even giving his all,' he thought, watching the man's laughter echo through the battlefield. 'Yet he can match a Knight of that level so easily. What a fearsome opponent.'

Daigo still wore that careless grin, his twin katanas flashing like silver streaks, while Varros's frown deepened with every clash.

The Knight's grip tightened on his greatsword. He could tell, his opponent wasn't taking him seriously.

Without a word, Varros shifted his stance. His aura flared violently, mana rushing to his blade until it pulsed like a star. The air trembled, soldiers stumbling back as pressure filled the battlefield.

'Heaven Splitter.'

With a roar, Varros raised his massive sword high, then brought it down. The strike split the air, a gleaming arc of destruction crashing forward, as though the sky itself was being torn apart.

Skitz's jaw dropped. 'Tch… if that hits, even Daigo…'

"Now, that's getting dangerous," Daigo chuckled, his tone still calm, almost playful. His grin widened, eyes lighting with excitement. "Guess it's time to use my skill."

Mana surged around him, wrapping his body in a wild current. Crossing his twin blades, he slashed outward.

'Twin Moon Sever'

From the arcs of his katanas, crescent-shaped energy blades burst forth, sharp and bright, tearing through the air in a deadly cross. They carved everything in their path, trees splintering, the ground itself ripped open.

The two attacks met.

BOOOOM!

The clash shook the battlefield. A wave of mana erupted outward, sweeping soldiers from their feet. Some unlucky ones were cut apart where they stood, their screams drowned in the thunder of steel and energy. Even Skitz cursed under his breath, darting further back as the blast nearly swallowed him.