Grim stared at his opponent in front of him, his piercing amber eyes narrowing with predatory focus amid the isolated void that served as their battlefield, the distant stars twinkling like indifferent witnesses to the impending clash.

A young man stood there, wearing a dark cloak with a hood that covered a good area of his face, the fabric woven from shadows that seemed to absorb the faint cosmic light filtering through the spatial barriers.

From beneath the hood, faint locks of silver hair slipped free, swaying slightly in the subtle currents of manipulated air, their ethereal strands catching glimmers of starlight like threads of moonlight woven into reality.

His features, though half-concealed by the enveloping shadow of the hood, carried an almost regal sharpness, the kind that drew attention without demanding it, a subtle allure that spoke of ancient lineages and unspoken power.

Calm, steady eyes glimmered with a soft azure hue from the depths of the hood, faint traces of mana flickering within them like quiet lightning storms brewing in a serene sky, betraying the immense energy restrained beneath his composed and unyielding exterior.

The cloak clung to his form with effortless grace, its edges rippling faintly as if alive, the fabric moving in perfect rhythm with the subtle pulses of mana that distorted the air around him like invisible waves emanating from a hidden source.

Each breath he took seemed to hum with restrained force, a low vibration that resonated through the surrounding space, his presence cool yet undeniably magnetic, drawing the very essence of the void toward him like a gravitational pull of arcane origin.

"Let's make this quick, I have things to attend to," Grim said calmly, his voice a rasping growl that echoed with underlying menace, his clawed hands reaching deliberately for the twin swords strapped behind his back, the hilts gleaming with a deadly sheen under the ethereal glow.

Grim was of the raptor race, a fearsome humanoid species that embodied the lethal grace of predatory beasts, their evolution honed over eons to perfection in the art of the hunt and survival in unforgiving realms.

His body was lean yet corded with dense muscle, built for explosive bursts of speed and unerring precision that could turn the tide of any confrontation in an instant.

Smooth, dark scales covered his form like living armor, shimmering faintly with an iridescent sheen that caught the light whenever he shifted, the plates interlocking seamlessly to provide both flexibility and impenetrable defense.

A long, sinewy tail extended from his lower back, twitching subtly with every minute adjustment in balance, its blade-like tip honed to razor sharpness, capable of slicing through flesh and steel alike with effortless lethality.

His legs were digitigrade, powerful and spring-loaded, ending in curved talons that dug effortlessly into the solid spatial ground—predator's claws made for both sprinting across vast distances and slashing through adversaries with brutal efficiency.

His arms mirrored that deadly elegance, each forearm lined with faint ridges that enhanced grip and power, leading to clawed hands that could crush bone with casual strength or wield weapons with surgical precision.

Grim's face carried the sharp contours of his kind: a narrow snout lined with serrated teeth that glinted menacingly, nostrils that flared with each controlled breath to scent the air for vulnerabilities, and piercing amber eyes that glowed with cold, calculating intelligence.

Two small crests rose backward from his skull, edged with faint scars that told silent stories of countless battles survived, each mark a testament to his resilience and ferocity in the face of adversity.

A faint rasping sound followed his every movement, the whisper of scales brushing together in harmonious friction, a subtle auditory cue that made even seasoned warriors tense instinctively, their instincts warning of imminent danger.

"It's best you give up now.

I don't want to ruffle up a pretty boy like you," Grim said mockingly, his voice laced with derision as he began walking slowly toward Astral, the clone infused with the potent witch bloodline, his talons clicking faintly against the solid void.

Astral remained silent, not replying to Grim's taunt, his azure eyes unchanging beneath the hood, exuding an aura of impenetrable calm that only heightened the raptor's growing irritation.

"I at least gave you a way out," Grim said coldly, his tone shifting to one of finality as he accelerated his movement toward Astral, closing the distance with predatory intent.

His movement was fluid, as if he was swimming through water with effortless propulsion, his clawed hands holding the swords tightly, the blades humming faintly with latent energy drawn from his own mana reserves.

He swung his sword at Astral after getting close, aiming precisely toward Astral's neck to sever it in one clean, decisive stroke, the arc of the blade whistling through the air like a harbinger of death.

Astral stood still, not reacting to Grim's attack, his cloaked figure immobile amid the tension, the mana around him pulsing subtly like a protective veil.

His actions of not retaliating created a smug smile on Grim's face, the raptor's serrated teeth baring in triumph.

Grim believed his speed was too fast for Astral to react, filling him with even more confidence that surged through his veins like adrenaline-fueled fire.

Grim swung his swords on getting close, his blades flying toward Astral's neck with unerring precision, the edges sharpened to molecular keenness.

With no action from Astral and nothing standing in the way of his attack, Grim was confident in his victory, his amber eyes gleaming with anticipated satisfaction.

"Huh?" Grim was filled with surprise, his rasping voice escaping in a sharp exhale as the unexpected unfolded before him.

His sword was blocked from an inch away from Astral's neck by an illusory coagulation of essence, the barrier shimmering into existence like a ethereal shield forged from the universe's core.

The essence blocking the attack was the fundamental building block of the universe, mana, concentrated and woven into an impenetrable defense that hummed with raw power.

Grim withdrew his blades swiftly, quickly dashing to the back of Astral where he attempted to stab him from behind, his movements a blur of calculated aggression.

The result was the same as the last: his attack was blocked by coagulated mana that materialized instantaneously, thwarting the thrust with unyielding solidity.

Grim had an annoyed look on his face, his crests twitching in frustration as he reassessed his opponent.

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