Around Amon, shadow clung unnaturally to the ground, writhing like living things despite the raging fire.

[Shadow Clutch]

The darkness stretched across the ground, forming grasping hands that burst from the earth, clawing toward Zerath's legs.

Zerath scoffed and slammed his sword down.

"Breaking it is easy."

A wave of demonic aura exploded outward from his body. The shadow-hands shattered instantly, torn apart like smoke in a storm. Zerath lunged forward, speed exploding beneath his feet.

He was too fast. Amon barely had time to react. Steel came down in a brutal arc.

Amon threw himself aside, the blade slicing through where his neck had been a heartbeat earlier. The force split a burning tree clean in half behind him.

The heat was unbearable. The forest screamed around them. Wood cracking, flames roaring, ash choking the air.

Zerath pressed the attack relentlessly. Slash. Thrust. Cleave. Each strike carried killing intent, meant to kill Amon in one strike.

Amon retreated, barely blocking with condensed shadow, each impact rattling his bones. His arms screamed in pain. His vision blurred for a moment, but he forced himself to stay conscious.

'I can't match him head-on' Amon thought gravely. He was aware that Zareth was stronger than him.

Zerath was experienced. Faster. More dangerous. So Amon changed tactics.

As Zerath lunged again, Amon suddenly dropped low and slammed his palm into the ground.

[Gloom Orb]

A dense sphere of darkness detonated at Zerath's feet, not exploding outward but inward. Darkness swallowed light, devouring visibility in an instant.

Zerath cursed as his vision vanished. Amon ran away from Zerath.

He vanished between burning trees, shadows bending around his form. Zerath burst out of the darkness a second later, fury blazing in his eyes.

"You think running will save you?!"

He swung his sword, releasing a crescent of demonic energy that tore through the forest, obliterating everything in its path.

Amon felt the shockwave and was thrown forward, crashing hard into the ground. Pain exploded through his ribs. He coughed, tasting blood.

Before he could rise, Zerath was already there.

The demon captain grabbed Amon by the throat and lifted him off the ground with one hand, slamming him against a burning tree.

"You should have stayed broken," Zerath snarled. "You should have begged. Maybe I would have given you a chance to be a good slave. With your appearance, some noble demoness lady might have bought you as a pet. Heheh, but it would have taken more time to send you to the demon kingdom."

Amon's vision darkened. His fingers clawed at Zerath's wrist, but then.

The shadow from his feet moved. It didn't attack Zerath. It wrapped around Zareth.

Zerath's eyes widened just slightly as his grip loosened. Amon's hand shot forward.

[Eclipse Bolt]

At point-blank range, the black sphere detonated between them.

Zerath was hurled backward, crashing through a nearby tree before skidding across the ground. His cloak burned away by the fire on the tree. His clothes started to burn, smoke rising from his body.

Because of waking up at night hurriedly, the camp was burning. He didn't get any time to wear any armor. He just followed Amon here.

Still, he started to laugh.

"Hah… hahahaha!"

His eyes burned with manic delight. "You're learning. Good. That makes killing you worth it. Do you know… as much as I love torturing, I also love fighting. Heheh~ Seems like you can be a good opponent."

Demonic energy flooded the area, the flames bending away from him as if afraid. His body shone in dark blue demonic energy.

Zerath raised his sword with both hands.

"I'll carve that will of yours apart."

Amon forced himself upright, legs shaking, every breath agony. But he smiled. Just slightly.

"Try."

He was not afraid. If anything, he was getting excited.

The burning forest howled around them as shadow and fire clashed once more, two wills colliding in the middle of hell itself.

Zerath's demonic aura surged. Then shifted.

The flames around him bent sharply to the side, as if pushed by an invisible force. Ash and embers were ripped from the air and spun into a violent spiral.

Wind. He was wind element user. Not a gentle breeze, but a crushing, screaming gale. Zerath stepped forward and swung his sword.

The blade didn't just cut. It dragged the wind with it. A compressed wall of air slammed into Amon like a hammer. Amon blocked it by crossing his sword and hatchet.

BOOOOM!

Amon was sent flying, smashing through a burning tree trunk before crashing hard into the ground. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs. His vision went white for a moment.

"Gah—!"

He rolled instinctively as another wind blade sliced through the spot where his head had been. The ground behind him exploded, dirt and roots torn apart like paper.

His back was burned by the tree. Zerath didn't stop. He raised his free hand, fingers spread.

[Gale Prison]

The air around Amon twisted violently.

Pressure slammed in from all sides. The wind wrapped around him like invisible chains, lifting him off the ground and suspending him midair. His limbs trembled as the crushing force tried to tear him apart.

Bones creaked. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"You see?" Zerath said calmly, walking closer. "This is the difference between us. Power. Control. Experience."

He clenched his fist. The wind tightened. Amon screamed as pain tore through his body.

But through the agony, his eyes sharpened. The shadows beneath him surged. They didn't fight the wind. They slipped through it, like ink seeping into cracks.

His shadow was wider after entering Mana Initiate. Only a small part of his shadow was covered over his hatchet.

Amon forced his left hand to move. He swung his left hand lightly and threw the hatchet into the air. It flew in air but not fast. It could fall down on in just few second. But it didn't.

Because using his ability, the shadow controlled his hatchet and moved it through the air. It moved toward Zareth. It was fast.

Zareth's eyes widened.

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