Kahn's last words were surprisingly noble for a man about to die. Halo relied on his speed advantage, but while Kahn couldn't touch him, he gave Shadow of Death no openings either.

The fight looked like expert dodgeball players facing off. The nerve-wracking clash of steel had given way to a series of whipping sounds, sharp and intense enough to break the sound barrier.

But with less than a minute of the three remaining, he couldn't afford to play games with Kahn anymore.

Tempus est dominus. Time is the master.

He'd initially wanted to wear Kahn out. With his speed and reflexes, he should have been a nightmare for someone with Kahn's rigid stance and insane stamina.

Add in Kahn's impatience, and victory should've been inevitable, but Kahn seemed very comfortable in his defense.

But in that moment, he felt something that made him shudder.

Shadow of Death deliberately left an opening. But Kahn's eyes narrowed behind his mask, a look that clearly said: I'm not falling for that.

Kahn clutched the lamp and retreated a step, attempting to avoid the trap. His caution only made Halo smile.

The moment Kahn moved, Halo was on him. His speed erupted so violently across the room that even he didn't think he could unleash it in such a short distance.

His strike met Kahn square in the ribcage, forcing him to let go of his weapon. For the first time, he heard the red-masked man let out a scream of pure agony.

But Halo gave him no breathing room.

Recreating the same assault Kahn had put him through moments before, Halo mopped the floor with him. He used Kahn's body to clean the crimson and replaced it with fresh blood.

Kahn had shown himself to be shrewd and careful despite his impatient nature. He was no stranger to taking hits. Halo turned that pain tolerance into a weakness.

Soon, Kahn was choking on blood, unable to breathe through his mask. Shadow of Death decided it was over. Despite his heavy breathing, he struck, aiming straight for Kahn's head without hesitation.

Something stopped him mid-swing. Dread flooded Halo as his body retreated on instinct before he could register the threat.

Kahn casually rose to his feet and struck a fighting pose with only a metallic spoon in his hand.

Halo sneered.

'That damn True Ability.'

He couldn't be sure, but seeing Kahn treat a lamp and spoon as deadly weapons suggested his True Ability: anything could become a weapon if he viewed it as one. This also explained his perfect handling of each improvised tool.

In a flash, Kahn rushed Halo. He pressed in dangerously close, face-to-face, eliminating the space needed for a fatal attack.

They circled and feinted, each briefly controlling the pace, but Halo was losing himself.

Not only was he near the three-minute mark, but the injuries Kahn had inflicted on him were already getting the best of him.

He was slowing down, limbs sore, vision fading in and out. His attacks had lost their earlier speed and brutality.

His breathing turned ragged. Something dripped inside him, like his heart was leaking its life away.

Everything went blank. Something took over his body. In one instant, he matched Kahn blow for blow; in the next, he wielded a black and white cudgel, and Kahn was hurtling backward, smashing through every obstacle in his way.

He regained consciousness barely a second later, his heartbeat quickening and aching as he gasped for air like a dying animal.

There was no time to process what happened, but one thing was clear: his body had taken over, driven by the instinct that hesitation meant death.

Kahn hadn't even stood when Halo reached him, driving his blade through Kahn's chest. The scream was louder than anything Halo had heard before.

He hadn't consciously chosen to transform Magnus, but the weapon had responded to him on instinct.

One second he struck Kahn with a spear, the next with a dagger, next with a knife… it went on until the bastard was no longer recognizable.

Blood drenched Halo's body, dripping steadily into the crimson pool below. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling. His condition wasn't improving, but he needed rest.

Without checking if Kahn was truly dead, he staggered away like a zombie, his body swaying from side to side.

***

[ Congratulations! You've slain a Knight. ]

[ You've received a Sin Fragment: impatient. 2393/ 10000. ]

[ Your stamina has increased. ]

***

The moment the bronze screen appeared before him, he felt his body growing lighter than it already was. But he still held his ground.

The locals remained hidden. Kahn, the red-masked man they called their hero, was still around. They admired him, yes, but couldn't bear to be near him. So they stayed inside until he left.

Little did they know, their savior would never leave. He'd been slain by the very person he'd slaughtered so many to track down.

The hunter had become the prey.

Half-dead as he was, Halo knew not to remain in the open. He leaned on buildings for support, dragging himself along. They couldn't discover his home.

Three blocks to the left, a small house was sandwiched between two taller buildings. The instant he staggered inside, he dropped to the floor, blood pooling beneath him.

"Back already? I haven't even gotten the chance to sleep."

Leto said from his chair, casually sipping coffee with no intention of helping.

"You seriously can't fight without bleeding everywhere? Honestly… now the floor's a mess. You know I hate that. And you didn't even use your clones. That is your True Ability, remember?"

He spoke like a civilized person, the kind who would help Halo off the floor and wipe up the blood. But his body told a different story entirely.

Halo, however, was glad he'd made it back without asking anyone for help. Before he knew it, blood trickled from his nose, and what little consciousness remained slipped through his fingers.

Everything went dark.

Kahn was down. They just had to wait and see what the Prince and Hex would throw at them next.

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