He didn't answer. Instead, he hurled an energy sphere straight at me.

"Damn it!"

I dove to the side, feeling a hot blast of energy whoosh past my ear. The ground beneath my feet trembled as the sphere exploded, scattering small stones and dust. Before the smoke had even settled, a system notification flashed before my eyes.

[SYSTEM]

You are fighting an opponent of a higher level.

Talent "Warrior's Instinct" activated.

Statistics increased by 50%.

I felt it immediately. My body became as light as down, and my muscles tensed, ready to explode. My heart began to race—not out of fear, but out of excitement.

"Alright, let's see what you're made of."

I began analyzing his movements. A mage, without a doubt. The heft of his attacks relied on magic, which meant one thing: he lacked speed and physical strength. That was my advantage. A smile spread across my face. He has no idea how fast I am now.

I clenched my hand around the summoned sword, feeling its weight in my grasp. But that wasn’t it. The advantage lay in speed. The weapon dissolved in mid-air, replaced by a dagger—a lighter, more slender blade designed for lightning-fast strikes.

I felt energy beginning to pulsate through my body. First in my feet, then in my calves, as if my veins were glowing red. I felt warmth spreading throughout me, like a coiled spring ready to be unleashed. The air around me seemed denser, and every sound from my surroundings became distinctly audible.

Now.

With force, I pushed off the ground. The terrain around me blurred into a smear as each precise step pounded into the earth, closing the gap between us in a fraction of a second. The air whistled in my ears, and adrenaline powered every move. I felt myself hurtling through space, leaving him no time to react.

My dagger sliced through the air with deadly precision, aiming straight for his neck.

"Let's finish this."

SMACK!

I stopped. The blade of my dagger—meant to cut through his skin like butter—struck an invisible barrier with a roar that reverberated through my bones. I could feel the vibrations coursing up the hilt, seeping into my fingers.

Startled, I leaped back at the last moment. Exactly where I had been standing, another energy sphere exploded, sending chunks of earth flying in every direction.

That was close.

I looked at him, panting heavily. He stood with his legs slightly apart, his leather armor covered in dust and debris from the explosion, and he still held the staff in his hand—a staff that shimmered with a soft light. His eyes widened for a moment, as if he himself couldn’t quite comprehend what had just happened. This was not the reaction of someone in control of their defensive spells.

My gaze shifted to his face, and then I noticed it. A silver dragon-shaped earring caught the light by his ear, but now it shone a little dimmer—as if it had lost part of its luster. That had to be that damned piece of jewelry.

The realization that it wasn’t his own abilities but an artifact that had protected him gave me the upper hand. I now knew he wasn’t invincible. That shield was the result of something external, which meant he had his limits.

But the fear in his eyes quickly vanished. His face hardened, and his eyes flared with a cold, almost deranged light. His lips pressed into a thin line, and the veins on his neck pulsed with a sudden surge of adrenaline. His left hand gripped the staff so tightly that his knuckles went white, while the tips of his fingers trembled with tension. His right hand—previously calm—rose with furious precision, ready to unleash another attack. The staff in his hand glimmered slightly, as if reacting to his anger.

A low, angry murmur escaped his throat, which then transformed into a piercing roar.

It was replaced by pure rage.

"How dare you!" he roared, and his hands began to generate another set of energy spheres.

Alright, change of plan.

His anger was a clear sign that he was struggling to control his emotions—a weakness I could exploit. All I had to do was keep his frustration burning and play for time until he exhausted himself.

This was my chance. I just needed to buy time.

Let’s start with the surroundings.

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The forest around me was dense; every tree became a natural shield against the incoming energy spheres. The bark, thick and cracked, splintered into the air under the force of the explosions, leaving behind a suffocating smell of burnt wood and resin. Leaves fell around me like a green rain, rustling with every step I took.

I ran along the uneven terrain, using every bump, every rock, every thicket as potential cover. The air whistled with the speed of the energy spheres, which exploded with a thunderous bang, scattering fragments around me. The ground trembled under my feet with every blast, but I maintained my distance, waiting for my opponent to make a mistake.

Every breath I took was synchronized with my movements; every glance scanned the surroundings for the perfect spot to counterattack. The trees, while offering cover, could also turn into traps if I wasn’t careful. I watched as chunks of trunks splintered under the force of magical explosions, and fine ash floated through the air.

I had to force him to drain all his mana.

"Is that all? Hiding like a rat?!" his voice echoed through the forest.

I didn’t reply. Patience was key. I only responded with a slight upturn of my lips—a provocative smile meant to fuel his fury even more. I continued to evade his attacks with precision, as if it were a game in which he was utterly helpless.

After a few minutes, I noticed sweat beading on his forehead, his breathing quickened, and his attacks grew less frequent. He was tiring.

This was my moment.

I paused for a moment, hiding behind one of the trees, and observed my opponent. I could see his fatigue, the sweat on his brow, and his labored breaths. It was now or never. I tightened my grip on the hilt of my dagger, feeling adrenaline surge through my veins and my heart pounding like a drum. For a brief moment, everything around me fell silent—only precision mattered.

I tensed the muscles in my calves, and energy began to course through my body. I exploded forward like a bullet, closing the gap between us in the blink of an eye.

When I was just inches away from him, I saw it—a smirk on his face. Broad and self-assured, as if he’d been waiting for this very moment.

"I got you," he whispered.

The ground beneath my feet suddenly transformed. It became slick and treacherous. I lost my balance.

Not now!

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted an energy projectile speeding in my direction.

Damn it! I realized I wouldn’t have time to dodge. Instinctively, I recalled my dagger, which immediately dispersed into the air, and I concentrated all my energy into one thought. I had to create a new weapon.

I felt a surge of power ripple through my body, gathering in my hands. I summoned a shield—solid and massive—which materialized almost instantly before me. The projectile’s impact was like a battering ram; the shield halted its momentum, but the force of the explosion sent me several meters backward.

A dense cloud of dust and chunks of earth billowed into the air. Thrown several meters back, I landed hard on my back, coughing as grains of dirt and dust forced their way into my throat.

He thought he had me.

I took advantage of that. In the thick cloud of dust, I was invisible, and every sound of my footsteps was muffled by the drifting particles. I could feel the dust scraping my throat, but I had no time for coughing or hesitation. My mind was laser-focused, and my body was poised to attack.

I concentrated energy in my hands, feeling it pulsate beneath my skin. I summoned a longer sword, which materialized from a seething mist of energy. Its blade glimmered for a moment in the dim light, reflecting the faint glow that broke through the dust.

With muscles tensed like a spring ready to fire, I leaped from my hiding spot. The air tore apart beneath my momentum, and the ground trembled as my feet pushed off the uneven terrain.

His eyes widened for a split second as he spotted my silhouette emerging from the dust—but it was already too late. I lunged at him with full speed and precision, aiming straight for his neck.

My blade was set on his throat.

CRACK!

The shield appeared again—the same pulsating barrier of magic. It halted my attack just as it had before.

Exactly as I had expected.

I didn’t give him a moment to react. Immediately after the blade was deflected, I executed two swift slashes aimed at different weak points in his defense. My strikes cut through the air at dizzying speed, well before he could even raise his staff in defense. I watched as the dragon-shaped earring on his ear suddenly shattered with a sharp crack, its fragments bouncing off the ground.

“This time, you won't escape,” I snarled under my breath, clenching my fingers around the hilt of my sword. I directed the blade straight toward his throat, ready to end the duel.

But before the blade could touch his skin, my opponent suddenly vanished, as if dissolving into the air. My sword sliced only through emptiness, leaving a faint trail where he had stood moments before.

What the…?!

I scanned my surroundings intently, every muscle in my body tensed to its limit. The area was silent—too silent. The dust cloud still lingered in the air, yet there was no trace of his presence. My eyes combed through every shadow and every rustle of a leaf, but I saw nothing.

“And who’s the rat here?” I muttered under my breath, clenching my teeth in frustration.

I stood still, still gripping the hilt of my sword, as the echo of my recent steps faded into the distance. The dust slowly settled to the ground, but my mind whirled with the events that had just unfolded.

How in the world did he vanish?

I gritted my teeth, replaying every moment of the clash. I knew I had the advantage—I was faster, stronger in direct combat. His magic was potent, but it lacked precision and endurance. His anger and chaotic attacks had drained most of his mana far too quickly, giving me the opportunity for a direct strike.

The dragon-shaped earring… It must have been the item that generated that damned shield. But how did he manage to teleport? Most likely it was some other item or ability.

I sighed and canceled the ability, causing the sword in my hand to vanish into a dispersing cloud of energy. My body remained tense, but my mind began to settle. I had assumed that my uncontrolled emotions would make me an easy target, so I underestimated him once—falling straight into his trap. It nearly killed me—if not for pure instinct and the quick switch from weapon to shield, I would have sustained serious injuries. Then I made the same mistake again, thinking I had him within reach, and allowed him to slip away. Twice I had made that error.

How embarrassing. Next time, I must be better prepared—keeping an open mind to all the different magical scenarios that could unfold in battle. I cannot afford such mistakes again.

“Time to head back to the shelter, but next time we meet… you won't be able to escape,” I muttered under my breath, watching the sunset.