"What the...what just happened?" Jack questioned at the sudden wound inflicted on his body.

"Yeah, striking my sturdy knife is ill-advised," Ryzen commented. "Your slashes will simply shift from my blades. I call that skill counter-guard."

"Oh, bloody hell. You are an annoying bugger, huh, mate?" Jack responded as the slash wound on his chest quickly vanished. He had healed rapidly due to his murder blessing.

That woman not only survived me but also found friends to help her. Jack thought. How interesting.

"But it doesn't matter how much of a nuisance you make yourself out to be, mate," Jack continued. "I will slaughter that woman!"

Suddenly, Jack tossed one of his dura-neg blades at Ryzen's head. It soared through the air at well above sonic speeds, as indicated by the sonic booms it generated.

Unsurprisingly, the projectile's trajectory was set to miss the target, but Jack had anticipated this by his next actions. When the durability negator blade was about to fly past Ryzen's head, Jack quickly caught up to it and grabbed the handle of his knife, surprising his opponent.

Immediately, he followed up with a horizontal slash with the same blade, but Ryzen reacted and leaned back.

Tsk, he reacted to that, huh? Jack thought. He's faster than I give him credit for!

Jack attempted another horizontal slash with his second blade, but Ryzen weaved and simultaneously got behind Jack with quick movements. Ryzen slashed downwards across Jack's back, but he quickly turned around and parried with his dura-neg.

Another slash wound appeared on his side, although he successfully blocked it, which annoyed Jack. He wasn't very phased as Jack had a big smile on his face, and his wound quickly regenerated.

Before Jack could counter-attack, though, Ryzen executed a roundhouse kick. Jack blocked with his arm but was knocked several meters away.

Fast and possesses an annoying blessing. I guess it'll take some time to enjoy the brat that survived me once. Jack thought as he stuck his sashimi knives into the ground, stopping himself from being knocked further.

Without wasting a second, they both rushed each other to continue their fight. The fight quickly took up the environment as they both began zooming around at high speeds around the block.

"Ugh, I didn't think Sir. Ryzen was this good," Aiden commented. "I can't even see their movements."

"Yeah, It certainly makes me realize how weak I truly am..." Sariel said. "But I'm sure no one's feeling worse than Amber."

"Her family being murdered by Jack the Ripper. What a heavy and painful burden she had to carry all this time..." Ariel said.

* * *

While Ryzen had engaged Jack in battle, Amber was with the army of regular soldiers on the other side of the city block.

"W-What? How did I get here?" Amber wondered as she observed her soldier comrades with surprise.

"I'm not sure how, but I think Sir. Ryzen was the one that brought you here," A soldier answered.

"What? But why?"

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"It's for your safety, Amber. Jack is too much of a threat," The soldier responded.

"No! I have to fight him!" Amber retorted. "I must kill that demon!"

"I understand your pain, Amber. I'd also want to kill that monster for taking my family away, but you must understand that it's too dangerous," The soldier reasoned. "Just put your faith in Sir. Ryzen. He will get revenge for you and us!"

Even though Amber knew what the soldier said was correct, she still had a visibly frustrated expression.

No, I just can't sit still! Amber thought. It's my destiny to kill that demon!

* * *

As Ryzen and Jack continued their fight, the environment suffered significant damage. As the two moved around, they attacked each other by cutting the air with their blades, so powerful that it created shockwaves. Of course, neither of them could land those ranged attacks, as either Ryzen would simply change the trajectory for it to miss, or Jack would sense the 'killing intent' with his murder blessing and dodge accordingly.

Of course, this meant the environment would be damaged instead of the fighters. Numerous properties and plant life sustained deep slashes in them.

Getting annoyed at his air slashes constantly missing, Jack thought one thing - Flash step. He rushed Ryzen, hoping to get a cut in with his blade because all he needed to win was one well-placed slash.

"Those are some good blades you have there," Ryzen stated. "I can tell you can cut right through me with one slash."

Although he needed a single slash, Jack found landing it impossible. Upon parrying the first slash, a deep slash wound appeared on Jack's body. Even though he ignored it (and it quickly regenerated) to slash some more, Ryzen could parry them all. More and more slash wounds appeared on Jack's body with every unsuccessful attack, which slowed him down slightly due to the injuries.

Although Jack regenerated them after sustaining many slashes, the same cannot be said for Jack's clothing, as it became increasingly ripped.

"You are super fast and talented," Ryzen commented. "In another life, I think we could have been comrades."

Jack completely ignored this and instead rushed to a nearby building. He took up a large chunk of the building's pillar after slicing it.

"Oh, my," Ryzen uttered.

Jack then rushed up and attempted to smash Ryzen with the pillar. Ryzen avoided it, but Jack seemed to have used the pillar as a feint, as he instantly did a double downward slash with both his durability negator sashimi knives. Ryzen still weaved it and attempted a counter-attack horizontal slash with his sturdy knife, but Jack suddenly stopped it by lifting his right leg and placing his foot on it.

Sleight of Hand!

After momentarily immobilizing one of his blades, Jack followed up with a stab to Ryzen's face. Not even the sleight of hand-enhanced stab was enough, as Ryzen reacted and leaned back ninety degrees to avoid it. He immediately kicked Jack after spinning in the air, knocking him away.

Bloody hell! Why is it so hard to land one hit on this bugger!? Jack thought with a strange, frustrated-filled grin. Who would have thought that weak little prey found some good buggers to hide behind!

"Despite all the slashes you sustained, you are completely unblemished," Ryzen commented. "This fight isn't anywhere close to its conclusion, so let's just--"

Suddenly, multiple yellow gleaming energy balls soared toward Jack, but he moved out of the way before being hit by them. The cause of that was Amber, who quickly approached the fighters.

"Ha, so you're back again, brat!?" Jack stated with an excited grin.

"No, Amber! Come back!" A soldier called out as the army watched her with extreme concern. Despite their attempts at convincing Amber to stay, she never listened - the urge to defeat this 'demon' was far too strong.

"Tsk, even though I put you away, you still came back," Ryzen said with furrowed eyebrows. "I get that you have some hero complex or something, but I was trying to help you..."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ryzen, but I just can't stay idle..." Amber stated. "I have to be the one who kills that monster!"

Sigh, it's not like I was planning on killing Jack in the first place. Ryzen thought.

"Ah, you have no idea how happy I am to see you again, insect," Jack said. "I don't know how long I could have kept my composure. But there's no need to worry anymore."

"Shut your mouth!" Amber retorted as her gleaming aura surged around her again, emitting immense yellow sparks, too. "Everything you say truly makes me angry!"

Meanwhile, her friends approached the scene to no longer see Ryzen fighting Jack but to witness Amber standing off with the murderer.

"What? Amber is fighting Jack the Ripper again!?" Ivory said with a shocked expression.

"Dammit, Of course, she wouldn't have just let Sir. Ryzen fight him..." Aiden muttered. "She's in extreme danger now."

"Yes, as her friends, we have to help her!" Ariel suggested.

"Right!"