Cassian lunged again, his blade aimed at Damien’s heart. Damien sidestepped, delivering a swift counterstrike. Cassian parried, their blades locking for a brief moment.

“You’ve grown stronger than I expected,” Cassian admitted, his voice low. “But strength alone isn’t enough.”

With a burst of shadow energy, Cassian broke the lock and leapt back. He raised his free hand, and the shadows in the arena began to shift and twist. The darkness became oppressive, suffocating, as if the very air was being consumed.

Damien braced himself as Cassian unleashed his next assault. The Nightraven prodigy moved like a storm, his blade a blur of dark energy. Damien met him blow for blow, his own strikes fierce and unrelenting.

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Their blades clashed again and again, each impact sending sparks flying. Damien could feel his stamina waning, but he pushed through the fatigue, drawing on every ounce of his training and resolve.

He began to see openings in Cassian’s attacks—small gaps in his otherwise flawless technique. Damien capitalized on these moments, landing several decisive strikes that forced Cassian to retreat.

But Cassian was far from finished. He summoned the shadows once more, channeling their energy into a final, devastating attack.