Their bodies collided again—
Draven's shoulder slammed into him—
Then his knee drove upward—
The man twisted—
Barely avoiding a clean hit—
But still took the impact.
He skidded back again.
Breathing slightly heavier now.
But still smiling.
"…You're restricted."
He said it out loud this time.
Eyes flicking to the chains again.
"And you're still doing this much?"
A low laugh escaped him.
"Now I really want to kill you."
Draven tilted his head slightly.
Chains dragging as he took another step forward.
"…Then try harder."
Flat.
Cold.
The man's grin sharpened.
"Gladly."
Mana flared again—
Stronger this time.
Denser.
Deadlier.
Around them—
Other prisoners began to move away.
Instinctively.
Because now—
This wasn't just a fight.
It was something worse.
And anyone caught in it—
Wouldn't survive.
A clash rang out behind them—
Then a sudden voice cut through the chaos.
"…Wait—"
Not loud.
But sharp enough to carry.
A beastkin stood a short distance away, frozen mid-step.
His eyes were wide.
Locked onto Draven.
Recognition hit him all at once.
"…I know him."
His voice trembled slightly—
Not from fear alone.
From realization.
"I remember now…"
A step back.
Slow.
Unconscious.
"That face…"
His throat tightened.
"…he's the one."
More eyes began to shift.
Attention pulling.
Like gravity.
"The son of the Demon King—"
The words landed heavy.
Clear.
Undeniable.
"The one the Empire placed a bounty on."
Silence—
For half a second.
Then everything changed.
The man facing Draven paused.
Just slightly.
His grin faltered—
Then grew wider.
Far wider than before.
"…Oh?"
A low breath escaped him.
"That explains a lot."
His gaze sharpened.
Interest turning into something else.
Something darker.
"Now that…"
He rolled his shoulder again, mana flaring stronger.
"…is worth killing."
Around them—
The shift was instant.
Greed.
Fear.
Hesitation.
Calculation.
Some prisoners took a step back—
Not wanting to get involved.
Others—
Did the opposite.
They leaned in.
Watching closer.
Because a bounty like that—
Wasn't small.
It was the kind of thing people killed for.
The kind of thing people died for.
The boy felt it immediately.
The weight of it.
"…Sir—"
His voice dropped.
Tense.
"This is bad—"
Draven didn't even look at him.
His eyes stayed forward.
On the man in front of him.
Unmoved.
"…Nothing changed."
Flat.
Cold.
As if the revelation meant nothing.
Another step forward.
Chains dragging behind him.
**Clink…**
"…They were going to try anyway."
The man laughed.
Loud.
Excited.
"Yeah—!"
Mana surged violently around him now.
"Now I just have a better reason!"
Behind him—
Another prisoner shifted.
Then another.
Not attacking yet—
But watching.
Waiting.
Because now—
Draven wasn't just another prisoner.
He was a prize.
And in a place like this—
That made him the most dangerous thing in the room.
Not because of what he could do—
But because of what others would do to him.
The air shifted.
Not violently—
But heavy.
Oppressive.
Draven's gaze settled fully on him now.
No distractions.
No indifference.
Just that same cold emptiness—
But deeper.
"…I ignored you at first."
His voice was low.
Calm.
But something underneath it—
Had changed.
"You were just another idiot."
A step forward.
**Clink…**
Chains dragged.
Echoing.
"But now…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…you're getting ahead of yourself."
Another step.
The pressure in the air thickened.
"…like the moron you are."
The man's grin twitched—
Just for a second.
Then steadied.
Draven continued.
Unhurried.
"You're a fourth-star mana user."
Flat.
Matter-of-fact.
"And somehow…"
A faint tilt of his head.
"…you think you have a chance to kill me?"
Silence.
Then—
Something spread.
Not mana.
Not aura.
Something else.
Killing intent.
Dense.
Cold.
It pressed down on everything.
The man felt it immediately.
His smile didn't disappear—
But it tightened.
Instinct kicked in.
*Danger.*
Real danger.
Draven took another step.
Chains shaking.
**Clink… clink…**
"…Now I'm going to kill you."
No rise in tone.
No emotion.
Just a statement.
"Because you annoyed me."
Another step.
Closer.
"And because…"
His eyes locked onto him.
Unblinking.
"…you thought you could."
The man exhaled slowly.
Then—
Grinned again.
But this time—
It wasn't relaxed.
It was sharp.
Tense.
"Good."
Mana surged violently around him.
Far stronger than before.
"Finally."
He stepped forward too—
Meeting Draven head-on.
"Show me."
The distance between them closed.
One step.
Two—
Then—
They moved.
At the same time.
The man launched forward—
Mana bursting around his body—
Speed spiking to its peak—
His fist shot forward, aimed straight for Draven's head—
But Draven didn't dodge.
Didn't step back.
He stepped in.
Chains restricting his arms—
But not his timing.
Not his precision.
The moment the punch came—
He slipped slightly off-line—
And drove his shoulder forward—
**THUD**
The impact landed first.
Breaking the man's rhythm—
Then—
Draven's head snapped forward—
**CRACK**
Another brutal headbutt.
The man's vision blurred—
But he didn't fall—
He twisted—
Retaliating instantly—
A kick slammed into Draven's side—
**BOOM**
Mana exploded on impact—
Dust and fragments of stone scattered—
Draven's body shifted back—
But stopped.
He didn't fall.
Didn't stagger far.
The man pulled back—
Breathing heavier now.
Eyes sharper.
*He's not normal.*
Draven straightened.
Slowly.
As if nothing happened.
Chains dragging again.
**Clink…**
"…Too slow."
Flat.
Cold.
The man's grin returned—
But now—
There was tension behind it.
Because he understood now.
This wasn't a fight he controlled.
And Draven—
Was just getting started.
Draven stood still for a brief second.
Then—
He rose slightly onto his toes.
The back of his feet lifting off the ground.
A small motion.
Almost… playful.
He hopped once.
Light.
Controlled.
Then again.
And again.
Each movement subtle—
But his body leaned forward more each time.
Like he was about to fall.
Like balance didn't matter.
The man's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…What the hell—"
Then—
**BOOM**
Draven vanished.
No windup.
No warning.
Just gone.
The man's eyes snapped wide—
Instinct screaming—
Too late.
Draven was already there.
Right in front of him.
Close enough to feel his breath.
His hands shot out—
Grabbing the man's head from both sides—
Fingers digging in—
Then—
His knees drove forward—
**CRACK**
Both slammed into the man's face at once.
Bone shattered.
Vision exploded into white.
Before the man could even process it—
Draven moved again.
Still holding his head—
His body twisted sharply—
The chains connecting his wrists and legs snapping tight—
Wrapping—
Looping—
Around the man's neck.
Fast.
Precise.
The man's eyes widened—
His hands shot up—
Grabbing at the chains—
Trying to tear them off—
But—
Draven pulled.
One leg stretched back.
Arms pulling forward.
The chain tightened.
Digging deep into flesh.
Cutting.
Crushing.
The man released a surge of mana—
Desperate—
Violent—
Trying to break free—
But it didn't matter.
The chain bit deeper.
Deeper—
Until—
**SHHK**
A clean, brutal cut.
His neck gave way.
His head lifted into the air—
Spinning—
Blood spraying out in a violent arc.
The body stood for a fraction of a second—
Then collapsed.
**THUD**
Draven landed lightly.
Straight.
Balanced.
Chains settling back into place with a soft **clink**.
The severed head hit the ground nearby—
Rolling slightly before coming to a stop.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Thick.
Every nearby prisoner froze.
Watching.
Because that—
Wasn't a struggle.
Wasn't even a fight.
It was—
Execution.
Draven didn't look at the body.
Didn't look at the head.
He just adjusted slightly—
As if nothing had happened.
Then glanced forward again.
"…Move."
His voice was calm.
Unchanged.
Directed at the boy.
Because to him—
That man—
Was already forgotten.