Saladis slowly descended after his laughter finally faded, the purple aura around his armor settling into a dense haze. His feet touched the frozen ground as he looked toward Lexel, who stood several meters away with nothing but his deteriorating boots and bare hands, yet somehow wearing that same familiar smirk.
Lexel's eyes sharpened.
[Will of Torga]
The skill activated.
Something changed.
Not in the way an ordinary enhancement would. There was no explosion of energy, no brilliant light announcing a transformation. Instead, Lexel's presence seemed to settle into itself, becoming heavier and more absolute. His body remained the same, yet Saladis immediately noticed that something about him had shifted.
Saladis tilted his head, studying him for a moment.
He sensed the difference.
But then his attention drifted.
It was the same mistake Lexel had made earlier when he had looked away from his opponent for just a moment.
When Saladis looked back—
Lexel was gone.
