Chapter 60 – Shadows and Black Smoke
**[DEVASTATED FOREST – CONFRONTATION]**
**San** — didn't wait for a signal.
He **exploded** into motion — *Shadow Step* activating instantly, body dissolving into black mist, reappearing five meters to Marcus's left, twin daggers **slashing** horizontally aimed at the neck.
**Marcus** — didn't move.
The strike **passed** — three centimeters in front of the throat, cutting only air.
---
**San** — vanished again, reappeared behind, thrust aimed at the kidneys.
**Marcus** — rotated minimally, thrust **missing** by a millimeter margin.
---
**San** — accelerated, *Shadow Step* activating **repeatedly** without pause: right (diagonal slash), left (low thrust), above (aerial dive), front (double strike), full circle around Marcus in **three** seconds, fifteen different attacks, each **missing** by centimeters.
Voice coming between attacks — **provocative** tone:
"What's **wrong**?! — Vanished, reappeared. — Did some **dust** get in your eye?! — Attack, vanish. — Or do you need some **glasses** with better vision?! — Reappears on the side, horizontal slash misses.
---
**Marcus** — remained **motionless** at the center, body rotating minimally to dodge, expression **blank** as always, dark-brown eyes not tracking San's movement but **focusing** on something else, head **tilting** slightly as though **listening** rather than seeing.
Absolute **silence** — no response to the taunt, no sign of irritation, no change in breathing.
He simply **waited**.
---
**San** — twenty attacks, thirty, **forty** in ten seconds.
And he **noticed** — the pattern.
*Marcus isn't even trying to counter-attack.*
*He's just… dodging.*
*As if he's analyzing something.*
*Waiting for a specific moment.*
Thought flashing through:
*This is my **chance**! He's distracted!*
---
He **leapt** — not sideways but **vertically**, propelling his body ten meters up to a thick branch of a giant tree, twisting mid-air, feet **planting** on wood.
And **dove** — not a small drop but massive, body **launching** downward like a projectile, gravity accelerating the fall, daggers **extended** forward aiming at the top of Marcus's head, terminal velocity reaching eighty kilometers per hour in two seconds.
Mentally screamed:
*GOT YOU!*
---
**Marcus** — quick movement — not a dodge but a **crouch**.
Hands **slamming** the basalt ground covered in moss, fingers **digging** into soil, voice emerging for the first time — deep, monotone:
— **Earth Manipulation**.
---
The **ground** — **exploded**.
Not literally, but dozens of **arms** — not human but made of wet dark-brown clay mixed with moss and small stones, adult-sized (two meters long, twenty centimeters diameter), erupting from the soil in a five-meter radius around Marcus, **rising** upward like giant tentacles, moving in coordinated rather than random fashion, all converging on **San** still diving three meters above.
---
**San** — eyes **widening**, seeing the wall of clay arms **rising** to intercept.
Body **twisted** in mid-air — normally impossible but passive skill *Extreme Agility* allowing limited aerial control, spine **bending** sideways, first arm **passing** three centimeters from his face (felt the cold dampness of clay), second arm coming diagonally — leg **kicking** to deflect the arm's trajectory, third from below — body **spinning** horizontally avoiding by millimeters.
Fourth, fifth, sixth — impossible dodges, body contorting through the forest of arms like an acrobat, adrenaline **exploding**, time **slowing** perceptually.
And **landed** — not on the ground but on a horizontal clay arm three meters up, feet **planting** on the unstable wet surface.
Didn't stop — **ran** along the arm like a bridge, leaping to the next when it ended, **parkour** movement through the three-dimensional clay structure, objective: reach **Marcus** at the center.
---
**Leapt** — last arm, propelling body final five meters, daggers **prepared**, trajectory perfect straight line toward Marcus standing motionless below.
Triumphant thought:
*GOT YOU NOW!*
---
**FIST** — emerged from nowhere.
Not a thin arm but a **massive fist** the size of a barrel (one meter diameter), densely compacted clay hard as stone, appearing instantly two meters to Marcus's side, horizontal trajectory intercepting San still in mid-air.
---
**IMPACT** — not gentle but **devastating**.
Fist **struck** San on the right side — ribs **cracking** audibly CRACK-CRACK-CRACK (three broken), right lung **compressed** forcing air out violently, body **launched** sideways not falling but **flying** fifteen meters through the forest, smashing into the trunk of a giant tree hard enough to **split** the bark, dropping to the ground **limp** temporarily stunned.
---
**San's HUD**:
```
╔════════════════════════════════╗
║ SAN ║
║ HP: 1200 → 780 [-420] ║
║ STATUS: ║
║ • 3 Fractured Ribs ║
║ • Right Lung Contusion ║
║ • Mild Concussion ║
║ • Minor Internal Hemorrhage ║
║ • -20% Movement Speed ║
║ • -15% Stamina Regeneration ║
╚════════════════════════════════╝
```
**San** — forehead **bleeding**, three-centimeter superficial cut above right eyebrow, blood **running** into eye, vision **blurring** on that side, explosive pain shooting through right side, breathing **gasping** irregular.
Looked **ahead** through blurred vision.
---
**Marcus** — rising from the ground, hands **emerging** from soil, clay arms around him **dissolving** back into the earth.
And beside him — **two** humanoids emerging.
Not arms but **complete clones**: perfect human shape (two meters tall, adult proportions), made of dark-brown compacted clay, surface **smooth** with sculpted muscles, faces identical to Marcus (blank expressions copied), each holding a **long sword** of hardened clay (120 centimeters, sharp as metal through magical compression).
---
**Marcus** — monotone voice:
"I'm not a knight **skilled** in direct combat like Garrett is." Pragmatic, unapologetic tone. "But my **earth clones** perfectly compensate for that deficiency."
---
**Two clones** — **exploded** into simultaneous motion, running at maximum human speed (thirty kilometers per hour) toward still-fallen San, swords **raised** preparing lethal downward cuts, distance closing rapidly: ten meters, eight, six.
---
**[JULIA vs GARRETT – SIMULTANEOUSLY]**
**Julia** — didn't wait either.
**Attacked** — sword slashing diagonal downward aiming at Garrett's shoulder, fluid Wushu movement incorporating hip rotation to maximize force.
**Garrett** — deflected **minimally**, body tilting five degrees sideways, blade **passing** centimeters from shoulder.
---
**Julia** — didn't stop, chain of attacks: thrust (Garrett dodges), horizontal slash (dodges), upward cut (dodges), full rotation with circular slash (dodges), ten attacks in **five** seconds, each executed **perfectly** technically but each **missing** by minimal margins.
Sweat **running** down temple, breathing **accelerating**, frustration **growing**.
---
**Garrett** — cruel smile curling lips, not even counter-attacking, just **dodging** with extreme economy of movement:
"**Entertain** me more, you little pest!" Provocative tone. "Is this all an Ellis knight can do?!"
---
**Julia** — intensified, speed **increasing**, fifteen attacks, twenty, **thirty** in ten seconds, body **spinning** continuously incorporating kicks between sword slashes, movement turning into a **deadly dance**.
But Garrett **continued** dodging — no visible effort, breathing **regular**, as though fighting a child rather than a trained adult.
---
**Garrett** — bored voice:
"**Try** harder! Come on! Show me something impressive already!"
---
**Julia** — **stopped** abruptly, retreating three meters, sword **raising** to vertical guard position in front of face, eyes **closing** in maximum concentration.
Voice coming out **firm**:
— **Consecutive Strikes**! — Special skill activated (cost: 100 mana).
---
**Sword** — glowed intense sky-blue, magical energy **flowing** through the blade accumulating at the tip.
And **attacked** — not a physical movement but a **slash of air**.
Sword **cutting** vertical downward, blue energy blade **materializing** and projecting forward, three meters tall by half a meter wide, flying at fifty kilometers per hour.
And **multiplied** — not one but **ten** identical blades firing in rapid sequence (0.2-second intervals), all in straight-line trajectory toward Garrett, slicing air with sharp WHOOOOSH sound, illuminating the forest with blue glow.
---
**Garrett** — eyes **focusing**, assessing threat.
**Leapt** — not sideways but **vertically**, propelling body five meters up, first blade **passing** where he stood a second earlier, second blade coming — body **twisting** mid-air to avoid, third **approaching** — seemed inevitable hit.
And **disappeared** — not teleport like San but pure **speed**, movement so fast the eye couldn't follow, reappearing **instantly** ten centimeters in front of Julia still with sword extended after launching the tenth blade.
---
**Punch** — not with fist but with **sword pommel**, horizontal strike aimed at Julia's stomach.
**IMPACT** — brutal force amplified by skill *Crushing Blow*.
---
**Julia** — body **folding** around the impact point, air **forced** violently from lungs with WHOOOF sound, saliva mixed with **blood** escaping mouth, body **launched** backward ten meters, rolling another five meters before stopping, kneeling while clutching stomach, **spitting** blood onto moss.
---
**Julia's HUD**:
```
╔════════════════════════════════╗
║ JULIA SILVA ║
║ HP: 3000 → 2400 [-600] ║
║ MANA: 500 → 400 [-100] ║
║ STATUS: ║
║ • Severe Abdominal Contusion ║
║ • Moderate Internal Hemorrhage ║
║ • Nausea ║
║ • -10% Attack Speed ║
╚════════════════════════════════╝
```
---
**Julia** — wiped mouth with back of hand, blood **staining** leather glove, eyes **focusing** on Garrett standing where she had been.
Voice coming out **controlled** despite pain:
"I'm just **warming up** still." Defiant, not defeated tone.
Rose — combat stance restored, sword **raising** again.
And **charged** — maximum speed despite abdominal pain, sword preparing next sequence.
---
**[SAN vs MARCUS CLONES]**
**San** — seeing two clones **approaching** with swords raised, four meters away, three, two.
Rolled **sideways** — first clone sword **descending** missing by centimeters embedding in ground where he was, second clone adjusting trajectory attacking horizontally.
San **leapt** backward — one backward flip, two, three, four **consecutive**, gaining five meters distance, clones **pursuing** in coordination.
---
On the **fifth** flip — jumped **higher**, body spinning vertically reaching a tree branch five meters above, feet **planting** on wood, looking down seeing two clones stopped below looking up.
Voice coming out **confident** despite side pain:
"I'm **done** playing with clay dolls!" Challenging tone.
---
Hands **moving** to inventory — summoning four daggers (already had two, two new), holding two in each hand with fingers interlocked, blades **pointing** downward.
Voice **proclaiming**:
"Time to **shatter** some dolls!"
---
And **launched** — body leaving branch, not falling but **controlled dive**, speed increasing through gravity, daggers **prepared**.
Three meters height — activated special skill:
— **Shadow Clone**! — Cost: 150 mana.
---
**Shadow** — not on ground but **materializing** beside him in mid-air, perfect replica of San made of solid darkness, same posture, same daggers, eyes **glowing** red instead of normal brown.
---
Half a meter apart — San **spun** body, feet **touching** clone's feet (boot sole against boot sole), both legs **flexing** simultaneously, **pushing** each other in **opposite** directions with explosive force.
---
**San** — shot **left**, body spinning horizontally, daggers **slashing** in rapid sequence, straight-line trajectory through first clay clone.
**Shadow Clone** — shot **right**, mirrored movement, daggers slashing through second clay clone.
---
**SLASHES** — not slow but **blindingly fast**, blur speed, different lighting creating spectacular visual effect:
San (original) — **luminous** light-blue slashes glowing along trajectory: neck (horizontal), torso (diagonal), arm (vertical), leg (low horizontal), **ten** cuts in half a second, clay clone **sliced** into dozens of pieces.
Shadow Clone — **dark** purple-black slashes absorbing light: same mirrored sequence, second clay clone **sliced** identically.
---
**San** and Clone — **landed** on ground simultaneously five meters apart, clay clones behind them **collapsing** into piles of fragments.
**San** — confident voice:
"It's **over** for you, Marcus!"
---
**Marcus** — ten meters away, expression unchanging:
"It **won't** work." Monotone. "You can cut as many times as you want. My dolls **regenerate** indefinitely as long as they have sufficient magical energy."
---
**Clay fragments** — glowing faintly purple, beginning to **fuse** back together.
---
**San** — smile **widening**:
"I **know** your clones are made of magical sand. Not ordinary sand but saturated with energy." Professorial tone. "And what's the **classic weakness** of earth constructs? **Water** or **plants**, right?"
Hand **diving** into small pouch at waist — retrieving **seeds** (five small, brownish-green faintly glowing).
"So I just had to plant some **special seeds** that germinate by directly absorbing magical energy. And the result is…"
Finger snap.
---
**Fusing clay fragments** — suddenly **sprouting** green, tiny roots **emerging** from inside clay, growing exponentially fast (one centimeter per second), absorbing the magical energy that maintained cohesion, small blue flowers **opening**, clay **disintegrating** into dry dust as plants **consumed** the energy.
Ten seconds — clones completely **destroyed**, replaced by a small garden of glowing plants.
---
**San** — didn't waste the moment.
Voice **commanding**:
"**Shadow**!"
---
**Shadow Clone** — **exploded** into motion, running at superhuman speed (fifty kilometers per hour), reaching Marcus in one second, right fist **launching** toward stomach.
---
**Marcus** — tried to **dodge** but far too slow.
**IMPACT** — shadow punch struck abdomen, not physical but magical force, explosive pain shooting through nervous system, body **folding**, dropping to knees clutching stomach, **groaning** in pain for the first time.
---
**Jessica** — twenty meters away watching, voice **shouting** excitedly:
"That's **it**! You're getting promoted to **employee of the month**, San!"
---
**San** — shouted **irritated**:
"**SHUT** UP!"
---
Walked up to kneeling Marcus — looking down, voice coming out **serious**:
"You're **lucky** I'm not going to kill you." Firm tone. "Because right now I'm operating as a temporary agent of **justice**, not a professional eliminator."
---
**Marcus** — writhing in pain, voice coming out **weak**, desperate for the first time:
"**GARRETT**!" — Shouted. — "Help me here! Please!"
---
**Julia** — twenty meters opposite, hearing, voice **shouting** to San:
"**Good**, San! Keep it up!"
---
**San** — confident smile toward Julia, thumb **raised**.
---
**[GARRETT – LIMIT REACHED]**
**Garrett** — seeing Marcus down, hearing desperate cry, face **twisting** into expression of pure **uncontained rage**.
Twenty years.
**Twenty** years waiting for freedom.
And two **rookies** were ruining everything.
---
Hands **gripped** sword — not one hand but **both**, double grip, blade **raising** vertical above head.
Voice **roaring**:
"**ENOUGH**! PLAYTIME IS OVER!"
---
**Sword** — began to **glow** not blue like Julia's but **black**.
Black **smoke** — not natural but magical, emanating from blade, density increasing rapidly, not rising but **expanding** sideways like heavy gas, covering ground first then rising, propagation speed two meters per second, **absolute** opacity (zero visibility inside).
---
Ten seconds — smoke covered **fifty**-meter radius area centered on Garrett, ten meters high, turning illuminated forest into total artificial **darkness**.
---
**San** — seeing smoke **approaching**, worried voice **shouting**:
"This is **not** good! **JULIA**! **JESSICA**!"
Leapt — tree branches, climbing ten meters above smoke, looking down seeing black mist **swallowing** everything.
Shouted:
"**JULIA**! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
---
Female voice — distant, muffled by smoke:
"San! I'm **here**! I can't see anything!"
---
Another voice — Jessica, irritated:
"You **damn** Garrett! Get me out of this fog or you'll be **fired** permanently!"
---
**San** — couldn't pinpoint exact directions, sound **echoing** through smoke distorting origin.
---
And heard — different voice, male, deep, coming from **above** not below.
**Garrett**:
"Hey. You should pay more attention to **yourself**, rookie."
---
**San** — looked **up**, saw silhouette emerging from tree canopy shadows five meters above.
**Garrett** — moving impossibly fast.
---
**Kick** — downward, boot **striking** San's face on right side with devastating force.
**IMPACT** — jaw **partially breaking**, teeth **cracking**, vision **exploding** white, body **launched** downward through breaking branches, falling through black smoke, crashing to ground inside fog.
---
**San's HUD**:
```
╔════════════════════════════════╗
║ SAN ║
║ HP: 780 → 340 [-440] ║
║ STATUS: CRITICAL ║
║ • Fractured Jaw ║
║ • Severe Concussion ║
║ • 3 Broken Ribs ║
║ • Severe Internal Hemorrhage ║
║ • BLURRED VISION ║
║ • DISORIENTED ║
╚════════════════════════════════╝
```
---
**San** — fallen inside black smoke, visibility **zero**, massive pain shooting through entire body, blood **filling** mouth, trying to stand but body **not** obeying.
---
**Voice** — Garrett, echoing through smoke from **all** directions simultaneously, impossible to locate:
"Get **ready** to die, annoying rookies." **Cold**, murderous tone. "Twenty years searching for our freedom will not be ruined by **novices**."
---
**Silence** — three heartbeats.
Then —
---
**[SAN: HP CRITICAL 340/1200]**
**[JULIA: SEPARATED, LOST IN SMOKE]**
**[JESSICA: OUT OF MANA, TRAPPED IN SMOKE]**
**[MARCUS: INJURED BUT RECOVERING]**
**[GARRETT: BLACK SMOKE ABILITY ACTIVE]**
**[NEXT: COMBAT INSIDE THE DARKNESS]**