Shin was a fraction too slow. In the breath between heartbeats, the professional killer had already closed the distance, his blade aimed straight for Shin's throat.
There was nothing Shin could do to defend himself.
Then, the world stuttered.
Time stretched into a crawling, frame by frame blur. As Shin's vision faltered, a chaotic storm of system notifications exploded across his field of view.
The messages scrolled at blinding speed, as a certain fairy worked his system to the bone.
"User! I just discovered something amazing!" Lilel's voice cut through the chaos.
And a final notification bloomed before Shin's eyes. At that instant, the fate of the fight changed.
[System notification: The entity Lilel has created a new skill: Item Swapping.]
Right after Shin saw the notification, time slowed further, and he watched the assassin's approach crawl forward.
'What happened?' Shin asked mentally. Even if he tried speaking, his body wouldn't move.
