The man vanished.
No warning.
No spell.
No movement the eye could follow.
One moment he stood ten steps away.
The next—
He was already in front of them.
Arin's heart skipped.
Too fast.
Tomas and Lyra froze, their minds still trying to process the movement.
But Arin's body moved on instinct.
His body reacted before his mind could catch up—muscles trained through a week of brutal dawn exercises snapping into motion.
Only I can reach him.
His arm shot forward, palm open, electricity already gathering in his glove.
Just touch him.
The distance closed.
His hand was inches from the man's chest—
Then—
THUD.
Something smashed into his stomach.
For a split second Arin didn't understand what had happened.
Then the world flipped.
The kick lifted him off the ground and hurled him backward like a rag doll.
His back slammed into the stacked wooden crates with a thunderous crash.
The air exploded out of his lungs.
Wood splintered.
Crates toppled.
Arin vanished beneath the collapsing pile.
Woods cracked.
Crates toppled over one another with a violent clatter as dust burst into the cold night air.
For a moment the dock fell silent.
Then the man straightened slowly.
He didn't even look toward the pile of broken crates.
His eyes were already on the other two.
Tomas' stomach dropped.
Too fast…
He had barely seen the movement. One blink—and Arin had been sent flying like a kicked sack.
Lyra's fingers trembled as she instinctively raised her hand, mana already gathering.
But Tomas moved first.
"Rock—"
The word barely left his mouth.
The man was suddenly in front of him.
A blur.
A shadow crossing the distance in two silent steps.
Then—
CRACK.
A heavy fist slammed into Tomas' jaw.
The impact snapped his head sideways and his body collapsed to one knee. Stars exploded behind his eyes as his vision spun wildly.
The spell died in his throat.
Before he could even recover—
Lyra fired.
"Water bullet!"
The sphere shot forward.
The man didn't even turn his head.
He raised his hand and clenched his fist.
Six glowing panels of neon-blue mana appeared in front of him, hovering in the air like translucent plates.
The water sphere struck them.
PSSSHH.
It splashed harmlessly and dripped down the invisible barrier.
The man didn't even look at her.
Only after the attack ended did his gaze slide sideways.
Those cold reddish eyes met Lyra's.
"What's the rush…"
His voice was quiet.
Almost amused.
"…little bird?"
The words landed like ice.
Lyra's breath caught in her throat.
In that instant she understood something her mind had refused to accept until now.
This man…
We can't beat him.
The difference between them was not skill.
Not experience.
It was an abyss.
Her legs quivered and finally betrayed her.
She sank to the ground, shivering as fear crawled through her bones.
Her eyes remained wide and distant, as if her mind had fled somewhere far away from what stood before her.
Then Tomas roared.
"You bastard!"
Blood ran down from the corner of his mouth as he lunged forward blindly, his fist swinging toward the man's face.
The man moved slightly.
Just enough.
Tomas' punch cut through empty air.
A hand shot out.
His hair was grabbed violently.
Before Tomas even realized what had happened—
His head was yanked downward.
And a knee drove upward.
THUD.
The blow slammed into his stomach like a hammer.
All the air burst from his lungs.
A spray of saliva flew from his mouth as his body folded.
The man released him casually.
Tomas collapsed face-first onto the dock, completely unconscious.
The sound of his body hitting the wood echoed across the empty pier.
Lyra stared.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
This is impossible.
We're going to die.
The man turned towards her.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Each step across the wooden dock echoed heavily.
His shadow stretched across the ground toward her.
Lyra tried to move.
Her legs wouldn't obey.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as fear swallowed every thought.
The man reached forward.
His hand rose slowly.
Just as his fingers were about to touch her hair—
The crates behind him burst apart as something pushed violently through them, splinters flying as lightning crackled in the air.
A voice cut through the dockyard.
"HEY!"
The man glanced sideways.
Arin burst from the shattered pile of crates, dust covering his clothes and blood dripping from his lip.
His eyes burned with fury.
"Don't touch her!"
He ran.
The man's lips curved into a small smirk.
He lifted his leg.
A brutal kick shot toward Arin's ribs.
But this time—
Arin was ready.
His muscles tightened.
He jumped.
His body curled tightly as the kick swept beneath him.
For a moment he looked like a spinning ball in the air.
Then he drove forward.
His fist shot out.
Lightning erupted from his glove.
CRACK.
The electrified punch slammed into the man's chest.
Blue lightning burst outward violently.
The man's body slid backward across the dock, his boots carving long marks in the wood.
Then he stopped.
One knee touched the ground.
Silence returned.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
The man lifted his hand.
His long reddish hair had fallen across his face.
He brushed it back calmly.
Then he looked up.
His eyes were no longer amused.
They were furious.
"…Interesting."
Electric sparks faded across his coat as he stood again.
His gaze locked onto Arin.
The air between them suddenly felt heavy.
"Looks like…"
He rolled his shoulder slightly.
"…one little bird still has claws."
The man stared at the boy standing in front of him.
For a moment… he just blinked.
Then a crooked grin spread across his face.
A short laugh escaped him.
"Look at that," he muttered. "The rat found its teeth."
Arin said nothing.
Blood slid from his lip and dripped onto the wooden planks.
Behind him, the girl's quiet sobs trembled through the cold night air.
The man rolled his neck slowly.
Bones cracked.
"You think standing there makes you brave?"
His voice dropped.
"No… it just makes you next."
The lantern above them creaked as it swayed in the wind.
Arin's breathing slowed.
His stance shifted slightly.
Left foot forward.
Shoulders angled.
The man noticed.
His eyebrow lifted.
"Oh?"
Arin lunged.
For a split second, the world seemed to stretch.
Arin's fist shot forward toward the man's ribs.
Fast.
Sharp.
The man shifted his torso just enough for the strike to graze past him.
Wood creaked beneath their feet as Arin pivoted instantly, his second punch cutting toward the jaw.
The villain leaned back.
The blow sliced through empty air.
His smile widened.
"Oh… you do know how to fight."
Arin didn't respond.
Electricity sparked suddenly along his arms.
Blue arcs crackled around his fists.
The air hissed.
Arin lunged again.
This time lightning burst from his strike.
A sharp electric shock exploded toward the man's chest.
Six glowing panels of pale mana snapped into existence around him.
They hovered like fragments of crystal.
The lightning slammed against them.
CRACK.
Energy scattered across the shields like water against glass.
The panels held.
The villain looked almost amused.
"Elemental tricks already?"
His hand lifted casually.
"You're full of surprises, brat."
Then his fist clenched.
A deep orange glow ignited in his palm.
Heat flooded the air instantly.
Flames spiraled outward from his hand, compressing into a burning sphere.
Arin's eyes widened.
The man stepped forward and thrust his palm outward.
The fire blast erupted.
A roaring wave of flame tore across the dock.
Arin twisted sideways at the last possible second.
The explosion missed him by inches.
But the shockwave slammed into his body.
The force hurled him backward.
His feet scraped violently across the wooden planks as he slid several meters, sparks of lightning trailing behind him.
He skidded to a stop.
For a moment the dockyard went still.
Smoke curled through the air.
The villain lowered his hand slowly.
"Well?"
He spread his arms slightly.
"Still want to play the hero?"
Arin wiped blood from his mouth.
Then he moved again.
Faster.
His body blurred forward.
For an instant—
only the afterimage of his face remained behind.
The boy dropped low as he reached the man.
His leg swept sharply across the dock.
The strike connected.
The villain's balance shifted slightly as his leg was forced aside.
For a split second—
Arin had him.
The man's grin vanished.
The man's hand shot forward.
His fingers clenched into Arin's collar and yanked him off balance.
"Enough."
Before the boy could react—
He slammed Arin into the wooden dock.
The impact cracked through the planks like a thunderclap.
Air exploded from Arin's lungs.
His vision flashed white.
The man didn't let go.
Instead, he grabbed Arin's arm and dragged it outward across the dock.
Arin tried to pull back.
Too late.
The villain planted his knee down hard onto the boy's elbow.
CRACK.
The sound split through the dockyard.
Arin screamed.
The pain tore through his body like lightning.
His arm twisted uselessly beneath the man's weight.
The villain finally released him.
Arin collapsed onto the planks, clutching his broken arm, trembling violently.
The man crouched beside him.
His gaze drifted toward Aarin's glove.
He grabbed the boy's wrist.
With a rough pull, he pulled the glove free from Aarin's hand.
He turned it slowly in the lantern light, examining it.
A thin smile appeared.
"Well now…"
He slid the glove into his coat.
"This will be useful."
His eyes returned to the boy.
"Thanks for that."
His hand suddenly closed around Aarin's throat.
The man lifted him effortlessly with one arm.
Arin's feet left the dock.
His broken arm hung uselessly at his side.
The boy clawed weakly at the hand around his neck.
His legs kicked.
His lungs screamed for air.
The man watched him calmly.
Almost bored.
Arin's vision began to darken.
The lantern above stretched into streaks of light.
The quiet lapping of the lake faded.
His strength drained from his fingers.
One by one, they slipped from the man's wrist.
His body stopped struggling.
The villain studied him for a moment longer.
Then Arin's head rolled to the side.
His body went limp in the man's grip.
Unconscious.
The dockyard fell silent once more.