The air above them shimmered from the heat of Albrecht's mana. Each slow step he took radiated authority—the kind born from decades of battle and the weight of a name feared across the continent.
Across from him, Noel rolled his shoulders, Revenant Fang humming faintly in his grip. Sparks of lightning crawled up his arm, flickering between arcs of blue and orange flame.
Neither spoke for a long moment.
"When you fight," Albrecht said at last, his tone calm but sharp, "don't hesitate. Hesitation kills faster than any blade."
Noel's mouth curled slightly. "Then you'd better not blink."
He moved first—mana flaring in an instant. "Ignition Surge!"
Flames erupted along Revenant Fang's edge as he dashed forward, the ground cracking beneath his boots. Their swords met with a flash of molten light, heat spilling outward in a wave that shattered nearby tiles.
