Auras collide.
The forest shrinks around us, as if the world itself wants to step away.
I withdraw my aura.
Then I understand.
It has no effect.
"Tch…"
A supernatural entity like this won't fall to fear. Tricks don't work here.
Only fists.
And blood.
I'll have to use everything.
The skinless one looks at me… and smiles.
It's disgusting.
He moves.
Fast.
I teleport behind him and try to stab him.
I miss.
He dodges with unnatural agility.
I cast magic immediately.
Fire.
Flames wrap around his arm, and the exposed flesh crackles. It works.
But I don't have time to celebrate.
A brutal blow slams into my face.
I spit blood.
"Shit…"
I don't have real combat experience. That's a fact.
But as I watch him more closely… neither does he.
He moves on instinct. On rage. Not technique.
Are we evenly matched?
No.
He smiles again.
The skin that peeled off earlier starts crawling across the ground, returning to him as if it had a will of its own.
I frown.
"Don't even dream of it."
I use fire and reduce it to ashes before it reaches him.
The skinless one stops smiling.
He screams.
His body starts bleeding.
I teleport.
Arrows of blood shoot out in every direction.
One pierces my leg.
I grit my teeth.
"Careless…"
I use quick healing magic. Not perfect, but enough.
This is getting serious.
Let's go all out.
I teleport and appear above him.
From my storage space, I pull out several knives.
I imbue them with fire and throw them.
He tries to mirror the move.
Too late.
I pull out a gun.
The same one I stole from Tairon's gang.
I aim.
Bang!
I hit his shoulder. He moves at the last second.
Even so, the flaming knives sink into his body.
He bleeds more.
I click my tongue.
I fire again.
This time at his limbs.
Nothing.
The bullets bounce off, stopped by his own hardened blood.
"Alright… I get it."
Close combat isn't ideal.
But I don't have a choice.
I teleport in front of him and unleash fire.
I evaporate the blood surrounding him.
I throw a punch.
He dodges.
A kick connects.
He grabs my leg.
But I was expecting that.
I aim my hand at his face.
Fire erupts like a flamethrower.
He lets go.
I create distance.
He screams.
But he doesn't fall.
He launches himself at me at brutal speed.
I don't react in time.
A blow to the ribs.
Another to the face.
I'm sent flying into the ground.
I cough up blood.
"I let my guard down…"
I teleport.
I appear atop a tree.
He sees me.
He always sees me.
This time, I use dark magic.
I cover his eyes. His mouth.
I teleport behind him.
I rush forward and start attacking.
Fists.
Fire.
Darkness.
I stop thinking.
I let madness take control.
Let the desire to kill guide my hands.
I strike his abdomen.
I draw knives.
I stab.
I burn.
Darkness seeps into the wounds, tearing him apart from the inside.
He fights back.
Blows.
Cuts of blood.
I don't pay them any mind.
I increase the weight of my fists with magic.
We both step back.
He's injured.
So am I.
"Another round?" I murmur.
He lunges.
So do I.
I imbue my hands with fire and darkness.
He forms blood knives.
We collide.
He lands two hits.
I grab one of the knives embedded in his own body and, with a brutal yank, tear off his arm.
He screams.
I deliver a straight kick to his mouth.
He loses balance.
Now.
I leap on top of him and slam him down.
Rapid stabs.
One after another.
I aim for the neck.
Fire.
Darkness.
Decapitation.
His head rolls across the ground.
I pant.
I'm wrecked.
Broken ribs.
Open wounds.
Blood soaks the ground beneath the clown mask.
Then…
Sirens.
"The police… shit."
I store the body and the head in my storage space.
Too much blood.
I don't know which is mine.
I use fire. A lot of fire.
When the police arrive, alerted by strange noises, they don't find a fight.
They find a forest in flames.
It's not a wildfire.
It's precise.
Clean.
I watch the fire consume everything.
"Hope you enjoy my personal signature."
And I disappear.