A Man Like None Other

Ricky barely registered the blur before Jared was upon him. The Dragonslayer Sword gleamed in Jared’s hands, its lethal arc already driving toward Ricky’s chest.

Instinct took over as Ricky raised his blade in a desperate defense, but the sheer power behind Jared’s strike was unrelenting.

Spurt!

A heartbeat later, Jared’s blade punched through his guard, piercing his chest with ruthless precision. A crimson torrent erupted, staining the ground as Ricky staggered back.

His eyes widened, a cocktail of shock and disbelief twisting his features.

Jared stepped closer, withdrawing the Dragonslayer Sword in a fluid, almost casual motion. “I warned you,” he said, his voice like steel on stone. “But you had to court disaster.”

Lying on the ground, Niel watched the scene unfolding before his eyes. When he saw Ricky pierced through by Jared’s sword, he was utterly devastated.

He had initially believed he was spared from death, that he had been saved. But now, he found himself devoid of hope. Even if Ricky could have managed just a few moves against Jared, it might have bought enough time for his brother to rescue him. But Ricky was taken down in just two moves-slaughtered as easily as a chick.

The arcane array set up by Ricky and the other guards, something they had invested heavily in and cultivated through countless nights, had failed to withstand even a single strike from Jared’s sword.

wrong! Please, don’t kill me… I beg you…” Ricky gasped, fresh blood trickling from the corner of

was no pushover, he had never imagined him to be this overwhelmingly strong. Even

he would have to face was punishment for letting Jared escape from the prison. Compared to losing his life, punishment was a trivial

as he admitted his mistake. Suddenly, a thought

your life, but you must do something

matter?”

his Dragonslayer Sword, its edge gleaming menacingly, and pointed it at Niel, who lay helpless on the ground. “If you kill him,

his

to decide,” Jared said coldly.

intent. Trembling, he gripped his sword and began advancing

Niel,” Ricky said regretfully, his voice tinged with sorrow. “But it seems you won’t make it anyway. I hope you can understand my predicament. After all, I have an elderly mother to

me?” Niel’s voice trembled with fear and fury, a desperate edge sharpening his words.

incite Ricky to kill him.

a problem for the future,” Ricky muttered, his tone resigned. “Right now, I need to focus on staying alive.

moment, Ricky tightened his grip on the long sword and swung it down toward Niel