Previously~


    “I am here for a dance, why be formal?”


    “That strikes a nerve!” Nvyhar took out featherblade, a sword that looks like a thin needle, like a crow’s feather.


    [START]


    A hologram glowed about them.


    RUSH!


    CLANG!


    —------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Location- ????


    Date- 25th, Month of Zephyris, XXXX


    The sound of metal filled the place. Shockwaves rumbled the marble floor.


    Nvyhar stepped back,


    “Vincent, take this seriously!”


    Nvyhar stepped back, he pointed to the kitchen knife in Vincent’s hand.


    “That’s really a normal kitchen knife. At least cover it with aura.”


    At this point Vincent knew, any more teasing would hurt the old man’s pride.


    He covered the knife with a layer of aura as thin as paper.


    “Here, you happy!?” he pointed to Nvyhar


    “Haah, you continue to tease me.” Nvyhar sighed


    BOOM!


    With a speed faster than sound, he leapt forward.


    STAB!


    As Featherblade went through Vincent’s body, his body vanished into thin air. Vincent appeared behind him ready to slash with the knife.


    SLASH!


    [Black Shield]


    CAW!CAW!


    Numerous crows shielded Nvyhar’s back, blocking Vincent’s view.


    SWOOSH!


    Featherblade rushed forward, clearing the curtain of crows. But, as soon as the sword closed in on Vincent-


    CLANG!


    JUMP!


    Vincent flicked the blade aside. It hit the ground—too late. Riding the momentum, he somersaulted mid-air, landing behind Nvyhar once more.


    SLASH!


    Vincent’s blade tore through the air—again carving into Nvyhar’s back.


    [Black Shield]


    A swarm of crows burst forth, blocking the knife in a flurry of feathers.


    SLASH!


    Featherblade screamed past, grazing Vincent’s hair.


    THUD!


    He hit the ground hard, skidding across the floor—then lunged with a gust of wind.


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    CLANG!


    The blades clashed, the shock throwing the crows away. Suddenly Vincent smiled


    CLANG!


    The knife’s grip changed, it charged towards Nvyhar nearly slashing his neck.


    SKID!


    The distance widened. Then-


    BANG!


    CLANG!CLANG!


    The blades slashed at speeds invisible to the naked eye, sparks falling everything.


    [Crow’s Eye]


    Nvyhar’s eyes glowed, his parries became more defined.


    “You are using those eyes again!” Vincent smiled.


    [Embral Step]


    Nvyhar vanished, he left no afterimages, one moment he was there- next- he was not.


    Vincent’s eyes flickered. The knife was losing durability.


    [Murder Call]


    Thousands of crows surged forward—stabbing, swarming, suffocating.


    Vincent smiled.


    BOOM.


    A pulse of pressure blasted out. Feathers rained as the crows collapsed midair, twitching on the ground.


    Feathersword darted in.


    Vincent twisted, barely evading the strike—then launched a kick.


    Nvyhar raised his guard—too high.


    Vincent’s smirk widened.


    Mid-air, the kick snapped downward with a violent whip of his hips.


    CRACK!


    Nvyhar staggered back, clutching his ribs—shattered in a single blow.


    Vincent threw his knife, Featherblade deflected the knife upwards. The knife stuck to the ceiling. Too late-again.


    WHAM!


    Vincent exploded upward.


    In a flash—uppercut, cross, side kick—Nvyhar was airborne.


    Vincent followed, leaping high.


    He spun for a downward kick—striking from above like a hammer.


    Nvyhar smiled.


    His guard loosened—bait.


    Just as Vincent descended—


    GRAB!


    WHAM!


    Nvyhar snatched his ankle mid-air and smashed him into the ground.


    [Namebreaker Bind : Vincent Duskrane]


    Chains made of black metal shot out, holding Vincent captive.


    [Ultimate:Black Hollow Palm]


    Nvyhar struck Vincent with his palm. Then- darkness, silence, loneliness- Vincent lost control over all his senses, even touch, mana and aura.


    Vincent smiled, even in this isolated world. Nvyhar rushed at him while Vincent blocked his strikes.


    [Passive:Hawk Eye]


    Vincent regained his eyesight. Still no hearing, touch or mana. But this was enough, enough to block Nvyhar’s strikes which weakened with time.


    Then-


    SLASH!


    Vincent dodged Feathersword, stepping back but suddenly lunging forward.


    [Knife: Hashashin]


    Vincent stabbed at unbelievable speeds.


    STAB!STAB!STAB!STAB!


    Within nanoseconds Nvyhar was stabbed multiple times.


    BREAK!


    The knife dissipated into cold air.


    COUGH! SPLAT!


    Nvyhar coughed up blood.Holding his heart he raised Featherblade one last time. Both nodded.


    “Mad God, no Vincent. Please use a skill at least once.” Blood splurted from his mouth- “All this time, you held back. Even after you lost your senses, you held back.”


    Vincent, even though he could not hear, realized his mistake-


    “Stand straight old man, I acknowledge my mistake. Come at me for a final time!”


    [Ultimate: Silver Crow]


    Nvyhar turned silver. With a pulse of his thighs he lunged forward,-


    BAM!


    Featherblade crossed with Vincent’s fist. Vincent struck with knee. Nvyhar tried to block with Featherblade.


    CRACK-CLANG!


    Featherblade broke in pieces, the knee conserving it’s momentum struck Nvyhar in his gut.


    Vincent stepped back.


    [CQC: D]


    He zoomed past Nvyhar, making a deafening sound.


    CRASH!


    Nvyhar fell to the ground.The punch didn’t just land—it reshaped him. A crater bloomed in his  torso, ribs snapping like dry twigs. A small impact could be seen at his collarbone and temple, flesh caved in slightly.


    “I lost!” Nvyhar smiled, falling to the ground.


    [BODY TIMEOUT]


    Nvyhar’s body regained his composure. A timer hung above.


    [2:59]


    Vincent rushed, helping him lean on the wall. Nvyhar smiled wryly.


    “You used a low-level skill.” Nvyhar frowned, then smiled.


    “Old man-” Vincent sat beside him- “Why did you choose to die by my hands?”


    “Just open the damn wine!” Nvyhar complained.


    Vincent opened the wine, it’s aroma sweet and fruity. Nvyhar gulped the wine down.


    “Vincent, Ashen Pantheon is stepping into the world again.”


    Nvyhar placed a hand on Vincent’s shoulder.His hand quivered, knuckles whitening as anger surged through him.


    “I will end them all this instant!” Vincent rose up, only to get dragged down by Navyhar again.


    “An angel is with them.” Vincent flinched in shock.


    “An angel?” he tilted his head.


    Navyhar wiped his wet lips- “There is still time, find an heir for me within that.”


    “Can’t you fight yourself?” Vincent asked teary eyed.


    Navyhar lifted up his robe, a scar that looked like a thunderbolt ran through his torso to hos back.


    “This won’t let me.” He sighed


    [0:10]


    He pulled Vincent to a hug,


    “I’m proud of you, Vinnie.” he smiled.


    [0:00]


    The craters on his body reappeared. Except, his eyes lost their soul. Vincent felt a pain in his heart. He hugged the dead body. Vincent returned to his child form, bawled his eyes out until he did not have any tears left.


    The corpse dissipated in thin air. Leaving an obsidian cube and a silver ring with three crows on it.


    Vincent built a grave nonetheless. As the crows left the cave one by one, Vincent placed the cube on Navyhar’s throne. He put the ring in his pocket.


    Snap!


    He returned back to Duskrane County. The morning sunrise greeted his grieved face.