<h4>Chapter 13: A Taste of Malice</h4>


    Feeling that indiscriminate bloodlusting from the warped smile on the man''s face, Finn took a step back, carefully moving away.


    "Damian," Finn whispered. "Our best move is to retreat. This guy–he''s way above our level."


    "Fuck that!" Damian shouted, rejecting the perhaps more cowardly, but tactical choice, gritting his teeth in sheer anger. "This son of a bitch needs to–!"


    Amidst their sh of approaches to the situation, both were interrupted by the sudden presence of the slender figure. The length of the chamber was likely around sixty meters, yet crossed in an instant by the long-haired, twisted grinner.


    In that moment, all Damian was capable of doing was raising his axe as ast ditch shield–<i>SQUELCH. </i>A sh came down with ruthless speed and force, slicing right into the warrior''s chest.


    Only a small part was blocked by the axe itself, leaving a massive gash on Damian''s torso as the once sturdy man stumbled back.


    Raven relished the sight of the warrior bleeding so abundantly onto the floor, so much as to drag his finger along his blood-coated de, "You''re tough for your level, but meat is meat."


    "Damian!--Shit!" Finn shouted, quickly moving in.


    The assassin was left with no choice but to get between hispanion and the malicious stranger. Stepping up to the yer-ss figure, that daunting physique felt much different up close.


    Raven stood more than a head taller than him, possessing ankiness of a seven footer while grinning down at the assassin.


    As Finn closed in with a swing of his dagger aimed to disembowel for the bloodthirsty one, the swift sh missed as Raven nimbly slid back. He didn''t let up, continued to desperately sh at the man, though was easily evaded.


    Raven taunted him while moving backward, "Are you trying to hit me? You seem to be really mad at the wind!"


    Amidst his reckless assault, Finn stepped even closer, having to bend his knees before springing up as he shed towards the man''s throat–


    ["<i>Assassin''s Strike</i>"] [2:29]


    "Oh?" Raven reacted, leaning back as the de missed by a mere hair.


    Though the killing skill missed, at the very least, Finn found that the eerie man seemed more hesitant to so casually let him within range, giving him some distance.


    "You''ve realized your predicament by now, haven''t you?" Raven asked with a sly smile.


    Finn didn''t answer, instead thinking to himself as he rubbed the sweat off of his chin, catching his breath.


    <i>''I can''t use my skills recklessly. The cooldowns, my mana, that''s all vital, but even more...I can''t reveal my hand without a second thought. The only advantage I have is catching him off-guard with my abilities the first time,'' </i>Finn nned.


    Raven continued to talk without an answer, "Your friend there is mortally wounded. He won''t die, right away, but he certainly is in no shope to run away now. That leaves his life in your hands, Mr. Assassin."


    "--" Finn remained silent, staying ready as he kept his dagger raised, keeping his eyes on the yer.


    "I''m sure you could flee if you tried to, but that''d be the very same as plunging your dagger into your friend''s neck, wouldn''t it? You''re not that heartless, are you, Finn?" Raven asked in a yful tone.


    At that moment, the assassin realized what the long-limbed man knew, ''<i>Shit, he used Sleuth on me–he knows my level now,'' </i>Finn thought.


    The tables had been turned; now the killer was on the offensive as he felt a chill run down his spin at the sight of that sinister smile closing the gap.


    ["<i>Phantom Flow</i>"]


    A shroud of darkness manifested beneath his feet like a stream of water following his boots, allowing him to slide back swiftly. Just as he moved back, Raven had shed at the spot he once stood.


    A ringing filled Finn''s ears; the wind split before he perceived what happened.


    The monstrous attack rained down on the ivory tile with a thunderous impact, slicing through the floor and ceiling in one swing. It was a skill meant for eviscerating beasts that dwarfed those of Earth, yet the twisted yer used it for hunting others:


    ["<i>Grandiose Splitter</i>"]


    A gash was left in the tiles and through the ceiling, stretching multiple meters as a light rain of debris trickled down.


    <i>''--If that hit, I''d be dead,'' </i>Finn realized, sweating just at the sight of the damage dealt to the dungeon.


    There was no time to feel astonished as he was once again approached by thenky yer. Seeing that the smiling figure was already beginning to swing his de, Finn ducked down just as it swept through the air.


    He watched as it passed overhead, feeling the sharp winde off of it, brushing his hair before he jumped back to his feet. With a quick first step, he aimed to close the distance between them, however–


    <i>''Shit,'' </i>Finn thought, finding himself immediately having to lean back while moving away as the oversized de narrowly missed his abdomen.


    Any attempt to close the gap was met with that sword keeping him at bay; it was moved swiftly, intercepting his movements entirely as he was kept on the backfoot.


    A quick pivot to the right; he ran behind one of the pirs, using it as a cover as he then dashed in towards Raven''s blindspot.


    "That''s not happening," the long-haired man spoke yfully.


    A swing of the odachi once more created an impassable edge of death that prevented Finn from getting closer, having to roll back as the de took a few hairs off his head.


    <i>''It''s not just the length of that de...It''s this guy''s ridiculous wingspan. With a dagger, the difference in reach is too much. He knows that--he''s keeping me away,'' </i>Finn analyzed.


    The odachi itself was as long as his body, and the reach of the pale-skinned yer possessing the same extraordinary length; it was as if he faced a gic mutant.


    As he nced back, the sight of his friend slumped against the wall, coated in blood with eyes that looked like they were struggling to stay open filled him with urgency.


    <i>''I have to win–I have to kill the person in front of me. Can I do that?'' </i>Finn questioned.


    It was beginning to feel like an impossible ask of himself, though there was no other choice, even as hard as he racked his brain for some other way.


    Raven still held his calm smile, pointing his de towards the assassin as if challenging him, "Come on. I''m waiting."