"Well, friend, you really stunned everyone there," Kyre greeted the figure descending from the arena, his excitement palpable. However, the response was just an increase in the chilliness of those icy blue eyes, as if to proclaim his irritation with the ordeal he had just endured.

    "If you keep this up, from Carter... it'll be you lying in a pool of blood next," the cold voice warned the daring warrior who had signed him up for the contest without his consent. Those blue eyes, glimmering with seriousness, weren’t just threatening—they meant every word if the person in front dared to do it again.

    "Come on... I’m also competing next against someone named Desen Cav... something or other," Kyre tried to calm his new friend while simultaneously trying to recall the name of his next opponent.

    "Desen Cavender," Teshia replied coolly as usual, clearly not interested in asking whether Kyre was competing, because from what he could tell of Kyre's behavior, it was obvious he was involved. A character like him would not miss out on such fun.

    "Yes, that’s the one," Kyre nodded when Teshia correctly stated the name of his next opponent.

    "So, how do you know that guy?” Kyre asked, surprised since his friend usually didn’t care about others.

    “I’m a traveler; it’s not strange for me to know people from around,” Teshia emphasized his status coldly, although the truth was quite the opposite. He didn’t just know the name; he was well-acquainted with the person himself.

    “Besides, that name is quite common,” the young man disguised as a traveler said with a smirk, his eyes briefly gleaming before he muttered softly to himself, unheard by Kyre, “As the fifth-ranked assassin!!"

    The posture of this guy resembles that of a traveler in what way? Kyre thought to himself, observing his new friend. Even if the person before him was a disguised nobleman, he’d still choose him as a friend. Having a nobleman as a friend wasn’t a bad idea, after all.

    "Are you sure you're just a traveler?" Kyre looked for an answer in those sea-green eyes. Even though he said he didn't care even if his friend was a nobleman from some prominent family, he was still curious.

    "I am a traveler," Teshia reiterated his status once again and looked at the eager warrior as if asking why that mattered.

    "You don’t have to look at me like that... just wondering how a traveler can be so skilled," Kyre commented upon seeing his friend’s gaze. He was just a little curious since they were friends after all.

    "Just skills to protect myself from the undesirables," the young man replied before shrugging nonchalantly.

    Kyre looked at his friend who had an effortless excuse before turning back to the competition. Although curious, he wasn’t about to pry for answers. If one day his friend was ready, he'd probably learn the truth. He was willing to wait until then.

    But there had to be exceptions... unless the backstory of this friend could potentially cause trouble for him, his surroundings, or for Kyre himself. He didn’t plan to stop being friends but would reach out to help, which no one could say for sure whether it would make things better or messier.

    "So, what's the prize for the winner?" Teshia asked, diverting his friend's attention. After all this competition, there had to be some reward.

    Kyre grinned cryptically, his sea-green eyes twinkling before he playfully responded, "You'll know when you win."

    Before Teshia could probe further, the red-headed warrior waved off dismissively and leaped onto the arena following the announcer’s call,

    "Kyre Zeviousa, the warrior of Feris versus Desen Cavender."

    The sweet-faced young man looked up at the arena, his lips curling into a cool smile. A warrior versus an assassin... this could be interesting. He too was curious to see who would win.

    His icy blue eyes sparkled with another thought, especially with a warrior of no ordinary skill facing the fifth-ranked assassin of the guild!!

    Kyre summoned his sword into his hand as soon as he faced his opponent, telling himself quietly that he wasn't as skilled as Teshia to be able to defeat an opponent barehanded, especially since the man before him was also highly skilled.

    The gleaming silver blade spoke of its sharpness, well-maintained by its owner, and its hilt was flame-red, like a blaze of fire. The sword was large but Kyre wielded it easily across his shoulders without a hint of its weight... this was the Hellfire Sword!!

    Kyre's sea-green eyes assessed the man standing before him. His opponent was slightly older, with a smile on his face and friendly eyes that suggested a good-natured person. However, regardless of his outward demeanor, this man was still the fifth-ranked assassin, known for both his arrogance and brutality.

    Assassins have a rule against selling out or revealing the secrets of fellow assassins, such as giving away identities or appearances to their targets. If such disclosures have serious consequences, the revealer must die, and the information disappears without trace. If the impact is minor, the information simply vanishes. These are unavoidable and unbreakable rules, as every assassin is under the jurisdiction and power of the Assassin's Guild of the country of Caver... the country of assassins!!

    The fifth-ranked assassin's weapon was a crescent moon-shaped blade, its light yellow hilt beautifully patterned with moons and stars. It was the Crescent Moon Blade, and the smile of enjoyment appeared on the face of the assassin known as "Blood Moon," because he too sensed that his opponent was no ordinary fighter.

    "Three," the assassin gripped the Crescent Moon Blade tightly, preparing to strike.

    "Two," Kyre adjusted his Hellfire Sword likewise.

    "One, begin"

    Whoosh... In a blink of an eye, the assassin moved with speed akin to vanishing moonlight. Kyre had to quickly scan his surroundings, but before he could move,

    Swoosh!!

    A sharp pain spread across his body, and fresh blood splattered from a wound as Kyre clutched the side that was struck. The assassin reappeared in front of him, his Crescent Moon Blade stained with blood.

    Kyre's sea-green eyes narrowed as his brain began to calculate the situation. He needed to anticipate the movements beforehand; if he couldn't see the movement, he would be like a blind man unable to predict the path of the blade.

    "I need to be faster than you to win," Kyre muttered. Faster than the moonlight... only being quicker than the moonlight could ensure victory. But how could he achieve that?!!

    Desen vanished again amidst the gazes of the onlookers, and then...

    Swoosh!!!

    And the assassin's speed remained superior, as another wound appeared on Kyre's shoulder, while the perpetrator returned to his original position as if he hadn't moved at all.

    It's not possible, a voice rang in Kyre's mind when he realized the disparity in skill. He frowned, displeased with the current situation.

    "This is the end," the cheerful voice of his opponent echoed. The man wielding the Crescent Moon Sword still wore a smile on his face.

    "It's fun, but there's no point in getting hurt for no reason," the man in front of him said, but the reality was quite the opposite. It was due to the disparity in their skills that only he had been taking action, and he was starting to get bored. So, it was time to stop playing.

    Whoosh... once again, the figure of the man in front vanished like an illusion.

    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

    And once again, Kyre couldn't dodge in time. However, the sword strikes this time were faster and stronger than before, continuous and relentless. Every slash drew blood. As usual, Desen returned to his original position, observing Kyre who was now covered in wounds.

    The warrior bit his lip to suppress the pain, admiring his own endurance for not having collapsed. If it were someone else, they would have been carried out of the arena by now. But getting hit like this was no small matter; it looked like he had to get serious.

    "Use your ears to catch the sounds and your mind to feel," a cool voice interrupted his thoughts, making Kyre turned around. He was truly surprised to receive advice from his new friend, and even more so that Teshia, standing far away, could whisper in his ear as if using magic to send his whispers directly to him without others noticing. How skilled can you be?

    "You can't see, can you?" Teshia, standing at the edge of the arena, spoke again, his icy blue eyes as impassive as ever.

    "Thanks," Kyre responded softly, confident the other could hear him. His sea-green eyes looked anew at Desen because this time, he was going to get serious.

    Teshia continued to watch the contest with his usual detached blue gaze. Even though this match was more exciting than any before, he knew it would soon come to an end.

    Kyre Zeviousa was no ordinary warrior, not even close. Perhaps this man could even be from a distinguished family of skilled warriors. He had talent and power, but unfortunately, he still lacked experience. Perhaps this guy might have just begun his journey to seek experience on his own.

    What Teshia did just now could not exactly be called helping; it was more like a reminder to Kyre. With Kyre's skill, he should have been able to handle himself, but because he had been playing around, he ended up getting hurt like that.

    Perhaps part of the reason Teshia intervened, even though it wasn't his concern, was because he wanted to see the fifth-ranked assassin fumble a bit. Another part was because… it felt too familiar... just like him when he was younger. It reminded him of the times he trained with his older brother and grandfather, like himself back then when he was still inexperienced.

    The young man reflected internally but continued to watch his friend, whom he couldn't quite fully call a friend yet, fight the fifth-ranked assassin in the arena. It didn't matter who won, because in reality, the skills of both were still not sufficient to make him genuinely worried.

    Desen began to disappear again, but this time, Kyre closed his eyes and fully opened his remaining senses to track the movements of his opponent.

    His ears listened.

    His mind felt.

    Whoomp... the blade was thrust swiftly, and this time…

    Seen!!

    Clang... the Hellfire Sword was swiftly parried to block the incoming Crescent Moon Blade.

    "I see you now," Kyre muttered as he beautifully caught the opponent's blade. His sea-green eyes sparkled with joy for he had finally managed it.

    "Let's have a little payback," Kyre spoke cheerfully as his confidence returned. Desen smiled back as his eyes briefly sparkled with excitement. The boredom from before vanished instantly as his opponent managed to block his Crescent Moon Blade. It was becoming more enjoyable by the moment…

    "Bring it on," both men grinned, tightening their grips on their swords, preparing for another clash.

    Whoosh... both figures vanished swiftly. The Hellfire Sword was raised, aiming to bring down the opponent, while the Crescent Moon Blade was swung, aiming for victory.

    The audience watched with bated breath; their bodies tensed. Teshia continued to watch the scene unfold with his usual cold blue eyes, a contrast to the mischievous smile that now appeared on his face. This was a showdown of a single strike... the last powerful strike packed with all their might, a decisive blow that would determine the victor or the vanquished!