Instead, his figure flickered briefly at the edge of Mike's vision—then vanished again.
Suddenly—
A dagger shot out from the shadows, flying low toward Mike's leg.
Clang!
One of the spinning golden blades intercepted it midair, shattering the weapon into fragments of metal.
"Found you," Mike said calmly.
The golden blades abruptly expanded outward, spreading like a blooming halo.
Kael's eyes widened as his stealth was disrupted, his form forced into visibility mid-motion.
"…Damn," he muttered.
Before he could retreat, the blades snapped inward.
Kael twisted desperately, barely avoiding fatal damage—but several cuts opened across his arms and shoulder, blood spraying as he landed hard on the arena floor.
He rolled to his feet, breathing heavily, blades raised defensively.
"So that's your answer to speed," Kael said with a sharp grin despite the pain. "Turn the whole field into a kill zone."
Mike lifted his hand slightly, golden mana condensing once more.
