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At midnight, Raven went to his usual training spot. The cold wind brushed against his skin, and the silence of the night was broken only by his own footsteps. Yet, something felt… off. He could sense someone watching him.
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He stopped for a moment, scanning the area. Suddenly, a figure emerged —Ryo. He stepped forward with a confident smile.
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Ryo: "You’re the masked fighter. I saw you that day."
Raven (expressionless): "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
Ryo (stepping closer): "Why did you interfere in that fight? And why didn’t you join the tournament from the start?"
Raven (sighing): "You’re annoying. I’m just here to train."
Ryo (grinning): "Then let’s train together!"
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Without warning, Ryo lunged at Raven, forcing him to step back cautiously.
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Raven: "What do you want from me now?"
Ryo : "I just want to know why you interfered."
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Raven smirked.
"So you only understand the language of battle?"
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In a flash, Raven attacked with a rapid flurry of punches. Ryo, however, was no ordinary opponent—he dodged and blocked with remarkable skill, countering with his own strikes. The air crackled with the force of their blows.
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Then, Ryo suddenly stepped back, his body glowing with intense flames.
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Ryo: "Fire Magic – Level Two!"
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Flames enveloped his entire body, forming a blazing armor around him.
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Ryo (smirking): "With this level, I can coat myself in fire. Any touch from you… and you’ll burn."
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Raven (muttering): "Tch… so you’ve started using magic, huh? Fine, I won’t hold back either."
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Ryo launched fire bullets toward Raven, who dodged swiftly but couldn’t avoid all of them. Burn marks began to appear on his arms and clothes.
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Raven (gritting his teeth): "Your ability… it’s like both a shield and a weapon."
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Realizing that a prolonged fight would wear him down, Raven thought quickly: "I need to land a single decisive hit… otherwise he'll incinerate me with his fire shield."
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Feigning retreat, Raven dashed away, luring Ryo in.
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Ryo (mocking): "Are you running away now? Pathetic."
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But Raven had a plan. Using the surrounding buildings, he leaped high into the air. From above, he extended his hand toward Ryo, energy crackling around his palm.
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Then, with a fierce shout, he unleashed his attack.
"THUNDER SHOT!"
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Ryo’s eyes widened in shock at the sheer speed of the strike. He raised his arms to block, but the lightning bolt shattered his flaming armor and struck him square in the chest.
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The force sent Ryo stumbling backward, his body twitching from the electric shock. He dropped to one knee, panting heavily.
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Meanwhile,The six heads of the royal families gathered with the ruler of Esteria in the grand meeting hall. The atmosphere was tense, and the faces around the table ranged from fuRyous to pale with shock.
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Head of the Evren family, his face contorted with anger: "I can't believe we're paying such an outrageous amount! This is extortion!"
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Head of the Falconir family, slamming his fist on the table: "And what did you expect? Why did you even interfere with their shipments? You were playing with fire!"
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Head of the Draconis family, speaking in a calm yet intense voice: "This is not the time for blame. We need to gather the money and find a way out of this mess with the least possible losses."
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Head of the Strathmore family, looking directly at the ruler: "But are we certain that paying is the best solution? Is there no other way?"
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The Ruler of Esteria, his voice firm as he scanned the room: "We have no choice. We will cooperate and collect the required amount, and the Evren family will repay its debts to us later. We will not let this crisis shake the stability of our nation."
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Head of the Nethrid family, stroking his chin thoughtfully: "But what guarantees that they won’t return to demand even more? If we pay now, we might become easy prey for them in the future."
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Head of the Zircon family, leaning forward with frustration: "Why don't we fight them? Why should we show weakness in front of Arcadia? We can unite our forces and eliminate this threat!"
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The Ruler of Esteria, narrowing his eyes and staring sharply at him: "And who exactly will you fight? Do you even understand what Arcadia is? That organization could erase us from the map in a single night. No, fighting is not an option, and we don’t have the luxury of indulging in fantasies. We must pay and end this matter now."
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After the fight between Ryo and Raven, with Ryo’s defeat, he decided to expose the masked fighter’s identity to the Evren family. That night, Ryo went to the Evren estate and confidently told the guards and officials present:
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"The masked fighter is a second-year student at the academy... Raven."
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