Rowan landed beside Elian and knelt down.
"You did really well," he said softly. "You can rest now."
Her eyes fluttered open.
"Master Rowan... you’re here," she whispered weakly. "I knew... you would co..."
Her body gave out, and she fell unconscious.
Rowan gently lifted her, carrying her to the side of the cave.
He laid her down carefully and erected a powerful barrier around her.
Then he stood, sword in hand, eyes sharp.
Across the dungeon, Moonbeam pushed himself out of the rubble, dusting off his body.
"That was one hell of a punch," he said with a twisted grin.
Rowan’s gaze went cold.
"I don’t care what a fool like you thinks," he said. "Your punishnt has only increased. Prepare to lose your life."
"A kid like you?" Moonbeam sneered. "I thought you ran away—but it seems you ca crawling back."
"I ca back to end you," Rowan replied. "Evil always dies. You don’t belong in this world."
He raised his sword.
"And since you enjoy beating won," he added sharply, "fight a man now."
Rowan charged forward.
Moonbeam grinned and t him head-on.
As they closed the distance, Rowan swung his sword.
Clang!
Moonbeam blocked the strike with his bare hand. The impact forced him backward. He stared at his palm, shaking slightly, then shoved it into his mouth before drawing his sword. His eyes widened.
"What the hell...?"
Rowan’s gaze sharpened.
"Well, you’re already inhuman. I wouldn’t expect anything less."
Moonbeam laughed darkly.
"Inhuman or not, it doesn’t matter. You’re still human. You have flesh. You can die."
He lifted his blade, black aura coiling around it.
"But ?" he continued. "I’m half-demon. My skin is unpierceable—completely unpierceable. There’s no way you can win."
Rowan glanced at the sword briefly.
"That blade... demonic aura. So that’s what you’re relying on."
Moonbeam smirked.
"This weapon grows stronger the more demonic energy it absorbs. With it, I don’t need to fear you."
Rowan raised his sword slightly.
"You say your skin can’t be pierced?" he said calmly.
"That rule doesn’t apply to ," he continued. "If I decide to pierce you—no matter how hard you are—I will."
Moonbeam’s grin widened.
"Then show ."
He vanished in a blur.
Rowan moved.
In the next instant, he was already in front of Moonbeam.
The half-demon barely raised his sword in ti, sliding backward as he blocked each strike.
Too fast...
No—he’s faster than before.
Sparks flew with every clash. Rowan’s speed continued to rise.
Moonbeam’s eyes widened. He struggled to keep up.
"Oh... this kid," he muttered. "He’s fast... I can’t fall behind now."
Rowan’s movents beca a blur, each strike precise, relentless. The chamber echoed with steel against steel.
Then recognition hit Moonbeam. His voice trembled, barely audible over the clash:
"Wait... I know him. That... that’s Aldwin’s son. No wonder he ca to protect them... to save the night. And yet... with this strength... he’s already top-tier, even at his age."
Rowan’s dark energy began to swirl, aura coiling like living shadows. Moonbeam stepped back, but still tried to et him head-on.
"Ha! Incredible," Moonbeam laughed, a sharp, chilling sound bouncing off the walls.
"Truly outstanding... you’ve pushed back soone as strong as . But that’s all you’re capable of. Ti’s up."
With a roar, Moonbeam surged forward.
Vroom!
Rowan dashed toward him, air slicing as they clashed.
Steel rang against steel. Rowan swung at Moonbeam, who retaliated with lightning-fast strikes aid at his stomach.
Rowan twisted and launched himself into the air.
Vroom!
He flew past the strikes with blinding speed, forcing Moonbeam to leap backward.
"Even if you’re fast... even if you can strike my head... you still can’t pierce ," Moonbeam warned.
"I fought your father once—he was strong. Even he couldn’t pierce . He ran out of stamina. I’ve grown stronger since that ti. But you... I don’t know what to say about you. If you decide to co at ... if you walk under ..."
Rowan smirked midair.
"Oh? Thanks for the offer. But I’ll have to say no."
Moonbeam froze for a second. Shock giving way to disbelief.
"What the...? Negotiating with a child? What a joke."
He lunged forward. Rowan t him head-on.
"You can’t defeat . No matter what."
The two collided in a series of thunderous clashes.
Their swords slid across each other as sparks flew, each forced backward by the sheer force of the strikes.
Blades ground. Neither gave an inch.
Rowan blocked every attack, retaliating with precise strikes of his own.
His blade flashed again and again. Each strike faster than the last.
Moonbeam was forced back, boots scraping against the stone floor.
"I’ve held back long enough," Rowan said calmly, voice cutting through the chaos.
"You say you can’t be pierced? You say I can’t hurt you?"
Blue light gathered around his blade.
"Who decided that?" Rowan continued.
"You don’t get to tell what I can or can’t do. I’m the one who has the final say."
Moonbeam’s eyes widened.
Rowan leapt backward, his body igniting with a blue aura. Mana roared around him like a storm, wrapping his limbs, his sword, his very presence. His eyes burned bright, icy and relentless.
"Ten Thousand A‑Slash Strikes."
VROOOOM!
Slash. Slash. Slash.
The air scread with steel. Sparks showered across the chamber, so hitting the walls with deafening clangs. Each strike tore through the atmosphere, a storm of blue light, each faster than the eye could follow. Slash. Slash. Slash. The sound of thousands of blades collided with the faint groan of stone under pressure.
Moonbeam barely had ti to react. He jumped, twisted, slid, but the strikes ca faster than even his demonic reflexes could track. Slash. Slash. Slash. The ground beneath him cracked. Dust exploded from the walls. Stone chips flew like shrapnel.
Slash. Slash. Slash.
Then Moonbeam felt it—the first bite of pain. His chest flared with fire as deep gashes lined his skin. His leg split. His arm tore open. Sparks of energy jumped off the wounds. Slash. Slash. Slash. His demon ear was sliced clean off, hitting the floor with a wet thud.
Moonbeam staggered, screaming, stumbling back against the wall. Blood painted the stone floor, droplets sizzling as they fell from the intensity of the strikes. His black aura flickered, unstable.
"This... this isn’t possible..." he gasped. His fingers shook. His vision swam as he tried to comprehend the child who had just turned him into a casualty of sheer speed and precision.
Rowan’s aura pulsed with blue fire, every muscle coiled, every strike precise. His presence alone pressed down on Moonbeam like a storm. Another flurry struck. Slash. Slash. Slash. Sparks flew, dust rose, and Moonbeam felt himself being pushed backward, corner to corner.
"What am I... calling him?" Moonbeam whispered, trembling. "A kid? No... he’s... a monster..."
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