Stephen’s eyes widened with fear and disbelief as he staggered backwards, creating so distance between himself and Shinon.
After their earlier encounter, the bandit had expected Shinon to be weakened, injured, or even incapacitated. Yet here he stood, defying the odds, his body battered and bruised, but his determination unyielding.
Stephen couldn’t help but comnt, his voice tinged with fear and awe of the opponent. "You... You should be lying on the ground, writhing in pain. How are you still standing?"
Shinon’s piercing gaze remained fixed on Stephen; his expression was stoic and resolute. He chose not to respond to the bandit’s comnt, fully aware that his resilience in the face of adversity spoke volus.
In reality, Shinon had used [Shadow Heal] to quickly heal himself before slipping into his shadow and stopping Stephen’s attack. But he wasn’t going to reveal his secrets to the bandits.
Instead, he swiftly reached into the depths of his shadow, retrieving a small vial filled with a glowing liquid.
With gentle precision, Shinon cradled Selena’s fragile form in his arms, mindful of her frail state. Her breathing was shallow, her body weak from the tornt she had endured at the hands of the bandits.
In a mont of quiet tenderness, Shinon carefully poured a few drops of the potion from the vial into Selena’s mouth, his touch filled with soothing warmth.
A subtle energy seed to revive within her as the potion coursed through Selena’s veins. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing a flicker of recognition and relief. She tried to speak, but her voice ca out as a whisper, barely audible.
"Shinon... I... I’m glad... you’re here." She mumbled, a weak smile forming on her face.
Anger welled up in Shinon’s eyes as he held Selena in his arms. He gently pressed a finger to her lips, silencing any further apologies she might offer.
"Save your strength, Selena. We’ll talk later. For now, rest while I take care of these rodents."
A faint smile graced Selena’s lips, her trust in Shinon evident even in her weakened state. She reached out a trembling hand, her touch seeking reassurance and connection.
Stephen, witnessing this exchange, felt frustrated by the situation. He clenched his fists, his anger boiling within him.
How dare the bastard ignore him like he was nothing? Moreover, he dared to call them rodents? In his eyes, Shinon was asking for death, and Stephen was more than pleased to deliver it.
With a swift motion, Shinon released Selena from his embrace, gently setting her down behind him before covering her with a barrier of shadows.
Once done, he turned to face Stephen and the bandits, his shadowmancer abilities surging. His silhouette seed to stretch and contort in the dimly lit room, rging with the shadows.
Stephen knew he couldn’t let Shinon or the girl go. After all, they were crucial pieces of his plan to overthrow the Widow and beco the Bandits’ leader.
After all, he went as far as killing all of the n the Phoenixes send after the ’Widow’, which turned out to be a trap set by him to cause an all-out war between the bandits and the Phoenixes, which he would then use as a cover to get rid of Widow.
Once the Widow was taken care of, he planned on forming a friendly relationship with the Phoenixes by striking a deal with them.
But if either Selena or Shinon escaped, Stephen might lose leverage over the Phoenixes, and they might not be able to co to a compromise. He would rather kill them than let them foil his plans.
Stephen, his fear montarily overshadowed by anger, launched himself at Shinon with a renewed determination. He swung his weapon with vicious intent, seeking to strike down the man who had disrupted his plans.
But Shinon was ready, and as soon as Stephen got close enough to him, several spikes shot out of the darkness, wanting to impale Stephen.
However, the bandit who had hit Selena jumped before Stephen to protect him. His blood splattered everywhere as the bandits gaped at Shinon’s horrifying display of power.
Stephen could not believe his eyes, and sothing clicked inside his head at that mont. He hadn’t defeated Shinon... Shinon had intended for it to happen! Everything was a part of his plan, and like a fool, Stephen fell right into it!
anwhile, the bandits lunged forward, their weapons raised high, seeking to overwhelm Shinon with sheer numbers. But as they closed in, sothing weird happened.
With a swift motion, Shinon unleashed his shadowmancy in full force. Shadows elongated and solidified, taking the form of razor-sharp blades that cut through the air with deadly precision.
As the bandits advanced, they were t with a whirlwind of darkness, slashing through their ranks with a lethal grace. A few bandits tried to shoot Shinon, but he erected a shield of shadows to block the bullets.
Stephen knew at that mont that he was utterly fucked. The wandering zombie tar, Vlad, had not lied to them about the dangers the Shadowmancer might beco. But he paid no attention to the zombie tar’s words and was now paying the price.
Stephen, seething with rage, charged at Shinon with a fierce determination. He swung his weapon, a heavy cleaver, in a wide arc, attempting to break through Shinon’s defences.
But each strike was t with a calculated and effortless evasion as Shinon moved with the fluidity and grace of a dancer, his shadowy companions shielding him from harm.
"You think you can outwit , Shinon?" Stephen spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "You’re nothing but a coward hiding behind shadows!"
"It’s still better than using your comrades as a atshield," Shinon retorted.
Shinon’s eyes flashed briefly, a glimr of amusent amidst the chaos. He didn’t waste his breath on a retort, focused on ruthlessly dispatching the bandits.
Shadows erupted from the ground, snaring the bandits’ feet and rendering them helpless, while others ford tendrils that entwined around their weapons, disarming them instantly.
One by one, the bandits fell under Shinon’s relentless assault. His movents were a dance of shadow and steel, striking with deadly accuracy and incapacitating his opponents with minimal effort. However, the fight was far from over as a hooded figure slowly approached their location.
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