The moon illuminated the cave's ruined interior through the gaping cracks in the ceiling. Shadows stretched like claws, enveloping the two combatants. Kael and the woman stood before each other, both bleeding, both wounded, but still standing.

The silence that hung there was only apparent: behind it was the roar of heavy breathing, the crackle of cracked stone, the crackle of magical energy still in the air.

Kael hefted the broken chains, his arms trembling, but his eyes blazed with fury and determination. The woman held the mana sword tightly in her hands, the edge pulsing like a star about to explode.

"You should be dead," she said, her voice hoarse but firm. "Anyone else would have been crushed by now."

Kael laughed, spitting blood onto the ground.

"I am not just anyone else."

He advanced.

The short chain whipped like a serpent, aiming for her neck. The woman raised her sword in a swift motion and blocked, the clash echoing like metallic thunder. At the same time, Kael used the second chain, throwing it like a grappling hook at her legs.

She realized the trick and leaped, spinning through the air with the lightness of a feather. The movement was so fluid that for a moment it seemed like she was dancing on the chain. Mid-spin, she counterattacked: the sword came down in a perfect arc, aiming for Kael's exposed shoulder.

He retreated half a step, but not quickly enough. The blade cut into his skin, opening another deep wound. Blood flowed, but Kael only roared, taking advantage of the proximity to throw a punch with the short chain wrapped around his fist.

The blow landed squarely in her ribs.

The sound of bones breaking echoed in the cave. She was thrown against a rock, the air escaping from her lungs in a choked groan. But before Kael could advance, she slammed the tip of her sword into the ground.

Runes opened beneath his feet, releasing a wave of energy. The impact threw Kael backward, his body crashing against the shattered stones.

The entire ground shook. Chunks of rock crumbled, covering part of the entrance. Their battle was slowly destroying the entire place.

Kael staggered to his feet, but laughed again.

"It's going to have to be more than that."

He swung one of the chains, slamming it against the cave ceiling. The iron caught on a stone beam, and Kael used his body weight to propel himself. He flew like a human projectile toward her.

The woman raised her sword, ready to take the impact.

The shock was devastating.

Kael struck with all his strength, the chains slamming against the blade. The released energy exploded like thunder, sweeping up dust and stone. They were both thrown to opposite sides once more.

She fell to her knees, her breath ragged, but she held her sword steady. The runes around her body flickered, indicating the extreme effort that was already reaching its limit.

Kael, for his part, could barely stay standing. His knees were shaking, his body bleeding from dozens of cuts and burns. But his eyes were still there: alive, wild, glowing like embers that refused to go out.

"You don't understand..." she murmured, struggling to her feet. "You can't defeat someone who masters mana."

Kael spat blood again, smiling.

"Mana, mana, mana... you all rely on it too much."

He twisted the short chain around his wrist, slamming it against the ground forcefully. Each beat sounded like a war drum, echoing through the space.

"I only need one thing. To resist more than you."

She narrowed her eyes. The sword's glow grew, as if responding to her growing anger.

"Then let's go all the way."

They both advanced.

The entire cave became a scene of destruction.

Kael swung the chains like a madman, each blow heavy enough to topple entire columns. The woman responded with swift slashes, each precise, as if she were made of pure technique.

Chain and sword met in the air, generating shockwaves that knocked down stones. Sparks of energy spread like dark fireworks, illuminating their faces in flashes.

Kael roared with each attack, like a frenzied beast. She, in contrast, kept her lips pressed together, her gaze focused, like a cold predator.

In a moment, Kael managed to wrap one of the chains around her arm. With a yank, he tried to snatch the sword from her.

She reacted immediately, releasing a burst of mana through the blade. The energy coursed through the chain, burning Kael's hand to the bone.

He screamed, but didn't let go. He pulled harder, bringing her closer, and with his other hand, he delivered a devastating punch.

The chained fist connected with her face.

The impact was brutal. The woman fell to her side, blood gushing from her nose and mouth. The sword nearly slipped from her hand, but she held on tight.

With effort, she rolled away, staggering to her feet.

Kael looked at his hand, now raw from the burns, and smiled.

"Is that all you have?"

She wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand.

"No... this is just the beginning."

Suddenly, her body glowed with absurd intensity. Runes appeared on her arm, chest, and legs. The sword expanded, becoming larger, heavier, a veritable colossus of condensed energy.

Kael's eyes widened for a moment, but then he laughed.

"Good. You're finally done playing around."

She advanced with inhuman speed.

The giant blade descended, slicing through the air with the force of thunder. Kael raised both chains in a cross, blocking. The impact shattered the stone beneath his feet and threw him to his knees, but he resisted.

The woman pressed on, screaming, the sword's energy vibrating like an earthquake. Kael roared in response, every muscle in his body straining with strain.

For a moment, it seemed the sword would crush him.

But Kael moved.

He released one of the chains and, using the other, wrapped it around the glowing blade. The iron burned and melted, but he ignored it. With a desperate yank, he deflected the blow to the side.

The sword struck the wall, exploding in a wave of energy that opened a crater.

Kael took advantage. He lunged forward, using the length of chain like a hammer. The iron struck her shoulder with full force, shattering the bone with a sharp crack.

She screamed in pain, but retaliated immediately, using her good elbow to push him back.

They both staggered, coughing blood, but neither fell.

They faced each other once more, their bodies destroyed, their eyes blazing.

Kael raised the chain, her arm trembling.

"You're still standing... impressive."

She gasped, her broken arm hanging at her side, but the mana sword still clutched in her other hand.

"You too... but this ends now."

And they advanced for the final blow.

Kael whirled the chain, aiming for her head. She raised her sword in a diagonal slash.

The two attacks met in midair.

The explosion was so devastating that the entire ceiling of the cave collapsed. Giant rocks tumbled down, dust covering everything. The sound echoed like the end of the world.

For long seconds, there was only darkness, dust, and silence.

When vision cleared, they were both on the ground.

Kael, stretched out on his back, bleeding from dozens of wounds, still held half the chain in one hand. His eyes were open, staring at the destroyed ceiling, his breathing shallow but alive.

The woman, a few meters away, lay on her side, her mana sword extinguished. Her broken arm hung limp, her body covered in wounds. She was breathing heavily, her eyes half-closed, but also still alive.

Neither of them had won.

It was the second draw.

But now, the cave was in ruins. And outside, the distant roar of thousands of voices echoed: the witches were coming.

Kael smiled, spitting blood.

"It seems... the game is over for you."

The woman closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"No... it's over. Not yet."

And the silence returned, heavy, laden with death and promise.

The sky broke with a thunder of light.

It wasn't the calm glow of the moon, nor the red of war that had already painted the forest. It was something larger, a veil tearing apart, letting in the glow of thousands of sparks—they were auras, countless, burning like stars in motion.

The woman, lying on the ground, forced her eyes open. Her chest rose and fell in spasms, each breath a torment. Still, she lifted her head and peered through the gaping crack in the cavern ceiling.

The air was charged, vibrating.

And then, she saw it.

A swarm.

No—an army.

Witches. Dozens, hundreds, thousands. Their bodies streaked across the night sky like comets, each wreathed in flames of mana, lightning, wind, shadows. The sky was covered with wings, cloaks, screams, and chants of power. There were so many of them that the moonlight itself seemed dimmed before their procession.

Her eyes widened.

"I-impossible..."

Her voice trembled. She had never seen anything like it. No living witch, not even the oldest, had witnessed such a concentration of power. The Hunting Order. The decree that forced all witches in the world to pursue a single target. And now, they loomed over them like judges and executioners.

Her throat went dry. Her heart, once pounding with rage and hatred, was now pure fear.

She, who had believed she could master mana, who had believed she could subdue this man... now realized how small she was before the black tide that covered the sky.

Kael, still on the ground, moved.

Every muscle felt torn, every bone ached, but his eyes were alive. He turned his face toward her, a crooked smile, full of blood and broken teeth.

"Yes..." His voice was low, hoarse, but firm. "It's over."

The broken chain still rested in his hand, heavy as fate itself. He didn't need to lift his arm. His gaze was enough.

The woman didn't answer.

Because there was no answer.