The mist thickened until it swallowed everything. It was no longer a haze but a wall of white that pressed in from all sides, smothering vision and making the world feel distant and unreal.
Shirou narrowed his eyes. He couldn't even see his own hand when he raised it in front of his face. At ten inches, it vanished completely into the fog.
"Complete blindness…" he muttered.
Across from him, the masked man slowly stood, brushing dust from his clothes as if nothing had happened.
Claws, mist… so this confirms it. There were no beasts. Everything from the beginning was under his control. But why go this far?
Shirou tilted his head slightly, acting as if he was still searching for his opponent. His eyes moved carefully from left to right, his shoulders tense, but inside, he was calm. He could still sense the mana core in front of him. The man hadn't moved an inch, most likely watching him, tilting his head, enjoying the false confusion.
This mist isn't ordinary. It hides mana signatures completely. The only reason I can sense him is because of Mana Detection. There's no way he could realize that. Even my last strike was in a straight line, no hint that I could track him.
Finally, the masked man shifted. Instead of closing in, he began to move in a slow circle around Shirou, keeping distance, almost like a predator circling its prey.
This guy… Shirou thought, before calling out into the mist, "Are you planning to fight, or did you already run away? Because honestly, I'm getting bored here."
No answer came. Just the steady circle, slow steps padding across the earth, though strangely muted by the fog.
Shirou lowered Ashbringer slightly, his tone sharper this time. "You've got the mist. You've got the advantage. Yet you're not attacking. I don't blame you, though. I mean… you're so weak you couldn't put a scratch on me even if you tried."
The words were not careless but calculated. And just as Shirou expected, the man's mana core froze for a fraction of a second, hesitated, and then it rushed straight toward him.
Flames ignited hotter around Ashbringer, crimson swallowing steel. Shirou swung horizontally, a burst of power tearing through the fog.
"Flame Edge!"
The dark crimson blaze cut through the mist, slicing it apart. For a brief instant, the world opened up as trees, ground, and the approaching outline of the man all revealed in the light. The masked figure leapt back at the last moment, evading the strike, but Shirou continued the swing, twisting his body and slashing a full 180° arc to keep pressure.
As I thought. This mist, it's water. Flame Edge can vaporize it. My ordinary flames aren't hot enough, but Flame Edge is.
He planted his feet, lifting Ashbringer again. "Ashbringer-Inferno Surge!"
A swirling vortex of fire erupted forward, not aimed directly at the man but slightly off to the side. Shirou wasn't trying to hit. He was testing. As the vortex tore through the fog, a path cleared for a moment, though it closed quickly behind it.
Inferno Surge can cut through as well, though not as much as Flame Edge. Still workable.
But something else nagged at him. The silence. Since the mist had spread, there had been no sound of footsteps. No crunch of leaves, no brush of grass. Nothing.
It's not just vision. The mist is muffling sound. He's moving freely, but I can't hear a single step. That's dangerous.
On the other side, the masked man narrowed his eyes, watching Shirou through the haze. For him, the mist was nothing. He could see clearly, every tree and every leaf as if the world were untouched.
'Did he know I was going to attack? Impossible. Unless… he's some kind of sensory type. But no. If he truly knew my exact position, he wouldn't waste strength on wide swings. He'd have aimed precisely at one point.'
His gaze shifted to Ashbringer. The flames burned a deep, dark crimson, pulsing with dangerous heat.
That flame… It's the only way he can see me. Which means it costs him dearly. If I fight him head-on, I risk everything. But if I stall long enough, his mana will run dry. That's my win.
A smirk formed behind the mask. I just need to drag this out.
In the next instant, amusement flickered in the man's eyes as he watched Shirou dash to the left. Does he really think I'm over there? Running blind?
But his amusement faded quickly. Shirou didn't stop. He kept running.
"Tch… He's trying to escape."
The man gave chase, confident. He can't outrun me. Not in this mist.
Ahead, Shirou kept his pace, flames sparking around Ashbringer. "Ashbringer-Inferno Surge!"
The vortex burst forward, illuminating the path just enough to keep his speed steady. He layered Flame Edge over the blade immediately after, knowing he couldn't afford a single misstep.
Mana Detection gives me his core, but nothing else. No trees, no terrain, no obstacles. Just the glow. That's why I can't run forever. He's not attacking either. He's stalling. He knows Flame Edge burns too much mana, and he's waiting for me to drain out. If this keeps up, I'll collapse before he does.
Shirou's eyes narrowed. That's why I need to bait him. Make him think I'm desperate to escape. Lure him in close. One strike. One precise hit to end it.
He could sense the man's core closing in rapidly from behind. The pressure grew heavier, his intent obvious.
He won't let me return to the village. If I report that there were no beasts, only humans… whatever plan he's hiding would fall apart. He can't allow that.
The core was nearly upon him now.
"One chance," Shirou thought coldly. "One precise strike."
He stopped abruptly, spinning on his heel. Ashbringer rose high, flames blazing, before plunging forward in a perfect thrust.
The mana core is always near the heart. If I can see the core, then I can strike the heart.
For the first time, the mana core froze. The faint outline of the man shimmered in the clearing fog, caught off guard.
He raised his claws desperately, their edges glowing blue, but the blade slammed through his guard and still missed his heart. The impact hurled him back, his body crashing through the ground. Ashbringer leaving only a shallow cut across the right side of his chest.
Shirou didn't wait. He dashed forward, chasing him down. The masked man scrambled sideways, weaving through the trees. Shirou followed, blade burning. He swung down in a brutal strike.
But the blade struck a thick tree trunk instead, the explosion of fire splitting it apart. The masked figure slipped away at the last moment,
"Damn trees," Shirou hissed, grinding his teeth. "They're strong enough to slow down my swings."
Still, he pressed on, cutting down anything in his path. "Ashbringer-Crimson Arc!"
The sweeping slash of flame roared forward, but the man's claws deflected it with a sharp spark.
"Inferno Surge!"
The vortex spiraled, but again the man slipped aside, weaving between trees, putting distance between them.
Shirou skidded to a stop, frustration building. His grip on Ashbringer tightened. "Tch… missed again. And now…"
His eyes narrowed." Now he knows. He knows I can sense him. This just got worse."