But Satou wasn't there.
Shadow Step.
Satou appeared five feet to Richard's left. No warning, no transitional movement—just instant repositioning through the darkness that connected all shadowed spaces.
Richard's blade hit empty air, and the force of his swing left him momentarily off-balance. Satou's Shadow Blade was already slashing toward his exposed ribs.
Richard's temporal perception screamed warning. He saw the attack coming, saw the trajectory, twisted away with supernatural speed. The blade missed by inches, but the Void Fang essence along its edge created a vacuum effect that tugged at his robes.
They separated, circling.
"Fast," Richard admitted, his temporal magic already active, making his outline shimmer as he existed partially in multiple time states. "But I've seen fast before."
