NUMBER 005

As a man continued to run in the middle of the forest, sensing something, he suddenly turned his back as he quickly picked up the dagger attached to his waist and unhesitatingly blocked the weapon he was holding in front of him, causing it to immediately counter his opponent's swift attack from nowhere.

With a loud clash, the blades collided, sending sparks flying into the air.

If his senses weren't so sharp compared to normal people, he might be in a serious situation.

The man's heart raced as he locked eyes with his mysterious assailant. Adrenaline surged through his veins, fueling his will to defend himself against this unknown threat.

As they pushed against each other, the man strained to identify any clue that would unravel the enigma before him.

When he successfully defended himself, he suddenly distanced himself from his attacker. By doing that, he gets to see clearly who attacked him.

It was a person with natural blond hair. Some strands of his hair were gently following the flow of the small breeze in the air around them while his bright blue eyes were staring directly at him, causing him to become more alert.

Suddenly, his gaze turned to the hands of the person in front of him. What the person was wearing on both hands grabbed his attention. It was a gauntlet.

Each finger of the gauntlet held sharp blades.

The man immediately frowned when he realized that one of the forbidden weapons in the war was now being worn by his opponent.

The blades glinted in the sunlight, reflecting a menacing aura.

With each finger equipped with a deadly weapon, the man realized he was facing an opponent who was skilled and well-prepared for combat.

Its blades are so sharp that they can easily cut through hard objects. It also has a distinct shape derived from the design of an eagle's claw.

As he learned more about the design of the gauntlet, he marveled at the precision and craftsmanship that went into its creation. The sharp talons gleamed menacingly, a testament to their deadly potential.

The man's heart raced as he studied the intricate details of the forbidden weapon. He unconsciously swallowed and broke into a cold sweat at the discovery. It even tightened the grip on the dagger in hand.

He understood that he would need to use his tenacity to outsmart his opponent's powerful advantage to survive.

In the middle of the very quiet surroundings, the person in front of him suddenly raised both of his hands in the air and smiled sweetly.

"Hey, stop doing that. It's freaky." The young man wearing the Clawed Gauntlet spoke rudely.

When the person waved his hands weakly once again, all of the metal in his gauntlets vanished.

In an instant, his hard and dangerous weapon turned into simple black gloves.

The young man's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the metal disintegrate into thin air.

His opponent's smile grew wider, revealing a set of healthy white teeth.

"Impressive, isn't it?" he said.

His voice was dripping with a mixture of amusement and superiority.

The young man's grip on the dagger tightened even further, his mind racing to come up with a plan. He knew he couldn't let his guard down, not even for a second.

If he hadn't seen what type of weapon the opponent had, he might have rushed into him a long time ago.

The man secretly pressed the small button on the handle of the dagger he was holding.

Because of this, the form of the weapon in his hand changed rapidly. Suddenly, the blade of the dagger rose, and in an instant, it turned into a double-edged sword with intricate engravings on the hilt.

The person in front of him was slightly surprised by the sudden change of weapon. After a while, he laughed loudly and looked at the man.

"I'd like to take your stick. Is it red? If you haven't asked, my name is Sean. I already know your name, so you don't have to introduce yourself. You're Nick, right?"

Nick's eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on the transformed weapon. He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at Sean's unnerving familiarity with him. However, he remained composed and replied,

"You seem to know me, Sean. But I'm afraid you won't be taking my colored stick so easily."

Nick shouted loudly and immediately rushed at Sean with the sword in his hand.

"I'll be quick then."

Sean quickly dodged it, but Nick immediately aimed at the young man's chest.

When Sean bent down, he could see Nick's sword go through his head, but what caught Sean's attention more was Nick's saliva spewing all over his entire head.

Sean immediately winced at the spatter and rolled to his left.

"Hey! Your saliva is disgusting. I know I haven't showered today, but what the fuck!"  The sight of Nick's saliva spewing all over his head made Sean feel a mixture of disgust and anger.

He quickly waved his hands, as his black gloves immediately changed and returned to being a sharp Clawed Gauntlet.

He angrily ran towards Nick. He also aimed for the chest, but Sean's attack was blocked by the sword.

Sean immediately moved away from him and took a good look at the man.

He has shoulder-length black hair and a larger body compared to Sean. He was tall and muscular, with a scar running across his face. His piercing eyes locked with Sean's

He knows how to use a sword, but it's clear that he's not very skilled. As evidenced by the earlier attack.

Sean smiled widely as he noticed the gradually increasing wind around him.

Nick's eyes suddenly widened when he saw that the opponent who had been standing before was no longer in his sight.

"Behind you." It turned quickly, but it was too late.

Sean lunged for Nick's neck, but quickly shifted the attack to his opponent's right arm.

Nick's entire body came to a halt when he realized his hand was missing. When he saw the part of his body that was on the ground, his eyes widened stupidly.

Blood gushed from the severed hand as Nick's mind struggled to comprehend the gruesome reality. The excruciating pain finally hit him, causing him to let out a gut-wrenching scream.

"Hey."

Sean's figure vanished from Nick's view as soon as he turned around. He fell to his knees as he was about to move forward when a sharp object struck his leg.

"Too slow." Nick turned his back angrily, but he couldn't see anyone.

"To the right."

Before the man could even turn to the right, he screamed once he felt Sean's sharp weapons hit his eyes.

Nick's vision blackened as pain shot through his body. Gasping for air, he desperately reached out to defend himself, but Sean's attack was relentless. It was quick, yet painful.

Sean was about to attack again, but he was immediately stopped when he noticed that the young man in front of him couldn't fight anymore. He just frowned and looked carefully at the man who was kneeling.

The man's face was contorted in agony, with blood streaming down his face from his injured eyes.

"Dueling with me with your subpar skill is an unfair fight to begin with."

Sean's voice dripped with disdain as he surveyed the defeated man before him. He took a step back, realizing that victory had already been achieved and there was no need to continue the assault.