Insufficient Foundations

When Blood Fiend saw the officer easily deflect his axe strike, he threw back his head and laughed.

"Good. Looks like I'll have to show some real skill."

"Combat skill: Axe of Phantom Shadows!"

In an instant, Blood Fiend and the giant axe in his hands became several blood-red shadows. They hurtled toward every part of the officer's body at a speed the naked eye could scarcely follow, the descending axe shadows falling so fast they seemed to strike at once.

The officer did not panic. Gripping his sword, he shouted just as the axe shadows fell:

"Combat skill: Phantom Sword!"

Swish, swish, swish! In an instant, it was as though the officer had sprouted hundreds of arms, each hand holding a sword. The blades thrust outward from him like a rainstorm.

Clang, clang, clang! Weapons rang against one another without pause. Sparks from their clashes lit up both men's faces, each set with fierce concentration.

Shockwaves from their exchange sent the snow on the ground flying. Against that white backdrop, the two men were like a blood-red shadow and a blue one, weaving and colliding in a violent dance.

When the exchange ended, Blood Fiend stamped so hard that the air exploded beneath his foot. He leaped into the sky and roared:

"Combat skill: Shadow of the Blood Sea!"

This time, Blood Fiend unleashed his domain. His killing intent took form, staining the curtain of pure white snow a sinister crimson.

Within that blood-red domain lay what seemed to be a scarlet sea of blood. Countless ghostly shadows were imprisoned inside it, struggling to crawl free.

Had Blood Fiend's opponent been merely Platinum Rank, the domain would have driven him mad before Blood Fiend even released the full force of the attack.

But the officer's expression turned grave. He