The battle lasted longer than any of them expected.
The guardian of the lake was not simply powerful — it was patient.
It attacked in waves, pulling back into the water each time Ethan pushed it away, then returning with a different angle, a different speed, a different pressure.
It was testing him. Learning him. And for the first time in a long while, Ethan felt something other than the cold weight of his hatred fueling his movements.
He felt focus.
Pure, clean, and sharp as the edge of Bloodblade Ashura itself.
Every swing Ethan made carried more than anger. Every step he took was not driven by the image of Telmarian soldiers burning through his memories.
For the first time, he was fighting because he wanted to move forward — not because something behind him refused to let go.
The creature seemed to notice this shift.
In the final exchange, Ethan did not chase the guardian when it retreated beneath the water.
