"Both contestants ready?" The match official asked as both Leo and Jerome nodded their heads after taking their starting spots.
"Begin!" The match official said, as immediately Leo sprung into action, dashing straight towards his opponent.
He had no prior idea about today's match venue, however, when he looked at it for the first time, Leo felt as if this was an arena that was tailor-made for him to show his true skills.
Tall thick pillars that all casted a dark shadow against the bright morning sun were littered evenly across the battlefield— as in such a terrain Leo knew that he could practically be a ghost if he wanted to.
Although slightly different, this arena reminded him of the training he did with Ben in the dense forests of Mount Faulkner.
As just like the forest where he could hide behind thick trees and attack from anonymous shadows, he could do the same in this battlefield too as let alone Jerome, not even five Jerome's fighting together could take him down in this map.
Jerome, having already received information about today's arena through his spies and having devised a strategy to take down Leo in the same, rushed towards the pillars near him, tying a trap wire around them as he created a square of extremely sharp trap wire in the four pillars surrounding him.
Standing at the center of this make-shift trap, he prepared himself for Leo's assault, waiting for him to show up.
Jerome's makeshift fortress of wire traps glittered menacingly in the sunlight, a clever countermeasure to the elusive assassin's skills.
At first sight it only seemed like a square of metal threads that could be evaded simply by jumping over it, a foolish defense. However, the trap was actually much more profound than it appeared.
Apart from the visible metal boundaries, there were countless invisible threads that could cause major injuries to anyone that would foolishly jump over the main trap and not be mindful of the invisible threads, as Jerome hoped that with this contraption he would be able to lure Leo into the domain he controlled and fight him on his terms.
But Leo being a master of shadows and deception, was hardly deterred. He vanished into thin air as he approached the shadow cast by the towering pillar, just outside Jerome's fortress blending seamlessly with the darkness.
[ Vanish ]
For the first time ever, Leo used a skill move in an actual fight, as the second he used vanish, he disappeared from the sights of Jerome and the crowd, who collectively gasped at this scene.
"Where did he go? Can you see him?"
"Did The Boss just disappear into thin air?"
"Where the hell is he?"
The crowd wondered, as even Jerome narrowed his eyes, scanning the battlefield for any signs of Leo.
His heavy armor clinked softly as he shifted, sword ready, turning slowly to cover every angle. The crowd held its breath, watching the seemingly empty arena where a deadly dance was about to unfold.
From the shadows, Leo watched Jerome's cautious movements. He needed only a single moment, a single lapse in the knight's vigilance to conclude this battle, however, since the goal was to incapacitate him and not kill him, Leo could not unleash a barrage of daggers aimed at his neck like he usually would when sparring with Ben.
Silently, he moved from one shadow to another, circling the perimeter of Jerome's trap, while toying with his opponent's mind.
With a flick of his wrist, a dagger whistled silently through the air, aimed not to hit Jerome, but to cut one of the wires of his trap.
The wire snapped loudly, the sound echoing off the pillars as Jerome spun, his sword slashing through the air where he thought Leo might appear. But Leo was already gone, slipped into another shadow, his presence as transient as a whisper.
Feeling the rush of control, Leo darted towards another pillar. Another dagger flying off his hand slicing through a second wire.
The trap was weakening, and Jerome's strategy was crumbling. The knight's frustration was palpable as he realized his preparations were being undone by a foe who had seen through his schemes.
Leo's confidence surged. He had mastered the art of fighting without being seen, and this arena was his domain. He appeared briefly from behind a pillar, another dagger ready, but this time, he aimed it directly at Jerome, the dagger spinning through the air with lethal precision.
Jerome, anticipating the attack this time, raised his shield just in time. The dagger struck with a metallic clang and fell harmlessly to the ground. Yet, before Jerome could advance, Leo vanished again, leaving a trace of laughter echoing around the arena.
Realizing the futility of his passive defense, Jerome abandoned his central position, deciding to take the offensive as he carefully came out of the trap he made to keep Leo away from himself.
Charging towards the last place he'd seen Leo, he hoped to find his opponent hiding in the shadows behind the pillar. However, with his heavy armor slowing him and making constant noise, Leo could anticipate his position even with his eyes closed.
Slashing behind the pillar, Jerome hoped to catch Leo off-guard but Leo had already moved away from behind that pillar, as Jerome's attack only sliced through empty air.
With a graceful leap, Leo sprang from his hiding spot, landing silently behind Jerome and before the knight could turn, Leo pressed a dagger gently against his armored back—a non-lethal touch, but a clear end to their match.
'This was too easy', Leo thought as he shook his head in dismay, the match ending before it ever properly began.
"I yield," Jerome announced reluctantly, knowing he was defeated without a chance to properly engage his opponent.
The crowd erupted in cheers for the spectacular display of skill and cunning.
Leo bowed slightly, his face betraying a satisfied smirk that was hidden behind his mask.
In this game of shadows and strategy, the assassin class was king, however, although Jerome knew he would be at a disadvantage, he did not think that he would lose this fight without having the chance to even engage his opponent.