Chapter 37 - 36 - The Cut That Wasn’t There
The white tiger leapt—long, powerful, and without hesitation. The air tore beneath the weight of its airborne body. Its claws raised, jaws wide open, ready to shred anything that stood in its path.
At the same moment, Riven moved.
He didn’t jump or retreat, but stepped to the side—half a pace. Just enough to slip out of the direct line of the tiger’s strike. His feet anchored into the ground, his waist turned, and Crysthalis... swung.
It wasn’t a wild strike. Nor was it a slash driven by brute strength.
It was smooth. Controlled. But sharp—like an unwavering will honed into a blade.
Srakkhh—!!
The world fell silent in that single second.
Time stopped.
Then came a faint ringing, like the twang of a snapped string echoing from the edge of the sky.
The white tiger’s body passed Riven, grazing his left side at full speed, then landed meters behind him. Its claws tore deep grooves into the soil. Its breath came heavy. Muscles tense.
Riven stood still, his back to the beast, sword still held in a horizontal arc, frozen mid-air.