Chapter 1: Blood and Thunder II - The Demon

As Atenzi rose to face Khan once more, a change came over him.

The serene focus of the flow state was gone, replaced by his true nature perhaps?

His eyes blazed with a cold fire, a look that made even the great Khan hesitate.

*I MUST WIN. I MUST SURVIVE.

I WON'T LET FATE DECIDE WHO I AM!*

The thought thundered through Atenzi's mind, drowning out all else.

Gone was the calculated precision of his earlier fighting style.

In its place was something raw, ferocious, and utterly unpredictable.

Atenzi launched himself at Khan with a speed that defied belief.

His katana became a blur of silver, striking from angles that seemed impossible. Khan, caught off guard by the sudden change in his opponent's tactics, found himself driven back.

"What manner of demon are you?" Khan growled, barely deflecting a strike that would have taken his head off.