Yet, what the young man failed to realize was that Cloudia had already locked onto him.
Through her deep companion bond with Xue Taiyang, she had sensed the young man's killing intent toward Xue Taiyang long ago.
She could feel her master's emotions almost as if they were her own. Her instincts were as sharp as Reon's Instinctual Awareness—and she knew exactly where her prey was hiding.
Would she stop from attacking? Hell nah!
Cloudia lunged forward with blinding speed, her movements swift and precise, cutting through the air like a phantom.
"Huh?! Is it coming toward me? No... No way!" The young man's thoughts raced, yet his killing intent remained.
Panic surged through him as he realized—too late—that he had been exposed.
FWOOSH!
Before he could even react, Cloudia's form blurred, her illusory movements making it impossible to predict her attack.
And then—CRUNCH!