The dungeon remained silent.
Then—
Light.
"Why not light up the place?" Leo muttered.
At once—
Lanterns across the dungeon flickered to life.
Soft light filled the space.
Leo walked forward casually.
His hand brushed against a weapon rack.
He picked up a sword.
Balanced it once.
"…I'm more of a swordsman," he said lightly.
Across from him—
Orion stood still.
"That won't matter," Orion replied.
"I will cut you down."
Leo sighed.
"Hey… take it easy."
He rested the sword on his shoulder.
"I don't want to end this quickly."
A small grin.
"How about a few clashes?"
A pause.
"I did something similar with someone else."
"…Though she didn't really use a sword."
"She just made sure damage didn't exist."
Leo chuckled.
"But still…"
"Let's have some fun."
Silence.
Orion's gaze sharpened.
"…As long as you keep your word."
"…and don't use your conceptual power."
Leo looked at him.
Almost amused.
"Why do you keep saying that?"
A step forward.
"If I was going to use it…"
"…you'd already be on the ground."
A pause.
"So relax."
"I won't."
Silence.
Then—
Orion vanished.
⚔️ Clash
A flash.
Steel met steel.
CLANG.
Leo blocked.
Without moving.
Orion reappeared behind him—
CLANG.
Blocked again.
Faster.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Each strike—
Perfectly intercepted.
Orion's eyes widened.
Impossible…
His movements accelerated.
One thousandth of a second.
Then—
One hundred-thousandth.
Speed beyond perception.
Leo smiled slightly.
"…Wow."
"This is how fast you are?"
Another clash.
"I wonder how you knocked them out…"
A pause.
"…Ah."
Leo's eyes sharpened.
"Your presence."
"That makes sense."
Orion didn't respond.
He kept attacking.
Faster.
Sharper.
Leo continued—
"…Right now…"
CLANG.
"You're moving at about…"
CLANG.
"One hundred-thousandth of a second."
Orion froze—
Just for a fraction.
"…How?"
Leo stepped back.
Calm.
"Come on."
"This is the speed I had when I was five."
Silence.
Orion's expression broke.
"…What?"
Leo shrugged.
"Well… not exactly."
"I was faster."
A pause.
"That was just when I started."
Orion's grip tightened.
"…You're lying."
Leo smiled.
"Am I?"
Then—
"Anyway…"
"You're doing it wrong."
Orion lunged again—
Leo sidestepped effortlessly.
"…You keep dashing straight at me."
Another strike—deflected.
"You're fast…"
"But your movement is predictable."
Leo stepped inside Orion's range.
"Don't move like a person."
A pause.
"Move like a blade."
A flick—
Orion's strike missed.
"…Cut through space."
Another clash.
"Not toward me."
Orion gritted his teeth.
"Stop talking!"
Leo laughed.
"Why?"
"Go ask your 'hero.'"
"She'll tell you the same thing."
Orion's speed spiked.
The dungeon trembled.
"Enough!"
🌌 Conceptual Space
The world froze.
Then—
Shattered.
A new space formed.
Closed.
Endless.
"…Conceptual Space."
Orion stood at its center.
"In here…"
"I am speed itself."
"I define movement—"
"Yeah, yeah," Leo interrupted.
"No need for the speech."
He raised his sword.
"Just come at me."
Silence.
Then—
Everything became motion.
Orion moved.
Everywhere.
At once.
Speed beyond direction.
Beyond time.
Attack after attack—
All aimed at Leo.
And yet—
Nothing landed.
Leo moved.
Not faster.
Just… correctly.
Every strike—
Seen.
Every path—
Read.
Every movement—
Answered.
Orion's thoughts broke apart.
Why…
Why can't I hit him?
I am speed—
So why does he look… slower than me?
Ten seconds passed.
Then—
The space shattered.
⬛ Aftermath
Leo stepped out.
Sword resting on his shoulder.
"…That was fun."
A small pause.
"…I won, by the way."
Behind him—
Orion collapsed.
Unconscious.
Leo glanced around.
"…Great."
"My team's still out."
He sighed.
"Well…"
He raised his hand slightly.
"…this is going to take too long."
A pause.
"…Order."
The space trembled.
"I order this place…"
"…return to how it was meant to be."
Reality shifted.
The dungeon reset.
Time corrected.
Orion reappeared—
Back at the start.
Awake.
The team—
Unharmed.
Dungeon—
Cleared.
⬛ After
Orion stood still.
Shaken.
It wasn't speed…
It wasn't power…
He didn't even use his ability…
Then what…?
He reached into his pocket.
A note.
He opened it.
If that's your limit… you can grow.
Stop relying only on speed.
Your footwork is terrible.
— From the holder of Order (just kidding, it's Leo)
Silence.
Orion clenched the paper.
"…I won't forget this."
His eyes hardened.
"…Next time…"
"I'll be faster."
Outside—
The team exited the dungeon.
Unaware of what truly happened.
Leo walked ahead.
Hands in pockets.
Like always.