The fight didn't restart immediately.
For a second—just a second—everything held still.
Riven stood there, aura flickering faintly around him, orange and purple blending like it had always been that way. In front of him, Lanks didn't move either. His white eyes stayed locked, unblinking, like something else was still watching through him.
"…you changed," that voice came again.
Riven exhaled slowly. "…no."
A pause.
"…I just stopped holding back."
The floor beneath them cracked slightly as he stepped forward. This time—he didn't rush. Didn't try to overpower. Didn't throw himself into a straight clash like before.
He watched.
Really watched.
The smallest movement. The shift in weight. The way Lanks' fingers twitched before something activated.
Then—
The ground lifted again.
Chunks of stone rose into the air, hovering for half a second before shooting toward him from every direction.
But this time—
Riven moved before they did.
He stepped sideways—not away, but into the gap they hadn't closed yet. The stones passed behind him, missing by inches.
"…what…" one of his party members whispered from far behind.
He didn't hear it.
His focus didn't break.
Another attack came—fire this time. Faster than before.
Riven tilted his head slightly. The flame brushed past his shoulder instead of hitting him directly. Not luck. Timing.
"…he's reading it…" someone said.
Riven stepped in closer.
No wasted movement.
No unnecessary power.
Just… clean.
Lanks' expression didn't change, but his attacks got sharper. More aggressive. Gravity pulled harder now, trying to pin Riven down mid-step.
For a moment—his body slowed.
But only for a moment.
Riven adjusted instantly. He didn't fight the pull. He moved with it, shifting his angle instead of resisting. His foot landed exactly where the pressure was weakest.
A small detail.
But it changed everything.
From the outside—it looked like he was just barely keeping up.
But he wasn't.
He was controlling the pace now.
"…wait…" one of the party members said, eyes widening slightly. "…he's not struggling…"
Another one leaned forward, trying to see through the flashes. "…he's guiding the fight…"
They finally understood.
Riven had always been like this.
Even before.
Back then—
When mid and bot lanes were collapsing.
When everything looked like it was falling apart.
He didn't move.
Not because he couldn't.
Because if he moved—everything else would've broken faster.
He wasn't ignoring the map.
He was watching it.
Waiting for the one moment that actually mattered.
Back to the present—
Lanks disappeared for a split second.
Then appeared behind him.
A punch aimed straight for the heart.
Fast enough to kill.
Riven didn't turn.
Didn't panic.
He shifted his body slightly to the side. Just enough.
The punch grazed past him instead of landing clean.
In the same motion—
Riven stepped forward.
Closed the distance.
And struck.
Not with full power.
With precision.
The hit landed clean against Lanks' side, forcing him back a few steps for the first time since the fight started.
Silence hit for half a second.
"…he pushed him back…"
No one believed it until they saw it.
Riven rolled his shoulder slightly, like he was loosening up.
"…you're not just strength," he muttered quietly. "…you're patterns."
Lanks tilted his head again.
"…and you finally noticed."
The pressure spiked.
Higher than before.
Gravity pulled harder. Fire burned hotter. The space itself twisted like it didn't want to hold them anymore.
But Riven didn't react like earlier.
He didn't rush in.
Didn't try to overpower it.
He stepped back once.
Then stopped.
Waited.
Watched.
"…why is he backing off?" someone whispered.
"…is he tired?"
No.
Riven's eyes stayed sharp.
He was counting.
Timing.
Waiting for something specific.
Just like before.
Just like always.
Then—
It happened.
A slight delay.
Barely noticeable.
Between Lanks' gravity shift and his next movement.
That tiny gap.
Riven moved instantly.
Faster than before.
Cleaner.
He slipped through the pressure like it wasn't even there and appeared right in front of Lanks.
This time—no hesitation.
His fist tightened.
Aura flared.
Orange and purple clashed together for a second—then aligned.
And he struck.
The impact didn't explode outward.
It went through.
Straight.
Direct.
Lanks' body froze for a second.
Not defeated.
But interrupted.
The control—broken for just a moment.
His white eyes flickered.
Just once.
"…Riven…?"
It was faint.
Barely there.
But it was real.
Riven didn't stop.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough.
"…I'm bringing you back."
Behind him, the party stood frozen.
Not because of fear.
Because they finally understood something simple—
Riven wasn't late.
Riven wasn't careless.
He was just… playing a different game.
The chapter ends. 🔥