Leon regarded the cloaked figure across the thirty meters of burning sky between them.
Dangerous. Undeniably so.
But he wasn't feeling dread. Not even close.
He had already dealt with an Ethereal Initiate before—even if that victory had relied heavily on luck and circumstances, and even if he'd been significantly weaker at the time. Just from this first direct confrontation, Leon could already feel the fundamental difference. His physical prowess held a clear advantage. Speed, raw strength, and likely several other categories as well—his growth since that previous encounter had been unilateral, advancing across every single area simultaneously rather than in isolated spikes.
