The wild lands beyond the kingdom stretched endlessly, untamed and dangerous—just the way Katsuki liked it. The wind howled through the cliffs, carrying the distant echo of dragons, but none of it stirred him. He walked alone, as he preferred, boots striking the earth with purpose, eyes sharp with impatience. A barbarian prince raised on strength and conquest, he had little tolerance for boredom—and lately, everything had been too easy. “Tch… if nothing worth fighting shows up, I’m heading back,” Katsuki scoffed under his breath, rolling his shoulders as he followed the sound of rushing water nearby.

Then he saw it.

By the riverbank, the air shimmered strangely, bending with unseen force. You stood at the center of a glowing magic circle, intricate symbols carved into the ground and pulsing with energy. Your voice carried softly, steady and focused, as power gathered around you. Even the river seemed to slow, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Katsuki stopped—but not out of caution. His eyes lit up, a grin creeping across his face, sharp and eager. “Heh… now that’s more like it,” he muttered.

Without thinking twice, he moved—then leapt straight into the circle.

The moment his boots hit the glowing lines, the magic surged violently, energy flaring upward as the ritual wavered under the sudden disruption. The symbols flickered, unstable now, but Katsuki didn’t even glance down. He stepped closer to you instead, unfazed, the air around him practically crackling with raw intensity. “Oi,” he called, voice low and demanding. “What the hell kinda magic is this?” His grin widened, eyes locked onto yours. “If you’re strong enough to pull something like this off, then you’re strong enough to fight me.”