I leaned toward the latter.
I exhaled and stepped to the side, feeling the ground beneath me waver again, the instability still present, still working against me.
I didn't dwell on it.
There was no point.
Instead, I let my instincts take over, letting [Focus] strip away the unnecessary noise while [Battle Instinct] guided the flow of my movement, shutting down any thoughts that would slow me down.
Then I moved.
I charged, accelerating into a controlled blitz, not reckless but sharp, every step placed with intent.
At first, the resistance was there, the same subtle drag that had been interfering with my movement, but as I continued forward, as I committed to the motion, it began to weaken—not disappearing entirely, but easing just enough to give me cleaner transitions between each step.
Caius moved at the same time, closing the distance instead of retreating, his aura darkening as it flared, the shift immediate and purposeful as he attacked.
I didn't counter.
I watched.
