Before the cold edge of the dagger could even bite into his skin, Lexel's left arm drove backward with brutal force. His elbow struck the assassin's guard with a dull thud, and in the exact same fluid motion, Lexel pivoted his entire torso. The deadly blade slid harmlessly through empty air, completely stripping Crow of his tactical advantage.
Crow reeled back, taking several rapid, defensive steps into the deep snow. The impact had felt entirely casual, as if Lexel were merely brushing away an annoying insect, yet the raw force behind it had violently broken Crow's lethal range.
Lexel didn't even drop the Black Swan seal. He held it casually in his right hand, spinning it on his fingertip like a toy.
"If you want to kill me, you have to earn it," Lexel said, his voice dripping with an effortless, mocking calm. "But for a guy like you? One hand is more than enough."
