I planted my feet firmly into the sand and bent my knees slightly.
Ready to receive his attack.
But—
Nothing.
He didn't move.
He didn't even lift his sword.
My eyes rose toward his face.
And there it was again.
That mocking smile.
He looked at me—
Then turned his head toward the crowd and waved casually with his left hand.
The crowd answered.
"That's our number 8!"
"Wave to me next time!"
"Show mercy and just kill him!"
My eyes widened slightly.
His stance was wide open, sword lowered.
Doesn't he take this seriously?
Taking my chance as he was more focused on the crowd than me—
Step.
I stepped forward and delivered a diagonal slash.
Shing.
The attack wasn't fast—I had to close the distance first—it should have surprised him at least.
Clang.
But he blocked it effortlessly.
The sword that had hung lazily at his side was suddenly locked against mine.
His head, which was still turned toward the crowd, slowly turned back to me.
I had my whole body enhanced with mana, but he didn't even flinch.
As if my attack meant nothing.
I leaned forward, shifting more weight behind my sword.
His lips curved, not caring about it.
"You're quite aggressive," he said lightly. "Attacking me while I was giving the crowd some attention?"
I didn't answer and just stepped back and went into position.
He held his sword in that same position and tilted his head.
"Not a talkative one?"
His sword lowered.
"Guess we'll talk with our swords then."
The moment he finished speaking, he stepped forward and—
Swoosh.
A fast stab aimed at my head.
Step.
I tilted my head, dodging his attack, and stepped back, creating distance.
He pulled the sword slowly back and observed me.
As if he were studying my reaction.
That smile returned to his lips.
"Quite fast, aren't you?"
I answered with my own stab aimed at his chest.
Swoosh.
Clang.
He turned his body smoothly and parried it with a strike of his sword.
But I didn't let that stop me and pulled my sword back before going for another strike.
I used the force of the pull to spin on my heel, turning, and delivered another stab at his chest with the momentum.
Swoosh.
He didn't even flinch as he sidestepped, evading my attack.
Now, with my arm extended, I was left wide open.
He used that chance and countered with another stab, toward my torso.
Swoosh.
Step.
I pulled my sword back and barely stepped aside.
My torso twisted, but it wasn't enough to evade the attack, and he grazed my side.
Slrrt.
The wound wasn't anything serious, just flesh, a shallow cut.
Step.
I took a step back to gain distance and break his momentum.
He remained where he stood—watching me and waiting for my next move.
Haah.
I took my time and calmed my breath.
Haah.
My breath evened, and I went for another attack.
Step.
A step forward followed by a horizontal slash at his side.
Shing.
Clang.
He blocked my attack easily with a light strike and pushed my sword aside while stepping in.
Step.
And—
Smash.
His left fist slammed into my face.
My head snapped back, and my body followed soon.
Step.
I took a few steps back, creating distance.
My ears rang, and everything swam for a moment before I felt something warm flowing down my nose. I tasted iron.
It surprised me more than it hurt.
I hadn't thought that he would use his fists in a sword fight.
I should have been able to dodge or at least block his attack.
But I couldn't.
The reason was obvious.
That horizontal strike.
It left me wide open.
Before I could fully recover—
Step.
Shing.
A diagonal slash.
Clang.
I blocked it with a horizontal guard.
He used his weight and pushed me back as our blades locked before—
Step.
He stepped back.
And—
Step.
Attacked again.
Swoosh.
A fast stab aimed at my throat.
I was off balance from the earlier push and retreat.
There was not enough time to shift my sword, and I just forced my head aside, twisting my neck.
But it wasn't enough, and the sword's tip closed on my throat.
Then—
Clang.
My eyes widened as I heard the familiar sound of steel clashing against steel.
His sword hit the metal collar around my neck before losing all force and sliding away.
Luck had saved me, but the blade still grazed the side of my throat as it slipped, enough to draw blood but missing the important arteries.
I crouched immediately and ducked under his sword before stepping closer.
Step.
My arm followed the movement, and I swung my sword, a backhanded horizontal slash at his unguarded lower body.
Shing.
Step.
He jumped back, evading my strike by a hair's length before countering with a downward strike at my crouching body.
Shing.
I continued my slash and turned with it, spinning on my heel around myself, and brought the sword into a horizontal guard position.
Clang.
His strike was strong enough to make me kneel.
Thud.
My knee touched the ground for a moment as I blocked before I pushed myself up.
Shing.
His sword swayed aside, and his balance was off.
I took that chance and continued with a quick diagonal slash.
Shing.
My sword cut through the air, aimed at his unguarded left side.
But—
Step.
He didn't even flinch as he watched my sword coming closer, and took half a step back.
Shing.
My sword swung uselessly through the air, and the moment it went past him—
Step.
He stepped in and stabbed his sword forward.
Shuk.
Pain flared up as the tip of his sword pierced my right biceps, and I had to force myself not to let go of the sword.
"Aghh!"
A cry of pain escaped my lips as I retreated.
Slrrt.
His sword was pulled out as I stepped back, leaving a deep wound behind.
Drip.
Blood flowed down my arm and fell to the ground.
Moving my sword back into guard position brought even more pain, but I clenched my jaw and kept going.
Because he wouldn't give me time to rest.
Step.
Shing.
He pressed forward and delivered another diagonal slash at my left side.
"Argh!"
Pain flared up in my right arm as I was about to move it.
I couldn't block and tried to evade instead.
My body turned—
Too slow.
Slrrsh.