Atoris began to grow anxious. Kayal clearly saw this and, with a slight smile, his calm voice rang out: "Steady, Atoris, steady. You are stronger than him, you are more powerful than him. Slowly overwhelm him, Atoris."
"What kind of dog are you! How dare you interfere with our duel!" Lancelot roared in anger. He was in the middle of besieging Atoris when he suddenly leaped towards Kayal, lunging at him like a hungry tiger. As Lancelot raised his stick, about to bring it down, a figure suddenly appeared and kicked him away.
Stepping with clanking knight's iron boots, like an enraged female leopard, she declared: "First, absolutely no attacking my Lord!"
"Second, no sneak attacks!"
"Third... I will absolutely win!" Atoris was steady and powerful, holding her sword, approaching Lancelot step by step. As she advanced, Atoris's aura intensified, forming a wall of pressure. Then, she heard Kayal's smiling words ring in her ear: "Don't mind your identity as a woman. With your incredibly strong spirit, what do you have to fear, Atoris?" This rhetorical question was undoubtedly the most effective encouragement for Atoris at that moment. Her sword swung out, no longer hesitant, no longer imagining other things.
Lancelot immediately realized that the enemy before him had changed!
Not only was her aura more overwhelming, but the anger he had felt from her attacking her Lord had also subsided. In this state, she was even more powerful!
What's going on! His strength is greater! Damn it! Why has the guy I was just suppressing become so formidable now!
Why!
The wooden stick was chopped off piece by piece. Lancelot, who was only on the defensive, could no longer block the blade. The knight's rapier cut it down section by section until he was disarmed, staring at the unmoving Atoris, gritting his teeth, but unable to find any opening.
Why!
Looking at Kayal with unwillingness, Lancelot flung his hand, "I'll still beat you without a weapon!" and charged forward.
Facing a disarmed opponent, Atoris was somewhat at a loss.
She kept dodging Lancelot's punches and kicks, but missed several opportunities that could have severed Lancelot's limbs.
"Atoris, step back." Kayal closed his eyes and smiled.
She sheathed her sword and retreated. Lancelot, who was about to land a punch on Atoris's face, stopped. He shouted with a pained expression, "Why stop! Our fight isn't over!"
With a dismissive hmph, Atoris retreated behind Kayal. Why stop? Does he even need to ask? Of course, it's because of her Lord's command!
"Phew, it's been a long time since I've had a workout. I'm excited to hunt." Kayal stretched his body: "She is a girl and also a standard knight, so she won't attack someone without a weapon. Therefore, I'll play with you."
Hearing Kayal's words, Lancelot was suddenly surprised and turned his head to size up Atoris, wondering why she could fight him for so long. But considering that nothing was impossible in this Gensokyo, where fairies were as common as dogs and monsters roamed everywhere, he wasn't surprised anymore.
"What about you! What skills do you have to fight me, your great lord?" The arrogant Lancelot was not yet the wandering knight who would later travel the entire West in his adulthood. Now, he was arrogant and wild.
With a slight smile, Kayal suddenly delivered a fierce punch to Lancelot's face. Lancelot was sent flying, spinning several times, without even time to react.
"Wh-what!" Lancelot covered his swollen left cheek, looking at Kayal who had adopted a stance, and asked loudly.
"Don't think that just because I sit in my room writing all day..." Kayal's smiling face had never looked so terrifying: "I haven't neglected my training for a single moment!"
So strong!
Atoris watched Kayal, who was constantly attacking Lancelot's defenses, dodging left and right, moving with light, small steps. She murmured. Kayal had always appeared before her with a delicate, frail air. He never walked when going out, always rode a horse; he never exercised normally, always in his study. Kayal had always been seen as aspiring to be like his teacher, the Great Sage Merlin. But only now, when he put down his quill, left his study, and stood in the midst of the battle, did he exude such a powerful, suffocating feeling of strength!
Using boxing as his fighting rhythm, and his body, which had been trained since he was three, as fuel, Kayal continuously pressed against his opponent's defense, constantly stimulated his opponent's nerves, and continuously seized the factors for victory.
If Lancelot was a beast-style warrior relying on talent, then Kayal was a precise, calculating warrior. The arena, combat power, height, strength, arm length, speed—Kayal considered everything, then used everything to achieve victory. For example, this punch from Kayal, which seemed to be to push Lancelot's arm away, was actually to use the impact to make Lancelot retreat, because behind him was a tree branch. Whether Lancelot tripped over the branch or lost his balance, Kayal had subsequent moves ready, either a knee kick or an elbow strike. As long as Lancelot lost his balance, victory was already secured.
However, Lancelot was indeed a beast-style fighter. He didn't notice Kayal's plan, but he forcefully pushed his body's center of gravity forward to block the punch, then endured two more punches from Kayal to gain a wide and comfortable fighting space. This was combat! This was the art of combat! This was the wisdom of combat!
With a bitter smile, Kayal blocked a heavy kick from Lancelot and shook his head: Indeed, I still dislike these scoundrels who rely on physical talent.
Those with talent so good it makes one jealous always make those who have worked hard to acquire their skills envious, especially when those who only need a little practice to surpass them are showing off their abilities.
Using boxing's small steps, he dodged several punches and retreated from the battle circle. Kayal greatly agreed with the sentiment that "martial arts are techniques for those without talent." If Lancelot had similar combat skills to himself, he would probably be lying on the ground by now!
"That's why idiotic kids are the most troublesome," Kayal said, scratching his head. "Stop, no more fighting."
"What! Why stop fighting! We haven't even determined a winner! Continue!" Lancelot yelled at Kayal, disappointed. Kayal's fighting style just now was full of violence, very much to his liking, and he had enjoyed it thoroughly. He was still not satisfied.
But Kayal smiled and shook his head: "That side is already going crazy. If you don't want to be frozen into a Frog, it's better to stay far away for now."
"Ice Sign!!!" Cirno's voice carried from afar. Countless hailstones descended with the power of a comet. Such a wide-ranging attack had no fear of missing its target.
Irene said nothing. In fact, she never liked to talk during a fight. She just slowly retreated to Kayal's side, quietly waiting for the diamond storm to arrive...