Whoosh.
Sharon's blade came crashing down toward Kovac.
"Stop!"
The nagamaki halted mid-air. Kovac twisted his body and scrambled away.
Fuck. My throat's burning.
He forced himself upright, reestablishing his stance.
The mana restraining her blade began to thin. Sharon pulled back smoothly, settling into her battle posture once more.
"…?"
Kovac mirrored her stance instinctively, his pupils slowly dilating.
…
Clang.
His arm was blown backward from the impact. He leapt away to avoid the follow-up strike.
Sharon adjusted immediately, angling her nagamaki to intercept his counter.
Kovac tightened his grip. Feet spread. Hands steady.
He thrust again, pouring everything into it.
Swoosh.
The blade grazed Sharon's cheek — a thin cut forming.
"—?"
She stepped in instantly, retaliating with a precise thrust.
"Stop!"
The attack froze.
"—!"
Kovac ducked, the blade slicing through the air where his head had been. He rolled forward, clumsily rising, sword low — then slashed toward her blind spot.
Fuck… Stop won't keep working.
Blood pooled in his mouth.
Swish.
The sound of his blade cutting air echoed—
"…?!"
He blinked.
Sharon was low — legs split — sweeping.
Wssh.
She twisted, knocking his feet out from under him before driving both heels into his torso.
Cough.
Blood burst from his mouth as he was launched upward.
Agh… My insides—
His ascent slowed. Then gravity reclaimed him.
Think. How do I block this?
Below him, Sharon gathered her mana.
I can't use Cushion. That'll just make me a sitting target…
An idea sparked.
If I say this… I won't get another command.
…Fuck it.
"FUCK OFF!"
Mana exploded outward.
"…?"
Sharon felt the pressure shove her backward. She flared her own mana, resisting.
"How is she even fighting back?!" Kovac snarled as the ground rushed up to meet him.
SLASH.
Her strike tore through the pressure.
CLANG.
"—?!"
"Haha— yes! I did it!"
He crashed into the ground, skidding violently.
It worked.
He hadn't dodged.
He'd commanded the pressure — then at the last instant, cushioned the impact manually through mana control.
Through constant observation, he'd begun understanding how to draw mana inward — how to weave the alluring method into defense.
The crude command slowed her just enough.
Enough to see.
Enough to react.
"Huff… huff…"
He crouched, leaning on his blade.
Sharon looked up at him.
He's irritating. Arrogant. Prejudiced. A stuck-up noble…
But this level of talent…
A faint smile formed on her face(not the freaky lip licking type)
"Haah… breathe," Kovac muttered. "Focus. Block out the noise. The distractions…"
His eyes sharpened.
"Focus."
Tap.
Sharon took one step.
She vanished.
—!
CRASH.
Steel collided.
Sharon looked down at their locked blades, noting Kovac's widened stance, bent knees — distributing force properly.
She pushed.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
He staggered back, barely maintaining balance.
Sharon dashed in again, the ground cracking beneath her feet.
Stomp.
She halted sharply, converting momentum into a vicious horizontal slash aimed at his neck.
He crouched and raised his sword—
"—?!"
Tssss.
The nagamaki dissolved into particles.
Kovac's eyes snapped up—
Her fist smashed into his face.
"Kugh!"
He skidded backward, legs trembling, vision swimming.
Drip… drip.
Blood streamed from his nose.
Clench.
He tightened his grip and charged again.
He can barely move anymore, Sharon observed. Yet he's forcing mana directly into his muscles through his pores… accelerating them.
The clash resumed.
Clang. Clang. Crash.
Every strike of his — blocked.
He stepped back, realization dawning.
Left leg dragged behind.
Blade raised over shoulder.
Thrust.
Fwip.
Sharon leaned back—
Zzip.
Mana shot from the blade's tip.
Her body arched completely as she bent backward, then flipped away, landing cleanly.
He pressed forward relentlessly.
Horizontal slash.
She leapt back.
Mana ejected — she sliced it apart.
Thrust to the heart.
Sidestep.
He twisted into a horizontal follow-up—
Clang.
She blocked, countering with a vertical strike toward his shoulder.
He dropped to one knee, blade flat against his shoulder to absorb it.
What if—
He twisted downward.
The nagamaki smashed into the earth, sparks flying.
He swung horizontally—
She surged mana to guard.
"—!"
His sword dematerialized mid-swing.
He shifted stance instantly.
The blade reappeared in his grip — diagonal slash descending.
Clang.
Her counter nearly tore his arms loose.
She thrust.
Tak. Tak.
He retreated in wide steps, following the line of attack.
She dashed.
His eyes tracked her footwork.
Upward diagonal—
He leapt back.
She anticipated his landing—
He injected mana into one foot, propelling himself further back.
She adjusted mid-motion, hurling the nagamaki at his shoulder.
Crash.
"Kugh!"
He blocked — barely — the force driving him into a tree.
Thud.
The trunk splintered behind him.
He looked down at the embedded weapon—
A foot entered his vision.
His head snapped up—
SMACK.
Her kick cracked across his face.
"Blegh—!"
Blood sprayed.
THWACK.
Another kick.
Tssss.
She slid her foot back into stance.
BAM. WHAM. THUMP. BLAM.
…To think I'd lose this helplessly…
Her blows rained down, his body molding into the tree.
KRUNCH.
…Against a low-born at that.
One final strike to his abdomen.
The impact embedded him fully into the trunk.
His eyes rolled back.
Silence.
…
Sharon stepped forward and pressed two fingers to his neck.
"…Still alive."
She retrieved her nagamaki, sheathing it calmly.
She glanced back one last time.
"I'm excited for next time."
Then she walked away.