「Move.」
The word hadn't even fully left Commander Kaelen's lips before the air between them detonated.
The sound was not a clash, but a high-pitched, metallic shriek. Kaelen's longsword had cleared its scabbard in a blur of silver, meeting Kang Min's dull mercenary blade mid-air. The impact sent a shockwave through Min's forearms, a vibration so violent it threatened to numb his grip.
Kang Min didn't retreat. He pivoted on his heel, using the momentum of the block to spin into a low, sweeping strike aimed at the Commander's lead leg. It was a 400th-floor transition—a movement designed to catch opponents who relied too heavily on upright, formal stances.
Kaelen didn't hop or step back. He simply dropped the point of his sword, the blade vertical, catching Min's edge centimeters from his shin. The friction threw off a cascade of orange sparks.
『He didn't even look down,』 Min thought, his eyes narrowing behind the mask.
