Blood dripped onto the dirt.
She remained where she was.
One hand rested against the wound on her shoulder.
The Silver Rank stood in silence.
He calmly stared at her like a hunter watching its prey.
The silver aura continued to flow along his blade.
A drop of blood landed on the ground.
Then another.
Kael stared.
Until now...
She had avoided every attack.
She had moved through the battlefield without a single wasted step.
Yet now...
She was bleeding.
She glanced at the wound once.
Then slowly raised her head.
There wasn't a trace of fear in her eyes.
She lowered her bloodstained hand.
Her bow rose once more.
Another arrow rested against the string.
The Silver Rank took a step forward.
She fired.
THWANG!
He tilted his body.
The arrow missed by a hair.
His pace never slowed.
Another arrow.
THWANG!
A silver flash.
The arrow split apart.
Only a few steps separated them.
She drew one last arrow.
Too late.
He vanished.
Her eyes widened.
He appeared directly before her.
The silver blade descended.
Kael burst forward.
CLANG!
Steel collided.
The impact exploded through his arms.
His feet dug into the ground.
For a single heartbeat...
He actually held the strike.
The Silver Rank glanced at him.
Then his wrist twisted.
CLANG!
Kael's sword was thrown wide.
A kick slammed into his stomach.
THUD!
Kael's body flew backward.
He bounced across the ground before crashing into a tree.
Pain shot through his entire body.
His vision blurred.
He coughed.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth.
By the time he looked up—
She had already widened the distance.
The Silver Rank pursued without hesitation.
Before he could close the gap—
THWANG!
Three Gale Shots screamed through the air.
One aimed for his throat.
One for his chest.
One curved toward his blind side.
For the first time...
He stopped.
His sword moved.
SHHK!
SHHK!
SHHK!
Three silver flashes.
Three arrows split cleanly apart.
The gust from the techniques scattered leaves across the clearing.
When the dust settled...
He was already moving again.
She abandoned the bow.
Her short sword flashed into her hand.
CLANG!
Steel met steel.
She redirected the first strike.
A second came immediately.
CLANG!
Her wounded shoulder trembled.
She barely held on.
A third strike.
She stepped aside.
The blade crashed into the ground.
BOOM!
The earth split open.
She countered instantly.
A slash toward his ribs.
He leaned back.
The blade missed by inches.
His elbow shot forward.
THUD!
She staggered backward.
The distance she had created...
Disappeared again.
Kael forced himself to his feet.
His breathing was ragged.
His entire body ached.
He watched every exchange.
Every step.
Every swing.
Nothing.
There were no openings.
No wasted movement.
Every attack flowed perfectly into the next.
"...Damn it."
She blocked again.
CLANG!
Another shockwave burst outward.
Her boots slid across the dirt.
Blood continued dripping from her shoulder.
Kael clenched his fists.
At this rate...
She would fall first.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
He charged.
This time...
The Silver Rank was prepared.
He had already anticipated Kael's approach.
Kael swung.
CLANG!
Their swords collided.
Ignoring the pain in his arms, Kael immediately followed with another slash.
The Silver Rank leaned aside.
Empty air.
Kael stepped in again.
A thrust.
CLANG!
The Silver Rank knocked it away with the flat of his blade.
Kael spun with the momentum.
Another slash.
The Silver Rank took a single step back.
The blade missed by inches.
Sweat rolled down Kael's forehead.
Every attack...
Every angle...
Every attempt...
Was seen through.
He couldn't touch him.
"Damn it!"
Kael poured everything into one final swing.
Too much strength.
Too much commitment.
Kael overextended.
His balance broke.
The Silver Rank's eyes narrowed.
His sword flashed toward Kael's neck.
She saw it.
Without thinking...
Her fingers brushed the knives hidden beneath her coat.
Technique...
Blind Spot.
THWIP!
The knife vanished from her fingers.
It curved through the air...
Straight for the Silver Rank's eye.
His instincts screamed.
CLANG!
His sword changed direction instantly.
The knife spun away.
For the smallest fraction of a second...
His left flank opened.
Kael saw it.
He roared.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
His sword carved a wide arc through the air.
The Silver Rank reacted immediately.
He stepped back.
Fast.
But not fast enough.
SHHK!
The tip of the blade grazed his forearm.
Silence.
The Silver Rank retreated two steps.
His eyes slowly lowered.
A thin line of blood rolled down his arm.
Behind him...
Kael caught his breath.
The clearing fell silent.
A single drop of blood fell from the Silver Rank's arm.
Tap.
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