Silence.
The silver aura was gone.
Kael wiped the blood from the corner of his lips.
Every breath sent a sharp pain through his ribs.
His grip tightened around his sword.
A few meters ahead, she stood with her short sword resting at her side.
Her breathing remained steady.
Her eyes never left the Silver Rank.
The silver aura had disappeared.
The Silver Rank slowly raised his sword.
His stance hadn't changed.
His expression remained as calm as ever.
Only the silver aura was missing.
She understood immediately.
He had dropped back to Bronze.
Without exchanging a single word—
She moved.
Her figure blurred across the clearing.
CLANG!
Steel collided.
The Silver Rank blocked her opening slash with perfect timing.
She twisted her wrist, redirecting the clash into another attack.
He answered just as quickly.
Their blades danced through the air.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Neither gained an advantage.
Kael watched the exchange carefully.
The moment he saw an opening—
He burst forward.
His sword swept toward the Silver Rank's exposed side.
Without turning—
The Silver Rank shifted his footing.
CLANG!
Kael's blade met his.
A heartbeat later—
A kick exploded toward Kael's abdomen.
Kael barely crossed his forearms.
BOOM!
The impact threw him backward.
His boots carved deep trenches through the dirt before he finally came to a stop.
She didn't let the opportunity slip away.
The instant Kael created the opening—
She stepped in.
Her short sword flashed toward the Silver Rank's throat.
He leaned back just enough to avoid the blade.
At the same time—
His sword swept outward.
"Silver Art: Crescent Sever."
A crescent-shaped slash burst from his blade.
Unlike before...
There was no silver aura surrounding it.
"Back!"
She shouted.
Kael pushed off the ground.
Both of them retreated as the crescent carved through the clearing.
BOOM!
The earth split apart.
Dust surged into the air.
The Silver Rank disappeared into the cloud.
"...!"
She reacted first.
"Left!"
Kael turned instantly.
CLANG!
The Silver Rank burst from the dust.
His blade crashed against Kael's.
The impact numbed Kael's arms.
Before the Silver Rank could follow through—
She attacked from behind.
He pivoted.
Her blade skimmed past his shoulder by a hair's breadth.
The Silver Rank countered with a horizontal slash.
She ducked beneath it.
At the same moment—
Kael stepped back into the fight.
The three of them moved without pause.
One attacked.
One covered.
One countered.
Then the rhythm shifted.
She forced him back.
Kael cut off his escape.
The Silver Rank answered with flawless footwork, slipping between them before either attack could connect.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Steel rang throughout the clearing.
None of them yielded.
The battle had changed.
The overwhelming pressure was gone.
But victory...
Was still far from certain.
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