"You really are underestimating me, aren't you?" Tilde said sharply, her crimson eyes narrowing into slits as she glared at me with a fierce expression. The tone of her voice carried both anger and disappointment, and I could tell from that look alone that I'd pissed her off just by holding back.
It wasn't like I was underestimating her—not even close. She was strong, skillful, and far from the frail image most people had of her kind. In fact, I admired her. The way she fought, the determination in her strikes, and the raw power behind her movements—she had trained herself into becoming something remarkable. For someone from a race often seen as weak and timid, she stood out like fire in the dark. She was fast—too fast—and her technique, while a little rough around the edges, was impressive. If she'd received proper combat training, she could've been an unstoppable fighter, a valuable asset not only to her people but to me as well.
