The open plains stretched endlessly under Vrasnia's eternal indigo sky. The faint glow of the purple moon bathed the land, and the wind carried the soft hum of distant city wards. Far beyond the palace walls, away from the risk of collateral destruction, two figures stood at the center of the field.
Lihanna and Gendai locked eyes, slowly circling one another.Gendai's grip on her spear was firm, its polished shaft catching the moonlight. Lihanna's hands rested with calculated ease on the hilt of her nodachi, the blade's edge whispering faint reflections. Her long blue hair flowed with the wind, a stark contrast against the endless darkness.
A silent tension pressed on the spectators. Tyrone, Raijin, Kamaki, Felicia, Jessie, and Neve all stood watching, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
Tyrone leaned slightly toward Neve."I've never seen Lihanna fight with everything she's got in a one-on-one," he admitted. "I'm… curious to see this."
Neve covered her mouth with a light, knowing giggle. "Then watch closely," she said, her voice warm but edged with anticipation.
Tyrone nodded and took a deep breath, eyes fixed forward.
The silence stretched on, broken only by the rustle of wind. Kamaki shifted restlessly."Why are they just… staring?" he muttered, his voice low and impatient.
Jessie, leaning casually with her arms folded, replied without looking away. "They're analyzing each other. No one's going all in yet."
Kamaki tilted his head. "So you're telling me… Lihanna might actually be on Gendai's level?"
"Yes," Tyrone answered, his gaze unwavering. "When we first enrolled at the Astral Legion—before we were transferred to the Prismic Gathering—Gendai was the first person Lihanna fought."
Kamaki's brow lifted. "Oh? And who won?"
"It was a draw," Tyrone said simply. "But I managed to surpass Gendai once… until she broke through what was holding her back. After that, I stood no chance. Same with Lihanna. I thought we were on equal footing—then she blitzed me even when I hit her with an all-range attack. Cut me down like it was nothing."
He exhaled slowly before adding, "Kazimir and Ingress once fought over having her in their faction, just to train her. That says enough. Now even Vanessa's taken an interest in her."
Kamaki hummed in thought. "Guess that means her future's… something to look forward to."
The still air cracked with the sudden clang of steel on steel.
Raijin's coat rippled in the breeze as he stepped forward, arms folded. "The battle's begun," he said in a low, resonant voice.
All eyes turned back to the duel.
The two warriors blurred into the sky, their weapons meeting in rapid, echoing strikes. Felicia's eyes followed their every move, her lips curving into a faint smile. "They're perfectly in sync," she murmured.
Lihanna's nodachi cut against Gendai's spear in a sweeping arc, the impact sending both combatants back through the air. Without hesitation, Lihanna lunged forward with a jab. Gendai blocked, the clash ringing sharply before their blades locked together.
With a sudden pivot, Gendai raised her spear overhead, bringing it down in a brutal vertical strike. Lihanna raised her sword in time to catch the blow, but Gendai pressed forward, driving them both down from the air.
They landed hard, the ground erupting in dust as their eyes locked again.
Tyrone's breath hitched. "Are they okay?"
"They're fine," Neve replied calmly. "This is only the beginning. Neither of them is backing down."
The dust cleared—Gendai blinked. Lihanna was gone.A sudden thud echoed as Gendai staggered forward from a sharp kick to her spine, the force sending her rolling across the ground.
Gasps rippled through the group. Ten minutes had passed without a single clean strike—and now, the first blow had been landed.
Gendai rose slowly, her eyes narrowing as Lihanna leveled her nodachi at her with a smirk.
Kamaki's lips curled in anticipation. "This," he muttered, "is about to get interesting."