"You are always welcome to fight back with everything you've got," Micha'el said with a confident grin. "But I will still limit myself to three moves."
The crowd murmured, but Micha'el remained calm. He picked up his greatsword and shifted into a wide, grounded stance, both hands gripping the hilt as he positioned the blade diagonally behind his back.
Then came the smirk.
"Just remember to do your best. After all, we have the great Tribal Chief Rhiki with us. He can stop us any time if things get... too exciting."
By now, the entire sparring platform had quieted.
The moment it became clear that a real match between a human and an elven prodigy was about to go down, those on nearby platforms halted their drills and proceeded to watch them instead.
"Hurry! This way!"
"It's Micha'el versus the human freak!"
"Wait for me!"
Fighters, mentors, even apprentices rushed over, forming a wide ring around the platform. The once-busy training grounds now buzzed with anticipation.
