Kaelor slowly brought his sword down, the blade glinting under the morning sun as he studied Hound through his mana vision. Streams of pale energy pulsed faintly around Hound's heels, dense, focused, signs he was about to propel himself forward at blistering speed.
It was a refined technique, precise and explosive, capable of closing gaps and landing a sudden, decisive blow.
Exactly what Kaelor had anticipated.
Knowing this, Kaelor didn't flinch. He merely lifted his sword with casual grace, holding it upright like a man accepting a duel on his own terms. His stance was loose, but there was steel in his calm.
In that heartbeat, Hound shot forward. The air cracked around him as his body blurred into motion. His twin sabers sliced out in a lethal crisscross, aiming to cleave through Kaelor in a blink. But just before contact, Kaelor's sword shot forward in a flawless, effortless thrust.
Hound froze mid-strike.
