Klaus didn't panic.
He didn't try to overpower the massive lightning strike with his own brute force… Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Klaus's dark eyes tracked the descending blade…
The ingrained knowledge of the Tier 5 Swordsmanship Manual he had absorbed long ago flared to life in his muscle memory.
He didn't have to think about the technique; he simply possessed the mathematical understanding of every basic sword style in existence.
He saw the microscopic flaw in Varhem's footwork. He saw the slight overextension of the noble's right shoulder which was a consequence of channeling too much magic and neglecting his physical form.
He shifted his weight perfectly, pivoting his front foot a fraction of an inch, and stepped smoothly inside Varhem's guard just as the crackling blade came crashing down.
The lethal lightning sword missed Klaus's shoulder by a millimeter, burying itself deep into the frozen earth.
BOOM!
