POV — Kai / Level 4
The boss didn't attack first.
It waited — with Kai's guard stance, feet at the correct angle, weight distributed sixty-forty, arms at chest height.
Perfectly still.
Waiting.
Kai looked at it.
'It's doing what I do.'
'Waiting for the opponent to move first to read the initiation pattern.'
'If I wait too, neither of us moves.'
'So I move first.'
'Which means it reads my initiation.'
'Which means I already know it'll read my initiation.'
'And that changes how I initiate.'
'And now I've confused myself...'
Kai threw a jab.
To read the boss's response.
The same assessment jab he'd used against Lira in the guild.
The boss deflected it with two fingers.
Outward. Slightly descending angle.
Exactly like Lira.
Kai stopped.
'The labyrinth learned from me fighting.'
'But I fought against Lira.'
'And Lira fought against me too.'
'The boss doesn't just have my stance.'
'It has Lira's defense.'
