In the center of the camp was an open space, a small area where the guards of the Black Cat Guild used for training and activities.
At this moment, a burly man wielding a long-handled hammer stood in the center. Facing him was a young black-haired man, his right hand holding a sword high. Behind this young man, the ground bore a long mark, a trace of his charge.
These two individuals were none other than Hank and Sean, currently locked in a duel!
There was a breeze.
Hank felt a sudden strong wind, yet there were no signs of airflow around. In the next instant, he realized that it wasn't the wind but rather Sean's sword thrust.
The motion was so fast and fierce that it seemed to pierce through the very air, creating a rapid whirlwind around the blade.
His initial reaction was: impossible!
Then his second reaction was to block Sean's strike.
In his consciousness, he saw the scene stretching out, displaying every detail. The traces of airflow swirling around the blade and the motion of the sword thrust were all clearly visible to Hank. The only thing he could do was raise his heavy hammer to block Sean's fierce blow!
"Clang!"
The tip of the sword pierced the surface of the heavy hammer.
"Boom!"
The airflow exploded against the surface of the hammer.
"Thud!"
Vibrations spread from the hammer's surface.
Both Sean and Hank trembled, but the difference was that Sean felt slightly numb due to the excessive force. Hank, on the other hand, as the defender, had to absorb the full impact and burst of energy.
Unconsciously, he took a step back.
One, and then two.
Hank, retreating two steps in a row, paled. In his eyes, there was no longer shock but stark terror. How could a second-tier practitioner possess such explosive power!
He swung his heavy hammer forward, but the sensation of emptiness he felt made it clear that his strike hadn't landed on Sean.
As the hammer moved away from his view, he realized that the distance between him and Sean had once again extended to ten meters.
Everything seemed unchanged from the initial situation, but the others present knew that in the first round of their confrontation, Hank, the proud hero, had already lost to the young, slender man before them.
Hank's face grew slightly pale. He could no longer underestimate Sean, realizing that he was a formidable opponent.
A touch, then retreat.
There was no thought of capitalizing on the advantage. If it were an ordinary person, they might have felt excited after such an exchange and immediately launched a counterattack.
But Sean did the opposite, quickly increasing the distance. It was clear that he had no intention of recklessly attacking.
This was what worried Hank the most because he knew his own weaknesses too well.
If he charged in again, he might suffer another setback, and some setbacks were meant to happen only once.
"You're not coming?" Sean stared at Hank, and at this moment, he had a feeling that Hank was riddled with various flaws in his eyes. "Since you're not coming, then it's my turn."
With a quick motion of his longsword, Sean immediately launched an attack. However, this time, he didn't use a dash but rushed forward just like Hank had previously.
Sean's sprint lacked the earth-shaking and astonishing momentum of Hank's charge. Still, it brought an overwhelming pressure that made it impossible to catch a breath.
Faced with this approaching, immense pressure, Hank couldn't help but shift from a one-handed grip on his hammer to a two-handed hold. The ease on his face was replaced with intense concentration.
If someone had told him before that a second-tier practitioner could pose a challenge to him, he would have laughed it off as a daydream. But now, Sean was giving him more than just a challenge. In the face of this second-tier practitioner, Hank felt a lack of certainty in his heart.
Impossible!
As if suddenly realizing something, Hank's inner shock was profound. He was actually feeling fear! A third-tier practitioner, facing a second-tier practitioner, and he was afraid!
This couldn't be!
Hank seemed to be denying something as he suddenly let out a roar. It was as if a fierce beast wanted to break free from its shackles.
He raised his long-handled hammer aggressively, his face contorted, and then swung it forcefully towards the ground!
"Boom!"
A thunderous explosion resounded. At the moment when the hammerhead touched the ground, an invisible ripple spread outwards.
Everyone in the camp felt the ground shake, as if an earthquake had occurred.
Those who were not completely healed from their injuries couldn't even stand and fell to the ground.
Within a foot of where the long-handled hammer struck, the ground was covered in a spiderweb of cracks.
Hammer Shock!
This wasn't a damaging skill, but it was a skill that could disrupt an opponent's balance, especially effective when facing a charging enemy.
The only downside was that this skill didn't distinguish between friend and foe – at least in the real world, area-of-effect skills didn't discriminate.
With a Hammer Shock, Hank raised his head slightly. His hands began to lift the long-handled hammer.
He was confident that he had disrupted Sean's balance, and with it, the momentum of his charge.
With their close proximity and his use of a long weapon, Hank was sure he could easily deal with Sean.
He didn't want to prolong the fight any longer; swift victory was the true art of war.
After all, Sean was just a second-tier practitioner!
The wind rose again. A strong gust suddenly swept in from Hank's left, and the intense airflow felt like sharp blades slicing across his cheeks.
Why was there wind?
For a brief moment, Hank was bewildered.
Why did he smell blood?
Why did it feel like something was running down his left cheek?
Hank reached up and touched it. Warm and sticky sensations met his fingertips. When he looked at his palm, he saw it stained red. Hank's shock turned to fear as he quickly raised his head. There was no sign of Sean in front of him anymore!
Impossible! How could Sean not have been affected by the Hammer Shock?
The wind blew again.
This time, Hank reacted quickly—or rather, in the grip of panic, he lost his capacity for thought. His physical reflexes outpaced his cognitive judgment. Without even looking back, he swung the long-handled hammer backward.
"Clang!"
Another piercing collision.
Hank snapped out of it, realizing the force coming from the other side of the hammer. He knew that now was not the time to ponder why the Hammer Shock hadn't affected Sean.
He instantly increased the force while quickly turning to face Sean. He had absolute confidence in his strength.
As long as Sean dared to collide head-on with him like this, he was certain he could crush Sean.
One force against ten?
But as Hank started to increase the force, even preparing to crush with both hands, he suddenly realized that at some point, Sean had withdrawn his longsword.
Sparks flew as the blade was drawn from the hilt.
Sean easily escaped the vortex of their confrontation, taking a step back. Then, he pivoted to the left, circling around Hank and launching another attack with his sword.
On the other hand, Hank, due to Sean's retreat and sword withdrawal, found that the force he applied lacked a target to confront.
The sudden increase in force disrupted his own balance. His entire body was thrown off balance by the heavy hammer he held, and he staggered a few steps.
One force against ten?
It was just a joke!
Facing Sean once again coming at him from his right, with the sword aimed directly at his carotid artery, Hank didn't have time to think about anything else.
He stomped hard with his left foot, enduring the painful sensation of the shock rebounding up his leg.
His right hand clenched the long handle of the heavy hammer and pulled it backward. Using the end of the handle to shield his carotid artery, he blocked Sean's sword attack.
Thankfully, the handle of the heavy hammer was made of high-quality iron, or else this move might have shattered the handle and become a deadly strike!
But Sean didn't give up on his attack. He tilted his wrist slightly, causing the trajectory of his thrusting sword to change.
The blade grazed past the handle of the hammer, creating a shower of sparks. The sword's edge, after passing the handle, left another mark on Hank's left cheek.
Enduring the pain in his cheek, Hank let out a beast-like roar and swiftly raised the hammer, lifting it a few inches off the ground.
Seeing Hank's move, Sean's eyes finally showed a hint of change.
"Die!" Hank grinned maliciously.
The heavy hammer suddenly crashed down while his left hand reached towards Sean's head.
Another Hammer Shock!
Hammer Shock was indeed not a damaging skill, but it disrupted an opponent's stability, and in extremely close range, it even came with a dizziness debuff.
For Hank to deliberately wait for this opportunity to use Hammer Shock, given his intelligence, was already quite remarkable.
In such close proximity, if someone was affected by dizziness, the outcome was quite predictable.
Everyone who had survived this world of real combat and warfare for so long possessed some cunning.
Those who were too brave or foolish had long been eliminated by the ruthless law of this world.
However, this was Hank's only highlight.
Hank's heavy hammer was about to hit the ground, and his left hand was approaching Sean's face.
Sean slightly adjusted his posture, and his longsword was already retracted.
"Boom!"
Hank's heavy hammer hit the ground, kicking up dust and tiny pebbles. An invisible ripple spread out, and the dust and sand swirled.
Sean's figure moved slightly, and the airflow from the strong wind swept around him. His figure, along with the longsword in his hand, passed by, gradually disappearing into an extreme afterimage, leaving behind a dazzling flash of the sword.
Hank's left hand finally popped out, but it grabbed nothing. It had passed through Sean's afterimage.
Sean's longsword was poised at Hank's throat, and the icy edge of the blade filled Hank with the terror of death.
"Click."
A faint sound was heard as the connection between the hammerhead and the handle of Hank's heavy hammer snapped. This happened to be the exact spot where Sean's longsword had previously cut through.
"You lose."