Raymond, drenched in sweat, was struggling to find an opening. Despite blade following blade all targeting vital areas, he was simply not making any headway. Indeed, it didn't matter if it had been Raymond or the most powerful Revenge Shadow Rider on earth, without any force behind the Flame Dual Slash, the attacks would have remained ineffective.
In fact, it was not that Raymond could not strike Reiko, he could still manage to touch her with his lighter attacks. However, these presented no lethal threat. When he went in for the heavy strikes, he was either evaded or blocked completely. As time passed, the increasing disparity in their physical exertion exhausted Raymond. When that became too much, it would be the perfect time for Reiko to counterattack.
Reiko received his attacks with relative ease. As a female pilot, her coordination and agility tended to surpass those of men at her skill level. This distinct advantage played a significant role in this battle.
