--- Fenrir ---
With a flash of steel, he lunged forward, his sword darting like a viper seeking its prey.
I retreated, parrying and dodging his strikes with swift precision, but his blade found its mark, slicing through my defenses with alarming accuracy.
The searing pain shot through me as my arm splashed on the ground, a spray of blood adding to the now already deep pool of it.
I countered, aiming for his exposed flank, but he was already moving, his body a blur of motion.
With a graceful sidestep, he avoided my strike, his movements fluid and effortless...
Our blades clashed and clashed, the sound reverberating through the room like thunder.
Just as I thought I had found a rhythm, his technique changed abruptly.
He abandoned precise blows and instead went for brute strength, each blow raining down like a thunderbolt. I staggered under the force of his assault, every strike threatening to shatter bone and spirit alike.
The blows landed with bone-crushing force, driving me back with relentless ferocity. I staggered under the onslaught, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I struggled to keep pace.
Desperation fueled my movements as I fought to regain my footing, but he never allowed me that.
With each blow, he drove me further and further back.
Just when I expected him to charge straight at me, he changed tactics once again.
With a series of agile leaps, he danced around the room, his movements fluid and unpredictable, turning the enclosed room to his advantage.
He used an incredible footwork to control the flow. No matter the speed or the way he landed, he always managed to perfectly jump once again, taking me off guard more than once.
As I attempted to launch a counterattack after finally adapting, he sprang into the air, his body twisting with uncanny agility. I barely had time to register his movement before his foot connected with my chest, sending me hurtling towards the wall with bone-jarring force.
The impact knocked the breath from my lungs as I crashed into the wall, pain lancing through my body like wildfire. Before I could recover, his sword flashed once more, slicing through the air with deadly intent.
As his sword cleaved through the air, a chilling sense of dread washed over me.
With a swift and merciless swing, my arm was once again severed from my body, leaving me reeling in shock and agony.
How did things turn out like that?
Just moments ago, I could swore he was on the receiving end...
Before I could even comprehend what was happening, he swung his sword again, slicing through my other arm with ruthless efficiency. Blood spurted from the stumps as I struggled to remain standing, my mind racing for a way to retaliate.
But there was no respite. His blade flashed once more, aiming not for a limb but for my abdomen.
With a sickening squelch, his sword impaled me against the wall,
I struggled against the crushing weight, my hands clawing desperately at the sword lodged in my abdomen. Blood seeped from the wound, staining the sword crimson as it dripped down in rivulets.
Gritting my teeth, I attempted to summon whatever strength or Magical Power I had to fight back
But the blade remained silent, its steel biting deeper into my flesh with each passing second. I could feel the life draining from me, my vision growing dim as the world spun in a dizzying whirl.
"You think you've reached the Peak? Ha! Your arrogance knows no bounds," he spat, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
I stared at my hands, now completely battered from my attempts to remove the sword.
Frustration burned through my veins as he toyed with me like a predator playing with its prey, leaving me helpless.
Fine. You've made your point.
Regret coursed through me; I realized I could never reach the level I had aimed for. Instead, I had deceived myself and others into thinking I had attained it.
But at least, in this brutal confrontation, he showed me a glimpse of what I could never achieve.
With my Magical Power nearly depleted and my sword hanging on by a thread, I found myself at the end of the line.
Once hailed as the world's mightiest swordsman, I now faced the prospect of a useless death, robbed of the chance to even unleash my full strength, while being toyed by a kid not even half my age.
Life's a cruel joke, isn't it?
As my regeneration faltered, the realization sank in that I couldn't mend my wounds while he continued to damage me. Just a few more seconds, and the curtain would fall on my existence.
I could sense the cold grip of death creeping over me, my body aching with a ghostly pain. Despite the agony, I let out a bitter laugh, hurling curses at him, hoping to provoke a quicker end.
However, he responded with a serene smile, indifferent to my plea for a painless death.
---
Before I could continue my taunts, both of us were abruptly drawn towards the door, startled by a thunderous voice that disrupted the grim silence.
"You! what are you doing to the princess!?"
Ehh?
What?
In the blink of an eye, a Chienthrope, not much older than a teenager, appeared in my peripheral vision. The disbelief and anger etched on her face were palpable.
"You! Release her this instant!"
Staring at the man I had been fighting this far, I could sense his confusion mirroring mine.
...Is she talking about me?
Caught in a whirlwind of confusion, I didn't know where to begin. However, the man quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. I watched as he summoned the same substance he used to conjure his weird swords, enveloping me in a restrictive cocoon.
Since I couldn't move, I was involuntarily forced into it, but luckily, I managed to evade having my head ensnared in the cocoon.
He discarded me as though I were a mere sack of garbage before engaging in conversation with the girl.
Not that I cared.
Though the magical power he employed to envelop me could cut through my skin like butter, I wasn't his primary concern at the moment.
My regeneration could barely keep up with just this much.
That means, as long as that girl can buy me some time, I'll be able to escape this hellhole.
Seems like today is my lucky day. Come on, random girl, you can do it!
I found myself becoming her most ardent fan as I desperately tried to break free...
---
Author's Note:
Well, both Alexia and Fenrir have silver hair, and Delta didn't even look at Fenrir's face, assuming he was a girl from his smaller build.
How is today's fight? Well, as you may have understood already, there's another one coming (Delta vs Akira) which won't be one-sided, at all, lmao.
As always, waiting for opinions here.