I barely managed to track him in time to raise my saber in defense. The clash of blades was deafening as his curved weapon slammed into mine. However, his strike wasn't just powerful - it was straight-up overwhelming. The force of it sent me flying backward like a cannonball.
The world became hazy around me as my body crashed through the mansion's walls, shattering them as if they were made from brittle wood. I flew out into the open ground and while in the midst of my fall, I stared into Blackjack's crazed eye as his grin widened even further and he tensed his muscles to jump after me.
I inhaled and then expunged the air from my lungs slowly to collect myself. There was no cry of pain, no wince. The years I spent enduring Iris' horrible simulation had prepared me for this. My mind was as focused as ever, even as the adrenaline surged through my veins.
