Neo rolled away to dodge the attack.
The Shadow dashed forward with a burst of speed.
Before Neo could stand up, it closed the distance in an instant and swung its blade in a wide arc aimed at Neo's throat.
Neo raised his sword just in time.
Their weapons clashed with a deafening crack, the sound reverberating through the empty space.
Sparks erupted from the collision, and briefly illuminated their identical faces.
Neo pushed back, forcing the Shadow to stumble a step, and used the moment to regain his stance.
He retaliated with a downward slash, aiming to split the Shadow in two.
But the Shadow twisted to the side, avoiding the strike, and countered with a thrust aimed at Neo's chest.
Neo spun his blade in a circular motion, deflecting the thrust, and countered with a sharp kick to the Shadow's midsection.
The Shadow staggered but quickly recovered, slashing horizontally at Neo's waist.
