With a battle cry, Lianhua charged forward, engaging the nearest bandit in a flurry of strikes. Her sword flashed in the sunlight as she deftly dodged a swing aimed at her head. "Stay focused, everyone!" she yelled, pushing her opponent back.
Mei leapt into action, using her agility to dart around the bandits, striking at their exposed sides. She spun and delivered a powerful kick to one bandit's chest, sending him sprawling into the dirt. "These guys need to work on their footwork!" she joked, adrenaline coursing through her veins.
Alex hesitated, heart pounding. He'd trained hard, but this was his first real fight. "Come on, Alex! You can do this!" he muttered to himself, gripping his wooden sword tightly.
"Fight, or you'll regret it!" one of the bandits taunted, swinging at Alex. With a surge of determination, Alex ducked just in time and countered with a clumsy swing of his sword.
"Nice try!" the bandit sneered, but Alex's blow landed awkwardly, knocking the bandit off balance. Seizing the opportunity, Alex followed up with a swift jab, sending the bandit stumbling backward.
"See? I'm totally an expert now!" Alex shouted, a mix of fear and excitement in his voice.
"Don't get cocky!" Lianhua warned, blocking another bandit's sword with a fierce clash.
Wei had found his groove, engaging two bandits at once, his movements wild yet surprisingly effective. "I'm basically a warrior legend!" he declared, swinging his sword with exaggerated flair.
"Legend? More like a windmill!" Mei called out, laughing as she blocked another blow.
As the fight raged on, Alex felt the flow of energy building within him, recalling the lessons from Master Zhi about using strategy in battle. He began to notice patterns in the bandits' attacks, anticipating their moves.
"Watch out, Alex!" Lianhua shouted as a bandit approached from behind.
Spinning around, Alex blocked the strike just in time, his wooden sword clashing against the bandit's blade. The impact resonated through his arms, and he pushed back with all his strength, knocking the bandit off balance once more.
"Yeah! Take that!" he exclaimed, feeling emboldened.