"Ah... I'm so tired from fighting."
After a long battle, he failed to land a successful blow every time. On the contrary, every one of his attacks was blocked with precision. The constant flashes and harsh sounds from the metal clashing echoed through the air.
Clementine was growing increasingly frustrated. Meanwhile, Genji quickly figured out her attack pattern.
"What a difficult opponent."
Though he had the upper hand, he wasn't able to show any overwhelming strength. This definitely wouldn't do. Despite putting in his best effort, every attack was blocked, and his weapons didn't even leave a scratch.
"Your skills are the strongest 'Mithril Level' adventurer I've ever encountered. No... to be precise, you're even comparable to a 'Steel Grade'."
Her expression shifted from neutral to positive.
"I didn't expect you to allow me to fight you with all my strength. That's impressive. I admire your tenacity."
"But..." she continued, her tone thoughtful, "you don't seem to use martial arts?"
After some time, it became clear to her that the man in front of her was incredibly fast. Yet, he hadn't used any martial techniques.
If that's the case, then he was no ordinary person. But why hadn't he used martial arts? Could it be that he didn't know how? That didn't seem likely.
Forget it. It was time to end this drawn-out power struggle. It had already gone on long enough.
"You're a sneaky one. I wanted to have some fun with you. What a pity."
Clementine understood now. The man before her had rarely taken the initiative to strike. It was probably because he knew he wasn't as strong as she was. Instead, he relied on his sword to hold his ground.
"Once I land a hit, this battle will be over," she thought. "It's been a while since I've had such a satisfying fight."
Genji, however, was unfazed. He kept blocking her attacks without breaking a sweat. From a human perspective, it was an impressive feat. His speed had reached the peak of human limits, comparable to Gazef's.
Clementine watched him closely, keeping her distance, before drawing another dagger.
"No Fall Fortress."
This move was much stronger than before, but... it was blocked again. It was as if he had predicted everything.
But Clementine didn't give him any time to recover. She immediately unleashed another martial move.
"The water is flowing faster."
This technique allowed her to reach her maximum speed, making everything around her seem to slow down in comparison. In this state, she could act quickly while everything else appeared to move in slow motion.
However, this was just a fantasy of hers. Even without the use of special items or skills, Genji's speed was still far greater than that of ordinary humans.
Once again, her attack was blocked.
Clementine stared at him in disbelief.
"What's happening? His speed... is that even human?"
This was impossible. Absolutely impossible.
As the battle neared its conclusion, Genji sheathed his weapon and slowly approached her.
"I don't want to drag this out any longer. Let's just pretend we've never met."
With that, he turned and walked away, taking Leticiel with him.
Clementine stood there, stunned.
"This guy... is incredibly strong... I didn't expect him to be so fast."
She realized that if this had turned into a war of attrition, she might not have been able to beat him.
"This guy, Faraway... he's really interesting."
Luckily, he hadn't made a move yet. If the two of them had attacked together, he would surely have been the one to suffer.
Clementine knew she needed to warn Khajiit about him.
"He needs to know about this guy. If he doesn't, his plans could be ruined."
But once Khajiit summoned the undead army, this city—no, the entire region—would have no chance of resisting.
---
*Later...*
"Master Genji, I'm curious—why didn't you kill that bastard?" Leticiel asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"That would bring little benefit right now," Genji replied. "We'll wait for the right moment. When their plan begins, when the city is in chaos, that's when we strike."
"At that time, both my fame and Momonga's will rise rapidly."
Genji recalled vaguely that the man would eventually die in Momonga's arms after a duel with him. The undead army threatening the city would be wiped out as well.
Suddenly, Genji became E-Rantel's "dark warrior," the hero known as Momon. He even earned the title of "Mithril Level" adventurer.
"Dealing with him now would only disrupt our plans and change the course of events."
This moment planted the seeds of future instability—setting the stage for the ongoing battle of wits and courage between Overlord and the "air."