Valen raises his hand high. "Ready!" he shouts, his voice echoing across the training grounds.
Italia grips the hilts of her twin swords, drawing them with a sharp metallic ring. Her gaze remains locked on Eska, unblinking and intense, as if her target is the only thing in the world that matters.
"Start!" Valen calls.
In an instant, Italia surges forward, her charge so powerful the ground beneath her feet cracks and splinters. Before Eska can fully register the movement, Italia is already upon her, her blades slicing through the air with deadly precision.
The strike comes so close, Eska feels the rush of wind as her neck narrowly avoids the edge. A strand of her hair floats to the ground, severed in the blink of an eye.
Eska twists her body instinctively, barely dodging the strike, but Italia is relentless.
Mid-spin, Eska feels the crushing impact of a kick, her body hurled backward before she can even process the attack. She hits the ground hard, rolling away in an attempt to recover. But Italia gives her no time.
Before Eska can rise, Italia is already above her, one foot poised to slam down on her chest with crushing force. Acting on reflex, Eska tumbles backward, rolling to her feet just as Italia's stomp lands.
The force craters the cemented ground, shards of stone flying outward.
Eska's eyes widen in disbelief as she stares at the shattered ground. The sheer speed, precision, and raw power behind Italia's attacks leave her momentarily stunned. Every move feels like an avalanche—unstoppable, overwhelming and lethal.
"Now that's a warrior," Marina's voice echoes in Eska's mind, sharp and unrelenting. "You better stop playing around and treat this duel for what it is—a death match."
Eska grits her teeth, her claws flashing out as fast as she can draw them. Italia's body tenses, coiled like a predator ready to strike.
"Let me tell you something, pipsqueak," Italia growls, her voice dripping with raw bloodlust. "Had I been at that siege, I'd have taken down that queen myself." Her words aren't a boast—they're a lament, laced with frustration, like a child robbed of their favorite toy.
The bloodlust rolling off Italia hits Eska like a wave, sending shivers down her spine. This isn't just a duel. Eska can feel it now—Italia isn't just a warrior or a paladin. She's a beast, one hungry for payback and fueled by the thrill of battle.
Italia surges forward again, faster than Eska can react. Desperate, Eska reinforces her arms, where the impact is about to land, hoping to deflect the oncoming strike. But as Italia's blade crashes into her defense, the sheer power drags Eska off balance, pulling her along like she's trying to hold back a hurricane.
"Ohoho!" Italia laughs, her grin wide and wild. "That's some fancy defense you've got there."
Without missing a beat, she lifts her twin swords high above Eska, her intent clear and merciless as the blades gleam in the light. "Let's see how it holds up now," she snarls, ready to bring them down with crushing force.
With unmatched power and speed, Italia brings her blades down in a devastating arc, slamming into Eska's defense. The impact reverberates like thunder, shattering the reinforced ground beneath her.
The floor crumbles and Eska's legs buckle as blue shards of her broken defense explode outward, scattering like glass and dissipating in a quick second.
She collapses to her knees, gasping for breath. The blow didn't even land in full, yet it feels like she's been trampled by a stampede. Pain radiates through her body, but worse is the realization of how outmatched she is.
"Stop the defense," Marina's voice cuts through her thoughts. "You're not skilled enough to block every one of her attacks. Get on the offensive, Eska, or you're dead."
Eska pushes herself to her feet, teeth clenched, Marina's words ringing in her head. She takes a deep breath, claws glowing as she dashes forward, aiming to close the gap before Italia can prepare another crushing attack.
Her first swipe arcs toward Italia's side, but Italia shifts her stance effortlessly, one sword coming down to block the strike while the other swings in a vicious counter. Eska barely manages to twist out of the way, the blade grazing her shoulder as she stumbles backward.
Gritting her teeth, Eska lunges again, this time aiming for Italia's legs.
Her claws slice through the air, but Italia steps back with ease, the movement almost dismissive. Before Eska can recover, Italia's knee drives into her gut, the force sending her sprawling to the ground once more.
Pain flares in her ribs as she scrambles to her feet, refusing to stay down. She circles quickly, darting in with rapid, unpredictable strikes, hoping to exploit an opening.
For a moment, it seems like she has one—a gap in Italia's defense just wide enough to slip through. But as her claws dart forward, Italia's blade sweeps across, deflecting the attack with terrifying speed.
The counterattack follows instantly, a heavy kick slamming into Eska's side and sending her skidding across the cracked ground.
Eska coughs, struggling to breathe as she rises again, her legs trembling beneath her. She dashes forward one more time, this time feinting to Italia's right before pivoting left in a desperate attempt to outmaneuver her.
Italia doesn't fall for it. She sidesteps smoothly, her second sword lashing out in a horizontal swing that Eska narrowly ducks under.
The momentum of the dodge leaves her unbalanced and Italia capitalizes instantly.
With a sharp twist, she brings the hilt of her blade crashing into Eska's back. The impact drives her to her knees, her claws digging into the ground for stability as Italia looms over her, calm and relentless.
Eska gasps for air, every muscle in her body screaming in protest.
No matter how fast she moves or how clever her attacks, Italia is faster, stronger and always one step ahead. Each attempt to strike back ends in another punishing blow and Eska begins to realize with growing dread that this isn't just a duel.
It's survival.
"You're limiting yourself again," Marina's voice cuts through the haze. "This isn't a mindless monster. You're up against a calculating hunter with decades of experience. Adapt."
Eska staggers to her feet, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Blood drips from cuts and scratches across her body. Bruises darken her skin, but she refuses to stay down. Her legs tremble but she forces them to hold steady.
Across from her, Italia stands motionless. Not a single mark mars her pristine form, her composure an unspoken mockery of Eska's struggle.
Eska wipes the blood from her lip with the back of her hand and inhales deeply, trying to steady her racing heart. She stretches her back, feeling every ache and pain but ignoring them.
Slowly, she shifts into a stance, claws raised, her body low and ready to charge. Her eyes widen and for the first time since the fight began, her focus sharpens.
Eska lowers herself slightly before exploding into a charge, her claws gleaming as she aims straight for Italia's chest. Her speed is fueled by desperation and focus, the ground beneath her cracking as she pushes forward.
Italia notices the force she uses, narrowing her eyes slightly.
She thrusts her claws toward Italia's torso, intending to pierce through her flesh though Italia moves with the precision of a veteran, her twin blades coming up in a flawless arc to deflect the strike.
But as she knocks Eska's claws aside, something unexpected happens. The tips of Eska's claws seem to linger in place, strands of crimson following the motion like threads pulled from her hands. Italia's eyes widen, sensing danger, just as the strands begin to elongate into razor-sharp spikes.
With a burst of speed, Italia dodges the first wave of spikes, their tips slamming into the ground and leaving deep gouges in the stone. Eska doesn't stop; she twists her body mid-movement, spinning to bring the strands around in a sweeping arc.
The blood strands slice through the air with deadly intent, forcing Italia to act. She swings her swords in wide, cutting through the strands before they can reach her.
Eska's hands tremble as she struggles to maintain control. Each severed strand of blood begins to twist and spin like whirling blades, their edges slicing wildly through the air.
Italia's composure falters for a fraction of a second as one of the spinning shards rakes across her arm, leaving a deep cut. More follow, slashing across her clothes and skin as the shards burst unpredictably.
For the first time, Italia's expression shifts to one of mild surprise. Eska sees her opening and lunges. Her claws stretch once more, aiming for Italia's ribs.
This time, her strike connects.
The claws pierce Italia's side, piercing just enough to draw blood as they slip between her ribs. For a fleeting moment, Italia's gaze meets Eska's and her breath catches.
Eska's eyes burn with the same bloodlust and terrifying presence as hers was, an intensity that feels almost inhuman. The raw hunger and unrelenting drive in her expression twist something deep in Italia's gut—a rare flicker of fear.
But the moment doesn't last.
Italia reacts on pure instinct, her body moving before her mind fully processes the danger. One of her swords crashes down in a devastating blow, striking Eska across the chest with enough force to send her flying backward.
The ground trembles as Eska's body skids across the stone, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. She lies still, gasping for breath, her body too battered to move.
Italia straightens, clutching her side where the claws had nearly pierced her. Her breathing is steady, though she is in slight shock. For the first time in years, her body had moved purely on survival instinct and the realization sends a chill through her.
In that fleeting moment, her life had truly been in danger—a rare and sobering feeling.
She glances down at the blood on her fingers, her grip tightening on her sword as her gaze flicks back to Eska's fallen form, her usual confidence now tinged with unease.
"Stop!" Valen shouts as he flies past Italia. Her eyes follow Valen, not processing the reason for his rush until she sees the blood pool.
Her eyes widen. "No." She thinks to herself. "I didn't mean—" She whispers, the shouts of Valen muffled as she witnesses Eska struggling to breathe.