CHAPTER 57: SUKI’S TOY

Suki launched herself forward with the momentum of a spinning cartwheel, her legs tucking tightly as her body rotated in a perfect arc. Her short swords gleamed under the stage lights, each blade tracing a deadly curve through the air aimed directly at Jelo’s shoulders and ribs.

As her feet touched down, she sprang immediately into a forward lunge, slashing diagonally across his torso with one sword while the other swept low toward his knees.

Jelo barely had time to raise his arms and summon Scaled Guard. His dragon-scaled armor absorbed the first strike cleanly, the edge of her blade clanging against his hardened forearm with a metallic screech.

The second strike cut through the air, missing his legs by mere inches, sending shards of splintered wood from the stage scattering in all directions.

Haha, almost got ya there! She giggled ecstatically and Jelo had to wonder if she was completely sane. He decided she probably wasn’t.

Suki rolled backward on the balls of her feet, flipping into a low spin and snapping forward again. She slashed high, then low, then diagonal, chaining three attacks in a seamless motion, forcing Jelo to pivot sharply, blocking each one with Scaled Guard while trying to maintain his footing on the polished stage.

His muscles burned with each parry; the energy cost of holding his armor taut was mounting, yet he forced himself to maintain focus, eyes tracking the glint of her blades.

"You’re predictable!" Suki taunted, vaulting over a low swipe and landing behind him. "I can see your next move before you even make it. Come on, show me something new!"

Jelo twisted sharply, spinning to block a downward strike aimed at the top of his head. His claws scraped against her incoming blade, deflecting it just enough to avoid a serious cut. He barely had time to step back before she lunged again, spinning across the stage like a predator, feet barely touching the ground, swords slashing and slicing in rapid succession.

Every block and dodge drained him further, every one of Suki’s taunts digging into his focus. His arms ached, his legs trembled slightly, yet he refused to falter.

He had to survive, had to find an opening, but Suki’s relentless precision and playful cruelty kept him on the defensive, moving continuously, energy slipping through his body with every precise strike and every mocking word.

Suki launched herself into the air with a burst of power, legs coiling like springs as she flipped over Jelo’s shoulder. Her body spun midair, blades flashing in the sunlight, and she slashed downward in a precise diagonal arc aimed at his shoulder and upper chest.

The air whistled as the swords cut through it, a sharp, biting sound that made the first-years in the audience flinch.

"Too slow!" she taunted, her voice carrying over the clash of steel and the hum of energy from Jelo’s Scaled Guard. "You’re not fast enough to touch me!"

Jelo twisted sharply, Scaled Guard absorbing the blow as her downward strike slammed against his armor with a jarring clang. The impact reverberated up his arms, sending a jolt of fatigue through his shoulders, but he barely had time to breathe.

Suki’s movements were fluid, deliberate, each strike feeding into the next as she rolled behind him, momentum carrying her low. With a sudden snap of her leg, she delivered a sharp kick to the small of his back, catching him off guard and sending him stumbling forward. She landed lightly on her feet, laughing as if the entire sequence were a game and he were merely a toy.

Jelo gritted his teeth, fists clenching, claws pressing into the floor for balance. His arms ached from the repeated exertion of Scaled Guard, and his muscles trembled slightly with the effort of blocking and absorbing each strike.

Sweat pricked his brow, and the ache in his body was growing sharper with every passing second. Despite the physical strain, his vision remained clear, tracking Suki’s every motion, the tilt of her head, the subtle flick of her wrist, the momentary pause in her spin before she struck again.

He realized brute strength alone would not carry him through this fight. Charging, swinging harder, or attempting to overpower her would only exhaust him further and leave openings for her to exploit.

Instead, he began to focus, to study her rhythm, searching for patterns hidden in the flow of her movements. He noticed the slight hesitation before she spun, the repeated angles of her downward slashes, the way she leaned slightly before rolling to strike from behind.

It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was enough.

Suki committed to a wide, spinning slash, launching herself from a high cartwheel with all the confidence of someone certain of victory. Her twin blades arced through the air in a deadly sweep, each edge aimed to cut through any opening Jelo might leave.

The force behind her motion was almost relentless, the momentum of her body carrying her in a smooth, predatory circle. She leaned into the strike, fully expecting him to be trapped, her mocking grin widening as she anticipated his stumble.

Jelo’s eyes narrowed, muscles tensing as he read her movement. Instead of retreating blindly, he allowed himself to feign fatigue, his legs wobbling slightly and his upper body dipping in a calculated manner.

He left a small, intentional gap in his guard, baiting her further. The moment she lunged, convinced she had him cornered, he unleashed his carefully prepared response.

In a sudden burst of energy, Wingburst ignited along his back. The dragon-like wings of pure force flared outward, carrying him in a blink through the empty space before her. The audience gasped collectively, their eyes tracking his rapid movement as he vanished from her line of attack.

Before Suki could react, Jelo reappeared directly behind her, landing silently and solidly on the balls of his feet. His claws glinted faintly in the light, a thin line of concentrated energy running along each talon.

He struck with Dragon Claw, aiming precisely at her flank, the motion clean, sharp, and impossibly fast. The energy bit into her side, catching her off-guard and breaking the rhythm of her spin.

Suki stumbled, her balance broken by the sudden, unexpected strike. She flailed for a moment, blades swinging uselessly as she tried to recover, but the force and precision of Jelo’s attack had already unseated her.

With a final misstep, she fell to the polished stage floor, the momentum of her own motion carrying her onto her side.

As she landed, Jelo followed with a dragon that hit her in the chest.

[Opponent Defeated; +40 Ess]

Breathing heavily, sweat slicking his brow, Jelo stood over her. His chest heaved, armor scuffed, claws still humming faintly with residual energy.