I learned two things that day.
This old man was crazy-
and
He is going to be the death of me.
***
"Is this all, boy?" We had been fighting for a while now, but the man showed no signs of stopping. He spun his weapon effortlessly as he taunted, before lunging forward again.
Moros' attacks were fast, almost too fast, forcing me to dodge, sidestep, and parry. Every swing of his halberd felt like it could tear through me at any moment. The broken sword I was using wasn't helping either—its jagged edge made every block feel like I was holding back a storm with a piece of scrap metal.
I couldn't afford to use blood manipulation. Not here. Not in front of him. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to rely on footwork, slipping just out of reach of each attack. But Moros wasn't letting up. His movements were relentless, each swing more precise than the last, like he was gauging my limits. A sudden downward slash sent a shockwave through the ground, cracking the stone beneath us.
