Chapter 353 A Knights Power (1/2)

Arran cast a quick look around the area, searching for any eneht only moments away, he could not afford any distraction, no matter how small

Yet it took him only a moment to realize that no eneht, at least All those whose legs would still carry them had already fled, and the only ones who reht of the battlefield caused Arran sorossed in battle to fully notice the e, but now, he saw that it was even worse than he'd realized

Hundreds of broken bodies littered the ground, and sh the cracks between the cobblestones Had Arran not caused the devastation hiht it the aftermath of a clash between two vicious arer on the sight

Even with the deaths of hundreds of eneth, the battle ahead would demand his full attention

Of course, his task wasn't to defeat the Knight Rather, it was to keep his opponent froiving it a quick thought, Arran ate

With the soldiers either fled or defeated, he no longer needed to worry about ene him with arrows What e and retreat, to delay the Knight for as long as needed

He'd barely ht came into view, tall and clad in a full set of star Shadow dagger at his side

The , his head turning as he gazed at the bodies strewn across the ground

Since the Knight earing a helmet, Arran could not see if there was any shock on his face But when he turned toward Arran athe sword in his right hand and the dagger in his left

Then, he began towith cautious steps that nevertheless exuded the confidence of a skilled fighter

The Knight's deliberate movements put an end to the first of Arran's hopes — that his opponent would be overconfident or tiiven Arran an advantage, but instead, his foe showed only the practiced caln, Arran knew Anyone who could look upon such a bloody battlefield and remain calm was someone to be taken seriously

He took a defensive posture as the Knight approached hi for his opponent to make the first move Neither of them was familiar with the other's abilities, but ti his skill brought Rannoc's forces closer to the gate

But of course, the Knight knew this as well, and he wasted no ti

The man's first attack was a tentative one, intended to force a reaction rather than to break through Arran's defense But although his opponent clearly held back, Arran found hiht's blows, and he was forced to retreat several paces

Brief though the exchange was, it was enough for Arran to realize that he was thoroughly outmatched

While he believed — or hoped — that he was stronger than the Knight, his opponent's skill was beyond anything he could have iined

It was the kind of skill that could only cohts, and even in the few short nized hints of nuhts than he'd believed a single person could possess

But although the exchange left him shocked, he maintained a calm expression While he already kneas out back as well

That could not win hiht buy hiht attacked, ain Arran defended hith and skill he had into his parries and counters

It was only barely enough Once more, Arran was forced to retreat, this tiht's sword

While the wound healed in an instant, how Arran had received it left hinized one of the Knight's insights, and it was one he shared — severing

The Knight's insight into severing was nowhere near as developed as his own, but it was enough to threaten him And unlike Arran, his opponent clearly had nuhts

At once, Arran understood that he could not afford to wait out the Knight's attacks If he did, he would be defeated in o on the offensive, where his strength and weapon e

He attacked without hesitation, striking a rapid series of vicious blows at his opponent, each of the

He hoped that the Knight would try to block one of the bloith his sword — if so, Arran's Living Shadoeapon would cut through the star Arran a e

But instead, he found that his opponent dodged and deflected his attacks,with a speed far beyond what Arran could match

Still, Arran did not let up He continued to attack with all his ht to defend and stop hi the initiative

Arran knew it couldn't last With each strike he ht learned more about his abilities, and with every attack, he risked opening himself up to a counter

But then, it didn't have to last Arran could already Sense Rannoc's troops in the distance, and if he survived just a few more minutes, help would arrive

Yet just as he felt soed another of Arran's attacks, then countered with a thrust so fast Arran had no chance to defend hiht's sword still left a deep wound on his chest

The wound began to heal io to waste At once, he followed up with a co backward

Arran narrowly avoided the Knight'sso, he was forced to leave openings in his defense And within moments, the man's skillful strikes opened up half a dozen wounds on his body