Amon_Arcana

Ying Yue sidestepped at the last moment, her movements impossibly graceful despite the crushing gravity. My blade missed its mark by a fraction, and before I could recover, her counterattack came swift and precise.

Her foot swept under mine, knocking me off balance. As I fell, her blade arced through the air, stopping just short of my neck.

"Really? That's your big move?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

I blinked up at her, half expecting her to finish the job. Instead, she sighed, flicking the blade back into its sheath.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the announcer's voice boomed. "The winner of this match: Ying Yue, the Shadow Lotus!"

I stayed on the ground a moment longer, catching my breath. "I see you've mastered the art of ruining someone's day."

Ying Yue tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "It's not my fault you make it so easy."

"How considerate," I muttered, pulling myself to my feet. My side throbbed, and I had to use my katana as a makeshift crutch.

She glanced at the blade in my hand. "Try pointing that in the right direction next time."

"You mean away from the floor? Noted," I said, forcing a grin.

She turned and strode toward the waiting area, her black mist fading as she disappeared into the shadows.

Leeon was suddenly beside me, his smirk annoyingly intact. "Well, that went about as expected."

"Glad I could entertain you," I muttered, wincing as I sheathed my katana.

"Hey, don't sell yourself short. You're still standing, more or less."

I glanced at my legs, which felt about as stable as a newly famous minecraft influencer seeing a child "Barely."

"Thanks, Leeon. Your wisdom is a shining light in my otherwise miserable day," I deadpanned.

As we walked back to the waiting area, I caught a glimpse of Ying Yue from afar. She was leaning against the wall, talking to someone, her posture relaxed like the fight had been a casual workout.