Volume 5 Chapter 49 ACT.179 Burning into the Stars (IV)
Rize Howell kicked the spear that was thrown at her and caught it with both hands without a moment's hesitation.
She had realized that the terms were meaningless in parallel negotiations.
And she knew from the bottom of her heart that her feelings were loyal and unbetrayable.
"Prepare yourself."
The spear in her hands was slightly longer than the one she usually used, and it had no shield.
But Rize was no child to be daunted by a mere change of weapons, and she hadn't trained in a soft manner that would compromise her strength.
With a step forward, she launched a sharp thrust at Aisha without hesitation.
Aisha wielded a greatsword.
It seemed to be a custom-made blade, with its center of gravity shifted towards the tip of the blade, which Rize had noticed.
Since Aisha was holding the greatsword downwards at this moment, it was impossible for her to lift it overhead for defense.
Aisha's eyes widened as she saw the tip of the spear heading straight for her forehead.
A merciless blade filled with murderous intent.
Her beak subtly curled up as she felt an attack that she hadn't experienced in many battles, one that threatened her life.
The precise thrust was easy to predict.
She stepped back, lowering her posture and dodging the spearhead by moving her head aside.
But Rize had already anticipated this move.
With both hands on the spear instead of her usual one-handed style, she could perform different techniques.
She snapped her right wrist to throw the spear back, then caught it with her left hand and thrust it forward again.
Her aim was once more the forehead.
A swift double thrust made possible by the long spear ─ or so it seemed.
"Shh!"
With a short breath, she pulled the spearhead back again.
The second thrust was a feint, the true intention was the third strike.
There was no creature that wouldn't react to a blade coming straight at its face.
She had aimed at the same spot twice to conceal her real target.
Using the foot she had tripped over during the first strike as an axis, she exerted force on the spear shaft to lower her posture and flip her body.
Rize's true intention was to trip her opponent with the spear shaft.
Trying to avoid the first 2 thrusts, her footing was unstable.
This trip wasn't a spear technique but a staff skill, proving how diligently Rize Howell, the Purge Knight, had trained with it.
It is all about serious judgment and action, building up everything you can do, learn, and apply.
──But.
"Haha!"
Aisha, with a smile on her face, jumps up while folding her legs to avoid the sweep kick.
She then places the blade of her greatsword on the floor for support and gets her stance right, kicking her folded legs toward Rize as an attack.
"──!"
She dodges the kick that could break her neck by leaning back with her whole body.
As the sharp kick nearly grazes her nose, Rize's back freezes, and she twists her body to roll sideways, temporarily creating some distance.
Gritting her teeth, Rize reframes her spear and fixes her sharp gaze on Aisha.
That previous attack relied on Aisha's special machete-like greatsword.
Thanks to its unique flat shape, it proved useful as support.
A truly strong warrior does not choose their weapon.
That belief is not wrong.
But then, why do the top 3 Purge Knights have their own special weapons?
Later, Rize will come to understand.
The strength of a warrior who carefully *chooses* their weapon.
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