Quinlan's forehead slammed into the bridge of Zhang's nose.
*CRACK!*
Zhang Yong staggered backward with blood spurting from his broken nose. His balance was faltering as he instinctively brought his free hand up to cover the wound while his eyes widened in disbelief, fury, and pain all at once.
Quinlan didn't give him the chance to properly recover.
He lunged at his weakened prey with the hunger of a starved apex predator.
One boot forward, shoulder low, saber flashing upward in a brutal diagonal slash. Zhang tried to parry, but his form was sluggish, his Flowing Tide rhythm broken by the headbutt and the blinding pain that followed. Their blades met again in a sharp clang, but this time, Quinlan didn't retreat.
Instead, he pressed forward, forcing Zhang to brace against the pressure. Their locked swords slid downward toward the hilts as both fighters struggled for control.
