This time, Lindarion didn't wait.
He moved the moment Sera adjusted her stance.
A direct, powerful strike—but not reckless.
Every step, every motion was deliberate.
Sera smirked, meeting his attack head-on.
Their strikes collided—a brief clash of strength against strength.
The ground beneath them cracked slightly.
For a moment…just a moment, Sera's expression flickered with something new.
Not just amusement.
Genuine surprise.
Then—she grinned devilishly.
"Now we're talking."
Her aura sharpened.
Lindarion reacted instantly—but it wasn't enough.
Sera slipped past his defenses like water through cracks.
One clean, effortless motion—
A precise strike to his shoulder.
Another point and the match was already over..
Lindarion took a slow, measured breath, forcing his body to relax.
His arms were tensed.
His heartbeat quickened.
But not from exertion.
From realization.
Sera was holding back.
And even then, she was still beyond his reach.
