Chapter 96: Feint

The arrogant knight took out the long spear strapped on his back. With a light flick of his fingers, the spearman twirled the weapon like a majorette's baton. Then, he spread his legs apart, feet sliding audibly across the concrete floor—as if taunting Nora to repeat her earlier stunt.

"Come. Try it. I'll let you attack first."

"Ah… Is that so? Then I'll gladly take your offer." despite the knight's mocking tone, Nora coolly replied.

She began circling outside her opponent's attack range, staring at him like a hawk. Unlike the aggression she displayed in the first fight, Nora now behaved like a silent black panther. Her footsteps were light and agile as befits her previous profession.

The knight tensed. The intensity of Nora's gaze made him feel like prey in front of its predator. Cold sweat trickled down his neck as he braced himself for Nora's attack, but a full minute passed yet Nora did nothing.

'Sh*t! when will this b*tch attack? This tension is killing me!' the knight cursed.

Another minute…

Two whole minutes of inaction finally thinned the spectators' patience and they began booing at the fighters.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE! FIGHT!"

The pressure from the spectators nearly crushed the arrogant knight, forcing him to deliberate whether to initiate an attack or stand still.

When the spearman lost his focus, Nora charged.

She kicked the ground hard, her blade aimed at her opponent's unprotected back.

But the knight wasn't just 'all talk and no bite'. He quickly turned around when he sensed Nora's movement and their weapons collided in midair!

CLANG!!

When the black sword grazed his spear shaft, the knight twisted his weapon with the spear blade angled towards Nora's neck.

The knight thrust his spear forward.

Nora glanced at this tiny movement and immediately docked.

But the opponent's spear chased her persistently. It changed its course in one fluid motion and Nora was forced to activate her defense.

"Shield!" she muttered, and her new mechanical arm whirred into action. The pieces disengaged and spiraled to form a sturdy heater shield.

"WHAA--?!" the knight's arrogant smirk melted into surprise as his spear bounced uselessly against Nora's shield.

Nora pushed the spear away in time with her sword slashing diagonally upwards. The knight backed away and eyed her with newfound wariness.

'Are they seriously telling me that a person this strong lost to killer ants? Really?'

Their short exchange solidified his suspicion that Nora was no ordinary woman.

'It seems her earlier victory was not a fluke…'

'A threat… she's a threat...'

'Then, I should fight her seriously.'

The knight judged that he can no longer afford to underestimate Nora so he changed into an offensive stance.

"HAAAAH!!!" He cried as he ran toward Nora.

And then he jumped!

With his spear above his head and his back stretched, the knight attacked as if to throw a javelin!

"Shield!" Nora raised her prosthetic arm to brace for the impact!

But the knight changed his form in midair and struck the ground with his spear instead! The long spear shaft bent like a pole and the knight used his momentum to vault over Nora's shield!

BAM!

He expertly landed behind Nora and with his one foot as the pivot point, the knight turned around, spear blade seeking Nora's neck!

Gasp!

As if in chorus, the noble spectators' sharp breath intake reverberated across the arena when the knight's spear grazed Nora's flesh.

Nora icily stared at her opponent as some of her loose hairs fell onto the ground like the crimson blood that gushed from her wound. Had she not evaded the attack, her head would've been cut cleanly off her shoulder!

"REFEREE!"

Nora turned to the sound of her liege's voice and her dark eyes landed on Prince Deon's worried mien.

"THIS IS JUST A SPAR! NOT A DEATH MATCH!" Deon yelled from the royal box.

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The captain of the first knight order sighed and issued Nora's opponent a light warning.

"My apologies, Captain. I didn't think she was this fragile."

"Be careful next time. This is your first warning." Said the referee without much care before they resumed the spar.

"Heh! Not a death match? I see that the youngest prince is still as naïve as ever. There's no way we'd ever let someone so dirty in our knightage. Don't you think so? 'Dame'?" the knight whispered, putting much emphasis on the last word to taunt Nora.

The dame carelessly wiped her blood as she coldly sneered, "Ahh… You are absolutely right, sir. How could they ever let someone as dirty as YOU in the knightage? To be honest, it's really disappointing."

Nora thought she shouldn't let such idiotic taunts get the better of her if she wished to stay by her liege's side. After all, she was used to the sexual harassment and insults just for being a woman in men's line of work. Still, she was disillusioned by the fact that the knights she so respected were also rotten.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! YOU B*TCH!!" enraged, the knight lunged at Nora.

His face brimming with killing intent, the knight repeatedly thrust his spear, aiming precisely for the Dame's critical points—Head. Neck. Heart. Lungs. Liver.

"Do you really think you'll be welcomed in the knightage just because you have the backing of the stupid prince? Dream on, b*tch!" the knight spoke quietly enough for only Nora to hear.

His persistent thrusts continued to chase Nora.

'Why? Why?? WHYYY?!!!' the knight's frustration peaked when he couldn't seem to land a single blow!

Thus, he increased his pace.

Woosh!

Woosh! Woosh!!

But his attacks only cut empty air! Beads of sweat formed in the knight's temples. He was getting exhausted now. Each of his thrusts packed so much power in hopes of defeating Nora in one blow but they only served to drain his stamina.

Meanwhile, Nora's footwork sped up as she evaded the spear by a hair's breadth. There were no unnecessary movements. No wasted energy as Nora inched ever so closely to her opponent.

Bit by bit, she nullified the spearman's reach advantage!

The knight was panting heavily now. He had expended too much energy that his movements had started to become sluggish. To him, their duel seemed to have been going on for ages.

'Now!' Nora took this opportunity to strike!

She dodged to the left and mightily yelled, "Hyaaaaahh!!!!!" then she swung her sword toward the knight's waist!

"B*tch! Your attack motion's too wide! It's predictable!" the knight spat as he moved his spear to defend!

Their weapons clashed and the knight pushed the sword with every ounce of strength he could muster!

Clang!

Nora's hold on her black sword loosened and it skidded uselessly across the ground.

"Hah! No matter what you do, a woman can't beat a man in a battle of brawns!" the knight triumphantly turned to the dame—

'Huh?'

The arrogant knight couldn't understand what was happening. He was certain that he had defeated Nora…

So, why was he falling?

His brain felt mushy. His jaw hurt so badly, and his vision…

The last he saw was the picturesque view of the clear blue winter sky then...

Everything went black…

'Did I… lose? But how?'

Crash!

The knight passed out on the ground with his jaw bruised and swollen.

"Hah! Hah!..."

Nora breathed heavily as she clenched her prosthetic fist, "Yeah… but the human flesh is much softer than metal."

Silence engulfed the arena.

The spectators did not expect Nora to intentionally release her sword, baiting the knight before punching him with her metal arm.

Nora casually retrieved her sword amidst the shocked silence then she turned to the referee and said, "Bring my next opponent."

--Chapter end--

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