—Frey Starlight's POV—
Melina extended her hand. I grabbed it with some effort, using it to pull myself up from the ground, my body aching from the relentless beating I had just taken.
"You fought well," she said.
Coming from the infamous swordmaster, those words felt oddly out of place... especially with her massive claymore still resting near my throat.
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
"Not in the slightest."
She shook her head.
"Your ability to stand is proof enough."
It wasn't exactly comforting, but Melina never sugarcoated things. This might've been her version of high praise.
We had fought for exactly fifteen minutes...the limit of how long I could maintain Blood form with Balerion, amplified by Dark Sister's aura surge.
And even with all that, I barely managed to keep up with the iron hurricane that was Melina.
Naturally, the moment those fifteen minutes ended, the battle was over.
