"Is this all the 'strongest freshman' can do?" Borin mocked, taking another step forward, his presence intensifying. "Struggle like an insect?"
Lucian grit his teeth, spitting out a glob of blood. His regeneration worked furiously, knitting bone, sealing micro-tears in muscle, but the damage was coming too fast. He was being overwhelmed.
He needed to break the rhythm. He needed to eliminate one of them. The Shadow Blade was the immediate threat, faster, more precise, constantly forcing errors.
He feinted a low sweep with his spear, drawing a parry from the Shadow Blade, then exploded upwards using [Crimson Shadow Step], aiming for the space above the assassin. He simultaneously activated [Shadow Pounce].
His target wasn't the assassin himself, but the empty air just behind him. He materialized there, spear reversed, aiming the butt end downwards in a powerful smash towards the assassin's head while twisting his body to avoid Borin's follow-up tracking strike.
