The impact cracked through the arena like thunder bottled inside glass. For a moment, everything blurred—motion, sound, light—until the two fighters separated, flung backward by sheer recoil.
Jisoo hit the ground hard.
The breath left her lungs in a sharp exhale, her shoulder grinding against the broken stone floor as she rolled once, then came to a shaky stop. Dust clouded around her. She coughed, blinking rapidly, her vision unsteady and muscles slow to respond.
The Talaria still clung to her feet—faintly glowing, but sparking. Flickering.
"Come on," she muttered through grit teeth, one hand pressing to the floor.
She pushed herself upright, swaying slightly, legs trembling.
Across the arena, her opponent—tall, broad, wielding a curved blade that shimmered like heat mirage—landed in a low stance. Controlled. Precise.
