"A knee strike aimed at your abdomen."
Valaria stood rooted to the ground, her mind unable to comprehend whether his words were the truth or a lie.
He had told her not to trust him.
He had told her what to trust—and yet, her mind was blank and her reaction delayed.
"Ugh—!"
Before she could even process it, an attack struck her abdomen, lifting her momentarily off the ground.
"An upward kick will follow."
Gripping the batons tightly, she gritted her teeth and swung them down to intercept—but her attack met no resistance, as if nothing had been there to begin with.
"You—!"
Landing on her feet, she choked just as she was about to complain but her defiance was quickly interrupted by Art.
"I told you not to trust me." Art grinned, having not so much as moved since his knee strike. Just because he spoke of an attack didn't mean he was obligated to attack.
"An axe kick from the front."
