The instant Sebastian blinked, she was gone.
CRACK!
Her wooden sword came down like lightning, and he barely managed to bring his own up in time. The impact thundered through his arms, the shockwave rattling his bones. His feet left the ground as he was launched backward, slamming into the wall with a dull thud.
Air exploded out of his lungs. His chest burned, blood filling his mouth as he coughed violently.
Sebastian staggered forward, gasping, arms trembling.
{On your feet!} Bastard's voice roared in his skull. {She's already moving again!}
A blur of motion filled his vision.
WHOOSH—THUD!
Her sword cut through the air and smashed into the wall where he'd been standing half a breath ago, the wooden blade leaving a crater in stone as if it were paper.
"She's insane!" Sebastian gasped, stumbling sideways, his heart hammering so violently it hurt.
{LEFT! LEFT!} Bastard barked.
Sebastian threw himself left, barely bringing his blade up in time—
THWACK!
The collision jolted every nerve in his arms, a shockwave of pain racing through his bones. The wooden sword screeched against his, his knees buckling as he struggled to hold against her impossible strength.
Belle pushed forward without a sound. No instruction. No acknowledgement. Just cold, suffocating intent.
Sweat stung Sebastian's eyes. His palms burned. His breath came in ragged gasps.
SWISH!
Her blade cut across his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. He hissed in pain, instinctively stepping back.
{Focus, damn you! She's not slowing down just because you're whining!}
Another strike came, faster than before, aimed at his ribs. His arms moved on their own, tilting his sword just enough to deflect—
CLACK!
The force nearly sent the weapon flying out of his grip. His shoulders screamed. His wrist felt like it might snap in two.
He dropped to one knee, chest heaving, but there was no reprieve.
Belle stepped forward like a phantom, her blade already descending.
{UP!} Bastard bellowed.
Sebastian raised his sword above his head in desperation—
CRACK!
The impact rang like thunder. His black blade bent under the sheer force, his arms vibrating violently. His legs gave out, sending him crashing to the floor.
"D-damn it…" Sebastian gasped, choking on blood.
{Don't quit! Redirect, not block! Use her weight against her!}
He forced himself up, stumbling into a shaky stance. She was already coming, her movements sharp and unhesitating, like a predator striking prey.
WHOOSH!
Her blade carved a blur toward his side.
Sebastian twisted, parrying weakly, letting her strike skid past. It still rattled his arm, but he stayed on his feet. Barely.
His chest screamed for air. His body was breaking down. But her strikes only got faster.
CLACK—CLACK—CLACK!
Every blow rattled through him, forcing him backward step after step, until his back nearly hit the wall again.
{Duck!} Bastard snapped.
Sebastian dropped low, her sword slicing through the air where his neck had been.
"Shit!" He rolled away, scraping his elbows against the ground, just barely regaining balance.
The moment he stood, she was on him again. Her wooden blade swung down, and this time he twisted at the last second, angling his—
THWACK!
The clash sent sparks of agony up his arm, but the deflection worked. Her blade slid off his and struck the floor, cracking it open with a deafening splinter.
For half a second, he thought he saw an opening.
Sebastian lunged forward, gritting his teeth, swinging at her torso—
She tilted her sword lazily, batting his aside with contemptuous ease. Before he could even process, her foot snapped out, slamming into his chest.
BOOM!
The world spun. He flew backward, crashed, and rolled across the floor until he sprawled out, coughing violently, blood dripping from his lips.
His vision blurred. His hands shook so badly he nearly dropped the sword.
"She's… she's not human…" he wheezed.
{Shut up and stand! If you collapse now, you're dead. And unlike me, she doesn't care to keep you breathing.}
Sebastian pushed himself up again, somehow finding the strength in his screaming muscles. His knees wobbled, his sword trembling in his grip.
Belle stood still, blindfolded, unreadable. She didn't rush him this time. She just waited. Silent. Patient.
It was worse than her attacks. Her silence suffocated him, filled him with dread.
Step.
She advanced again. One calm step at a time.
Sebastian swallowed, lifted his sword, every muscle in his body screaming in protest.
WHOOSH—CRACK!
The next flurry was a storm. Her strikes rained down without pause, without hesitation.
CLACK—CLACK—CLACK—THWACK!
Each impact jarred him, tearing his muscles and chipping at his bones. He stumbled backward, his chest heaving, his vision tunneling, until Bastard roared again—
{NOW! PUSH BACK!}
Sebastian screamed, thrusting his blade forward with everything he had.
Belle tilted her head. Her wooden sword snapped up, knocking his away effortlessly.
And then she swung.
CRACK!
Her sword slammed into his side, sending him sprawling across the floor again, coughing, spitting blood.
His sword clattered beside him. His arms refused to move.
And still, she didn't speak. Didn't acknowledge. Just advanced again.
Her footsteps echoed as she approached, slow and deliberate. The wooden sword hung at her side, but he didn't trust it—every step felt like a threat, every shift of her weight enough to make his battered body flinch.
Sebastian pushed himself up on trembling elbows, blood running down his chin. His voice was hoarse, broken, but the words slipped out anyway.
"…Did I… pass?"
For a moment, she just stared down at him, unreadable behind the blindfold. Then, in that cool, detached tone that made her feel less like a person and more like a statue of flawless jade, she finally answered:
"You did."
The relief hit Sebastian harder than any of her blows. His body gave out, and before he could stop it, he collapsed onto the cold floor, the world around him fading into darkness.