Zahn moved first.
His saber swept out from its guard position, the movement so smooth that Holden barely saw any wasted effort.
The curved blade came straight for Holden's neck.
It was a horizontal slash, delivered with the speed and strength of a Rank 4, 2-Star cultivator. The polished steel cut through the air, leaving a faint whistle behind it as Zahn stepped forward and put his weight into the attack.
But Holden had already seen it coming.
His 10,000x processor had picked up the slight movement of Zahn's shoulder before the saber even left its guard position. The shift in his feet, the angle of his wrist, and the direction of his body had already revealed where the attack was going.
[Incoming Attack Detected!]
[Target: Neck.]
[Attack Pattern: Horizontal Slash.]
[Recommended Response: Intercept and Redirect.]
Holden raised the Eclipse-Sun Sword.
CLANG!
The two blades collided, sending a sharp metallic sound through the chamber.
