Chapter 124: Vivian vs Edmond
As they met, the air grew thick with tension, a cold sweat glazing their skin as they steeled themselves for a confrontation. Each recognized the other, their reputations preceding them and fostering a sense of mutual threat.
To Edmond, the person he saw in front of him was a perfect match for the descriptions of the Bloody Swan, a killer and a terrorist with an infamous kill record: the one who attacked the Black Market and sabotaged Ian’s sensitive operation there, stole the Mithril Coins taken by Prince Liam’s faction, attacked many convoys belonging to the production of Bliss, and, in a final act of defiance to the Prince, attacked the secret Treasury Convoy, which was the backbone of the faction.
To Vivian, Edmond Black was the worst person to meet in a situation like this. His abilities were beyond her measuring; he was known to be a knight on par with Logan, whom she could never match in one-on-one melee combat. With the secret training of House Black’s swordsmanship and aura, the gap between them was something she could never dream of crossing anytime soon.
"... So, you were with the Insurgents after all," Edmond said, putting his hand over the hilt of his blade.
BANG!
Before he could draw it, however, Vivian hip-fired right towards his hilt, hitting it before his hand could reach it and igniting a spark. Edmond took a step back, unable to react to the Swan’s speed, but still ducked to reduce his size as a target, and, with instantaneous speed, he pushed himself ahead while drawing his blade to cut her hand.
With greater speed than his, the Swan pushed herself forward and avoided the blade’s cutting arc by flying acrobatically over his head, aiming down her second gun, and almost shooting him in the head from point-blank range.
BANG!
Recognizing the power of her bullets, Edmond protected himself with an aura shield that deflected the bullet right away and left him dazed by how agile and fast she was.
The two exchanged places, each where the other had been: Edmond with his blade drawn, and the Swan with no guns in her hands this time, choosing to switch to a rifle with a bayonet fixed on.
The exchanges with Edmond were too dangerous, depriving Vivian of the chance to shoot at a pace enough for the auto-reload function to keep up with, as each second was too precious. With the rifle, however, Vivian judged that she could at least buy time for her pistols to reload while staying on the defensive with its threatening firepower and its long bayonet reach.