Chapter 159: Velocity Break
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.
Unlike her, they hadn’t staggered. Their breath was calm. Their eyes focused. Even now, they were already moving in again, bootfalls quiet but steady, raising the blade for another strike.
Jisoo clenched her fists. "No rest, huh?"
Her legs tensed as she prepared to dash—but her timing faltered. The Talaria triggered late. Just a fraction of a second, but it was enough.
The blade screamed through the air.
Jisoo leaned back at the last second, the edge missing her cheek by a breath. She ducked, twisted, and kicked backward—flashing out in a stuttering dash that left glowing footprints behind her.