Chapter 21: Trial by Crest
Leon didn't step out of the ring.
He smeared the blood from the corner of his mouth and shifted his grip on the sword. The hilt felt hotter now, slick with sweat that had soaked deep into the leather wrappings. His breath came short and jagged, chest heaving under the cloth of his uniform. Still—he stood firm.
Then came the knight's voice again. "Round two: Defense."
Kira had already retreated. Now in her place stood a different kind of threat — taller, broader — Reinhardt Voss. Firstborn of a knight-baron. Talk in the ranks was that he was next up for a crest upgrade. His blade made Leon's look small — two-handed, heavy, the kind meant for cleaving trees, not people.
Leon shifted his stance, rolling his ankle once. No time to loosen up. No room for doubt.
The bell rang.
Reinhardt didn't hesitate. He came in fast, like something unchained, his blade sweeping down in a brutal arc.
Leon ducked low, nearly to one knee, and felt the wind from that massive sword slice over him like a guillotine.
He pivoted, rolled to Reinhardt's left side—not to counter, just to breathe.
This round wasn't about winning.
It was about surviving.