The woman moved first. She was fast—really fast. One second she was standing there, and the next, she became a blur, reappearing right beside me with a sharp kick aimed straight for my head. I didn't bother calling on Guardian to shield myself because I wanted this to be fair and square. Instead, I raised my arm and blocked her kick head-on.
The impact rippled through my arm, sending a jolt of force through me. She was strong—really strong—but even with all that power, she didn't move me an inch.
Her eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of disbelief crossing her face before she quickly recomposed herself. She came at me again, more aggressive this time. But just like before, I didn't flinch.
"What the...?"
"Is that all?" I asked.
"Not yet!" she screamed, spinning around with a flurry of punches aimed at my chest and head. She was moving faster than before—faster than Rose, even. It was clear she wasn't just some normal human. The precision and speed of her attacks made that obvious.
But it didn't matter. No matter how hard or fast she swung, every single hit was blocked, my arms moving to deflect her blows like it was nothing. I didn't even shift from my spot. The ground beneath my feet felt solid as ever. I didn't budge.
"What...?" she gasped, her voice filled with confusion, her eyes narrowing as she realized just how pointless her attacks had been.
Her strikes were deadly, meant to kill, but they were all useless. Not only had I blocked every single one, but I hadn't even moved from my position.
"Is that all?" I repeated, my voice colder, cutting through the air like ice.
She stepped back, her eyes wide, the reality of the situation finally hitting her. The entire time, I'd left openings—plenty of them. I'd made it easy for her to come at me. But now she realized that even with those gaps in my defense, she couldn't move me, couldn't touch me. Her wariness was written all over her face. She wasn't about to make another reckless move.
"Ngh?!"
Blood poured from her nose instantly, dripping onto her lips, her eyes wide with shock. For a second, she just stood there, stunned, still well within my range. Then, with a gasp, she scrambled backward, putting space between us again.
She wiped the blood from her nose with the back of her hand, staring at it, dazed, before swiping it onto her clothes. With renewed determination, she rushed at me again. But each time she attacked, I blocked her easily. My movements were effortless compared to her increasingly desperate swings. And each block was followed by my fist slamming into her body.
She couldn't hit. Every attempt was met with another punch, knocking her off balance again and again.
Eventually, her steps became shaky, her legs wobbling beneath her. She was clearly disoriented, swaying on her feet, but somehow, she still held her stance. She looked like she might fall over any second, but sheer defiance kept her upright, fists raised, refusing to back down.
"Looks like you're on your last leg," I said, my tone icy and unyielding. "Is this really all you've got?"
With a primal roar, she surged at me again, her resolve burning fiercer than ever. But something was off—her fists were shimmering with a dangerous glow. I activated Guardian immediately, preparing for whatever she had in store. When her glowing fists struck the barrier, the impact was cataclysmic. An explosion erupted, filling my vision with a dense, choking cloud of smoke.
As the smoke slowly dissipated, I saw her sprawled on the ground, her arm nearly incinerated, the bones splintered and destroyed.
"An explosive attack, huh? So that's your skill," I said. "But it seems like there's a major drawback—using it also fucks you up pretty bad."
I deactivated Guardian and took in the sight of her ruined arm. "Looks like she's got some sort of emergency measure to keep her alive," I noted.
I scanned the area, noting the Eclipse members who had seen their comrade fall. They quickly decided to cut their losses and flee. I made no move to chase them, simply watching as they scrambled away.