Just as Chen Mo began to move, Baron Strucker, who had been watching him closely, saw through his intentions. His feet also began moving rapidly, his footwork agile, swift, strange, and ever-changing. Chen Mo could not determine his movements for the moment, and the attack of the longsword in his hand faltered slightly.
Baron Strucker precisely seized that brief pause. The rapier he had long kept poised shot out, striking the flat of the King's Sword near its tip.
The King's Sword was itself a two-handed Knight Longsword, originally intended for mounted combat, with a blade nearly a meter long. Chen Mo was holding it one-handed and was not using his full strength. After Strucker's rapier struck it, the longsword veered aside, completely losing its accuracy.
Chen Mo's once unstoppable attack was easily defused, not even touching the corner of his opponent's clothes.
Though his attack had failed, Chen Mo was delighted rather than alarmed.
Baron Strucker's swordsmanship was far stronger than he had imagined, which also meant that Chen Mo's own swordsmanship still had plenty of room to improve.
Chen Mo then focused himself and raised his sword once more, resuming his battle with Baron Strucker.
Chen Mo's moves were broad and powerful, his two-handed longsword heavy and sharp. Strucker did not dare meet it head-on and could only avoid its edge, using footwork to evade or directly knocking it aside with his sword.
His own swordsmanship, however, was nimble and tricky. He often thrust from angles Chen Mo never expected, forcing Chen Mo to draw back his sword to block or dodge awkwardly.
The not particularly spacious control room became their battlefield. Figures flashed through the room, while layers of sword shadows filled the air.
The base director, who had originally hidden to one side, was badly frightened