"What did you say?"
Miranda, who had just rotated off duty to rest, leaned on her sword and knelt on one knee as she asked Komuto, who had come to deliver the order, in disbelief:
"Retreat? Now?"
She worked to steady her breathing and looked around. The Royal Guards were relaying the order through gestures and whispers. Many wore equally astonished expressions, but most of those expressions vanished in a flash as they obeyed and withdrew in orderly fashion.
"What about the enemy?"
Miranda looked toward the center of the field. At Toledo's command, the four experts surrounding Luosang withdrew at the same time.
Luosang the Second finally got a chance to catch his breath, but Toledo gave another order. Nate Nesi, who was furious after being ordered to stand by for far too long, roared as he leaped into the field, his sword flashing like a rainbow!
Clang!
Luosang deflected the sword by the narrowest margin, but Nesi's second strike immediately followed, giving him no respite!
"Interesting, young man." Luosang's eyes lit up, though his movements did not slow. "You're even stronger than that girl from the Pegasus Movement."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Nesi's expression changed drastically. Overcome with shame and fury, he roared and launched an even more ferocious assault!
Although he was alone, Nesi's blade flashed with astonishing speed and momentum. Sword light enveloped his opponent from every angle, no weaker than the previous four-man assault. For a moment, he actually suppressed Luosang the Second so thoroughly that Luosang could only defend himself, unable to advance even an inch.
Miranda frowned repeatedly as she watched.
Strange.
That hotheaded fool hadn't been nearly this strong when he fought her earlier—not even when it was two against one.
"Good grief, the mad dog's out of its