With a bang, the imitation broadsword struck the shield. The shield swayed but did not break. Lin Taichu seized the chance to rush forward and lightly jabbed the trident beneath the guard's armpit. The guard immediately cried out, "Ow!" and staggered back.
It worked! Lin Taichu was delighted. It seemed this method was viable.
For the next two days, Lin Taichu kept practicing this tactic. At first, he needed half a second to react, but later he could instantly form a shield and find an opening. He grew increasingly proficient.
Alicia brought him food every day and watched him practice. Occasionally, she reminded him to rest and not overwork himself.
Before long, the day of the losers' bracket final arrived. There were even more spectators in the arena than before. Everyone wanted to see whether Lin Taichu, armed with a trident, could defeat the stronger Reno.
Ollie was still seated in the VIP section. This time, he did not curse and grumble. He merely stared fixedly at the center of the arena, his fists clenched. He could only hope Reno won now; otherwise, if Lin Taichu entered the finals, revenge would become even harder.
The bell signaling the start of the match rang out. Reno gripped his broadsword and slowly walked toward Lin Taichu.
His broadsword was far heavier than Karen's spear. With every step he took, its blade carved a trail across the ground, creating an oppressive presence.
"Lin Taichu, I know you changed weapons," Reno said in a booming voice. "But don't think that'll let you beat me. My broadsword can chop through anything in your hands!"
Lin Taichu said nothing. He simply took up a defensive stance, his trident tilted slightly toward Reno.
Seeing that Lin Taichu would not speak, Reno stopped wasting words. With a roar,