Fierce Battle

Liu Zhi tightened the backpack on his shoulders, ensuring it wouldn't hinder his movements, and gripped his longsword.

This longsword, a fine steel weapon from a swordsman of the mercenary group, had been well-maintained by its previous owner. However, it was now tainted with a visible toxicity from a viper's venom.

Compared to Liu Zhi's longsword, the weapon held by his opponent was far less conventional. He wielded a macuahuitl, a traditional weapon of the Aztec civilization.

The weapon consisted of a wooden club, about a meter long and ten centimeters wide, resembling a wooden paddle.

Along both sides of the paddle were small, sharp obsidian blades.

Though it looked inferior to a steel weapon, Liu Zhi believed that in the opponent's hands, a single strike could sever an enemy's head.

Therefore, standing before his foe, Liu Zhi resolved to evade first and counterattack, avoiding a direct contest of strength.

The moment Liu Zhi prepared for battle, the warrior charged towards him.

The warrior wore a leather armor made from tiger skin, characteristic of the elite Jaguar Warriors.

As he charged, Liu Zhi felt as if a jaguar was pouncing on him.

To meet the onslaught, Liu Zhi stamped his foot and retreated, employing the 'Night Strike Counter' footwork from the Z-Secret Sword technique.

As he pulled back, Liu Zhi felt a gust of strong wind and the macuahuitl flashed before him.

From this single attack, Liu Zhi judged that the Jaguar Warrior possessed at least 5.0 strength, making a direct confrontation impossible. He had to rely on his speed and skill.

With that thought, Liu Zhi flipped his right hand, and his longsword thrust out from an odd angle, aiming for the Jaguar Warrior's neck.

Having fought in the jungle for years, the Jaguar Warrior was well-versed in various venomous snakes. When Liu Zhi's sword struck, he sensed the potent poison on it.

He didn't find this unusual; their arrows and javelins were also coated with the venom of the rainforest's deadliest poison dart frogs.

Poisoning weapons was not shameful for them; in fact, acquiring potent poisons indicated a warrior's talent.

The Jaguar Warrior dodged with a twist of his upper body, evading the strike. Then, with uncanny speed, he sprang back, his macuahuitl swinging horizontally towards Liu Zhi's left hand.

This sudden change of tactic left Liu Zhi speechless. He could tell from the shift that the opponent's speed was also around 5.0.

Furthermore, his years of combat experience far surpassed Liu Zhi's skill.

For a moment, Liu Zhi found himself on the defensive.

Fortunately, Liu Zhi's longsword was pure steel and also carried poison. The opponent knew he couldn't match Liu Zhi in terms of weaponry, so he always avoided Liu Zhi's sword during attacks and dodged when Liu Zhi struck, preventing Liu Zhi from being quickly overwhelmed.

However, Liu Zhi understood that the opponent's weapon was not designed for prolonged use; such a heavy weapon could only be swung for ten to fifteen minutes at most.

As an elite Jaguar Warrior, he knew his limits and wouldn't rely on a last-minute surge. He would go all out to defeat Liu Zhi before his stamina ran out.

Indeed, after assessing Liu Zhi's fighting style, the Jaguar Warrior's attack speed noticeably increased. Relying on his superior strength and agility, he abandoned any pretense of technique or skill, launching wide, sweeping attacks aimed at Liu Zhi's vital areas.

With each blow, Liu Zhi had to exert his full strength just to defend. Initially, he could still find opportunities to evade and even counterattack.

But as the opponent's attack speed escalated, Liu Zhi struggled to even react.

Every time he swung his longsword, he couldn't land a hit. Instead, the momentary opening created by his attack was exploited by the opponent.

If not for Liu Zhi's 'Sailor's Basic Swordsmanship' level of over ten years, he would have already fallen.

Recognizing his weakness, Liu Zhi immediately changed his combat approach. While parrying the opponent's attacks, he began reaching for his backpack with his left hand.

Liu Zhi had modified his backpack, adding a side opening secured by a rope. When necessary, he could untie it and reach inside.

Liu Zhi was in a precarious situation. Without even judging what he was grabbing, he snatched something from his backpack and hurled it at the Jaguar Warrior.

The Jaguar Warrior was not surprised by Liu Zhi's projectile. He had a quiver on his back and would use throwing spears or blow darts if necessary.

Liu Zhi resorting to thrown weapons indicated he was nearing his limit. Just a bit longer, and he would win.

Therefore, facing Liu Zhi's throw, the Jaguar Warrior felt a surge of excitement.

However, to deal with such annoyances, Liu Zhi had placed small items within easy reach of the side opening, such as packets of quicklime and bottles of oil.

As he threw them, the Jaguar Warrior, unaware of what he was facing, swung his macuahuitl, shattering the items. A cloud of powder filled the air.

This presented Liu Zhi with an opportunity. He forcefully deflected the macuahuitl and pointed towards the opponent.

"Supernatural Ability: Strong Wind."

A strong wind blew from behind Liu Zhi, catching the powder and blowing it towards the Jaguar Warrior.

This was the Jaguar Warrior's first setback since the fight began. He hadn't expected Liu Zhi to possess magical abilities in addition to his passable combat skills. The powder mixed with the oil, reducing its potency, but it was still effective against the Jaguar Warrior.

As the quicklime entered his eyes, he felt an intense burning pain. His vision was almost completely obscured.

Enraged, the Jaguar Warrior roared and lunged at Liu Zhi with his macuahuitl. This charge gave Liu Zhi hope. He sidestepped, intending to stab the Jaguar Warrior from the side.

But his movement was too large. The Jaguar Warrior's macuahuitl shifted from a vertical chop to a horizontal sweep, striking Liu Zhi's longsword. This blow, imbued with the Jaguar Warrior's full strength, sent Liu Zhi's longsword flying.