"Clang, clang, clang, clang..."
A series of weapon clashes rang out.
As the sounds grew more and more rapid, Barker's battle-axe had already been effortlessly held aloft by Zhao Nan's greatsword, two meters short of reaching him.
"Careful!"
Seeing that the axe in Barker's hands could no longer reach him, Zhao Nan warned him. His longsword traced an oddly angled arc before he suddenly struck down, forcing Barker's axe to dip sharply. With his strength spent and his next burst of power not yet gathered, Barker stumbled forward.
Seizing that instant of distraction, Zhao Nan swung his sword again and again.
Before, he had attacked the weapon in Barker's hands. This time, though, Zhao Nan targeted all the vulnerable spots across Barker's body.
As Zhao Nan's attacks grew more relentless, even Barker, an Undying Warrior renowned for his defensive strength, was soon covered in blood. He let out one pained cry after another.
Naturally, Zhao Nan wouldn't let Barker suffer any irreversible injuries, so he took care to aim for places where the blows wouldn't do any serious harm.
But even if the injuries weren't serious, they still hurt.
Five minutes later, Barker collapsed limply to the ground, shouting, "Teacher, I give up! Teacher, I give up!"
Seeing this, Zhao Nan put away his longsword, crouched down, and used Water Element magic to heal Barker's injuries.
Water Element magic wasn't as effective at healing injuries as Light magic, but it was still much faster than recovering on one's own.
After healing Barker, Zhao Nan asked him, "Barker, what did you think of your performance in that match?"
Barker didn't answer. He only lowered his head, shame visible in his eyes.
Seeing him like this, Zhao Nan said no more. He patted Barker on the shoulder and told Gates and the