At that moment, Mito's twin blades swept down and drew back to her right. As their weapons came apart, she seized the opening: her left hand, which had been drawn beside her head, swung out in a horizontal slash aimed at the top of Yura's head. At the same time, she stepped forward and readied her right hand for another horizontal slash.
Yura, who had been leaning backward, ducked low to avoid the left-hand slash that swept over her head. Her scarlet eyes fixed on Mito's right hand, poised to strike. Holding her blade with both hands on her right side, she prepared to sweep it upward and block the blow.
Because of the blade's length, she would have to close the distance further to reach Mito. If she didn't, her only option was to defend against Mito's sword techniques.
But the next instant, Yura's body stiffened.
Mito's right hand was still just a feint. Her left hand changed moves, turning the slash she'd been using all along into a sudden thrust aimed at Yura's abdomen.
It was a swift, vicious, silent thrust.
The blade drove into Yura's stomach, lifting both her feet from the sea.
Mito hadn't aimed for a vital spot. She quickly withdrew her sword and watched Yura land on the water.
Yura got back to her feet. A small patch of her plain white haori had turned pitch-black around her abdomen, the stain spreading rapidly. She had used Earth Release: Earth Spear to block the thrust.
Yura stood up straight.
"How was that? I won, didn't I?" Mito asked with a smile.
What shady old bastard had taught her such a vicious sword technique? That was a tough one to guess.
Not bad.
Yura shook her head and smiled faintly. "Your reflexes are really fast."
"Is