Danger struck without warning.
Xiao Lan's pupils contracted sharply, the table leg hurtling toward her growing enormous in her eyes.
Her mind went blank, but her body reacted before conscious thought could catch up.
Perhaps it was instinct honed through daily training, or perhaps the latent power in her bloodline had awakened.
Her body bent backward at an impossible angle, almost touching the floor, and the table leg swept over her head with a rush of wind.
At the same time, the short dagger in her hand traced an upward arc and plunged into the Witch Hunter's unguarded belly.
Shhk!
The dagger sank into flesh, and blood gushed out.
The Witch Hunter gave a muffled grunt, his attack faltering.
Xiao Lan gave him no chance to recover. Her other dagger flashed across his wrist, severing the tendons.
The table leg clattered to the floor.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, so quickly that even Ola beside her stared in disbelief.
A flicker of surprise also crossed Kale's eyes as he stood nearby, ready to intervene.
He had assumed Xiao Lan would, at best, be able to protect herself, and had been ready to help at any moment. He had never expected her to unleash such astonishing potential in a life-or-death situation.
This was no longer mere technique, but a combat intuition bordering on instinct.
"Damn... this girl... she's got something," Ola muttered, his hands never stopping.
Though the Witch Hunter facing him was out of his mind, he was physically formidable. Every swing of Ola's axe carried tremendous force, yet his opponent kept evading with movements of uncanny agility.
The man was like a cornered beast, darting and dodging through the cramped space, occasionally striking back with his fists and feet.
"Hold still, damn you!" Ola roared,