Everyone backed away, clearing an open space.
Eleonora took a deep breath and slowly rose from the mud.
Tarnished took his weapon from the Warrior Jar Alexander, rolling his wrists, shoulders, and neck as he warmed up.
The twinblade was long and slender, its graceful curves like an elegant sprite of steel.
The greatsword, by contrast, was heavy and crude-heavy and crude indeed. Rather than a sword, it looked more like a savage slab of iron covered in forging marks.
Elegance against coarseness, skill against strength-Eleonora had fought countless battles and saw the essence of this duel at a glance.
Yet she felt no fear. As a woman, her natural strength fell short of a man's, and overcoming brute force with finesse had long since become routine for her.
She flicked her wrist, spinning the twinblade into a dazzling flourish. It passed fluidly between her hands, then stopped abruptly. Leaning forward slightly, she held it in one hand with the blade angled toward the ground, settling into her opening stance. In just a few simple movements, over the span of a few breaths, Eleonora had reached her peak condition.
Watching from the sidelines, Bernahl's eyes lit up. He could not help praising her sincerely. "No wonder she's the strongest warrior in the Land of Reeds. Incredible!"
Blaidd the wolfman nodded as well. His nostrils twitched, and he said gravely, "Indeed... she gives off a very dangerous scent."
The others looked solemn too. Though Eleonora had lasted only thirty seconds against their combined assault, she was by no means weak. Rather, anyone who could endure such an onslaught for thirty seconds was already a rarity in this world, a supreme warrior who had honed their martial skills to the pinnacle.
Now they suddenly realized that, in a one-on-one fight, perhaps no