From the far end of the church to its doors was at least a dozen meters. Attacking from that distance was sheer folly. Bernahl did not believe anyone could close to striking range in an instant.
But the Godskin Noble could.
A simple step and thrust looked like the Shukuchi Technique when the Godskin Noble performed it. In a single breath, he closed the distance to Bernahl.
Bernahl was a veteran of countless battles, yet he failed to track the Godskin Noble's corpulent body. Fortunately, his reflexes far surpassed his eyes. Almost unconsciously, his body moved on instinct.
His muscles went from relaxed to taut in mere milliseconds.
Bernahl raised his two-handed greatsword horizontally to block, simultaneously ducking and dodging to one side.
Crack!
The sound rang out beside his ear. The Godskin Noble's Godskin Stitcher missed and stabbed into the church's wooden door.
A bloody line marked Bernahl's cheek. Gritting his teeth, he seized the opportunity and swung at the Godskin Noble's enormous belly.
Still smiling, the Godskin Noble pushed off with both feet and hopped lightly backward, pulling out the Godskin Stitcher as he went.
Bernahl's two-handed greatsword missed. He drove off the ground and pressed the attack.
Stepping forward with his right foot, he swept his two-handed greatsword upward. If this strike landed squarely, Bernahl was confident he could gut the Godskin Noble.
But the Godskin Noble gave him no such chance. Fat and huge as he was, he was surprisingly nimble, drifting sideways like a balloon to evade Bernahl's attack.
The Godskin Noble unleashed a series of thrusts with his thrusting sword, aiming at Bernahl's head, back, and waist, seemingly intent on skewering him.
Bernahl was no pushover. Shielding his back with his two-handed greatsword, he rolled along the ground to evade the thrusts while hooking