They circled, boots crunching frost. Rodrick's grin was all teeth. "Rules?"
"Yield or break," Kairus said, blades raised.
Rodrick chuckled. "Spoken like a man who's never had bones shattered."
He struck.
The gladiator's sword moved faster than anything his bulk should allow—a horizontal arc aimed to cave ribs. Kairus ducked, feeling the wind of its passage ruffle his hair.
Too close.
[Combat Analysis: Opponent's attack pattern – Aggressive, favors overhead strikes after feints.]
Rodrick feinted left, then swung high. Kairus parried, the impact shuddering up his arms.
Clang!
The force knocked him back two paces. His boots skidded on ice.
"Heh. Sturdy for a runt." Rodrick pressed, each strike a hammer blow. "But defense won't win wars."
Kairus gritted his teeth. Years of battling Vasco's hounds had taught him patience. He let Rodrick drive him toward the edge of the circle, parrying just enough to stay upright.
[Stamina: 78% → 65%.]
The gladiator's rhythm was predictable—slash, feint, overhead chop. Kairus counted beats between strikes.
One. Two. Three.
On the fourth pass, he pivoted inside Rodrick's guard, knee slamming into the gladiator's thigh.
Crack.
Wood chips flew as Rodrick's practice sword bit the ground where Kairus had stood.
"Cheeky bastard!" Rodrick laughed, but his eyes narrowed. "Alright. No more kid gloves."
The air changed. Rodrick's strikes came faster, sharper, each parry sending jolts of pain through Kairus's wrists.
Clang-clang-CLANG!
[Stamina: 43% – Speed penalty applied.]
Kairus's arms trembled. He'd forgotten how relentless Rodrick could be when provoked.
A feint. A pivot. Then—
Rodrick's boot hooked Kairus's ankle. He hit the ground hard, breath driven from his lungs. Before he could roll clear, the gladiator's sword descended.
Crack.
The practice blade shattered against Kairus's crossed swords. Splinters peppered his face.
"Yield," Rodrick growled, pressing down.
[Strength Check: Failed.]
[Health: 61% – Ribs bruised.]
Kairus's vision swam. Through the haze, he saw it—Rodrick's left knee, ever so slightly favoring the right.
The old injury.
He twisted, ignoring the scream of protesting muscles, and slammed his elbow into Rodrick's knee.
The gladiator roared—half pain, half fury—and put around half of his power into a kick.
The world inverted. Sky. Ground. Sky again. Kairus skidded across the training yard, slamming into the stone well fifty meters away.
Crunch.
[Critical Hit! Health: 29% – Fractured collarbone detected.]
[Pain Threshold Exceeded. Lionheart Circulation Auto-Activated.]
Agony became fuel. Kairus's veins lit with molten fire as the system siphoned his pain.
[Lionheart Circulation (Lv. 3): +40% Speed, +25% Strength. Duration: 90 seconds.]
[Warning: Health critical. Sustained use may cause—]
Override.
Dust and ice swirled where Kairus had fallen. Rodrick lowered his sword, chest heaving. "Alright, that may have been at bit excessive—"
Kairus didn't. He poured every stored XP point into Agility, the system's heat scorching his veins.
[Agility: 18 → 27 (Temporary).]
He vanished.
One heartbeat, he was a crumpled heap by the well. The next, he stood behind Rodrick, practice blade kissing the gladiator's throat.
Rodrick blinked. "What the—?"
The practice sword kissed his throat from behind.
"Yield."
Silence. Then the courtyard erupted.
Rodrick turned, slow and deliberate. His gaze was no longer mocking. "How?"
[New Title: "Titan's Echo" – Speed +15% against larger opponents.]
Kairus tapped his temple. "Swift feet and a quicker mind."