As Nephis said, multiple things happened at the same time.
Kai shot his arrow. Seishan lunged at Sunny from the front and Cassia from the back while Effie got into a nice blind spot behind Seishan and prepared to strike because Sunny rushed at Seishan first.
Her blade missed the target, and she felt the hard, cold surface of Sunny's guard at her throat. She barely blocked, but doing so prevented Effie from launching her attack. Cassia stopped abruptly and dodged to the side, almost getting pierced by Seishan's blade. Sunny moved swiftly but beautifully mesmerising both Seishan and Effie, making them crash into one another. Cassia stumbled when trying to comprehend his battle art, similar to Effie, only she fell on her knees since she had no one to crash into. Seishan bit her lip, making blood come out suddenly, altering her vision, making her significantly stronger, but to Sunny, it didn't mean anything.
Sh: damn it, I can't lose. Where is he? With this power, I can sense movement that is invisible normally, but since everything has intent, I can basically see. Not to mention, I can sense intents exponentially better, as well as it momentarily boosts all of my abilities.
However, her adrenaline turned to radiant fear. When she looked, she Sunny should have been there was nothing. Not even a light scent of any presence, as if she weren't facing anyone at all. As if everything she is fighting is thin air. Only when she looked at her blade did she see it.
Sunny struck her blade over and over again.
Sh: he is attacking my blade on purpose. At this rate, it might break.
She jumped back, disengaging from the fight and looked at her blade, seeing small marks only on a single spot. Creating a weak spot. She dismissed it and equipped gauntlets instead. When she attacked arrow whistled past her, aiming at Sunny again, but Sunny just casually tilted his head, dodging the arrow as if it were nothing.
Effie and Cassia were on their feet again, moving to attack again. Trying not to look at how he fights. This worked at the start because they were not getting mesmerised by his dance, but the outcome was even worse. Since they didn't try to comprehend his style, he started to become invisible to them as well. Only standing still was like looking at a human; every other move looked like looking at a blur of movements because he turned his attention from Seishan. They were experiencing this firsthand. Effie tried to attack using her spear for range, but it was as if Sunny was not even human, knowing exactly how spear could and could not move at all times, as if spear was a part of him or at very least its peak mastery from Effie's point of view. As for Cassia, he was mostly evading and casually blocking her attacks from behind him.
After a few more exchanges, all 3 girls disengaged and jumped back, breathing heavily and visibly tired, their eyes focused on a single opponent standing in front of them, calmly watching them. His casual smile did not waver for a single moment during the entire exchange. As another arrow found its way flying at Sunny. This time, he did not even bother hiding his dissatisfaction and caught it before it could strike him while looking directly at Kai, who was hiding on top of one of the roofs and shook his head in dissatisfaction.
K: How?
Sunny tossed the arrow on the pile of dozens of arrows which Kai fired at him.
S: Are you done?
Sh: as if!
She attacked recklessly, making Sunny dismiss his sword in the process, and as she swung, Sunny dodged and kicked her back foot, making her lose balance, but before she could hit the ground, Sunny caught her by her dress on her torso and slowly put her on the ground next to him.
Next was Effie, who tried to pierce him with her spear, only for Sunny to dodge to the side while slightly pushing the spear head into the ground right next to him, making Effie use her shield to block the hilt of her spear, almost piercing herself. She rolled and coughed painfully and from other exhaustion.
Cassia was the last one able to make Suuny summon his word, only for it to swing at her floating echo and swiftly stop right in front of her neck. Stopping her other rapier strike instantly.
She dismissed her blade and fell to her knees, exhausted.
Sunny looked in Kai's direction and said coldly.
S: Your hiding spot is terrible. You are practically begging to get killed.
Kai shuthered but aimed at Sunny…only Sunny wasn't there.
S: Am I close enough now?
Sunny was standing right in front of his friend, crouching, looking him into his eyes…well, blindfold and eyes, he grabbed the prepared arrow that was already prepared to be fired at Sunny and broke it in half.
After that, we walked back to the centre, dismissing his sword and putting his hands behind his back.
N: You are not tired yet, are you?
S: No…but why do you sound angry, Nephis?
N: no reason.
S: Really?
N: I don't know, you tell me?
S: eeee did I do something I am unaware of?
N: Maybe, or maybe I am just in a bad mood all of a sudden.
S: Oh.
Nephis stepped into the ring, summoning her blade as well as her armour
Sunny's shadows fused with him, and he tossed his blindfold away.
He smiled and looked at her. While summoning his blade and pulling it out of its guard.
S: Ready when you are, Neph.
N: Same here, Sunny.
Effie took the initiative and said.
E: start.
Despite being tired, they sat up and wanted to observe the fight.
Sh: he put his blindfold off, and he feels significantly stronger all of a sudden. Still, I can't sense him at all.
For a few moments, they both stood still, and suddenly a wide smile appeared on Sunny's face, making Seishan shiver, and then he was gone. Vanished into thin air, similar to Nephis.
For a few moments, the only thing they could hear was the loud echo of steel smashing other steel, making air vibrate and sparks fly across the field.
Kai tried to look, since his eyes were more focused on perception, but it was just a blur of white and black blurs.
K: I don't see anything.
Cassia breathed out and said slowly.
Ca: It is like a dance, sort of. Deatly dance
The other 3 looked at her, bewildered.
E: Dance?
Ca: Yes. At least that's what Sunny said when I asked him to describe his fighting style in 2 words. Beautiful dance. But I call it deadly because before you know it, you are dead.
Sh: I can see that now, hey, do you think he has someone?
Ca: no.
Kai looked at Cassia but didn't say anything.
Sh: Well, did you see? He set me down gently, unlike you two.
She said rather smugly.
Sh: Wait, why am I happy about that? This person is someone I want to.....
Ca: Oh…
K: I think I get it, too.
After a few more exchanges, Nephis asked while cashing with him.
N: Are you half-naked on purpose?
S: That's how I train. I told you.
N: Also, was it necessary for you to help Seishan?
S: Yes, after all, she could become one of my future members of my clan. And I want to treat my clan members nicely, not to mention those who have incredible potential. So I don't see a problem with that.
N: Good decision. This could get her to trust you more, and you could maybe get some information about the Song domain.
S: Yes, I hope so. Still, I'd rather just have her and not the info. I mean, having a powerful member like this could be great.
N: Alright, I will leave her in your care in that case, if she follows you. Well, if I were her, I would.
N: Also, do you need help with your cohort?
S: No. I will figure it out, after all, I still don't know who I want in it.
N: Alright, I will trust you with your decision.
With that, both aimed their swords at their opponent's neck, stopping their spar.
Sunny said slowly.
S: Now I will try showing you how I train.
As he was saying that, 2 huge birds of a fallen rank high in sky dove down to attack him.
Sunny looked at Neph, and she just made a position for his leg and he used it to launch himself into the and, cutting the first abomination cleanly and swiftly in half.
Sh: What incredible sword control.
Kas stood up about to fly, but as the monster crashed onto the ground, Sunny stepped out of Neph's shadows as if dusting his shoulders off. As for the second still incoming abomination, it landed right in front of Nephis and Sunny, but before it could make a sound or anyone, including Sunny and Nephis, move, it turned to dust, leaving only a beautiful shard in its place, which was absorbed into shadows as well.
S: I will show you how my body moves while I perform. You could get a better insight.
Sh: Are we gonna ignore what just happened?
K: That's what I was gonna ask as well, but also.
Kai looked at Sunny and asked.
K: But aren't you embarrassed?
S: No, I am quite confident with how I look, actually.
K: That's not what I mean, but… whatever.
Seishan looked at him and asked.
Sh: I wanted to tell you before our battle about your tattoo? Such a beautiful and big snake…
Effie burst out laughing.
Sh: What. Oh no. I-I don't mean it like that, I…
Seihan was red from embarrassment.
She faced the ground, covering her face.
Sh: I want to disappear.
Sunny and Nephis tilted their head at the same time, and Sunny said.
S: It is a serpent, and thank you, I think it is very nice as well.
Ca: Can you stop talking, please?
S: No. How else will you know what to do?
He shrugged his shoulders and started to perform his dance. It didn't take long, and soon one by one, very slowly mesmerised by his dance, absorbed by its fluid motions. His body bent as if it were liquid, not at all stiff, more like a calm sea.
After he finished, a soft meow was heard from somewhere.
Luna stepped out of Sunny's shadow as if it were nothing and sat down behind him, observing others while scratching its ears. As it was scanning the people in front of her, she suddenly locked her sight on Seishan and walked into Sunny's shadow, appearing from Seishan's shadow a moment later, making Seishan turn with a startled expression.
Sh: This cat, it's so adorably cute, but just like Sunny, there is something off about it.
E: eee, what is that?
K: I believe that's Sunny's cat.
Sh: You have a cat? Here? How? Are you secretly rich or something?
E: What do you mean?
Sh: Only legacy clans had cats, and only a couple of them.
N: No, Sunny is the opposite of rich.
Seishan looked at Nephis with surprise.
S: It's true, I am from the outskirts after all.
Seihan smiled and looked at Sunny with a slight tilt of her head.
Sh: So, would you consider marriage?
Everyone looked at her.
E: Sei, I really like to tease people, but isn't your age gap a bit too much?
Sunny was trying to keep quiet, but his flaw did not let him and he just said it.
S: Yes, but KAI, please help me!
K: Lady Seishan, please stop teasing him so much.
Sh: I am serious.
E: Why?
Sh: Well, he is incredibly strong, therefore has incredible potential, 2 incredibly powerful echoes and has a very nice snake tattoo and a cat.
N: not to mention his cooking is to kill for…or is it to die for?
K: lady Nephis?
Ca: Neph, you are not helping, and for the other thing you'd use. To die for.
N: Well I woulnd't mind killing for it either. Also how am I not helping? Her reasoning is very logical.