"To make it more fair, I won't use any weapons. If you manage to touch me with your sword, I will consider it your win." Victoria calmly stated.
Michael, not finding the rules unreasonable, nodded before summoning Devil's Tongue.
'You are awfully quiet. Are you not going to make any perverted comments or give me advice?' Michael found the sword's silence rare.
'I mean, she literally told you to poke her with your sword. The jokes are practically writing themselves at this point… As for my advice, try not to die.'
Michael chuckled. "Well, thank you for the vote of confidence."
"Did he just chuckle? He really is insane." Several soldiers took note of his calm demeanor but didn't comment further.
"Here I come!" Michael roared, his eyes turning crimson.
[Berserker activated]
[Dash activated]
Going as fast as he could, he appeared next to Victoria mid-swing, only for her to move a single step, dodging his attack gracefully.
"I am quite surprised. Even if it's only for a second, you can rival my speed as long as I don't use any techniques." She praised her breathing calm as though she was taking a stroll around the park.
It was rare for the soldiers to hear their general praise someone.
Of course, the tension was so palpable that it even reached a certain reporter duo that wanted to record everything.
"Make sure not to miss a single detail," Skylar whispered to Luis, who was stealthily holding a camera.
"Are you sure this is a good idea? Victoria forbade us from recording anything else, and she has yet to review any of our footage…" He mumbled.
Skylar pouted. "Whatever, she's going to review the material later anyway. The most important thing is to capture it. I'll find a way to convince her to give us permission to post it later." She reasoned, leaving Luis speechless.
'Think of the paycheck...' He repeated in his mind as he focused the camera.
Back at the duel, Michael used Dash and Blink several times in an attempt to reach Victoria's figure, only to miss by a narrow margin each time.
"His instincts are monstrous." Bryce, who was watching from the sidelines, muttered, observing Michael's movements carefully.
"Sadly, he is against a monster of another league. It's too soon to beat her." The old man said joyfully as he stroked his overgrown beard.
After several minutes where Victoria dodged every swing, she decided to go on the offensive.
Swoosh!
Not using even half of her strength, she punched. She wasn't using any kind of technique, relying on just raw power.
Yet Michael knew that should the strike connect, he was done for. Using his sword as a shield, he blocked her attack.
BOOM!
An unbearable weight swept him off his feet, causing him to skid on the ground.
Raising his head, he was stunned to see that Victoria had moved faster than he could have imagined. She was standing above him with her index finger an inch away from his eye.
"It's my loss." Michael sighed bitterly. He had hoped he would prove to be more of a challenge.
"This was truly an interesting duel." Victoria giggled, giving him her arm to help him stand up.
Gladly accepting it, he stood before saluting. "Thank you for the experience!"
With the duels over, the soldiers began to head to sleep, the battles still fresh in their minds, especially the last one. While the leaderboard tied Michael and Ava as equal in power, many felt that he deserved the first spot since he was one realm lower, not to mention that he had the guts to challenge their general.
The next morning, the captains felt more energized than normal thanks to the sparring session. Meanwhile, the soldiers seemed more determined to give it their all in the upcoming battles.
Back at the rear, the team continued their journey.
"Now that I think about it, all of us are part of the Indomitable Alliance, with you being the exception." Enzo pointed out, his gaze going toward Amelia.
She shrugged. "Well, sorry, but I am not willing to join a faction that has yet to make any name for themselves. Unlike you, I prefer to think over my decisions carefully before making a choice."
"Ha!" Enzo frowned at her comment, averting his gaze.
Amelia, meanwhile, took a glance at Michael and then at Ava.
'If the rumored Daredevil is willing to follow a person that is a realm below her, then he is special indeed.' She concluded. Naturally, the idea of joining the Indomitable Alliance did pass over her mind, but she decided unless she was specifically asked to join, she was not going to approach them.
Even if it was stupid, she had her own pride.
Several hours of intense marching later, all the captains received a call from Victoria.
"We are minutes away from reaching Base #56. They have been informed about our arrival and welcome us with open arms. But that said, don't stir unnecessary trouble with them. After we join forces, we will help them get rid of the alien threat before continuing our march toward the command alien ship."
Following her orders, the formation shifted. The captains that had been waiting on the sides moved toward the front.
Not long after, Base #56 appeared on the horizon.
'The base is definitely larger than ours. That is certain.' Michael noted. Not that it was surprising. The number of the base usually dictated who had more personnel. The more soldiers, the higher the number.
Exiting from their vehicles, the 20 captains, as well as Victoria and Bryce, approached the base.
In contrast, base #56 had double the amount of captains who were out to welcome them. Usually, a base with a higher number would not accept help from a lower-numbered one, but the circumstances were dire enough for them to disregard their pride.
The two sides of captains saluted as their respective generals went to greet one another.
Numerous glances were exchanged from both sides where the captains stood. However, one particular gaze seemed to have been focused intensely on Michael and Ava, who stood next to him.
Naturally, both of them knew who this person was, as they had clashed in the not-so-distant past.
"Carlos…"