Blades in hand, Loxoria steps forward. There is no need to rush the battle. Given the longer reach of her weapons and relative position, all she has to do is go on the defensive. Her opponent understands this. Small steps back and forth carry the both of them. Throwing thrusts and slashes of her blade, Loxoria aims to keep the advantage of range. But, so far, she hits nothing. Neither the vampire nor her opponent commits to close enough quarters to strike each other.

"What's the matter, you afraid?"

Her words are like piercing iron, firing with a tone of accusatory cowardice. And yet, even iron crumbles against the steel wall before her. Without so much as a reaction, Mayevil does not fall for the bait. Acting independently of her accusers' words, her body thrusts forward. Mayevil's hands, which are stronger than diamonds, clash against the swords. Even if they do not harm her yet, Loxoria does not permit her to engage. Relying on a longer reach and distance, the vampire's strategy is simple. Gradually wear down the enemy's defence and aura, then when they're vulnerable, strike.

However, there is no guarantee that such a tactic will work. Unlike a fight between two ordinary beings, where a single blow may decide the outcome, this is not the case. Within such a world, there is more leeway given to taking attacks and dishing them. After all, Mayevil has taken five slashes of sword unto her body so far, and yet...

From what I can see, not a single drop of blood has been shed. Mayevil pulls one hand back and rests it on her shoulder. Still approaching, she now relies on her sole left hand to parry the attacks.

"...!"

Loxoria presses this advantage. Thrusts like lightning try to skewer Mayevil from both sides. With only one hand out in the open, her only option is to block either one of them!

"Tch." True to my estimation, Mayevil is only able to smack one blade away. Her vulnerability exposes itself. Within a second, a killing blow from the other blade lunges for her heart!

The sound of an impact echoes. But I cannot see what truly happens. Because hiding the weapons is none other than the jacket that's now in Mayevils hand. Allowing the attack to land, Mayevil creates an opportunity. One that allows her to throw her coat in the enemies face, her body dashes at an unprecedented speed at before.

With one of her sword hands flicked away and the other compromised by an unstable thrust, Loxoria's advantage of range is gone. Because Mayevil cannot guarantee her death in a single blow, she instead focuses on mitigating her disadvantages.

A beautiful flourish of movement ensues. Before Loxoria even notices, Mayevil's legs encircle her neck.

"Gragh". A single capsule of air escapes the vampire before her inevitable entrapment. Before long, Mayevil falls onto her back, with her enemy on top of her.

Struggle as Loxoria might, her left arm remains compromised by the enemies leg. Nudged between the gaps in her enemies legs, and with Mayevil's own hands still free to do what they want, the next outcome is obvious. In a single press, Mayevil crushes the bones in Loxoria's left hand.

The haunting cracks of a broken body fill the room. Unsettling enough by the sound alone, I can't even begin to imagine what it feels for Loxoria. Sure enough, even with her battle-hardened being, her body can't help it. Already destabilized by the previous deflection and now with a grip far looser than ever before, Loxoria drops the weapon in her right hand.

The duel is as good as over.

If Mayevil possesses enough strength to break the hand of such a formidable warrior in a single motion, then killing her at this point should be simple. Of course, that is only the interpretation of my own imagination.

Loxoria still doesn't think she has lost. Even with her left arm disabled and her neck about to submit to her enemies legs, she's still not done. At that moment, her right-hand thrusts.

Straight into Mayevil's ribs, the vampire does not submit. Again and again, she uses her fist in place of a sword. Yet, like hitting a concrete wall, there are no sounds of its destruction. Just how durable is Mayevil?

And above all, to achieve such a level of strength and resilience without magic? As wrong as it seems, I don't have the time to think. Because at that moment, something changes.

Within the span of a single second, an unmatched amount of sound floods the whole area. Footsteps and yelling going hand in hand, they unsettle everyone at the scene. Vampire reinforcements, no doubt, I think I can faintly make out something like 'go search for them.'

At this moment in time, Luxoria stands up. And before Mayevil can do anything, she throws her backwards. Using the momentum and the remaining strength in her right arm, she then runs towards me. Instinctively, I prepare to defend myself.

But her goal was never to attack me in the first place. Instead, just as she passes by me, she scoops up Alidol. With one arm under his legs and the other supporting his back, she does not even pause to look at me. Like a speeding car, her visage is no more than an ephemeral image. Now only a faint reverberation, I wonder what I'm supposed to do next.

Once again, someone else answers my questions. Coming in with a series of punches, Mayevil makes an exit for us in the form of a wide gaping hole.

"I would prefer to get out of her as soon as possible."

Speaking it as if it's a warning rather than a statement, she assesses me with those cold eyes of hers.

"Would you rather be carried on my back or arms?" Mayevil asks as she approaches me.

"Back, preferably."

In response, she lowers her body. Bearing my will and sense of convoluted honour, I wrap my arms around her and hop on.

"It might be bumpy, so hang on tight."

From all my experiences up until this point. I think that would have to take place for being the understatement of the century.

Mayevil, who has not received a single wound so far, gradually begins to succumb. Even if I can't see any splatter of blood amidst the attacks, something else gives her weakness away. Spurts of mutilated breathing.