The sword master bandit doesn't wait any longer, and with a flash, he was within striking distance. A slash swipes down onto Serah, hard and fierce.

It was all Serah could do to lift her sword, angling it as best as she could to deflect the strike.

The bandit's blade clashes against Serah’s and the pressure immediately finds its way to her hand, almost causing her to release her sword.

The bandit’s body shifted to strike again. Serah immediately leaps back as fast as she could, but she was still forced to take a strike while she was in the air, forcing her much farther back than intended.

Serah takes a moment to breathe. I can’t keep going like this. My hand hurts like a bitch and I’m not even able to fight back. If it wasn’t for my magic augmentation and enhanced senses from my simulated sword domain I’d already be dead. She thinks, processing her situation.

The bandit, seeing that victory would be easily claimed, took a moment to gloat and let out a smile. “You can’t win. Why don’t you lower your sword and come back peacefully. This way you can pay back your debt properly… A body that tasty shouldn’t go to waste…” The bandit says as he greedily gazes at Serah’s body, letting lust take over his thoughts.

Serah simply ignores him and takes a moment to look around. There was another sword master here, and currently, he was slaughtering one student after another. The students of the college were barely putting up a fight against the rest of the bandits.

Serah looks on with worry. This can’t go on. I have to do something. She thinks. She confirms the use of her skill points in her mind, using up nine points and applying them to her swordsmanship skill. This was the initial level of a sword master, but Serah knew it would take more than this, so without hesitation, she activates her Super Strength ability.

Serah looks back to the bandit with determination in her eyes. “If you want it, come and get it.” She calls out, taunting both the man’s ego and his lust.

A wildness appears in the bandit’s eyes as he lets out a smile. “Oh, I’m coming, my lady. Wait for me.” He says before his body flashes forward once again.

Serah’s eyes follows the other man’s body, his movement now appearing slow and predictable. As he approaches, Serah’s body immediately knew how to move; her arm readied her sword as her feet shifted forward to the correct position. Serah glances at the man’s eyes and she sees the subtle expression of shock as he realizes he miscalculated his aim. Serah doesn’t give him more time to think, as she lifts her sword, and the momentum of the bandits body smoothly slides his neck against the blade.

When Serah looks again as the adrenaline eases and time seemed to flow normally, the bandit was on the ground bleeding from his neck and convulsing, shock and fear still on his face. It was much easier than Serah thought it would be; the sudden change of skill level must have caught the bandit off guard. Serah lets out a breath to steady herself; she wouldn’t be able to relax quite yet.

The other sword master sees this from a distance and his eyes widen with disbelief. “Big bro!” He exclaims as he charges forward. He approaches the body of the dying bandit and grief appears on his face. “No… Big bro… You can’t die…” He says as he struggles to control the emotions flooding to his mind.

Serah doesn’t act and lets the man grieve. She continues to watch with cold eyes as fury appears on the sword master’s face.

The man readies his sword as he turns to Serah. He had no words and he simply looks forward with hatred in his eyes, focusing all his aggression on her. He simply wanted to kill. Within an instant, his body flashes forward, his sword already beginning to swing down, desperately seeking to end a life.

Serah responds with full force and strikes back. As the two swords clash, the durability of the adamantine sword and the force pushed forward by Serah’s Super Strength ability, immediately overpowers the bandit’s sword, and the bandit’s sword is forced down, its structure beginning to break down.

Serah lets out another effortless slash and the bandit is forced to clutch at his throat, attempting to stop the blood from spilling out of it. His strength is quickly drained and he collapses, joining his brother on the ground as blood seeps from both of their bodies.

Serah lets out a sigh. That was kind of bitter. She couldn’t help but think.