Velra spun through the sky, her body bouncing from hit to hit.
Each time she tried to steady herself, Skybrand vanished again and reappeared behind her, striking fast and clean.
A kick to the back. A slash across the shoulder. A knee to the stomach.
The air cracked with every impact, but Skybrand showed no sign of slowing down.
Velra finally flipped midair, forcing herself to stop.
She hovered in place, breathing hard, her suit scorched in several spots.
One arm hung lower than the other. Her lip was bleeding.
She looked up, eyes locked on Skybrand.
Skybrand floated calmly above her, wind swirling gently around her boots.
Her expression hadn't changed. Calm. Focused. Almost bored.
Velra frowned hard. Her hands clenched into fists.
She could feel that Skybrand wasn't even going all out.
They were both AA-Rank, yes.
Their stats were high. Their strength matched on paper.
But Skybrand wasn't even trying.
Velra wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand.
