Chapter 281 The Strong Lady [Part 2]
The chill of the arena bit into Raven's skin, but the cold was the least of her concerns. Her focus was riveted on the imposing figure across the icy expanse.
Krullgath's massive frame was almost statuesque, his bone axe glinting under the frost-coated torches that circled the arena.
Every inch of him exuded a raw, almost primal power that belied a cunning intelligence.
Raven's grip tightened on her swords.
Nightfall—which she had always wielded before coming to Stelia—and Edge—which she gained after one phenomenal battle—hummed with a barely restrained energy, a dim white light enveloping their blades, a stark contrast against her ebony armor.
She could feel their subtle weight, which had become an extension of her very will and body, ready to slice through the air with lethal precision.
As the silence hung thickly in the air, Krullgath made the first move.
With a guttural roar that echoed through the arena, he swung his axe in a sweeping arc.
The force of the swing alone created a blast of icy wind that sent shivers through the onlookers.
Raven didn't flinch.
She sidestepped, her movements fluid and precise, narrowly evading the lethal edge of the axe.
In the span of a heartbeat, she retaliated. Raven's blades flashed through the dim light, aiming for Krullgath's exposed flank.
But he was faster than he appeared.
The bone axe came up in a defensive sweep, deflecting the strike with a resonant clang that reverberated through her arms.
Sparks flew, mingling with the frost that coated the ground.
Raven pressed on, her swords a blur of motion.
She moved with the grace of a dancer, each step calculated, every swing deliberate.
Krullgath's defense was formidable; his axe, despite its size, moved with surprising agility.
He parried her attacks with an almost casual ease, his expression one of grim amusement.
Both of them continued intensely for a while, locked in an intricate battle of offense and defense, dancing and running across the battle arena like streaks of stars in a night sky.
With one deafening strike that Krullgath defended, he rolled through the air and landed back.
At this point, the arena had grown eerily quiet; earlier, when the fight started, they were booming with cheers and laughter.
All of them seemed to be on Krullgath's side, even the small number of females that watched.
Northern couldn't help but pity the lonesome warrior then.
But now, they were probably swallowing their cheers, shame besmirching their expressions.
He, on the other hand, felt proud.
Of course, of course, it was Raven Kageyama, what else did he expect from a daughter of the notorious Kageyama clan with a Paragon for a clan patriarch?
The White Walker, Krullgath, stood squared and stared at Raven evenly for a few seconds. Then parted his lips, releasing a grin.
"You. Strong," he rumbled, his voice carrying a grudging respect. "But not strong enough."
Raven's expression darkened; she didn't understand what he was saying, but she also didn't think it was nice. The creature was brimming with cockiness.
Krullgath's next move was a magnifying testament to his strength.
He shot into the air—as if fired by a ballista—and with a mighty heave, he brought the axe down in a crushing blow aimed at Raven's head.
She crossed her swords above her, the impact jarring her to the bone as she blocked the strike.
The force drove her to one knee, the icy ground cracking beneath the pressure.
But Raven was tenacious. She gritted her teeth and pushed back, forcing Krullgath to step away.
She rose swiftly, her crimson eyes blazing with resolve.
With a swift motion, she twisted her blades into a defensive stance, their edges gleaming menacingly.
The arena seemed to hold its breath in tension as both duelists glared at each other.
Krullgath's gaze was cold, calculating, while Raven's was a burning inferno of determination.
Stubbornness flickered on her face like wildfire, untamed and unyielding, ready to consume all that stood in her way.
But what had brought her thus far wasn't just sheer stubbornness; somewhere in the depth of that fiery gaze of hers was an intelligent and cunning mind.
One that ceaselessly searched for strengths and weaknesses to exploit.
Yes. Strengths and weaknesses.
Northern watched interestedly from his seat. Something told him that for once today... he might get to see Raven's true ability.
A chance to copy!
His heart jumped with excitement.
Krullgath made a sudden move, charging forward with maddening ferocity.
Raven dodged to the side, her swords flashing out in a counterattack.
But Krullgath was ready. He swung his axe in a backhanded blow that caught Raven's left sword, sending it spinning from her grasp.
For a moment, Raven was off-balance, but she recovered swiftly.
She pivoted on her heel, her remaining sword slicing through the air in a deadly arc aimed at Krullgath's neck.
He ducked under the blade and retaliated with a powerful kick that caught Raven in the chest, sending her sprawling backwards.
The impact drove the air from her lungs, but she rolled with the fall, coming to her feet in a crouch.
She felt the cold bite of the ice beneath her fingers and the sting of pain in her chest.
But pain was nothing new. If anything, it was a familiar friend, one that she had been given no choice but to grow up with and evidence that she was still alive.
Krullgath stalked towards her, his expression filled with savage delight.
"Woman. Strong. Me. Stronger. Woman. Weak. Not strong enough. So weak!"
He stood gallantly and added:
"Krullgath will end this!!"
Raven's eyes narrowed. She rose to her feet, retrieving her fallen sword in a swift motion.
She took a deep breath, centering herself, and shifted into a strange stance, muttering to herself.
"I really hate to use this..."
Something about the air around her began to grow grim and incredibly heavy.
Northern's eyes were locked onto her.
'It's coming... this is it.'
He could feel it... or so he thought.
Krullgath, ignorant of the strange atmosphere that surrounded Raven, charged again, his axe a blur of motion.
"Black Wing Barrage"
Raven met his assault head-on.
She parried his blows with a speed and precision that left no room for error.
Her swords danced around his axe, finding gaps in his defense, slicing at his exposed flesh.
Each strike was a calculated move, a test of his reflexes and endurance.
Her strikes were relentless, and her blades were a whirlwind of steel and fury.
But Krullgath was strong enough to stand through those ferocious attacks. He swung his axe with brutal efficiency, forcing Raven to stay on the defensive.
She ducked and weaved, her movements a symphony of grace and power.
In a swift low moment, she muttered again.
"Black Crow Dual Blade Arts... First Form... Storm Of Crows."