Chapter 517: Jeci Vs Black Mamba
Northern appeared in the Tower, sitting cross-legged as he watched the duel between Jeci and Black Mamba unfold.
Both their spears sliced through the air like streaks of black and red lightning.
The faint sound of steel slicing the wind hummed in the space between them, followed by the rapid, rhythmic clash of weapons meeting in flashes of crimson and shadow.
Jeci's breath came in controlled bursts, her pulse synchronized with the lightning-quick strikes of her spear.
Her movements were fluid-each step barely touched the ground before she sprang forward again, her spear a graceful extension of her body.
Every thrust was met with an answering parry from Black Mamba, whose lithe figure moved like a shadow in water, effortlessly absorbing the force of each blow.
His speed made him seem almost untouchable, like a phantom slipping through the air, leaving only a faint ripple in his wake.
The air around them seemed to warp, distorting as their bodies blurred in and out of focus.
From a distance, Northern's eyes followed the fight with sharp intensity, an amazed smile frozen on his face.
He could hear the whistling of the spears cutting through the air-so fast that they sounded like rushing wind.
The ground beneath them shifted and cracked with every swift, forceful motion, yet there was an elegance in the chaos, a deadly dance where neither Jeci nor Black Mamba faltered.
'It's like they're completing each other's movements,' Northern thought.
There was a synergy between them, a kind only possible after centuries of training together with the same footwork and combat style.
'How long have they been doing this?' Northern's heart leaped with excitement.
He had grown so strong that he'd forgotten about furthering his understanding of Chaos footwork, but watching them rekindled something in him.
The fast, blurry movements, the insanely quick reflexes, the way they clashed with each other unrestrained—yet flawlessly flowing in and out of sync.
Northern cupped his hand over his mouth, utterly stunned.
'For Jeci to match Black Mamba's pace like this, she must have put in some crazy work!' Northern's mind raced.
Clearly, Jeci's stamina was nothing compared to Black Mamba's, but her focus was razor- sharp, her senses heightened as she predicted Black Mamba's next move-a feint.
She spun gracefully to avoid his spear, the tip barely grazing her side. She could feel the shift in the air against her skin, as if the weapon had carved space itself.
Black Mamba's eyes gleamed. His lithe body twisted as his shadowy black spear whistled through the air with brutal precision, but Jeci moved in tandem with his strikes, countering each one with her own.
The clash intensified, their strikes echoing across the room.
Sweat glistened on Jeci's skin, and the taste of iron lingered in the air, blending with the sharp, metallic tang of their weapons.
Northern watched, his lips pressed into a thin line as he assessed every movement.
For a brief moment, everything slowed-Jeci saw an opening, a faint crack in Black Mamba's defense.
She surged forward, her spear gliding in a perfect arc toward him.
But Black Mamba twisted, his body bending unnaturally fast. His spear swept low, deflecting hers with a sound like steel sliding against glass.
The force of the deflection sent a shockwave through the ground, scattering sharp sparks and gravel into the air.
Northern inhaled deeply, sensing the shift in momentum as both fighters recoiled, their bodies tense, ready for the next strike.
And then, as if cued by the same silent rhythm, they moved again-faster this time, a blur of movement so intense it was almost impossible to distinguish where one began and the other ended.
Jeci, her breath now sharper and quicker, pressed the attack.
Her spear danced in her hands, swift and unpredictable, each strike building upon the last.
She wasn't just reacting; she was pushing Black Mamba, forcing him to adapt to her relentless assault.
Her stamina waned, sweat bubbled on her skin, yet her precision sharpened with each passing second.
It was as though she had entered a state of perfect clarity, where nothing mattered but the next strike, the next movement, the next decision.
Black Mamba, however, remained an enigma-his movements fluid, almost lazy, yet there was no mistaking the danger lurking behind his lethargy.
His black spear moved like a living thing, twisting and coiling in his hands, turning every strike into a lethal counter.
Where Jeci was fierce and direct, he was elusive, drawing her in only to slip away at the last moment.
Yet even in his evasions, there was an unshakable power within him, a coiled spring waiting to strike.
As Northern stared at the fight, an idea suddenly came to him.
'What if I use it now?'
There was no better time.
A wide grin spread across his lips, and his eyes glowed with a faint blue hue.
And barely a second later his mouth fell, 'Uh??'
Then what he saw happen, happened.
In one swift, almost imperceptible motion, Black Mamba broke the rhythm.
His spear struck with a speed that Northern might have found difficult to follow if he hadn't already seen it milliseconds before.
A black blur cut through the air toward Jeci's exposed side.
Jeci reacted, twisting her body with near-impossible speed, her spear coming up just in time
to parry.
The impact reverberated through her arms, and for a moment, she faltered.
Black Mamba didn't miss the opportunity. His spear lashed out again, this time aimed low-a sweeping strike meant to unbalance her.
Jeci's feet barely left the ground before she sprang upward, flipping gracefully over the deadly
arc.
Her body twisted mid-air, her spear aimed downward in retaliation as she descended. Northern's heart pounded as he watched the maneuver, even knowing it beforehand didn't
diminish the excitement.
Black Mamba had broken their rhythm intentionally, luring Jeci in to crush her. It was incredibly innovative-it took a genius to break a flow like that and redirect it into something more vicious, striking like a viper-without digging his own grave.
But what was even more shocking for Northern was Jeci's maneuver. It was bold-reckless,
even.
'If only she landed that strike, if only it wasn't Black Mamba,' Northern thought.
Time seemed to slow as Black Mamba looked up, his eyes locking onto Jeci.
For a split second, their gazes met—a silent exchange of understanding.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, Black Mamba's spear snapped upward, intercepting Jeci's strike
with impossible timing.
The force of the clash sent a shockwave rippling through the air, and both fighters were thrown back, landing in perfect synchrony on opposite sides of the room.
Their chests heaved as they caught their breath, their eyes locked onto each other-assessing,
calculating.
The air was thick with tension-Northern could feel it pressing against his skin, electrifying
the atmosphere.
"Oops, that's enough."
As both of them flashed out of their positions, Northern also vanished, intercepting the two
of them before they could collide.
Their eyes widened as they saw him suddenly appear, levitating in the air. They hurriedly
halted their movements but couldn't help crashing into Northern's Void force.
They fell right in front of him, stopped by the air, and slumped down.
Northern clapped for them both as he gently hovered down.
"Now, that's what I call progress!"