Sparks flashed as Kant’s sword met Clementine’s dirks.

Kant was more superior in terms of raw strength, thus the young woman tried to turn the fight into a match of speed. 

Both weapons deflected off each other, and as if they had both been expecting this result, they immediately took back their blades and attacked once more.

The two warriors fought fiercely as they staked their pride in this duel. Their battle was so fierce that they left no opening for Gertrude to interfere as their weapons clashed repeatedly.

When it seemed they were about to lock swords, Clementine jumped back, causing that careful balance of power to break in an instant.

But even as she did, Kant did not avert his eyes. That saved her life.

For when Clementine jumped back, she sent a kick toward him, and in that moment when both she and him were in midair, Clementine’s arm flashed with a precision like that of a master craftsman.

She had sent an attack toward Kant’s neck.

In order to dodge that, he used the impact from Clementine’s earlier kick.

Normally, one would endure when hit. That was even truer when one’s foe was none other than the quick legged, Clementine , herself. This was a battle were averting one’s eyes for even an instant meant death, yet Kant was actually able to make that crucial decision to jump back with Clementine’s kick.

But the momentum from the kick was too impactful that his body was injured.

As soon as Kant landed, he mobilized all of his trained muscles and closed in on the girl once more.

The woman had forcefully sent a kick and struck out with her dirk despite her awkward position. That nearly inhuman movement came at a cost, and it left her with no choice afterwards but to defend. A slight frown could be seen on her face.

When she came into range, Kajt released the curved sword he wielded by his side.

Clementine broke her posture to turn his upper body toward him, while he sought to split Clementine’s body in half.

In the next instant, she used her right leg as an axis and spun.

She continued to slash down with her short weapon.

The sound of iron clashing resounded once more as sparks flashed.

A closer look would show that Kant had managed to parry Clementine’s attack by rotating his body and letting most of the strength behind hee attack to slide off his blade, effectively changing the course of her blade.

With that exchange Kant had shown that he both possessed a courage that allowed him to brave the dangers of exposing one’s back during a duel and the skills to make it work.

If it was a question of pure swordsmanship, that super parry just now would probably rank Kant in the top ten in Orlais.

Clementine retrieved her dirk as it was deflected, then she started pushing again.

If one were to calmly analyze the battle, one would see that she was clearly winning in terms of speed.

All she needed to do now was to attack.

But even if she wanted to, Kant’s swordsmanship wasn’t something that would fall so easily.

One step wrong, and she would very quickly find herself dead.

That possibility dangled before her eyes as if wouldn’t let her forget it.

From the start, this duel had been raging on like a man walking on a rope suspended between two valleys, but despite that, Clementine did not cower, and she valiantly stepped forward.

She instantly closed the distance between her and Kant as she struck out toward his body.

That dirk of her came thrusting with a power sufficient to penetrate all the way through Kant’s armor, but Kant’s sword came swinging from below, giving rise to sparks once more.

Clementine had already expected this situation, however. Long-range and close-range existed even in a duel between blades.

The more skilled one was the greater his understanding would be in regards to the profoundness of weapon range.

This dangerous battle made Clementine understand that.

She understood that he couldn’t win a long-range battle with this man. Even with the extraordinary speed and mimble body normal humans couldn't compare to, even with her hunger of fighting, she would not be able to win against this man’s sword.

With incomprehensible feelings weighing down on her heart – perhaps jealousy or envy – Clementine braved through the danger and forced the man into a close-combat battle.

As Clementine charged with her entire body, Kant passed her by and struck out with his sword.

Kant had used his exceptional concentration and insight to see through Clementine’s move. He met her thrust with a counter and hit her at the back of her head.

Clementine retrieved her dirk at the last moment and thrust it toward him.

The two blade clashed once more, and the two fighters distanced themselves from each other.

Kant caught his breath.

“He really is strong,” Clementine muttered, then faintly, she frowned. She felt a thin line of heat across her bare thigh. She realized she had been cut.

Clementine was a rare talent. 

Kant being able to fight at or above Clementine’s level was thanks to none other than the sword he had polished all these years.

Kant neither had the natural pace nor flexible muscles like his opponent.

This was a realm he reached with his efforts alone.

This was the result of a man who polished the strength of a normal human to its limits.

This was the knight known as Kant Emanuel. He was without a doubt, a talentless warrior.