Swordsman

Three minutes earlier...

Zane hopped into the building, swinging his massive knife over his shoulder. It was dark, but his enhanced eyesight could see.

Irina was in the corner, recovering from the throw.

"Listen, lady," Zane said. "My father always told me not to hit girls, so just promise not to kill anyone else and you can walk away-"

Zane ducked, a precisely thrown dagger whizzing past the place his head had been moments ago. It hit the wall, digging deep into it like a bullet.

"Guess that's a no," Zane muttered.

"Shut up!" Irina said angrily. She now held two daggers in each hand. The daggers themselves seemed to be carved out of a different kind of metal. The daggers were connected by a single glowing blue chain.

A soul weapon.

Zane scanned it.

Spirit Steel Dagger (F-Grade)

A dagger made out of formidable Spirit Steel. Popular among amateur fighters.

No. Zane's eyes went to the chain. Irina now swung one of the daggers around in a circle. The chain is the soul weapon.

Before he had a chance to scan it, however, Irina swung the dagger at him.

Zane ducked under the slash once more. The dagger tore through the wall behind him, leaving a scar that went all the way to the other side.

Blue flames flickered along the chains.

"Hmm," Zane muttered, dashing forward. He delivered an upward diagonal slash, carrying immense force behind it.

Irina's eyes widened. She quickly pulled her blade back, slipping away from the attack with more speed than Zane could muster.

Zane changed his swing midair, cleaving through the air expertly. 

Irina dodged every slash, attempting to attack him with her daggers. But they couldn't get through his thick skin.

They were locked in a stalemate.

After a few blows were traded, Irina frowned. Blue flames exploded from the tips of her daggers.

"Finally getting serious?" Zane grinned. Power exploded through him. He concentrated his Essence into his arm, performing an upward Chop.

His blade extended into a sort of phantom blade, a ranged attack that cut through the wall.

However, his attack only cut Irina's robe in half. She had shedded it, beside him now. 

Before Zane could react, she kicked her dagger into his side with such force, such precision, that Zane was pushed to the side back toward the broken window.

"WHIRLWIND SLASH!" Zane roared. He began to spin like a top, his extended blade gathering more and more force. 

Irina was at the edge of the window now, moving like an intangible ghost. Zane hadn't even known she'd disappeared.

Zane spun even more, generating more wind- enough to lift Irina's hair. 

She grunted, raising her arms to block the wind. "Stupid brute." She muttered.

Zane ended his spin with one stylish crouch, sending his biggest burst of wind all around him. The room they were in was completely decimated, and Irina was sent flying out into the air.

Irina spun rapidly, raising her arms. Her blue chains wrapped around her fists, and she raised her daggers, preparing to counter-

Zane leaped after her, raising his giant sword into the air, his muscles tightening.

"Sorry for hitting you, girl." He said, his words heavy. An aura billowed out of him, and for a moment, it seemed as though they were floating in the air, the crowd below watching.

Irina released her own aura, Essence filling her. She was a World Ranker too, dammit!

Their auras reached an equilibrium for a moment. Then his pushed hers back.

"W-Wha...-" Irina stuttered.

Zane swung downward.

Irina raised her hand to block, reinforcing herself with her chains, but his attack was too overwhelming. She was in midair, too- there was no leverage.

Irina was shot into the ground, creating a shallow crater and sending up a cloud of dust. 

Dropping from three stories from that kind of blow was not pleasant.

Zane landed the next moment, the ground thudding. He raised his giant knife onto his shoulder again, prepared to release the skill. He turned around-

A dagger was stuck in his gut.

The dagger was pulled out the next moment, releasing a fountain of blood. Irina, in some sort of ghost or shadow form, dashed away temporarily.

Zane dropped to one knee, coughing up blood.

What the hell?! It's not over?

Zane, being a superhuman, could survive an attack to his abdomen. He was already beginning to regenerate.

He stood up, only to get slashed by another cut. Then another. Then another. A flurry of cuts, leaving him bleeding by the dozen.

She was bypassing his defense.

Irina revealed herself, standing before the weakened Zane. "Die!" She said, almost excited.

Her daggers vanished. Her chain came to life, wrapping around Zane's knife blade with surprising speed. She closed her fist, completely crushing and destroying his knife.

Zane didn't really care. He wasn't too attached.

"Now then," Irina smirked. 

Zane thought she talked too much. Kind of like Zora, but evil.

"I'll kill you, and then finally get the respect I deserve! My mother will see me in a new light-"

"Listen, lady." Zane stood, fully. "Seems like you have some family issues. Don't take that out on me."

"What...?" Irina blinked. "Do you not know who my mother is? She's number #15-"

"Then why are you a part of this Faction?" Zane asked.

"To prove myself, of course," Irina said, crossing her arms.

"Seems like you have an inferiority complex," Zane said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You've already proved yourself. Let's stop fighting. I gain no joy from hitting girls."

Irina jutted her chin out. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Zane blinked. "I don't know. I just don't like to hit girls?"

"Hmmrph-" Irina contemplated. She opened her System screen. 

"Alright." She sighed, after finishing what she was doing. "I'm going to go. If we meet again, I'm going to fight you again."

Zane shrugged.

Irina dashed away, a blur. She blended into the shadows- strange, because she had white hair.

"The battle is over. Marcus is dead. Now then, we simply need to find the Nexus Crystal, and you all will be free." Prince announced.

Zane turned his attention to Prince, crossing his arms.

This would be fun.