Chapter 175: Kill Me Or Be Killed.

There's something beautiful about this simple and brutal way of life. If I win then I take it all, if you win, you get everything. No need for complications or even conversations, just go full throttle. 

Kill me or be killed.

One of the soldiers, a stocky man with a thick beard, grits his teeth and presses forward, his sword aiming for my midsection. I deflect his strike with my saber, but instead of faltering and feeling like my arm is about to be broken into a thousand little pieces like how I felt when I blocked Ayame's attacks, I find myself amazed at how smoothly I counter his moves. Each parry, each riposte, feels near effortless. 

When I had dueled Ayame, her overwhelming strength and superior technique had made me feel utterly inadequate, but now, against these weakened soldiers, I realize just how much I've improved from a single session with her.