**
An immovable mountain against a feral hunter...
Though this wasn't the first time they clashed, won't be the last either, it feels just like the first time for both of them.
As Elric guarded himself against a mighty swing of his opponent's club, he winced at the sheer impact of the blow. He received it but still felt the rippling impact it left on his body. He knew that it had never been a good idea to defend like this against Claudio but for all the feral energy he was exuding, there was a surprisingly clear intent behind his swings and wit that only came with experience.
It's not that he wanted to do this, it's just that he's forced to.
That said, even though Elric could feel the impact of the blow to his body, he merely shrugged it off. As the frontline defense of his team, he had experienced far worse than this and lived through it, so this was nothing to him.