...

I braced, and only then did I leap forward.

"START" I yelled as I rushed him.

I feinted a strike, he blocked it but it was exactly what I wanted. I dashed in his blind spot, running deeper in the forest.

"You twerp!" He shouted, seeming more amused and expectant than angry.

It was clear that Romuald wouldn't use his full speed, and that even if he wanted to, the trees would prevent it.

This was the start of step 3.

I didn't even look behind me. Running ahead full speed, listening for the noises of crumbling leaves to notice his present.

"Uh?" I thought as I kept running.

Listening even more attentively to the noise of leaves.

I can't hear him.

Fuck.

I stopped myself, and back peddled. Right where I stood seconds ago, landed a pleasantly surprised Romuald.

"Good senses."

I could only laugh nervously, before running away again.

I was about now only 10 meters from the plum poles, to my right. The goal was clearly in sight. And Romuald was now between me and my target. I truly wished I could have just darted forward, but I couldn't afford being struck in the back, especially when I was unsure of his overall position.

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I reassessed my position.

Target: poles

Obstacle: Romuald

Think, Think, Think!

What could I do? In the plot forest I could defend myself, using the terrain I had set up to my advantage.

But there was no way he'd let me pass without, resisting.

"Damn it!"

I crouched. A fistful of fresh dirt and rocks with me, I darted towards the giant.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH," I yelled.

Romuald didn't reply, his eyes in mine as he raised his guard.

"Take this!" I said throwing the fistful of dirt toward in his face

Almost exactly as the dirt and rocks scattered.

I darted right.

RUN!

I realized that he wasn't following me. But I didn't have time to care. Once I was in there, my odds of winning would drastically improve!

"Well, too bad for him," I said between shallow breaths.

Final sprint, and there I was in the plot forest. I arrived there, and only did it strike me.

Damn it!

Romuald had shown capabilities to jump over the poles themselves. While I had designed this trap, to piss him off and then run away, the only person who would be bothered by these threads was me. There was no way it would annoy him in any meaningful way.

This must have been why he had let me...

"Scratch that!" I sighed, before running away again.

This time left.

This is gonna hurt...

After so much effort to get in, I had left the place in record time.

Jumping through bush of thorns.

I reckoned that for Romuald this must have been a puzzling moment, but there was no way around it.

"HEY! There's no way that's all you can do right!?" I said, knowing I was creating unnecessary problem for myself. In this situation however, considering my oversight I had to resort to something else to ruffle him.

I pumped my chest, puffing in to yell as loudly as possible.

"Are"

"YOU!"

Before I could even finish, I had a vision. His red face tensing in furor, his ears fuming. And the crisp snap of my bones breaking.

<...>

Yeah, not that. I shuddered as cold sweats trickled down my back. Let's not die just, yet.

I ran forward, and looked behind. There was Romuald, walking casually observing my movements.

He's not even taking this seriously.

I laughed at myself. I thought I would be the one to piss him off, but in the end I was the one to lose my cool. I stopped, and looked at him. Yes this was supposed to be a trap, but I also wanted to prove I had grown. But he wasn't even taking it seriously.

I stopped and repositioned myself as quickly as possible.

Staring down Romuald who was still walking at a much too leisurely pace.

"FUCK IT, BRING IT ON!"