The pouring rain slowly caused a small flooding in the place. The direwolves’ den is not good in draining the water out and as a result, it trapped most of the water.

Amidst the millions sounds of droplets, the loud clashing of metal against metal can be heard.

Water had now reached their ankles but it never even impeded their movement to kill each other. Their distance was one where they can be misunderstood to be dancing partners.  

For Mizuki she already failed many times to take the life of the young boy. She was able to rip his throat but it was quickly mended. She dislocated jaw and broke his neck with a strong kick, but his body fixed itself. She cut his spine to kill or paralyze him but it healed. She already stabbed him multiple times but he would just come back. She beheaded him two times already but he would just return his head back to its place as if nothing happened.

And for Peterson, he failed to land a decisive blow or even just a single scratch on her skin. She would parry, dodge, counter or riposte his assaults.

Both of them obviously knew that they wouldn’t be able to kill each other without a turning point.

However, the difference between their bodies and skills were slowly showing.

“Kuh!” It was Peterson’s turn to receive the brunt of losing stamina and strength at a faster rate after the countless attacks and counters from Mizuki.

If he was a normal child, his arms and feet would have already started to show signs of fatigue.

His daggers were not made to fight prolonged battles as such its edges were also slowly being chipped off little by little. But he cannot stop as he knew that Mizuki’s body needed some quick rest or breathing space and he must not give her that luxury again.

But still he had to keep the close distance with her. As he sensed that he will lose the moment he moves away from her. 

He had to avoid increasing the distance between them, a distance that’s far from the reach of his daggers but still within the range of her blades. So there is no advantage for him in widening the distance.

Such decision also disabled Mizuki to use her other techniques as she needed a large gulp of air to start one. The relentless advance and aggressiveness of Peterson never allowed her to breathe in ease.

She even had to manage her breathes between every attack, parries and defense. All Mizuki needed to do is to wait for a misguided chance. And use that chance to initiate another deadly attack.

The repetition of attacking and defending became the core of their fight.

A battle of endurance and patience.

The wetness of rain can’t even stop their weapons from raising sparks everytime they collided. The heated state of their fight.

Then Mizuki felt something wrong and she sensed it too late.

Peterson was able to use the heavy sound of rain to dull her senses in realizing that she is actually being led to a corner.

Her back was now literally touching the white wall of the rock cliff that acted as the fence of their duel ring.

With restricted movement, she is now forced to defend only while Peterson decided to unleash his energy in putting her down.

‘Very good! He was able to corner me to this extent but not yet! Not yet! This may be very bad for my blades –’ but Mizuki still have a way out.  

Peterson landed his thrust on another empty air then realized that Mizuki is above him, using her two blades as a support to get over him.

Mizuki used her two wakizashis to stab the rocks behind her at armpit level then used the blades she had planted deep as a base to spring herself out of the cornered situation. Such action could actually result on chipping her blades but it was a necessary loss for her.

She tried to use it as a chance to reverse the situation by landing behind him and corner him instead.

“Nice!” Peterson grinned once again, loudly complimenting her skills.

But Peterson was able to quickly maneuver out of the corner to her side, just enough time to escape the very same situation he had almost given her.

This change in position however, ruined the very plan Peterson was struggling to hold.

He had now lost the close range advantage for his daggers and Mizuki is not that kind to give it back to him.

The distance she gained is now perfect for her blades where she is safe from his daggers but still can freely attack him from all directions.

It was her turn to be at the initiative.

Peterson tried to take it back by suddenly leaping forward using his feet. Two short stingers sliced through the wind and rain, coming after her. They parry the attacks as his entire body pushes forward.

But Mizuki wouldn’t allow that to happen so easily for him. She jumped back, maintaining the distance between the two of them while keeping him away with her wakizashis. He was able to avoid another fatal strike by crouching just in time.

And suddenly at such low position, Peterson disappeared in front of her again. What replaced him in place is a great splash of water. At such critical second, Mizuki used her other senses to find him. Using them is faster than turning her head to search for him as a second of delay will kill her.

With the help of the pouring raindrops, she sensed something different with their sound just above her. And she found him as just as he was about to glide over her with the intention of slashing her head. Peterson used the same trick she did in changing locations. After he crouched earlier, he used two of his daggers to create a large splash of water as cover then jumped to his side on the rock wall. He used his speed and other dagger to run on the rocky wall, defying the rain and gravity.

‘Oho, he still wanted to take it back!’

She knew that such maneuver can only be possible for a trained body. And her impression of him just kept on increasing. Mizuki did not block but she responded by dashing forward, leaning even lower just enough to dodge his slash from the above. By the time he landed back, she still maintained the same distance with him making his attempt to regain his previous advantage, wasted.

Mizuki didn’t wait for him to land. He was still in midair when she once again swung her wakizashis. His unguarded body in the open air is too delicious for her to ignore. But her blades once again felt only the metal instead of flesh.

‘He did it again!’

Peterson just nimbly twisted his body and parried her blades using his daggers.  He was able to land safely by the time she started pouring her relentless attacks.

Sound of clashing metals once again echoed in the rocky opening.

 ‘But that kind of movement and breathing will completely eat up her stamina and balance with reducing recovery counter rate like what happened earlier!’ Peterson thought.

After blocking several quick thrusts and strikes, he is slowly preparing to carry his body to the side that will expose Mizuki’s flanks. Unknown to her, Peterson is actually trying to find and familiarize himself with her pattern of attacks. This is one of the concepts for every being, which he learned from fighting beasts in the forests, bandits, looters and even deserters in the past.

And that chance had arrived. After swinging her two blades on a familiar pattern that intends to cut him on his unguarded side after a parry. Mizuki had her upper body wide open.

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On a hair’s breadth, he dodged the pressured slash and thrust that passed above him when he crouched. Then he burst the strength on his legs with dagger aimed at his opponent, not letting the opportunity get wasted. The sudden decrease of distance between the two made Mizuki impossible to dodge his attack.

But what he first saw after closing in on her was her face, as if laughing at his actions.

“ –!!??” he was hit by something heavy on his jaw which caused him to spin backward.

With quick reflexes and trained body, he landed on his feet but with piercing pain on his mouth. By using his tongue to feel the insides, he only lost his two teeth with gums receiving most of the damage. He can already taste the flowing blood inside his mouth. He spits out the teeth and wiped his bleeding nose with his hand.

“Hehh... I did not expect that.” Peterson smiled amidst the pain. He tried biting again and felt the newly grown teeth.

Mizuki used her knee to hit him.

“Haha!” Mizuki grinned as rest her two blades on her shoulders.

“Too bad again huh. I thought I had it.” Peterson said.

 ‘Not only she predicted my attack and used that to lure me in but she also has serious inhuman reflexes. I was already struck twice while she never even gained a single scratch from me.’

“I thank the gods for letting me born and live till this day.” Peterson prepared himself again.

In the pouring rain, silenced followed between them for several seconds before Mizuki replied.

“Same.” Mizuki replied.

“Show me.” Peterson said.

“Hm?”

Mizuki wondered what he is asking about.

“I now know and feel the difference between the two of us… The height that you are standing right now... But still… I want to know. Like what you did earlier with your eyes, I want to see that again. Show me your true strength. Even just the glimpse of the peak of where you stand. I don’t mind paying the toll... with blood.” Peterson asked. He knew that if she was given the same inhuman ability he had, he will not be able to defeat her.

Mizuki smiled again at his frank and pure wish so she decided to politely grant it.

‘He is much to learn, he still lacks the basic knowledge of using his daggers much effectively. After losing his daggers and leaving only two in his hands, he would only slash, stab and thrust. And maybe because he learned how to fight bandits with armor that he would only strike with his arm strength alone. But…’

Mizuki licked her lips erotically with a look of ecstasy as she stared at Peterson.

‘...he already exceeded my expectations. He is the best out of all people I have ever faced.’

She put back her two wakizashi on their scabbards and unsheathes her katana. It has been a long time since she saw its blade to take someone’s life.

‘Magatsukami, unleash your lust.’ She silently spoke the foreign words that was etched on the blade and held it in a low stance.

Seeing her new blade out of its sheath, Peterson held his daggers ready on both of his hands.  

His body for the first time felt severe waves of chills. If it was anyone, they would think that it was the rain that caused their body to feel cold. However, Peterson knew that the monster in front of him is the source.

Peterson assumes that she has five more steps to take before he will be at the reach of her new blade. He can choose to take a distance again freely this time as unlike previously, she isn’t pursuing him or rushing towards him.

But he cannot – no, he will not, not go. The emanating bloodlust from her meant that Mizuki have decided to grant his request.

So it is only polite for him to receive and accept such gift.

In his entire life, he had only been fighting misfits, rogue vagrants, bandits, deserters and soldiers. And would always end up as a one sided victory for him.

But never a true deathmatch.

A deathmatch is only between people who can kill each other.

But no one could equally compete against him due to his inhuman features.

That’s why when he heard about how a strange foreign woman had defeated the proud men at arms of his father, he became obsessed with her. Stalking her in every chance he could get.

The only thing that he didn’t expect is that she would come to him.

Mizuki also knew that he may not even have a normal body as she had witnessed his high regenerative capabilities. There is also the possibility that he may even be deathless.  So she needed to defy that very advantage of his.

‘He must have been quite starved for someone who could truly threaten his life.’ she finally understood his fearless leaps without faith into the unknown.

“Peterson of House Bauhnmont!”

Peterson introduced himself again, as he smiled in childish anticipation and admiration.

Mizuki wondered what he is trying to do then finally got what he really meant and smiled.

“Izuchirikuzen Clan, Mizuki!”

Mizuki answered with the name of her clan, with respect and same anticipation on her opponent.

The animosity between the two made the rain and cold, shiver instead.

Their bloodlust turned away even the insects and small creatures hiding near the rocks.

After declaring their names, both have resolved themselves to end the battle in a single clash. The pouring rain, rocks and trees were the only witness to this part of an epic battle.

But unlike before, her body didn’t take any combat posture. She just quietly walked through the mud and rain towards him.

The rain and flooding ground helped him sensed and hear her steps.

And with every step she takes, time flows ever slowly.

Four more steps.

…

Three more.

…

Two.

…

One.

-

After Mizuki took the last step, time stood still for both of them.

The pouring rain became silent. The wetness and the cold in their body were forgotten. 

Everything in their surrounding was frozen.

…

And then, a sound of a raindrop meeting the ground disturbed the stillness.

In a blinding flash, both of them unleashed everything in an instant.

After a sharp intake of breath, with daggers in both of his hands, Peterson flew forward aiming Mizuki’s neck. Unlike before, Peterson now abandoned any attempt to defend himself against any counter attack. Embracing the possibility within the impossibility of dying

Yet Mizuki seemed defenseless without any stance or even a posture to counter. She didn’t even make any preparation to defend herself nor dodge the attack.

But in split second, Mizuki planted her left foot down on the mud with great force that the pressure it left behind created a high splash of water and deep footprint. It sent her flying towards her opponent.

Peterson jumped towards her as he threw his dagger at her head and thrusting the other. At the same time, Mizuki swung her blade with its sharp edge ripping through the wind and rain.

Both of their body passed one another at such close distance that their skin had just barely touched each other.

Then time returned.

Along with the cold rain and incoming darkness of the night.

But sprouted blood had mixed with the falling raindrops came from an opened flesh.

Mizuki shakes the blood of from her blade and uses her sleeve with her elbow to clean the stained edge.

Unlike what happened previously… this time, he fell.

On her back, Peterson is lying on the pool of his own blood. His body already mended the wounds she gave by the time his face touch the ground but he is still unconscious.

‘Needles of the Rakshas’

A technique she would usually use to capture valuable skilled targets but this time, Mizuki made it even more powerful.

It attacked several flow points on Peterson’s body, causing it to stop working completely, as if every organ was frozen in place. It follows same principle as acupuncture that she learned from the shinobi clans. But because it is much stronger than the usual, he or she would die instantly due to organ malfunctions if it was applied to a normal human body.  

Rain poured even harder as night time comes.

“Magatsukami, I offer you my deepest gratitude.” Mizuki sheathes back her blade.

Then she turned and cooped up the unmoving body of Peterson.

An unlikely action for someone who was known by her enemies and allies alike to behead the corpses of her opponents and take them back as her trophies.

It was her principle and also part of her religion to bury the enemies she had found to be worthy in meeting her god with his or her whole unsullied body. But this time, it’s different.

After seeing what he had done to her, he was still showing his innocent smiling face.

“So cute~” she pinch his cheeks in adoration.

Then she drew her tanto and stabbed his abdomen, ripping it apart, as if she just gutted him out. His intestines rolled outside his belly. She wanted to see how his body will react after being half dead.

And she saw up close the inhuman aspect of his body. In his large wound, blood veins quickly protrude themselves on his skin. Then countless bloody tree-like roots crawled on the opening of the wound until it completely covered it. Making it look like a feast of large thick worms. The intestines and organs that fell outside were dragged back to his body.

‘So it is not affected by the loss of body flow?’ she thought.

Seconds later, the worm-like veins contracted and burst open with blood altogether, leaving no mark or scar on the former open wound which he previously got from her blade. Just to confirm that what just happened were real, she touched and felt its new healed skin.

“An undying … fascinating…” She felt her cheeks blush and the already beating heart of hers suddenly increased their intensity that it became deafening for her ears.

“You truly really are...”

She wiped the mud on his face and stroked his hair from his forehead.

“I will have you as my trophy… my little monster.” her fervent eyes and smile was hidden by the rain.