“It's no secret that I enjoy extracting information from those who deny giving it... But, lately, the rumor is circulating that I do it for no reason, extracting it from innocent people... that I bathe in their blood. Ha! What idiocy, at least I won't need an excuse this time.” Breno draws his sword like he didn't have a care in the world.

Ezer and Anjani already had their swords in hand while Nataña stays a few steps behind them.

“There are two of us… we can overwhelm him.” Ezer suggests.

“No… You're new and you don't know him… That man, he's a sword demon.” Anjani answers swallowing saliva.

Ezer looks away, and to his surprise, he sees nervousness for the first time in his partner's stony face.

“The moment I noticed your eyes, I knew. I knew that breaking your soul would be something unique. I was waiting, if it wasn't for the annoying visit, the wait would have been shorter... But now... Now it's no longer necessary.” Breno appears to be speaking to Ezer, although he also seemed to be speaking to himself.

"We can't go back, the soldiers are only a few houses away. I prefer to test my chances against a single person.”

"Heh! That's because you didn't hear of his ability, but you're right. There is no turning back.” Anjani finishes speaking as begins to charge the enemy.

“It was easy to see the trap, they used the same tactic as the previous one…” Breno continues speaking as he deflects Anjani's edge that was approaching his head with his silver blade, he does it with precision, it was clear that he couldn't win in a duel of strength against such a mass of men. "I just had to head in the opposite direction, it was clear I'd find you that way." Ezer wastes no time and points his sword straight at the ribs of the side opposite the one Anjani attacked. Breno doesn't flinch and jumps back a bit, dodging it completely.

The exchange didn't even last three seconds, but both Anjani and Ezer are breathing hard with accumulated exhaustion and nervousness.

“You have two options, give up or lose your legs in this place… decide." Brenno's entire atmosphere changes instantly, cold, murderous eyes staring at them both.

Both Ezer and Anjani responded by attacking again, their movements did not complement each other and could even be said to hinder each other. However, they attempt to overwhelm their opponent with a series of unrestrained attacks that are instantly deflected or dodged.

A brief pause ensues, though it is instantly interrupted by Breno attacking for the first time. A simple thrust without bothering to try to hide it, straight at Anjani's chest. Easy to deflect if caught early, and that's exactly what Anjani does. As if expecting this, Breno lets his attack redirect to use his body weight to push his opponent off balance with his shoulder.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Anjani falls to the ground raising his sword waiting for an attack that never comes, instead, it is Ezer who receives a tangle of assaults that force him to try to keep up with his opponent and repel the blade that was dangerously close to his skin.

“Impressive, you have good enough reflexes to dodge my attacks.” Breno crouches as soon as he finishes saying those words so that a sword cuts the wind where his head was seconds ago. With a quick turn of his body, which seen from the outside could even seem elegant, he brings the point of his blade to Anjani's thigh causing blood to spurt from it.

"Ahhhg…!” Anjani stumbles back, trying not to fall, looking down at his leg and seeing a torrent of blood trickling down to the fingers.

The fight stops again and this time oen can see a slight difference in Breno's breathing, it wasn't much, but it made it clear that he wasn't immune to exhaustion.

Ezer's hands trembled slightly, only that white bear that chased him to the end of the world produced a similar sensation. He knew that before him stood a sword monster.

It was just then, before Breno could take the second step of his charge against Ezer, that a rock flies through the air from his blind spot and hits his head, just above his ear. He brings his fingers to the wound and feels the hot blood that stains his fingertips and hair.

"Looks like I can't play anymore, if this had been an arrow…" Breno turns his gaze to the person who gave him the attack, so far more effective. Nataña was standing with several rocks in her hand and a look of terror on her face.

Ezer could not understand the events that followed. He simply watches the black dagger, which was confiscated from him once he was imprisoned, fly through the air as if the world were moving more slowly, until it embedded itself in Nataña's chest.

She looks incredulously at the edge that penetrated her chest, she was not able to distinguish when Breno takes the dagger and throws it through the air, as well as why now she only saw the sky stained with gray clouds.

A scream is heard on the beach that neither the wind nor the waves could drown. Ezer unloads all his fear, impotence and fury in a desperate attack.

Breno disinterestedly observes the sword that was heading diagonally to his neck, he had thought of dozens of movements to dodge or block it, he only had to choose the one that required the least effort and counterattack to end his game. However, his eyes widen for the first time in surprise.

With each step that Ezer drew closer, the pressure increased. Wind swirled behind him with such fury that even almost transparent lines of the gale were distinguishable.

The strange event forces Breno to fight seriously assuming a defensive posture, in a fraction of a second, he decides to deflect his opponent's attack, but the pressure exerted by Ezer caused his movements to be imperceptibly slower.

The blades collide forcing the energy behind Ezer to follow a single direct path to Breno. The impact unsettles the experienced captain who is forced to take two steps back on the worn timbers. Any attempt to redirect the attack was a failure, and Breno's numb hands bore witness to that fact.

In a rage, Ezer attacks again without technique, but with overwhelming pressure. Breno is forced to take another two steps back, the same happens when receive one more attack.

Neither of them could notice how with each attack, the waves in the sea split in two following Ezer's edge.