INTERSTELLAR ERA: MY MIND IS A LIBRARY

The distance between them was erased in an instant.

Silas came in low, his fist driving towards Billie’s rib.

Billie dropped her elbow, blocking the attack.

The pillar beneath them ruptured, exploding into tiny bits of stone.

They began to plummet to the ground, landing on the floor with a thud that echoed through the room.

She moved immediately, her hand flashing upward towards Silas’s open jaw.

Silas sidestepped, dodging the attack by a margin.

Billie did not let the distance widen. Her leg shot forward, slamming hard against Silas’s rib.

The force from the impact made Silas skid a few feet to the side, but he held on, fist clenched as he punched towards Billie’s head.

Billie caught his hand with her palm.

Rip.

The sleeves of her clothes ripped into shreds.

Silas withdrew his hand, tilting his head just in time to avoid Billie’s strike.

Both of them stopped for a moment, eyes locked on each other as they assessed themselves.

Silas breathed calmly. His breaths were shaky from fatigue.

Billie stood opposite him, her eyes locked on him.

"Let’s end this, shall we?" She said, her tone dripping with pure battle intent.

Silas nodded calmly, a katana appearing in his grip with a thought.

Billie looked around, then bent down to pick up her dagger.

Silas took his chance, not even waiting for her to lift her head. His body shot forward like a bullet, katana slicing downwards towards her neck.

Billie’s senses screamed danger, and she yielded immediately.

Her body twisted at the last minute, barely avoiding the attack.

But she was not unscathed.

A razor-thin, crimson line appeared on her cheek.

She touched the blood slowly, then licked it off her hand.

Silas blinked.

She was gone.

A silver light met his eyes. Silas raised his katana in defense.

The collision never came. Billie moved like a blur, darting towards Silas’s back, dagger streaking forward.

The dagger was mere inches away from his back when the air exploded.

Silas released his aether in a wave around himself, barely managing a few seconds of rest.

He turned to his back in an attempt to attack Billie, but she was gone again.

A sharp whistle tore from his side.

Silas turned quickly to the source of the sound but saw nothing. Billie was gone already.

She is faster than I can see, Silas thought as he narrowly parried a dagger aimed at his throat.

He swung back towards the source instantly, but Billie was gone already, her body moving like a phantom.

Silas shook his head calmly.

"I just hope you don’t die from this attack," he said.

He raised his katana just above his head. Aether surged into it like a tide, making it vibrate.

Holding the blade horizontally, he spun like a drill.

The floor beneath him caved in from the speed at which he rolled.

In the path of his blade, sharp arcs of aether shot out, destroying everything in their path.

The wall, which was barely holding on previously, was destroyed.

"Never attack blindly at an enemy you can’t see," the voice came softly from behind Silas.

A knowing smirk formed on his lips.

"Got you," he whipped back, turning and slashing in the same motion.

Then he saw it — the smug smile on Billie’s face as she somersaulted over him with deft skill.

She landed behind him, her leg sweeping Silas’s feet from the floor.

Silas fell to the floor on his back, his eyes widening in surprise at the sudden shift.

Billie looked at him, then thrust downward at Silas’s head.

Silas rolled, letting the blade pierce into the floor beside him.

He got up just in time to avoid another slash aimed at his face.

Billie looked at him, then shot forward again.

Silas replied in tandem. He swung his katana wide.

Billie caught the katana with the flat of her blade and pushed him back.

She stepped into the opening and delivered a kick at his head.

Silas bent, his back arcing backwards just enough to avoid the attack.

Before he could lift his head, Billie kicked him in the chest.

Her leg smashed into his chest, forcing his body to crash into the floor below. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Damn, is she truly at the Master rank?" Amelia could not help but whisper to herself.

Her anger had been replaced by awe at some point in the fight.

She was also at Master rank, and she knew very well her own capabilities.

But seeing someone do this, she could not help but shake her head.

"I am but a frog in a well," she muttered.

Billie raised her hands, locking them together to deliver a finishing blow at Silas’s head.

"I guess I won the bet," she said.

Silas smirked and raised his middle finger.

Billie was enraged by Silas’s gesture, but she failed to realize the true motive.

From the finger, aether burst out, smashing against her exposed head.

Her body was hurled through the room, not stopping until she hit the wall on the far end.

The room seemed to hold its breath. Both fighters were down and neither seemed to be standing up any time soon.

"To think Silas was able to fight against this face," Max said with a smile.

His words seemed to poke Alfred.

"What? I also defeated her, don’t make it sound like I lost," Alfred defended.

"I know, I know," Max raised his hand with a smile.

"I guess the winner is going to be the first person to stand up," Bryan said from behind.

Nobody replied, but it felt like the silence itself agreed with Bryan’s words.

Both fighters were battered beyond recognition.

"I wonder how they even plan to start a squad if the two most vital people have almost killed themselves," Max joked.

Then, from the pile of rubble, they saw movement.

Everyone’s eyes widened as they bore witness to the winner.

"Now this is crazy," Lilura said for the first time since the fight started.