Chapter 92: Tempest Slash

Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Tempest Slash

Before beginning, Kaelira glanced at the greatsword in his hands.

"Should I use my full strength, my lord, or would you prefer that I limit myself to physical combat?"

"Use enough strength," Ragnar answered. He lowered the tip of his greatsword toward the floor, his eyes narrowing as he studied her stance. "I want to see how much of a difference these skills make when I’m facing someone stronger than I am. And I also want to find out how well I can use Tempest Slash against an opponent who can actually dodge."

"Understood."

Kaelira moved several steps away from him. The relaxed expression she had worn moments earlier disappeared, replaced by the focused gaze of a seasoned warrior.

She adjusted her stance, keeping her center of gravity low as a faint aura gathered around her body. She did not need to draw out her full power to threaten Ragnar. Even while holding back, her movements and reactions were far beyond those of an ordinary adventurer.

Ragnar took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the greatsword.

"Come at me."

Kaelira moved the instant the words left his mouth.

Her figure crossed the distance between them with astonishing speed, leaving Ragnar barely enough time to raise his weapon.

He swung the greatsword across his body to intercept her approach, but rather than meeting the blade head-on, Kaelira shifted to the side and slipped past its trajectory.

Her hand shot toward his ribs, forcing Ragnar to twist his enormous body and bring his elbow down to block the strike.

The impact produced a dull thud.

Ragnar felt the force travel through his arm, but he remained firmly planted on the floor. Before his opponent could withdraw, he turned his hips and swept his greatsword around in a wide horizontal arc.

The blade cut through the air with a heavy whistle, forcing Kaelira to retreat several steps rather than risk taking the attack directly.

A grin spread across Ragnar’s face.

’Not bad. My body is so much stronger than before.’ He thought

Previously, even if he could react to an attack, he might not have possessed the physical ability to respond effectively.

His movements would have been slower, his swings less powerful, and the weight of his own weapon would have placed greater strain on his body.

Now, however, the Intermediate Physical Enhancement and Intermediate Strength Enhancement skills worked together, allowing him to control his enormous greatsword with greater ease while delivering considerably more force with each strike.

He could feel the difference in every movement. His feet responded more quickly when he shifted his weight, his arms maintained their strength even when he swung the weapon at full force, and his body recovered from each movement without the same degree of strain.

Although the improvements did not suddenly make him equal to Kaelira, they had given him a much stronger foundation for actual combat.

Kaelira seemed to recognize the change as well.

"My lord, your movements have become considerably sharper," she remarked, circling him cautiously. "Your strength has also increased. You are controlling that enormous weapon more efficiently than before, and your attacks are no longer as easy to evade."

"That’s encouraging, but don’t compliment me too much. I know I’m still not as strong as you." Ragnar shifted his grip and rested the greatsword against his shoulder for a brief moment. "Besides, I haven’t even used my new active skill yet. Let’s see how you handle this."

His eyes sharpened as he channeled energy into the weapon.

"Tempest Slash!"

Ragnar swung the greatsword forward, releasing a broad crescent of compressed wind energy. The attack tore through the air with a sharp, howling sound, traveling several meters beyond the physical reach of the blade.

Unlike an ordinary sword strike, the crescent continued moving even after Ragnar had completed his swing, giving him a means of threatening enemies who remained outside his immediate range.

Kaelira’s expression changed slightly. Rather than attempting to block the attack, she immediately moved diagonally, escaping the center of its trajectory.

The crescent of wind passed beside her and struck the floor farther behind her, carving a long, shallow groove into the stone before its energy dispersed.

Ragnar’s eyes lit up.

"So it really can extend the range of my attacks. That’s useful."

"It certainly is," Kaelira replied, her gaze briefly shifting toward the damaged floor. "An opponent who assumes you can only attack within the reach of your sword could easily be caught off guard. However, the attack has a noticeable release motion. Against someone who is already watching your movements, landing a direct hit may prove difficult."

"Which means I need to learn how to use it without giving away my intentions." Ragnar nodded, accepting her assessment. "I could use it after forcing an opponent to dodge a regular attack, or release it when they believe they’ve already escaped my reach. There are plenty of possibilities."

"Exactly, my lord. A skill’s usefulness depends not only on its power but also on how effectively you employ it."

Ragnar gave her an approving look before raising his greatsword again. "Then let’s continue. I still want to see how much I can do with these new abilities."

The spar resumed, and the two exchanged several more attacks. Ragnar tried different approaches, alternating between broad sword swings and sudden bursts of Tempest Slash. Sometimes he attempted to overwhelm Kaelira with the sheer reach of his weapon, while at other times he deliberately shortened his movements to make his next attack less predictable.

He also experimented with changing the angle of his swings, trying to force her into positions where the wind crescent would be harder to avoid.

Kaelira responded to each attempt with measured precision. She evaded his heaviest strikes, interrupted his advances when she found an opening, and occasionally counterattacked just enough to remind him that a powerful body alone would not guarantee victory.

Whenever Ragnar became too focused on the force of his attacks, she exploited the gaps in his defense. When he attempted to rely on Tempest Slash too frequently, she began watching the movements of his shoulders and arms, allowing her to anticipate the direction of the released wind energy.