Chapter 160: Sparring with Mira and Snow

Clang!

The deafening collision of metal against void-steel reverberated across the clearing, sending a powerful shockwave rippling through the damp grass. Morning dew scattered into the air as the surrounding blades flattened beneath the force of the impact.

Leon Wes stood firmly in the middle of the clearing, holding an ordinary training sword in one hand. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, despite the enormous weapon pressing against his guard. His dual-colored eyes remained fixed on the woman standing before him, calmly assessing the tremendous kinetic force she was pouring into her attack.

Snow Valestorm was anything but relaxed.

Her crystalline blue eyes burned with competitive determination as she gripped her massive silver buster sword with both hands. Her muscles tightened beneath her black leather outfit, and the silver cross-chains decorating her attire chimed as she pushed against Leon’s weapon with all the strength she could muster.

She wanted to force him backward, even if it meant exhausting every ounce of her physical strength.

Unfortunately, Leon didn’t even budge.

His biological density was simply too overwhelming. The tremendous force behind Snow’s attack traveled through his training sword and dispersed harmlessly, leaving him completely unaffected.

However, Snow wasn’t attacking alone.

Before the remaining kinetic energy could dissipate, a shadow emerged behind Leon. Mira moved with astonishing silence, her boots barely disturbing the flattened grass as she approached his exposed rear flank.

She had already drawn her curved blade.

A sickly green substance coated its razor-sharp edge, the poisonous liquid gathering along the metal before dripping onto the ground. One successful strike would be enough to interfere with her opponent’s nervous system, potentially creating the opening Snow needed to land a decisive blow.

Mira didn’t hesitate.

She lunged toward the exposed joint behind Leon’s knee, aiming for the vulnerable area with calculated precision.

Leon didn’t bother turning around.

He simply shifted his center of gravity, pivoting his hips slightly to the left. The movement was so subtle that Mira almost failed to register it before her poisoned blade sliced through empty air.

At the same time, Leon rotated his wrist.

Snow’s massive sword was redirected downward, its edge cutting through the grass before sinking into the earth. Before she could recover, Leon brought his training sword around in a rapid horizontal sweep.

The blunt weapon struck Mira squarely across the ribs.

Her body was propelled backward, but she managed to twist in midair and land on her feet several meters away. Her silver eyes narrowed as she immediately reassessed the situation.

Snow, meanwhile, had already recovered her weapon.

She ripped the buster sword from the earth and launched herself forward, swinging it upward in a devastating arc.

This was precisely what their training had been designed to achieve.

Over the past days, the three of them had turned the clearing behind their estate into a dedicated combat ground. What had initially been a simple exercise in familiarizing themselves with one another’s fighting styles had gradually evolved into increasingly intense three-way battles.

The arrangement had begun shortly after Mira officially joined their family and moved into the renovated estate.

Snow had been the one to suggest it.

She understood that surviving the higher-tier sectors of Eternal Heaven required considerably more than possessing impressive individual statistics. Even someone as powerful as Leon couldn’t be expected to handle every threat alone, particularly when the coming elimination cycles would undoubtedly introduce increasingly dangerous opponents.

If they intended to fight together, they needed to develop genuine combat synergy.

Knowing how to attack an enemy wasn’t enough. They needed to understand each other’s movements, recognize subtle changes in positioning, and anticipate attacks before their partners even issued a command.

A single mistake during a high-level encounter could result in friendly fire or leave an opening large enough for an Elite Sovereign to exploit.

Neither possibility was acceptable.

Consequently, Leon had volunteered to serve as their primary opponent.

He deliberately suppressed his physical output, bringing his strength down to a level where Snow and Mira could challenge him through technique rather than relying on the overwhelming difference in their attributes. Even then, the gap between them remained considerable.

The estate’s defensive formations were also more than capable of handling the consequences.

The protective wards woven into the bamboo foundation absorbed the tremors generated by their battles, preventing the surrounding structures from suffering unnecessary damage. Snow had personally reviewed the defensive arrangements before approving the training ground, ensuring that their increasingly destructive exercises wouldn’t compromise the sanctuary.

The results were already becoming apparent.

Mira, who had spent most of her time surviving through solitary and highly defensive tactics, was gradually learning to trust another person’s movements. She no longer needed to reserve most of her stamina for an emergency retreat because she knew Snow could protect her flanks.

In return, Snow had become increasingly comfortable coordinating her heavy attacks around Mira’s extraordinary agility.

One was a raging storm capable of overwhelming opponents through sheer destructive force, while the other was a silent blade that exploited every opening created in its wake.

Together, they were becoming considerably more dangerous than either could be alone.

Back in the clearing, Snow’s upward swing was already approaching Leon’s torso.

He responded by manipulating the spatial coordinates surrounding his body.

For an instant, his figure disappeared from the physical plane, slipping into a localized sub-dimension before Snow’s blade could connect. Her attack passed through empty air, missing its target completely.

Leon reappeared behind her.

His training sword descended toward her exposed shoulder, moving with enough speed to end the exchange before she could turn around.

But Snow had anticipated the possibility.

Rather than attempting to recover from her missed swing, she allowed its remaining momentum to carry her into a complete rotation. Her free hand moved almost instantly, retrieving a sleek parrying dagger from her spatial inventory.

The short weapon met Leon’s descending training sword.

Sparks scattered between the two weapons as metal ground against metal, producing a sharp screech that echoed across the clearing.

"Mira, now!" Snow barked.