—
As it stood, Vex was Kieran's strongest opponent to date, so it was understandable that their clash resulted in him suffering some losses. But did that mean Kieran would back down?
On the contrary, it meant Kieran desired battle that much more.
Despite Vex's altruistic suggestion to safeguard Kieran's participation in the event, Kieran brandished Crimson Ashrune with no intent to concede.
"Sanguine Slashes!"
The outer layer of Crimson Ashrune roiled, leaving a faint crimson afterimage as Kieran swayed his arm. A second later, Kieran leaned back and balanced his weight on one heel.
Most people would lose their balance at this point, but Kieran twisted unnaturally with an Accel Shift and pressed his foot into the ground.
Bang!
Kieran combined Accel Shift and Surge Step to maximize his momentum. The breakneck speed of his actions made Kieran's presence flicker like a red ghost, crossing 20 meters instantly.