Respect

Rui, on the other hand, pulled his right arm back as he twisted his core, generating more power. He was practically telegraphing his attacks with such loud and predictable wind-up movements.

When the two of them reached other, his palm shot forward, aiming for her face. Her arms shot upward looking to intercept his attack and get a firm of his arm.

Yet when she reached for it, her hands just passed through, dispelling the image of it in her head. Rui's hand, instead was still sitting back, not having moved forward.

('A feint!')

His Phantom Step technique had been quite successful. It was a technique that he had learned as an Apprentice, and while it had grown less potent when he mastered it in the Squire Realm due to the fact that Martial Squires had sharper senses, it was still quite a useful technique when used in the right circumstances.

Rui used it not to fool senses, but to fool expectations.

Her futile clasping attack had failed, leaving her momentarily open.

BAM!