Leon clutched his forehead, looking bewildered.
"Did… did I just get hit?"
The incident had happened so suddenly that he wasn't entirely sure. It wasn't until Sylas spoke that he fully grasped the situation.
"This time, I was faster."
Leon's eyes trembled at Sylas's calm voice. How could this be? He hadn't even seen the sword move.
"It's just a fluke! It has to be!" he thought, suppressing his anxiety and readying himself again. Clearly, his own impatience had left an opening for the attack. This time, he resolved to approach calmly to avoid making the same mistake.
"If I just get close enough to knock his wooden sword aside…"
Thwack.
"Ugh!?"
As soon as their wooden swords clashed, Leon felt a spark of pain flare on his forehead again. Sylas's sword had struck precisely the same spot.
Leon staggered backward, eyes wide in disbelief.
"What on earth…!?"