Strongest Valkyrie

Without waiting for a response, Durandal dashed forward, her lance poised for attack. Despite the size of her weapon and her slow attack speed, each strike felt like a calculated blow.

"Wait! What about me!? I have no weapon!?" I exclaimed, trying to defend myself against her relentless assault.

She remained silent, focusing solely on her attacks, her movements precise and calculated.

As Durandal pressed her relentless assault, I scrambled to evade her strikes, feeling utterly defenseless without a weapon of my own. With each blow, the weight of her strength and skill became increasingly apparent.

"Durandal, wait!"

As I dodged another swing of her lance, a surge of determination welled up within me. I may not have a weapon, but I couldn't let myself be defeated so easily.

Summoning all my agility and wit, I maneuvered around her attacks, looking for an opening. Then, seizing a moment of vulnerability, I lunged forward, aiming to disarm her.

But Durandal was one step ahead, effortlessly parrying my attempt and countering with a swift strike that sent me staggering backward.

"Gah! Seriously!?" I exclaimed, frustration bubbling within me as I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what lay ahead.

Changing my stance to hand-to-hand combat, I resolved not to rely on defense or waiting for openings. Instead, I would force Durandal to break her guard.

With that, I dashed forward, launching a flurry of strikes aimed at overwhelming her defenses. Each punch and kick was infused with all the energy and resolve I could muster.

Durandal, caught off guard by my sudden change in tactics, faltered for a moment, but quickly regained her composure.

Despite her superior strength and skill, I refused to back down.

We exchanged blows in a frenzied dance, the sound of our clashes echoing through the room. Sweat dripped down my brow as I pushed myself to the limit, every muscle straining with effort.

Ora Ora Ora! 

Our movements became a frenzied blur, the sound of our clashes reverberating through the room. Sweat dripped down my brow as I poured every ounce of energy into each strike.

But even as fatigue threatened to overwhelm me, I could sense Durandal beginning to falter. Her defenses weakened, her movements becoming less fluid with each passing moment.

As I lunged forward, fist clenched and determination coursing through my veins, Durandal effortlessly sidestepped my attack with a fluid grace that left me momentarily stunned. Before I could gather my bearings, her lance was hurtling towards me with deadly accuracy.

"I'm sure you won't dodge this mid-air," she taunted, her voice dripping with confidence.

My heart pounded in my chest as I faced the looming threat. Dodging a weapon mid-air was no easy feat, but I had no choice.

With a surge of adrenaline, I threw myself to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile as it whizzed past me.

But Durandal was relentless. With speed alone, she closed the distance between us, launching into a relentless assault of punches and kicks aimed at exploiting my momentary vulnerability.

I barely had time to react as I found myself on the defensive, desperately parrying her strikes and dodging her blows.

Each movement was executed with precision and speed, leaving me struggling to keep up.

"So this is the strength of an S-rank Valkyrie!"

With each strike, I felt the weight of her strength bearing down on me, pushing me to my limits. Despite my best efforts to keep up, I found myself struggling to defend against her relentless assault.

"I'm surprised you can keep up with me," Durandal remarked, her voice laced with a hint of admiration, as she eventually stepped back, panting from exertion.

Despite the fatigue gnawing at my muscles, I forced myself to remain focused. "I want to yield, but right now... it'll be a waste of opportunity," I replied between heavy breaths.

The truth was, I couldn't afford to give up, not when there was still so much at stake. Every moment of this intense battle was a chance for me to grow stronger, to hone my skills and prove my worth.

"Oh? If it isn't Master Shin and Master Durandal," a sweet yet mischievous voice interrupted, and we turned to see Rita, her playful demeanor evident in her smirk.

"Rita."

"Yes? Master Shin?" she responded innocently, though her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"...Nothing." I actually wanted to thank her.

"What are you doing here, Rita?" Durandal inquired.

Rita's grin widened as she replied, "Hm? Oh, just here to observe Master Shin... and perhaps lend him a helping hand."

"Help me?" I echoed, puzzled by her cryptic words.

Before I could react, Rita tossed a real blade in my direction, and I caught it instinctively, the weight of the weapon familiar in my hand.

"Rita," Durandal's voice carried a warning tone, but Rita merely shrugged off the reprimand.

"Master Durandal, don't misunderstand me," she said with a playful smile. 

"I just want to see if Master Shin can best you with his own strength. Fufu~ That is, if he can."

Durandal remained silent for a moment before nodding in acquiescence. "Very well," she said, retrieving her lance from the wall and assuming a defensive stance.

As Rita sauntered away, she leaned in close to me and whispered, "Master Shin, if you win... I'll do anything you ask~" Her tone was teasing, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter of nerves in my stomach.

With a deep breath, I shook off the distraction and focused on the task at hand, readying myself.

With the weight of the blade in my hand, I felt a newfound sense of determination coursing through me. As I took a stance, ready to face Durandal head-on, I could sense her assessing me, her eyes sharp and focused.

Without hesitation, I dashed forward, my movements swift and agile as I launched into a flurry of attacks. The clash of our weapons echoed through the air, each strike fueled by my resolve to prove myself in battle.

"He's somewhat different now that he has a sword," Durandal mused silently as she deftly parried my blows, her movements precise and calculated. "He's nimble and fast too. But..."

Suddenly, Durandal thrust her lance into the ground with tremendous force, causing a shockwave of destruction to ripple outwards, sending debris flying in all directions.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, leaping back to avoid the onslaught of destruction. 

Despite the chaos unfolding around me, a smirk played on my lips as I seized the opportunity to execute a plunge attack, aiming to catch Durandal off guard.

Durandal's unexpected move caught me off guard as she skillfully manipulated the debris in the air, using them as makeshift projectiles aimed directly at me.

But I wasn't about to back down. With a quick flick of my blade, I sliced through the debris hurtling towards me, deflecting it with precision and skill. 

Meanwhile, Rita observed the battle unfold with keen interest, her eyes flickering with a mix of amusement and admiration. 

"As expected of Master Durandal," she thought to herself, her lips curling into a small smile. "She uses her surroundings as her playground, leveraging her battlefield experience to her advantage. But Shin... He may lack the same level of experience, yet..." Rita's smile widened. "He's showing remarkable potential. And that smile of his... It's rather endearing."

Back in the midst of battle, I gritted my teeth, focusing all my energy on the task at hand.

Durandal's barrage of debris continued, each piece coming at me with relentless speed and precision. 

I could feel my strength waning, the strain of the fight beginning to take its toll on my body. 

But... I have to push myself to the limit!

Suddenly, Durandal saw an opening and lunged forward, her lance aimed directly at me. With a burst of speed, I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding her attack. 

Seizing the opportunity, I launched a counterattack of my own, striking at Durandal with all the strength I could muster.

Our weapons clashed once more, the force of our collision sending shockwaves rippling through the air. For a moment, it seemed as though the outcome of our battle hung in the balance, neither of us willing to yield.

Durandal's lance hovered menacingly over me as I lay sprawled on the ground, defeated but not broken. Rita's voice cut through the tension, bringing a moment of levity to the scene.

"Looks like we have a winner," she remarked, her tone light and teasing.

Durandal, still catching her breath, lowered her weapon and offered me a nod of acknowledgment. "You did great, Shin," she admitted, a hint of admiration in her voice.

I struggled to stand, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me. "Thanks," I managed to reply, a sense of satisfaction mingling with my fatigue.

But before I could fully regain my bearings, a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I collapsed once more, my strength depleted.

"He fainted?" Rita observed, her curiosity piqued as she approached us.

Durandal shrugged, a bemused smile playing at her lips. "Seems like it."

Rita knelt beside me, her hand gentle as she lifted my chin. "You did well, Master Shin," she said softly, her eyes warm with encouragement. "You'll improve even more, I'm sure of it."

"He sure gets tired easily..."

Rita shook her head with a playful smile, "Hm? Not really. He has quite a lot of stamina especially... in..." leaning in to whisper something to Durandal's ear. The S-Rank Valkyrie's expression softened, a faint blush dusting her cheeks before giving Rita a glare and making her exit from the arena.

"Ara~ Ara~" Rita's laughter tinkled through the air as she turned back to me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Looks like I embarrassed her a bit, huh?"