Suddenly the operative senses a presence, turns around, and is completely surprised by what she sees. Akari uses the distraction to strike again with a fast swing of her sword, but the old woman dodges smoothly and gets ready for a lethal counterattack. Akari and Katagiri watch helplessly, unable to do anything against that operative.
Then the main character steps in with a sigh, complaining about the whole mess. He says he wishes Akari would act like a lady who knows she is under protection.
With his eyes glowing red, he stares down the mercenary, fully ready for a clash. The old lady readies herself for combat, gripping her needles and her blade. Her weapon glows with a dark energy as she focuses on her next strike. The kid glares at his opponent with a cold, calculating look, showing absolutely no fear. He slowly walks toward her, radiating an aura of power and confidence.
The two professionals face off, ready for a duel that will decide everyone's fate. Akari and Katagiri watch nervously, completely shocked by that operative's arrival. The old lady gets ready to strike while the main character just stares at her calmly.
In her mind, she realizes that boy is not just some ordinary punk. He is using practical martial arts designed to take on someone armed with a blade. The reason is simple. Because no one blocks a sharp edge with their bare hands. Plus, the arms have major arteries, and one slice could be the end. That is why, when he drops his guard on purpose, he is setting up a totally different tactic.
He baits the enemy into aiming for his torso or his neck. And when the opponent gets close, he steps in with a devastating counterattack. The mercenary knows the theory is simple, but pulling it off is a whole different story. Leaving herself wide open against a blade requires an insane amount of guts. She figures out that he wants a counter, so she decides to move a lot more carefully.
Suddenly the old lady shouts in surprise at the kid's sheer boldness. He tosses his cap to distract her and charges in with a surprise rush. Moving fast, he ducks under her blade and attacks low. They both move at unbelievable speeds, trading strikes and dodges back and forth. The young guy says he thought he could catch her off guard with that trick.
The operative calls him a cocky kid for having the guts to strike first. Then she realizes he struck her peroneal nerve, and is totally caught off guard. The main character mentions that it has been a while since he fought someone who uses silat. He explains that the common peroneal nerve is a crucial spot that can freeze up movement. With a smirk, he praises her knowledge and calls her a know-it-all old lady.
Annoyed, the old woman says he reminds her of a very unpleasant man.
She flashes back more than twenty years, to when she was a training instructor. In the memory, the woman is teaching a young boy how to handle a blade. She explains that the technique is not about raw power, but about creating a flow in the fight. The edge should slide naturally right into that stream of motion. The boy in the memory is the main character himself in his past life, learning directly from her.
Tired of not being taken seriously, she decides to teach him a practical lesson. He remembers those brutal training sessions, and gets ready for real combat. In the memory he says he thinks he has finally got the basics of her technique down. With a challenging smile, he asks the old lady to teach him the next move.
The woman remembers how much of a monster he was when picking up her skills. That brat surpassed her after seeing a move just one single time. Because of that, she had to hone her skills in real combat just to stay ahead of him. All so that this time, she could perfect her true dance of shadows.
The old lady focuses and gets ready to fight her former student for real. The two stare each other down in silence, ready for the clash that will settle it all.
The main character says that honestly, he never hated her as much as she thought. He recalls a piece of advice she gave him, about piercing straight through the enemy's will to fight. The mercenary is shocked and refuses to believe that he remembers her exact words.
With his eyes glowing, he rushes in for the attack at amazing speed. The woman is confused by the kid's sudden and unexpected move. He attacks with an improvised weapon, but she dodges using all her experience. The youth then strikes her peroneal nerve again, leaving her leg completely numb. Akari and Katagiri watch the brawl, totally blown away by his skill level.
In a flash he disarms the operative and catches her blade right out of the air. He grips the weapon tightly, proving the tables have totally turned. They trade places, and now he is the one holding the advantage.
The old lady takes a cut to her neck, but manages to pull back before it becomes fatal. Furious, she spins into a rapid assault, trying to shake him off. Her movements look like a dangerous dance with edges flying everywhere. The main character recognizes the ivy technique and says she has not lost her touch. The ivy is only possible because of her flexible joints and incredibly loose tendons.