The clash between Sasha and the Grand Duchess showed no signs of ending soon.
Both women were formidable, their mana clashing in the air like thunder.
Ruins glowed fiercely around Sasha, pulsing with unstable energy, while Amanda's sword radiated regal authority with every swing.
The ground trembled beneath their feet, and even the wind seemed to hesitate as their battle raged on.
But eventually, the tide shifted.
Amanda, despite her exhaustion, had more experience in real battle.
Her strikes became sharper, more focused. Sasha's ruins struggled to keep up, and though Sasha pushed herself harder, she was losing ground.
Then, with a precise step forward, Amanda broke through a ruin shield and raised her sword—aimed straight at Sasha's chest.
Just before the blade could land, it halted mid-air.
Amanda blinked.
Her body instinctively backed away. Her sword had been blocked—not by Sasha, but by a sudden, invisible force.
