[Section Three]
His order was simple.
Duel.
It was up to Sage to interpret and act upon this order.
A drone, flying silently amongst the debris, began recording down the fight.
"Don't be shy" Sage laughed as his eyes trained onto Crownslayer.
Though appeared to be weaponless at first, the sudden movement and speed caught Sage by surprise, blocking the attack within the last second of the incoming attack.
If he had hesitated for a mere moment using his staff, the blade would have sink into his neck, severing his head from his body.
Before he could launch a counter attack, Crownslayer 'disappeared' and 'reappeared' at a safe distance. Almost like an instant teleportation.
This was the method of attack that Crownslayer had been attacking Sage with. Sage could feel the blade cutting pass his clothing while he barely avoided the attack.
Looking down, he spotted the footprints left behind by Crownslayer. Each print was similar distance and conveniently at his blind spots.
"Not bad." Sage smiled as he understood her way of attack while repositions himself. "My turn!"
Sage charged forward, his lengthening his staff reach by holding the quarter end. As he predicted, Crownslayer disappeared before the staff reached her chest.
Sage immediately stabbed his staff down into the ground, kicking his way upwards using his staff as a vertical support pole. Crownslayer's blade barely stuck his ankle as she reappeared.
"Up here, up here" Sage patted his rear while sticking out his tongue at Crownslayer from the tip of the staff. "What's the matter? Unable to fly?"
This deeply infuriated Crownslayer as she tried ways to strike Sage up in the air. However, Crownslayer won't able to close in the distance in the air as there weren't any solid platform for her to run towards Sage.
Crownslayer was forced to teleport closer in order to land a strike that was close enough. What she did not expect was Sage's nimbleness on top of his staff.
Not only did he dodge the blade in the initial attack, Sage caught onto Crownslayer's arms, spinning her round before throwing her down.
In order to break her fall, Crownslayer was forced to use her teleportation skill to land.
She tried standing up, only for her left ankle to feel a sharp pain. She had to use her blade as a support in order to stand straight.
Sage slides down from the top of staff and noticed the advantage that he attained from his attacks.
Unlike other operators, Sage did not bank on the advantage to finish off Crownslayer with his staff.
He readied another battle stance without his weapon, one that was similar in movies martial artists.
"You still have some fight in you, don't waste it."
Crownslayer tried to strike Sage from the back using her power, only to flinch from the pain from her left ankle as she closed in.
Sage wasted no time in catching her blade and disarming her.
Without her weapon and her mobility advantage, Crownslayer was forced into a defensive position from the fury of attacks Sage was dishing out.
Her arms guarded her face as she saw a palm strike heading towards her. The impact was more than enough to send Crownslayer flying backwards, clashing against the debris at her back.
Sage picked up her weapon as he could visualised the silhouette of Crownslayer amongst the dust clouds that had surrounded her.
Sage threw Crownslayer's blade back towards her, like a javelin thrower in the Olympics. Not only the impact from the blade landing could be heard by Nearl's team, it created a bigger cloud of dust.
"We have lost track of Crownslayer" one of the operators on board Rhodes island called out.
"Status?" Undertaker voice could be heard from Sage's communication device.
"She managed to escape." Sage walked into the dust cloud while fanning with his hand, staring at a crater and Crownslayer's blade. The impact from the blade must have created an exit for Crownslayer to flee.
"Head back and get patch up."
"I didn't that hurt that badly." Sage replied as he tried pulling the blade out, wanting to keep it as a trophy.
"I meant your clothing. Specifically, the rear end"
Sage patted the back of his pant, feeling the cut that was inflicted at his rear. He turned around and saw his red brief being exposed.
When was the cut made? Was it an intentional strike?
Pulling out the blade, Sage rushed back to Rhodes island before any team managed to catch a glimpse of his expose red brief.
[Rhodes Island Mercenary dorm]
"Crownslayer. Strong?" Berserker asked as Sage put on a fresh set of clothing.
"Depends. Base solely on combat experience, no." Sage replied back. "With her magical teleportation power to strike at blind spots, yes."
"My turn. Next duel."
"I doubt we will be seeing her anytime soon." Sage mounted the trophy on the wall. "But you can have the honour of fighting her the next time she appears."
"I have some bad news." Undertaker announced as she walked in. "Some of my contacts have reported of mercenaries siding with Reunion."
"Siding with the Reunion? They offered lucrative contracts now?"
"Nay, here comes the weirder part, the mercenaries volunteered to fight as soon as the Reunion movement were in sight."
"Last I heard, Reunion treatment towards Mercs aren't exactly any different from the current society" Sage rest on his bed.
"They have grown soft." Berserker added on.
"Whatever the reason, I am calling up the remaining contacts available in the area." Undertaker dial in on the device that she was holding onto.
All of the them could feel the vehicle wheels moving.
"We are leaving already?"
"Attention Crews and Operators, we are moving towards the outskirt of the city. There are sighting and reports of Reunion attacking caravans that are delivering supplies to the villagers."
"It seems like this should be an easy mission for the Rhodes island Operators to handle." Sage was ready to close his eyes. "I'm sure there is no need for us to be deployed."
"I wouldn't count on it." Undertaker looked at the reports that was sent to her. "Strange."
Undertaker walked around the room, trying to visual her understanding of the report. "Berserker, I will need you on the ground for investigation."
"Understood." Berserker readied his equipment.