Zafira's defense was impeccable. No matter which technique Subaru tried, she found no opening whatsoever. Even faced with the combined might of both Revolver Knuckles, the wolf man deflected her blows with practiced ease, occasionally stepping back—and luring her further and further away from Tea.
The thought disrupted her concentration for a split second, and Zafira exploited it with a brutal right hook, sending her crashing into a corridor wall. He watched calmly as she staggered back onto her feet, spitting out blood, and assumed the fighting stance again. Her body was still fully operational but she knew she couldn't miss another blow like that. She returned the wolf man's gaze belligerently.
"Do you know why you are going lose, Zafira-san?" she asked.
His eyebrows rose questioningly.
"Because you fight for death, and I fight for life," she beamed a smile at him, edging closer.
Zafira raised his eyebrows even higher and shifted his balance slightly.
"This revenge you knights plan is nothing more than an elaborate suicide scheme… you three are just selfish brats, wallowing in self-pity over the death of your master." She was surprised how angry her own words made her feel.
"Those are some bold words from a girl who knows nothing about death," Zafira's ears twitched angrily, as well.
"I know just enough about death! I faced it," Subaru spat out. "And my fight is not for some stupid notion of honor! I fight for the lives of my friends who are on the Cradle, for my father and sisters who are fighting down below, and for hundreds of others now in danger because of your evil scheme!"
"When honor is all you have left, girl, that's all you can fight for," Zafira's face darkened even more.
Subaru sensed the rage wash over her. She had only felt so angry once before in her life.
"Enough of your depressing talk!" she yelled, charging forward.
A sudden flurry of punches forced Zafira's back against the wall. It was then that she hit him with her Inherent Skill. Zafira put up a Panzerschild in time, but as she pumped more and more mana into her attack, it shattered. With a motion almost too fast to see, he crossed his arms in front of him, letting his gauntlets take the blow. For a moment, her attack lost momentum, but, spinning up Ginga's Knuckle on her left hand with a roar, she punched Zafira's armored forearms again—right next to where her Oscillating Breaker had connected.
The Belkan steel cracked and fell apart, as Zafira was slammed hard into the wall behind him and slid onto the floor. Subaru dropped down next to his body, panting and sweating. Checking his vital signs, she wondered how she was going to find Tea.
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