Forge a path to success

Ji Huaisu leaped to the left to dodge, the deformed giant claw slamming into her back, sending shards of rock flying and causing a slight pain. She couldn't raise her shield to defend herself, as the power of the light shield had to be reserved for protecting the children; for now, she could only rely on her sword. Ji Huaisu transformed her greatsword into a light scimitar, circling as she approached Maivia. Black light was spreading in concentric circles beneath Maivia's feet; he raised his deformed claw, from which flew clumps of filthy mud the size of cannonballs.

Ji Huaisu brandished his single-edged sword to protect himself, the cleaved mud emitting a foul and fishy stench. It was actually the flesh and blood of Shuoyue's illegitimate son, enough to corrupt life with a single touch. Maivia bought time with the mud projectiles, and began chanting ominous words.

"The darkest moon, the cradle of beginnings, the first abyss once forgotten..."

The black light beneath Maivia's feet writhed like a living thing; this illegitimate son was attempting to summon a monster from the moon. Ji Huaisu saw through the enemy's intentions. She dodged the muddy dwarf and slashed out with her blade, the sudden flash severing the deformed hand. Maivia's chanting was cut short by a scream of pain. Ignoring the pain, Ji Huaisu charged forward, drawing her sword and plunging it into Maivia's chest.

The foul blood gushed from the wound like a fountain, staining Ji Huaisu's golden hair with a dirty black. But the black light beneath Maivia's feet only intensified, his flesh falling into the light like fuel being added to a flame.

The summoning ritual of the illegitimate son of the new moon will never end once it begins. Even if Maivia is stabbed to death with a single sword, his call will still reach the Black Moon. He spewed mud bullets to repel Ji Huaisu, and his joyful voice echoed in the black light: "Bless the land of darkness with your skin, your hands, and your love!"

At this moment, a dim outline appears in the night sky, and a moon, as ethereal as an illusion, emerges, casting black moonlight upon the city!

A clear, resonant dragon's roar pierced the water curtain, and the swirling dragon swam across the sky, annihilating the interference of the dark moonlight with a long cry. However, even the swirling dragon could not outrun the moonlight; the messenger from the other side had already descended from the other side of the sky. The light smashed through the club's rooftop, transforming into three frenzied forms around Maivia.

One was a slick, oily sack-like body, split open in the middle by a slit, from which countless caterpillar-like fingers extended. Another was a giant bat with a female face, crawling on its sail-like talons, with ten human hands growing from its back to form a fleshy "lotus seat." The final monster was a shimmering mass of oil, its amorphous body constantly shifting, a dragon's head sprouting from its dough-like form.

"Master, fire..." Footsteps echoed hurriedly in the outer corridor, and a group of gray-clad thugs froze. They had come to warn the master of the siege, having noticed the fire, but instead stumbled upon the arrival of evil spirits. The leader trembled; the creatures were grotesque and nightmarish, not beings fit for humankind.

The thugs tried to escape, but saw the body-sack-like monster turn around, its finger-covered gashes magnifying before their eyes. Dozens of hands reached out and pulled the thugs into the monster's body; a momentary scream was followed by the sound of pleasurable chewing. The body-sack monster swelled up, and three new hands sprouted from its body. At the same time, the dragon-headed monster transformed into a hedgehog-like form, several black spikes erupting and piercing through the remaining thugs' bodies. Those men instantly became withered, dried corpses, the black spikes brutally draining their flesh.

Demons see no friend or foe; any living flesh and blood is their food!

The third bat-like monster was about to pounce on the child when it was forced back by a volley of water bullets. Lu Xing arrived with the rescue team, his face beneath his mask covered in cold sweat: "Captain! What are your instructions?"

Ji Huaisu swung his sword and repelled Maivia: "Take the children and retreat. Leave everything to me."

The team members threw out smoke grenades to obscure their vision, then picked up the children and ran outside. They weren't fools; anyone with eyes could see that the monsters grew stronger with each meal, and staying would only be providing free food for the enemy. Maivia directed the head-bat monster to fan away the smoke, its slug-like head gazing out the window, where the blue flames of the burning club were reflected in the glass windows of the surrounding buildings.

“You can’t keep me here.” His tone was erratic. “You destroyed my family… so I can only adopt new children.”

The bat-like creature bowed respectfully, gesturing for Maivia to sit on the lotus platform on its back. Maivia took out a relic resembling a remote control and activated the hidden mechanisms within the club building. First, a wall collapsed, dividing the battlefield, and then a freezer-like device emerged from the ground. Inside the freezer were the "blood packs" that Whitebrow had captured earlier—emergency offerings and supplies that Maivia had prepared just in case.

Maivia reached out and grabbed nothing. The freezer contained only scattered gray ashes, and a handwritten note was affixed to the door.

A parting gift—from your best friend.

"Kanin!!"

Maivia roared. Now he knew why the workshop master had come to the building, but it was too late for anger! He simply ordered the man-headed bat monster to pick up the shapeless slime and leap out of the broken window. With the fire starting, the home-field advantage would be lost. He was going outside to devour flesh and blood to summon more help, and in one fell swoop, he would bring ruin to the city.

"Don't even think about it."

Ji Huaisu slashed through the wall and gave chase, leaving the body-sack-like monster alone, blocking her path. Dozens of hands reached out from inside the body-sack, but Ji Huaisu raised a light shield to block the attacking hands, her right-hand shadow blade transforming into a needle-like rapier. The rapier pierced the body-sack monster's mouth, and it chewed with pleasure, devouring the shadow blade inch by inch, seemingly about to swallow Ji Huaisu whole as well.

Its movements suddenly stopped, and bulges appeared one after another beneath its skin, as if it had been struck. Then countless shadowy needles burst forth from its body.

The Shadow Blade transformed into a thorny, alien weapon, completely destroying the monster from the inside. Ji Huaisu showed no fear; she relentlessly pushed the heavily wounded monster forward, slamming it against the wall and smashing it into mangled flesh. Then, Ji Huaisu withdrew the Shadow Blade, leaped through the breach on the 17th floor, and as she fell, she plunged the Shadow Blade into the building, creating a trail of light and fire that sliced ​​through the skyscraper behind her!

The previous battle had only delayed them for half a second, and Maivia's figure was still far away. He turned around and let out a whistling sound. The amorphous demon leaped onto the side of the building and approached Ji Huaisu like a gravitational current of water.

This demon was also a strange beast from beyond the heavens, its strength approaching that of the "Cradle Mud" at the second level of matter. It was born immune to most physical attacks, and even a moment's contact could drain the life out of its enemy. Ji Huaisu knew the demon's true nature, and she knew how to deal with it.

Ji Huaisu's shield of light emitted a blinding glow, causing the Cradle Mud to momentarily slow its movements due to its fear of the light. Taking advantage of this, she transformed the shield into a hammer and slammed it down, the light hammer obliterating a large portion of the demon's flesh. Seeing the situation was dire, the Cradle Mud solidified, transforming into a black arc that circled around to Ji Huaisu's side. It resorted to its old trick, transforming into sharp thorns to drain the enemy's flesh, but Ji Huaisu drew her Shadow Blade, which supported her body. The black light on that blade boiled like fire, surging with her battle intent into a jet-black giant sword, crashing down on the Cradle Mud like a city wall.

The Cradle Mud trembled violently in mid-air, its constantly deforming body reverting to its original dragon head form. It stretched out its dragon head, intending to bite, when Ji Huaisu threw the light shield into the air, the intense light casting a long shadow of the Cradle Mud on the outside of the building.

Ji Huaisu swung her greatsword back and thrust it towards the side of the building. Her sword actually cut through the shadow, slicing the dragon's head in two!

The cradle of mud suddenly stopped moving, a thin, black line piercing through its surface. Its two halves smoothly separated, exploding into filthy flesh and blood in mid-air. Ji Huaisu caused the distant shield to disappear, then recreated a shield of light to block the filthy blood. She plunged her sword into the building again and slid down, landing almost simultaneously with Maivia.

A chilling, almost human-like astonishment flashed across Maivia's slug-like face. He couldn't understand how his enemy knew the characteristics of the Black Moon Beast, just as he couldn't comprehend the enemy's bizarre state. Ji Huaisu's fighting spirit soared to its peak; he couldn't even describe it with concepts like anger or hatred. His purple eyes gleamed with unwavering determination, like a burning torch forged from duty and responsibility…

Suddenly he realized the true nature of that feeling: it was a mission, a "mission" that was almost a faith!

"Let my faint light shine to protect all living beings. Let me wield my shadow to punish evil and rebellion."

Ji Huaisu whispered softly. Her light shield expanded, becoming a tower as tall as a person, and the already heavy greatsword, now as deep and iron-like, became a ferocious weapon. Her heart was pounding fiercely, awakening the burning emotions in her blood. She had never encountered the Black Moon lineage before, yet she was born knowing how to fight such monsters, just as she was born knowing how to condense light.

This is her duty, her mission. Knights possess power precisely to fight against the demons lurking beneath the abyss.

Chapter 52 Club Inflammation (Part 2)

Shocks, gunshots, cries, screams—a cacophony of frenzied noises filled the wealthy neighborhood, waking those in their soft beds. Through the windows, they saw the blue night sky, the magnificent golden building engulfed in flames, like a sinful torch burning money.

Beneath the torch, two figures gazed at each other: Maivia on the bat-like monster's back, and Ji Huaisu, wielding a sword and shield. Their eyes met for less than a second before the bat-like monster flapped its wings and took flight, emitting a shriek that sounded like laughter.

The officers inside the police car clutched their ears, letting out agonizing moans through clenched teeth. The sound pierced their eardrums like needles, the intense pain rendering them immobile. Taking advantage of the situation, Maivia extended oily, black, blood-red tentacles that coiled around a police car, intending to crush it and turn the officers into food.

But Ji Huaisu, shield in hand, pressed forward alone, her pace shifting from a brisk walk to a jog, and then to a sprint. She stubbornly carried the demonic sound forward, her right hand wielding her greatsword in a sharp arc, severing the blood tentacles that had engulfed the police car at their roots.

From the cross-section of that tentacle, maggot-like flesh sprouted, instantly transforming into several black blood chains that attempted to encircle and annihilate Ji Huaisu. The Calamity Knight simply slammed his greatsword into the ground, using the swirling sword wind to shatter the blood chains.

This little trick couldn't stop the Calamity Knight, and Maivia had no intention of deciding the outcome now. The Blood Lock was merely a delaying tactic; the Human-Headed Bat Monster had already taken to the air, and Maivia spat out mud bullets, smashing the surrounding police cars one by one, quickly creating distance between himself and Ji Huaisu. He wanted to use his speed advantage to escape first; his target was the residential area just steps away from the club!

Two of the family's children were killed, making the success rate of summoning their "elders" extremely low. However, as long as the family head was alive, the Moon Beast would provide a continuous stream of support. Ji Huaisu, wielding a greatsword and shield, couldn't keep up with its speed. Once he received sufficient blood and flesh replenishment, he, burdened with divine grace, would be equivalent to the strength of ten thousand troops.

Maivia twisted his head 180 degrees, intending to destroy all the surrounding vehicles to cut off the enemy's pursuit. But his eyes widened in astonishment; the blond knight was hot on his heels, like a golden blade slicing through the night.

It was that shield! Ji Huaisu placed the light shield beneath her feet, its radiance converging like fire behind it, providing a powerful boost that allowed her to surpass the speed of a vehicle. She maintained her balance with exceptional acumen, gripping her sword tightly behind the man-headed bat monster. Ten meters, eight meters, five meters… the distance between them continued to close, and the man-headed bat monster hurriedly increased its height. But the burning buildings in the distance provided a source of light, and the bat monster cast a huge shadow as it spread its wings.

Ji Huaisu decisively drew his sword, aiming it at the head of the bat-like shadow!

The Shadow Blade slashed at the very tip of her sword, instantly cleaving the bat-like woman's head apart. Her headless corpse plummeted downwards. Ji Huaisu, wielding his greatsword, swung it upwards, the blade flashing in a crescent-shaped arc of light. This strike severed the bat-like creature's abdomen from below, but the black blood and organs within the wound seemed to laugh, transforming into a swarm of bats the size of birds. These bats, formed from flesh and blood, also possessed human faces. Half of them carried Maivia to the ground, while the other half swarmed towards Ji Huaisu, enveloping the knight in a sphere of flesh.

The human-headed bat monster's true name is the Hand of Favor, and it is actually the most powerful of the three monsters. Its characteristics include extremely strong vitality and the ability to differentiate its flesh and blood; it can multiply into swarms of bats whether it is feeding or injured. Seeing Ji Huaisu being devoured by the swarm, Maivia finally had a chance to catch his breath. With no prey around, he simply exhausted his own power, chanting a spell to summon again: "Darkest Moon, Cradle of Beginnings, First Abyss Once Forgotten..."

"break!"

A blinding light pierced the wing membranes of the bat swarm, causing the gathered monsters to scream in terror! The light originated from Ji Huaisu's great shield, which she transformed into a blunt weapon resembling a battering ram, striking the ground. The resulting patterns of light intertwined to form a magnificent seal. The seal's radiance, like brilliant golden fire, scorched the filthy bat swarm to ashes.

Ji Huaisu wielded her light hammer and charged forward with all her might. Each swing left a light imprint on the walls and floor, the intense light of the imprints scorching her beloved hand. This valiant knight now truly resembled a sorcerer; her magic was the natural enemy of all evil.

With his last summoned creature defeated, Maivia was left to face the enemy alone. His fists bulged like drums, and as he threw them, he chanted a hastily revised incantation: "Bless the poor son, with your embrace, your veil..."

Two enormous, wing-like hands sprouted from behind Maivia, slamming down from above with tremendous force. Ji Huaisu steadily parried them with her greatsword, wielding a hammer in her left hand and a sword in her right, yet without appearing disorganized. Her left hand, wielding a hammer, struck Maivia's slug-like head, deflecting the bulging fist. Brilliant golden light imprinted itself on Maivia's body, then exploded in a burst of intense light, vaporizing the evil spirit!

Maivia thrashed wildly, emitting a dying howl in the light. Ji Huaisu cautiously withdrew his attack to observe the situation; such enemies were cunning by nature and might feign death as a backup plan. Maivia's previous summoning was half complete; the embrace was likely the hands that appeared out of thin air, and the other summoning word was "veil"...

What is a curtain?

The massive body in the light suddenly shattered, and the one struck, Maivia, turned out to be just a clone. Ji Huaisu immediately shielded herself with a light shield, then turned to meet a pair of eerie eyes. Maivia was standing right behind her!

“...and your dreams.” Maivia chuckled softly.

A dim light shone in his eyes, ripples spreading outwards and transforming into a hazy moon in Ji Huaisu's vision. Ji Huaisu's movements slowed; she swung her sword instinctively, but only managed to vaguely strike an illusion.

Visaph was adept at using clones, and Maivia, as the head of the family, naturally possessed the same ability. Maivia's true body was ten meters away; he had already replaced his own position with a clone from the moment the summoning began. He gleefully shook his head, "dragging off" his usual skin like an outer garment.

Beneath his imposing exterior lies a slick, hideous black creature, like a slug—this is the true face of the illegitimate son of the new moon. His outer appearance is a trap to lure enemies; the previous battles were merely a diversionary tactic. He is "The Magician" Maivia, whose true strength lies in illusions and deceptions, in the art of tormenting the mind.

The knight was currently in a state of confusion, but approaching too easily would only put him in danger. He knew about Ji Huaisu and already had a corresponding plan. Maivia rolled her black eyes and chanted a new incantation:

"Mother of all beings, cradle of love, please satisfy the helpless fool. Give her the warmth, childhood, and kinship she thirsts for."

·

Ji Huaisu heard the sound of the waves.

The sound repeated endlessly, echoing without end, like gazing at the sea at the edge of the world from a cliff. Only the ocean tide existed between heaven and earth; nothing else existed. That utter monotony created utter loneliness. As this thought arose, she heard a cry. She realized it was her own voice, weeping because of utter loneliness, longing for someone to be by her side.

"Don't cry. Don't be afraid," the woman said.

“You must be strong, little girl.” Then came the man’s voice. “You are the last knight. How can you survive in such a dangerous world if you’re not strong?”

The woman sobbed softly, and the man gently comforted her. Warm, strong arms lifted her up, and the monotonous sound of the waves drew closer. Long-forgotten memories were awakened, along with the fear etched into them.

No. Don't leave me! I don't want to go to the sea. Don't abandon me!

The girl's cries grew more urgent, clearly audible amidst the endless waves. The sound seemed to move the man as well, and he hesitated for a moment.

"...Do you want to be with your mom and dad?"

She kept crying, and only her crying answered her.

The faces of the man and woman were magnified in the field of vision, shrouded in a blurry halo, but they could be seen clearly if they were just a little closer.

"We'll be together." The man reached out his hand to her, his voice gentle, very close to hers. "Forever together."

As the sound of the waves receded, she reached out her small hand in response.

The blade pierced through that tender palm, and the halo was stained with bright red blood!

Ji Huaisu suddenly looked up. Dark night, raging fire, dust and smoke from the ruins, and the astonishment and fear that flashed in the demon's eyes. She sidestepped and kicked Maivia, sending the illegitimate son of Shuoyue flying into a car by the roadside. His voice was filled with genuine terror: "What did you do? How could you possibly break free from the Black Moon's spell?!"

"Father is right. Illusion magic is such a piece of trash; as long as it hurts enough, you won't care," Ji Huaisu muttered to himself.

Ji Huaisu's left arm hung limply like a broken puppet. Her method of breaking free from the illusion was extremely simple and brutal: she pierced her own hand with a shadow blade! The dream created by the Black Moon was shattered by the excruciating pain. She looked up nonchalantly, looking down at the trembling demon, as proud as a young knight.

"Have you finished your third-rate magic trick? Have you thought of your exit eulogy?" Ji Huaisu said coldly. "Then go die!"

Maivia was still reeling from the shock. It was a blessing from the First Abyss, the power of the oldest heretical path in the Realm of Sinking and Moving. Not to mention a mere Reverse Shadow of Point Two, even the three demonic beings of Point Three would succumb to the moonlight.

Pain alone can dispel it? Impossible!!

But reality is always crueler than fantasy, and Ji Huaisu's murderous aura was no illusion. She gripped the greatsword tightly with one hand, hoisted it onto her shoulder, and slightly lowered her knees to gather strength. She was clearly seriously injured, yet her aura was as dangerous as that of a ferocious beast.

Maivia took a deep breath and exhaled thick, viscous black smoke. The smoke was actually gaseous poisonous blood, his most vicious killing move. The blood smoke would seep into the enemy's body, devouring the flesh beneath the skin.

Even now, Maivia still had a plan. He knew that Ji Huaisu's injured left hand prevented her from using her light shield, so he intended to use this attack against the knight, abandoning his own offensive strategy. But Ji Huaisu didn't use a shield at all. She slashed her sword into the ground, using the recoil to leap into the air. Her Shadow Blade greatsword spun in the air like the wheels of a chariot, the surging wind clearing away the blood and smoke. Right in Maivia's frozen gaze, she used the momentum of the spin to reach the highest point, wielding her greatsword to strike head-on!

This was a desperate strike, like a lion's pounce in dire straits, or a dying eagle's claw strike. Cultivators of martial arts and Taoism could not master such resolute swordsmanship; this kind of sword existed only on the battlefield, in desperate situations where victory could only be achieved by risking one's life. This strike cleaved Maivia's head in two, the greatsword nearly splitting the demon's body in two.

Just before the blade reached the corrupted heart, it stopped. Maivia urgently congealed black blood within his body, weaving layers of defensive netting. He desperately resisted the slash, the black blood transforming into a spear blade that pierced through Ji Huaisu's body.

At this moment, Ji Huaisu raised her severely injured left hand and slammed her palm into the blade, providing the last bit of power to propel the slash!

The bloody web shattered, the greatsword slashed down, and Maivia's corrupt heart was shattered by the blow. Oil-like black blood sprayed everywhere, and his hideous body disintegrated amidst screams. Like his wicked offspring, Maivia turned into a foul-smelling mess of blood with a final cry.

Ji Huaisu shouldered the giant sword again, exhaling a foul breath filled with the smell of rust.

Ah Kong is right. This thing is just as good at chopping up as any ordinary villain.

Chapter 53 Club Inflammation (Part 2)

Ji Huaisu supported his body with the greatsword and took out a bandage from his waist pouch to bandage his left hand.

Her left hand was completely unusable; her palm was a bloody hole, and her fingers were almost severed by the sword blade, held together only by the bones. But compared to those "offspring" who had been unwittingly bewitched by Maivia, losing only one hand was considered fortunate. The illusion of the illegitimate son of Shuoyue was too powerful; it couldn't be broken without paying such a price.

After completing the emergency treatment, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the damned gray cat was finally dead, and she had finally personally eliminated the scourge of the city... But Ji Huaisu immediately gripped her sword alertly, noticing something strange about Maivia's corpse. The hideous body had turned into a pool of viscous black water after death, and now bubbles were silently rising within it. The bubbles burst, revealing a bewitching woman's face.

It was the Hand of Favor. Even after Maivia's death, the summoning ritual hadn't stopped; new demons emerged from his corpse. Without a word, Ji Huaisu swung her sword. She realized Maivia had a backup plan: besides himself, he had set up another summoning core to ensure the ritual to summon the Black Moon could continue even after his death.

That summoning core will only exist in one place, in his lair which he has cultivated for many years!

"Make sure everyone inside the club is evacuated, then smash the building to pieces!"

Team members from nearby rushed to provide support, but Ji Huaisu suddenly realized after giving the order: "Where's A-Kong? Where is A-Kong?"

·

Flames engulfed the gray building as team members covered the evacuation of men and women. Whether employees seeking a living or customers looking for pleasure, everyone ran out of the building with all their might, including many thugs hired by Maivia. A few thugs trapped on the upper floors, seeing no one coming to their rescue, recklessly jumped out of the windows.

They would rather fall to their deaths than perish in the flames. The blue flames were too terrifying; they spread like a whirlwind, seemingly capable of burning anything with a physical form to ashes.

"Is everyone here?! Brothers who haven't left yet, evacuate immediately! Firefighting equipment is on its way!"

Jie An rushed out of the police car and hurriedly counted the number of people before his heart sank. Several more brothers in the team had been lost. Before the operation began, no one had expected such an accident. They had defeated the enemy's henchmen, but fell in this inexplicable fire.

Lu Xing was the last to retreat, holding the still-shaken child in his arms: "Those who are still breathing have all left. But Brother Chu is still inside!"

Jie An raised his head silently, his gaze piercing through the flames to the top floor where the fire was most intense. Two long shadows flickered and intertwined in the fire, like nobles clashing in a duel, or demons dancing in hell.

The 17th floor, about to burn down, was ablaze with the glint of blades. The incredibly swift blades intertwined to form an impenetrable net, at the center of which Du Muyan brandished his rock blade in defense.

Such a net of blades defied common sense in close combat, because even the fastest swordsman could only wield two hands and two swords, at most creating a prison for a few seconds within the blade's reach. But Chu Hengkong was clearly someone completely detached from common sense; he wielded the swords with his tentacles like chains, combining the range of a whip with the sharpness of a blade, leaving even a powerful swordsman like Yan unable to gain an inch for a time.

Chu Hengkong knew this was just a stopgap measure. Yan couldn't get out, and he couldn't get in either. Yan was in a defensive position, which saved him some energy, but he also had the light armor to help him recover his strength. Neither side could really defeat the other. If it weren't for his injured right hand that prevented him from holding a knife, he wouldn't be fighting this pointless war of attrition. The raging fire was constantly eroding his movable area, and his lungs were already aching from the smoke.

If the fighting continues like this, both sides will perish in the flames.

Yan clearly realized this as well, and looked into Chu Hengkong's eyes through the glint of the blade.

"You should leave, Detective Chu. A man like you doesn't need to die here in vain."

"Are you going to summon monsters after you leave?" Chu Hengkong's eyes lit up. "That's not called retreat, that's called running away. In a battle between martial artists, it's better to die than to run away!"

Yan was stunned. He hadn't expected the other party to see him as a martial artist. In his eyes, this was a final battle to die for the club, while in the other's eyes, it was both the detective's responsibility and a martial artist's commitment. Duels between martial artists had nothing to do with morality or profession; men who prided themselves on their swords would fight to the death when they met.

"Then let's settle this once and for all," Du Muyan said, holding his knife in both hands. "It's a fight to the death!"

A burning wooden beam crashed down between the two, forcing Chu Hengkong's tentacle blade net to a halt. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Du Muyan leaped into the air, stepping on the burning beam and launching a deadly uppercut like a suicide soldier.

Rock's single-edged sword was as rough as mountain rock, and the skillful handling of the blade made it incredibly heavy. Such an attack was impossible to block; even ordinary relic weapons would break, and dodging would only expose an opening. Therefore, Chu Hengkong did not attempt to block it. He stepped forward to meet the blade's edge, letting Rock's sword slice through his light armor and cut into his muscle.