The Lord Is With You (4)

Battle Focus.

When concentration reaches its limit, time begins to flow slowly. In this moment, the senses sharpen, and even the resistance of the air feels strange.

Some called it ‘the Swordsman’s Time.’ They were people who enjoyed close-quarters combat and crossed the boundary between life and death. There was no denying that swordsmen made up a large portion of those who lived along this other axis of time.

Yuren was one piece of evidence. The world in his field of vision was slowing down markedly.

The instant his sword flashed coldly, a silver line traced a path from the sheath. Even if a second were divided into its smallest fractions, no one could have witnessed this lightning-fast draw. But Yuren knew.

He’d been found out.

By then, Ian’s golden eyes were fixed on his sword. In the frozen flow of time, those eyes alone seemed to be moving.

The relaxed atmosphere surrounding him as he held the teacup abruptly changed. The teacup shot into the air, and sword light burst through the opening.

The silver line collided with the rising blade. With a clang, sparks flew through the air. The impact made Yuren’s sword bounce slightly away.

Yuren’s eyes grew more intense...