SS-Rank vs. SS-Rank (2)

By the time I had finished putting some distance between us, the pillars of light shattered, and No-Name emerged from within.

They had broken through it with astonishing ease.

I almost found it refreshing.

"What did you learn from merely pinning me down with a surprise barrier?"

"Even though I activated a barrier stronger than that one as a complete surprise, the Amusberg prodigy still escaped. I'm not a swordsman, so I don't understand the finer points of swordsmanship, but... reaction speed, intuition, reading an opponent, awareness of danger. In those respects, you don't measure up to the Amusberg prodigy."

When fighting with the same weapon, the difference comes down to physical ability and technique.

There was no doubt that both Erna and No-Name possessed physical abilities and techniques among the finest on the continent. There might have been a slight difference between them, but not enough to determine the outcome.

However, Erna was better at reacting to attacks. That was a large enough difference to decide the outcome.

When I fought the vampire, Erna managed to escape my Curse Chain Barrier. So far, they're the only one my Curse Chain Barrier has failed to catch.

Moreover, Erna and I had been fighting together then. There was no doubt that we had been caught off guard. And yet she hadn't been caught...