Chapter 162 Despite The Sacrifice

• The head guard stood alone now as the other guards left stayed out of what was to come. His body tense as he gazed at the cloaked figure standing amidst the crumpled bodies of his comrades.
• His chest tightened as he recalled the brutal efficiency with which she had dispatched the others. Blood pooled across the polished floor, but the guard forced himself to focus. They hadn’t fought in vain. Their sacrifice had revealed something important: her ability wasn’t invincible.
• ‘Attacks over a certain strength activate her counter,’ he thought, his grip on his sword tightening. ‘But if I can keep my strikes just below that threshold… she’ll have to dodge. And I can land a hit. I hope this is right.'