His body lay heavy against the arena floor. He tried to rise, but his limbs refused. His chest heaved, every breath ragged, his stamina slipping away as though drained from his very core.
I'm on the ground… I have to get up. I can't let this end here. His fingers dug into the dirt, trembling as he forced them to move. His voice echoed inside his own mind, commanding himself. Get up… get up…
With grit and sheer will, Zero began to push against the weakness weighing him down, struggling to lift himself back to his feet.
Lucian lunged forward, closing the distance in a heartbeat. He froze a hair's breadth from Zero and leveled his sword at him, eyes cold. "I thought you were strong," he said. "I thought you might stand a chance. But I was wrong."
Zero forced himself to his feet, every limb protesting. He swallowed, steadied his breath. "You underestimated me," he replied. "My attack isn't flashy, but I'm not weak."
