Kai launched the next kick with the Qi active from the start.
From the moment his foot left the ground, seeking the alignment before the movement instead of during it.
Lira deflected it.
She stepped back a step and a half.
Less than two. More than one.
She's adjusting her defense to compensate for the Qi.
Good. That means it's working.
The next combination — jab, elbow, knee — with Qi in all three.
Lira dodged the jab. Blocked the elbow with her forearm instead of her fingers. She deflected the knee with her hip instead of her palm.
Three different responses to three strikes. All new.
She's using more resources to handle fewer strikes.
---
[System — notification]
[Survival points accumulated: threshold reached]
[Micro-progression unlocked]
[External Qi — Beginner Level → Level 1]
[New technique available: Penetrating Strike — Qi concentrated on a minimal contact point for maximum force transfer]
Kai read the notification between movements.
