Zesshi and Lycan readied themselves once more for the next exchange. This time both would play for keeps.
"Go my pack"
Waiting for his command the seven black wolves dashed at Zesshi, first spreading out a bit so they could attack her from multiple directions and then all leaping at her at the same time with the intent to rip her to shreds!
"No don't come at me all at the same time!"
Zesshi shouted with a face full of panic. She did not expect that all seven of the wolves would attack her together.
"You'll…
Make this far too easy"
In a blink the face of panic turned to a face of pure joy as Zesshi swung her Scythe sideways at the seven wolves.
With just one horizontal swing, all of the seven wolves had been cut down and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke as they were just summoned beings.
Zesshi felt vexed. The seven wolves were even less of a threat to her than she had thought. But then suddenly felt a cold chill down her spine as a presence appeared behind her.
Lycan had foreseen the destruction of his pack. After their exchange earlier he understood that Zesshi was powerful. That much was clear. Even so, the opening that they created from drawing Zesshi's attention was enough.
Lycan swung his claws downwards. Zesshi was armed heavily but her head was completely unguarded. Using his claws he could easily split her skull open like a piece of fruit.
Lycan roared out as his claws flew at Zesshi.
"Take this you little appetizer!"
His claw penetrated deep into her brain. Her skull was cracked and her insides were leaking out. A one hit kill. Like a puppet with its strings cut, Zesshi fell on the ground…
At least that was what was supposed to happen.
Lycan felt a heavy shock reverberate through his body as if he had hit a solid wall. No even if he had hit a wall he would have smashed through, this felt much harder.
To his surprise, he saw before him how with nothing more than her armguard Zesshi had blocked his claw attack from her blind spot and was comfortably standing around.
"Not a lot of people know this but the martial skill [Immovable Fortress] can be applied to not just the weapon but pieces of armor too. Good thing I'm a genius that figured it out on her own huh?"
Zesshi was mockingly smiling at Lycan while he was still recovering from the shock and surprise he felt. To not be able to pierce through an opponent's defense was to him inconceivable.
Using this opening to her advantage, Zesshi made a spin attack with her scythe.
Lycan tried to dodge by jumping backwards but was tardy in his reaction and…
"Gaaah"
A sharp pain spread through his chest as he felt a warm liquid soaking into his fur that visibly died his crimson coat of hair even redder. Even though the wound was not lethal it still hurt like hell.
She hit me? This pathetic piece of food actually wounded me?
More than the fact that she was able to wound him, Lycan felt surprised that the armor that his opponent was wearing could withstand his attack.
If that armor was ordinary steel I would have still ripped through it, even with her martial skill whatever or without. Could it be…?
If the reason that she was able to parry his attack with just that armguard was indeed what Lycan thought, than that created an opportunity for Lycan.
Even though Ainz had forbidden him from using that power in Nazarick. Here it should be okay.
Lycan smiled as he got in position to launch his next attack.
"You're still going to attack despite seeing how easily I can block your attack huh?"
"Shut up! I'm gonna bite that smug looking face of yours off!"
Zesshi paid no attention to what she believed were empty threats. As she only needed to guard her head where as Lycan was virtually unarmed and wore no armor she had the absolute advantage.
Lycan grit his teeth as he focused his mind away from the pain and on his opponent. He and Zesshi readied themselves as they were about to start what could be their last exchange of blows.
This time Zesshi was the only one that stepped in. Lycan no longer had the strength necessary to match her head on and was forced to play it defensively.
Zesshi charged in low with her war scythe behind her ready to start swinging.
In an instant she got in range and launched what she thought was the last strike.
No man could defend against her. With the speed she swung her scythe with, even if one had activated defensive martial skills beforehand one would be hard-pressed to dodge it completely.
To think this will end without me even using almost any martial skills. Guess I was just overestimating him due to being unable to find a good opponent in the Theocracy.
With a distant thought of disappointment Zesshi executed her attack and with terrifying speed swung her scythe in the direction of Lycan's neck.
Even if Lycan would have worn full plate armor, her scythe still would have cut his head off cleanly. Without any armor or real weapons to speak of Lycan seemed doomed.
However…
"Huh?"
Nothing.
Even though her scythe was razor sharp and could slice through flesh and bone like cutting through butter, she would still feel a slight resistance but now instead she felt nothing.
By some miracle Lycan had anticipated Zesshi's point of attack and started dodging before she had even begun her attack. By lowering his stance enough he had made it possible to have the scythe sweep over him and create this opening.
"Figures you'd aim for the neck! You're still a brat after all, fighting in a textbook style like that."
His speed was inferior to hers but if he knew where she would attack then it was still possible to evade.
Not giving his enemy time to react he swung his claws at her from above again. Zesshi knew all too well that if it she allowed it to hit she would be dead in an instant.
In this situation where she was caught off guard, Zesshi was forced to block the attack with the pole of her war scythe.
Still, with her strength as it is and Lycan weakened due to his wound she didn't even need to use a martial defense skill in order to block. To her all of this was nothing more than a dying struggle.
Sure enough Lycan's attack collided with the pole of Zesshi's war scythe. Even though it could still be considered as monstrously strong, it was far from enough to break her guard.
Lycan's last attack had failed, he had made a large bet and gambled that Zesshi would aim for a sideway swing at his neck in order to create this opportunity bit still failed to get any results.
But on his face, what should have been despair and regret was nothing more than a wide grin that displayed his ferocious teeth in their full glory.
This was what he had hoped for would happen!
The reason that his attack was considerably weaker and was because he knew he couldn't break through Zesshi's guard even at full force but his aim was different. At the moment that his attack hit the pole of her scythe he retracted his claws and grabbed the pole with both his hand tightening the grip on it to the max.
Zesshi understood too late what his aim was and was unable to prevent Lycan grabbing hold of her weapon.
Before she could react her weapon had been immobilized by Lycan and she was either forced to let go of it or struggle in close proximity to such a dangerous monster to get in back.
Having completed his first objective, Lycan lashed out at Zesshi with his fangs as he intended to try bite her head off.
Seeing this Zesshi simply smiled. She let go off her weapon with one hand and put her armored arm between herself and Lycan's gaping mouth.