Astarte stepped forward.
Mana began surging around her body.
The air trembled as her dense aura gathered around her, swirling violently with every step she took.
"Close combat, huh?" she said with an amused smile. "I'll humor you. I'll match your strength too. We have never fought since the first time we met, right?"
Arthur rolled his shoulders as mana spread throughout his body.
"You're bringing back some painful memories."
The instant the words left his mouth, both of them disappeared.
BOOM!
Their fists collided in the center of the training ground.
The impact produced a violent shockwave that swept across the arena, sending dust and fragments of stone flying through the air.
Arthur immediately followed with a rapid combination of punches.
Astarte blocked the first.
She slipped past the second.
She caught the third.
Then she twisted his arm and drove her knee into his abdomen.
Arthur gritted his teeth but used her momentum against her.
