The collision between the two destroyed what remained of the clearing's center.
Jake appeared first.
Not like a warrior.
Like a disaster.
His body crossed the space in a red, distorted line, and his fist descended toward Victor with enough force to make the entire ground bend even before impact. Victor raised the Black Ice sword to block, spreading an inner layer of ice through the bones of his arm and shoulder at the same time.
The blow landed.
BOOOOOOM!
The sword did not break immediately.
But it cracked.
It cracked from tip to hilt, as if a mountain had fallen on it.
Victor felt the impact travel through the blade, pass through his fingers, climb his wrist, and crush his elbow from the inside. The internal Black Ice held the structure together, but even so, his entire arm went numb for a fraction of a second.
Jake did not stop.
He twisted his body and struck Victor's ribs with a side kick.
Victor tried to reinforce the skin in the correct spot.
He succeeded.
