The moment I moved, they understood.
This wasn't defense anymore.
It was a gamble.
I closed the distance with the leader before the others could adjust, forcing him into a direct confrontation. If they wanted to use numbers, then I would take that advantage away from them.
No space meant no coordination.
He reacted instantly, raising his guard and stepping into my range instead of backing away. He wasn't surprised.
He was ready.
Our attacks collided.
His strike came sharp and controlled, aiming for my shoulder. I shifted just enough to reduce the impact, letting it slide past as I drove my own attack forward.
He blocked.
But the force pushed him back half a step.
That was all I needed.
"Now," I said.
She moved without hesitation.
Instead of staying behind me, she cut to the side, targeting one of the others before he could close in. Her timing was precise, forcing him to react instead of support.
The formation broke.
For the first time since the fight began, they weren't moving as one.
The leader noticed it immediately.
"Don't split," he said sharply.
Too late.
I pressed harder, not giving him the space to recover. Every strike I threw forced him to stay focused on me.
He blocked high.
I shifted low.
He adapted.
I adjusted.
We were no longer testing each other.
This was a race to see who would make the first mistake.
From the corner of my eye, I saw her.
She was faster now.
Not stronger, not fully recovered, but sharper.
She struck once, then moved.
Didn't stay in one place.
Didn't let them surround her.
Good.
But the others weren't weak.
They started adapting too.
One of them stopped chasing her directly and instead moved to cut her path, forcing her toward the center.
Toward me.
And toward them.
"They're regrouping," she said.
"I see it."
The leader pushed forward suddenly, forcing me back just enough to create space again.
That was all they needed.
The second they found that opening, the three of them moved back into formation.
Tighter this time.
More careful.
"They learn fast," I muttered.
"So do we," she replied.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my breathing to steady.
My body was starting to feel heavy again.
The limit break wasn't gone, but it wasn't as strong as before.
We couldn't drag this out.
"They're waiting for us to slow down," I said.
"Then we don't give them time."
Simple.
But dangerous.
I stepped forward again.
This time, not alone.
She moved with me.
Closer than before.
Not behind.
Not beside.
Aligned.
The leader's eyes narrowed slightly.
"They're adjusting."
We attacked together.
I aimed high.
She went low.
He blocked one.
Dodged the other.
But not perfectly.
Her strike landed.
Not strong enough to take him down.
But enough to shake him.
That was the second crack.
The first had been in their formation.
This one…
Was in their confidence.
"Focus," he said quickly.
But the rhythm had already shifted.
We pushed.
Harder.
Faster.
No hesitation.
No pause.
They tried to respond, but now they were reacting instead of controlling.
One of them rushed too early.
A mistake.
I caught his movement and turned it against him, redirecting his momentum and striking him cleanly in the chest.
He stumbled back.
Separated.
"There," she said.
We both saw it.
One of them was out of position.
That was our chance.
We moved at the same time.
Not thinking.
Not hesitating.
Ending it.