Rahim attacked first this time.
Not recklessly, but decisively.
He moved forward with controlled speed, focusing entirely on reading the figure's reactions. His strikes came in quick succession, each one designed not just to hit, but to reveal patterns.
The figure responded calmly.
Too calmly.
Every movement Rahim made was met with the exact amount of force necessary to redirect it. No wasted energy. No unnecessary defense. The figure did not overpower him directly.
It simply denied him momentum.
Rahim adjusted instantly, changing angles, breaking rhythm, introducing unpredictability into his attacks the same way he always had before.
It worked against everyone else.
Not here.
The figure adapted immediately, not by reacting faster, but by already understanding the movement before it fully happened.
Rahim stepped back briefly, his breathing steady but his focus sharpening rapidly.
For the first time in a very long time
He could not read the fight
That realization irritated him more than he expected.
The figure remained perfectly composed.
You are relying on reaction.
Rahim frowned slightly.
And you are not
The figure answered without hesitation.
I do not react.
I decide.
The next movement proved it.
Before Rahim even shifted his stance, the figure had already moved into the space he intended to use next.
The attack landed cleanly.
Rahim felt the impact travel through his entire body as he was pushed backward across the battlefield.
He stopped himself several meters away and looked up again.
This opponent was not stronger than him in a simple sense.
It operated on an entirely different level.
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