The impact came before the old man could fully recover his stance.
Fenrir's flaming fist crashed into his blade, and the force behind the strike drove through his guard despite the water imbued within it, forcing his arms downward as the ground beneath his feet split from the pressure.
Unlike his werewolf form, Fenrir's power was weaker, but it was also much more controlled, and that precision made the attack even more dangerous as the force carried through the point of contact instead of dispersing.
The old man's footing broke for the first time as he was forced backward. He tightened his grip and twisted his body to redirect the force, letting the attack slide past him just enough to avoid taking it head-on, but even that slight deflection sent a jolt through his arms that almost forced him to drop his sword.
This was not the same creature he had been fighting moments ago.
