Margaret tightened her grip on her sword.
On the surface, she remained composed. To anyone watching, she looked no different from before, as if the battle had yet to take its toll on her.
But that was not the truth.
The relentless waves they had endured had already pushed her far past what most knights could handle. Under normal circumstances, even the most seasoned knight would have sought rest by now.
She did not have that luxury.
The power behind each strike from Admiral Julius rivaled that of a Dullahan, forcing her to meet every attack with absolute focus. She could cut through them, yes. That much remained within her capabilities.
But the cost was beginning to show.
A dull ache spread through her arms, and the strain only kept accumulating with every motion as each deflection pushed her closer to her limit.
It was not a question of whether she could respond to the attacks, but whether her body could continue to endure the force that came with them.
