That was all Trafalgar needed.
He went in before the assassin could recover his footing, Maledicta already descending with enough weight. The man raised both knives by reflex and caught the strike high, though the impact bent his arms and drove him half a step back across the cracked tiles. Prime Core gave him enough power to stay upright. It did not give him grace.
'Prime.' The thought came instantly.
One rank above Flow. Annoying, especially with poison chewing through his body. Yet [Sword Insight] stayed silent, giving him only a flat absence where pressure should have been. Fast hands, ugly timing, useful feet, worthless technique.
Trafalgar pressed harder.
