Sunlight filtered through the towering trees as two figures faced each other in a vast clearing deep within the forest.
Aishwarya and Kamali stood still.
A gentle breeze swept through the trees, carrying fallen leaves across the grassy ground.
Neither woman spoke.
They simply stared into each other's eyes.
Then—
BOOM!
Both shot forward simultaneously.
Their fists collided in the center of the clearing.
Without wasting another second, they launched into a fierce exchange of close combat.
Kamali threw a straight punch.
Aishwarya tilted her head and dodged it by mere inches.
She immediately countered with a spinning kick.
Kamali raised her forearm and blocked it before retaliating with a low sweep.
Aishwarya jumped over it.
Their movements flowed continuously.
Punch.
Kick.
Block.
Counter.
Dodge.
Neither allowed the other a single moment to breathe.
BAM!
Aishwarya drove her shoulder into Kamali, forcing her several steps backward.
Kamali slid across the ground before regaining her balance.
A smile slowly appeared on her face.
"You're good."
She rolled her shoulders.
"I didn't expect your close combat skills to be this polished."
Aishwarya smiled confidently.
"I wasn't good in hand-to-hand combat."
She tightened her fists.
"So I trained until it stopped being my weakness."
Kamali chuckled.
"So you think that alone is enough to defeat me?"
Aishwarya nodded.
"I know it is."
Kamali's smile widened.
"Oh..."
She slowly reached into her pocket.
"Then let's make this interesting."
She pulled out two metallic claw weapons.
Each claw fitted over the back of her hands, extending several razor-sharp blades beyond her fingers.
Sunlight reflected off the polished steel.
CLICK!
The claws locked into place.
A dangerous aura spread around Kamali.
"Now..."
She lowered her stance.
"Let's see what you can do."
WHOOSH!
She disappeared.
Her speed had increased dramatically.
The razor-sharp claws slashed toward Aishwarya's face.
Aishwarya barely leaned backward in time.
The blades sliced through several strands of her hair.
"Too close."
Kamali didn't stop.
She attacked relentlessly.
Every slash aimed for a vital point.
Her claws flashed through the air like silver lightning.
Aishwarya could do nothing but dodge.
One attack after another.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The pressure was overwhelming.
"I can't counter..."
She narrowly avoided another slash.
"Her attacks leave me no opening!"
Kamali suddenly changed direction.
She feinted high—
Then attacked low.
The claw sliced across Aishwarya's forearm.
SLASH!
Blood splattered onto the grass.
"Tch!"
Aishwarya winced.
Before she could recover—
Kamali's kick slammed into her stomach.
BAM!
Aishwarya was thrown backward.
She rolled across the ground before stopping beside a tree.
Blood trickled down her injured arm.
Kamali casually twirled one of her claws.
"What happened?"
She smiled mockingly.
"Is this really all you've got?"
Aishwarya ignored the taunt.
She calmly removed a handkerchief from her pocket and tightly wrapped it around her bleeding arm.
"...I made a mistake."
She stared at Kamali.
"I underestimated her."
She was older.
Far more experienced.
And far more skilled.
Thinking she could win through close combat alone had been foolish.
A slow smile appeared on Aishwarya's face.
Kamali noticed it immediately.
"What are you smiling about?"
Suddenly—
Crimson flames erupted around Aishwarya.
The surrounding temperature rose instantly.
Fire wrapped around both her fists.
Then spread across her legs.
The grass beneath her feet began turning black.
Aishwarya slowly lifted her head.
"Sorry."
Her eyes burned with determination.
"I won't underestimate you again."
"This time..."
Her flames intensified.
"I'm fighting at full strength."
BOOM!
She exploded forward.
Far faster than before.
Aishwarya leaped high into the air.
Her flaming leg descended like a blazing axe.
Kamali quickly jumped aside.
BOOOOM!
The kick smashed into the earth.
The ground shattered beneath the impact.
Dust exploded into the air.
Kamali stared in surprise.
"...That power."
She immediately widened the distance.
"So coating her limbs with fire strengthens her physical attacks."
Aishwarya gave her no time to think.
She rushed again.
Kamali slashed with both claws.
Aishwarya smoothly sidestepped.
Her movements had completely changed.
She spun gracefully around Kamali before delivering a fiery kick.
Kamali barely avoided it.
Another kick came immediately afterward.
Then another.
Each movement flowed naturally into the next.
Like dancing.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
Kamali's expression became serious.
"This isn't ordinary martial arts..."
She narrowly escaped another attack.
"It's like..."
She watched Aishwarya glide effortlessly around her.
"...she's dancing."
Every step.
Every spin.
Every strike.
Perfect rhythm.
Perfect timing.
Kamali attacked again.
Her claws sliced toward Aishwarya's legs.
Instead of dodging—
Aishwarya raised her flaming shin.
CLANG!
The claws struck the burning fire.
For a split second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
SSSSSSSS!
The metal began glowing red.
Kamali's eyes widened.
"My claws?!"
They melted before her eyes.
Aishwarya spun.
A flaming kick slammed toward Kamali's ribs.
Kamali desperately blocked with her other claw.
CRACK!
That claw melted too.
The ruined weapon flew from her hand.
She stumbled backward.
"No way..."
She had lost both weapons.
Before she could recover—
Aishwarya's flaming fist shot toward her face.
Too fast.
She couldn't dodge.
She couldn't block.
The blazing punch raced toward her.
Then—
Kamali smiled.
Just before impact—
The flames surrounding Aishwarya's fist vanished.
"...What?"
Aishwarya's eyes widened.
Kamali grabbed her wrist.
"I got you."
Her knee slammed into Aishwarya's stomach.
BAM!
Aishwarya flew backward several meters.
She immediately stood up.
Confusion filled her face.
"What just happened?"
Kamali laughed softly.
"What?"
"Scared already?"
Aishwarya ignored the comment.
Instead, she formed a sphere of blazing fire.
"Take this, Flame Ball!"
She hurled it forward.
The fireball raced toward Kamali.
Then—
It disappeared.
Completely.
Only a few meters before reaching its target.
"...Impossible."
Aishwarya stared in disbelief.
"What happened to my attack?"
Kamali folded her arms.
"Is that all?"
Frustration built inside Aishwarya.
She created another fireball.
Then another.
Then five at once.
She launched them all.
One after another.
Every single one disappeared before touching Kamali.
As if something invisible erased them.
Aishwarya's heartbeat quickened.
"How..."
She clenched her fists.
"...is she doing this?"
Kamali smiled without answering.
Aishwarya refused to give up.
She extended both hands.
Prāṇa gathered rapidly between her palms.
The surrounding flames converged into a single point.
The air trembled.
"Flame Rupture!"
A massive beam of fire erupted toward Kamali.
The forest lit up with brilliant crimson light.
Kamali remained perfectly still.
She didn't dodge.
She didn't defend.
She simply smiled.
Then—
The beam vanished.
Just like the fireballs.
Gone.
Without touching her.
Silence filled the battlefield.
Aishwarya's pupils trembled.
She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.
"My strongest technique..."
"...disappeared."
Kamali slowly began walking toward her.
One step.
Then another.
Each step echoed through the silent clearing.
Aishwarya instinctively reignited flames around her fists.
She lowered herself into another fighting stance.
Even if her ranged attacks failed—
She could still fight.
Kamali suddenly stopped.
A grin spread across her face.
"You know..."
She looked directly into Aishwarya's eyes.
"I don't even need to come close anymore."
Aishwarya frowned.
"What?"
"I can defeat you..."
Kamali smiled.
"...from right here."
Before Aishwarya could understand—
The flames around her fists suddenly went out.
"...What?"
Then—
A sharp pain gripped her chest.
She froze.
"...Huh?"
Her breathing became difficult.
She desperately tried inhaling.
Nothing.
Air wouldn't enter her lungs.
She grabbed her throat.
"W-What..."
Panic filled her eyes.
"I..."
She gasped desperately.
"...can't breathe..."
Her knees struck the ground.
She coughed violently.
But no air came.
Her vision slowly blurred.
Her body lost all strength.
She collapsed onto the grass.
Her chest burned as if it were being crushed from the inside.
"I..."
She reached toward Kamali.
"...can't..."
Another desperate gasp.
"...breathe..."
Kamali slowly walked toward her.
A cruel smile spread across her face.
She began laughing.
"Hahaha..."
She looked down at the struggling Aishwarya.
"You fool."
She kicked Aishwarya hard in the stomach.
THUD!
"Agh!"
Aishwarya cried out in pain.
Yet she still couldn't breathe.
Kamali crouched beside her.
"Look at yourself."
She smiled mockingly.
"Pathetic."
Aishwarya's vision became darker with every passing second.
Her body grew numb.
Her strength faded.
As Kamali's laughter echoed through the forest...
Aishwarya realized—
For the first time since this battle began—
She was standing at the edge of defeat.
TO BE CONTINUED…