The instant I registered Commandment’s perfectly timed support, the corner of my mouth twitched reflexively.
She had somehow covered precisely the portion I had been forced to give up, all without interfering in the slightest with the direction I intended to move.
Clang!
Meanwhile, Satan’s blades, caught by Commandment’s sword and mine, were knocked cleanly away.
If Satan had wanted, the contest of strength could probably have continued for several more seconds, but the recoil felt more like he had chosen to withdraw them himself.
Immediately afterward, Satan pulled four pitch-black tentacle-like things out from between the folds of the red earth.
Additional attacks meant to keep us occupied while he retrieved his blades.
“I’ll knock them aside.”
But before the tentacles had even fully emerged, Commandment predicted the attack merely from the fluttering folds and spoke lightly.
There was much omitted from those few words, but there was no need to ask what she intended to knock aside or how many.
Her sword traced a zigzag path wrapped in the radiance of a noble gemstone.
A sword path that left my route completely open while grinding the tentacles apart without mercy.
“I’ll fire.”
Then I should return the favor, shouldn’t I?
My foot shattered the ground as I pursued Satan while he withdrew.
Then I turned my sword into a thrusting stance and gathered…