Calling the names of his Spirits of Yang and Yin, Julius’s resolve hardened in the empty air. If his options were dwindling, he would simply put his faith in the possibilities that remained. He cast a Yang spell to vitalize himself and a Yin spell to place a burden on his foe. Furthermore—
"Kua!"
Tucking his knees and twisting his body, Julius kicked off a platform that shouldn't have been there— a block of ice created by his Water Spirit. By kicking it, he caught the opponent (who expected him to be stranded in the air) off guard, accelerating and diving back to the ground in a single burst.
He unleashed a flash of steel aimed at the figure emerging from the earth. He targeted the shoulder, intending to crush the bone and disable the arm to sap the opponent's fighting strength. Once again, the sensation of impact vanished.
Julius landed, his grip tightening on his beloved sword. He had been certain he caught him. A quiet sigh of admiration mixed with disappointment escaped his lips.
"Once again, my reading was shallow..."
"Nah, I reckon that was pretty grand. It was only a mock battle, but I almost got serious there for a sec and nearly wiped ya out by mistake."
The opponent, who had placed a hand-sword against the back of Julius's neck, laughed off Julius's "immaturity" with soft praise. This was Halibel, the "Admirer"— a wolfman shinobi of the Kararagi City-States and a living legend counted among the strongest on the planet.
Clearly, the peak was still far away. Though he felt the sting of defeat, Julius gracefully accepted it and sheathed his sword.