Snippet #938859

Martial arts required a powerful perpetual control over the body few could match once one has mastered a style. For the Wind General, he had no particular set style. He was the water- a being that could flow... or crash. Trained to be aware of where he was, and what he was doing along with his enemy made him a devastating force when partaking in one-on-one combat. He was no immortal, but once again- he did not become a General at such a young age for no reason. With complete focus on the battle area, instead of just Shokunen himself, he was able to use peripheral vision to mark oncoming attacks far more quickly than a human should have. As the lance swung in a vicious swipe, Fong's body began moving. His body, dipping way below to the left, was bolstered by his flexibility as well as how light his robes were. Swinging his body across, the spear pass over his back and head, just barely skimming his body. Then, the General noticed something. Because the Lamian Prince didn't take advantage of that, instead swinging his lance above to attempt a skull crusher, Fong's mind reacted instantly. The Prince was trying to set him up. Since Fong had no idea what the Prince was trying to do, all the lessons he had learned from his mentor set in.

The best defense was a good offense at this point. Disrupt the enemy. Do not let him do what he wants. Redirect the force. Remember the 13 laws. Since Fong did not attempt to dodge backward out of the way, he remained fairly close to the Prince, as well as his body balanced by the numerous hours of practice he put into solidifying his stance to become immovable by normal means. Fong did exactly the opposite of what a normal fighter did, and that was charge in. It was his best shot. Examining the Lamian Prince, his center of balance was the first few feet of his tail- the part strongest enough to support his weight and keep him level. That would be a very, very difficult thing to disrupt. A normal human he would have on the ground in less than a few seconds. This required adapting. As the Prince brought down the lance, Fong brought one sword up. Not to block, but to attack. The spear was merely an obstacle. Instead of bringing a force to directly oppose the lance, he took it in a diagonal punching motion with the sword, causing all the force directed into the lance to shoot back up into the Lamia's arm. This would result in Shokunen jerking backward as all the power he directed into the spear was forced back into his body. This would result in a slower, true attack from the tail. However, that attack from under would never happen as Fong immediately took the opportunity and slashed at the Lamia's gut with deadly precision. Being hit by such an attack would slice straight through where Fong believed the liver was, causing the blood pressure to drop and make the Lamia pass out within a minute. That's only if it directly hit, of course.

The presence of the Nightmarians disturbed Fong slightly. He had allowed General Ebon to mark him, as it only served to better communication between the forces. Of course, he was very opposed to it, but eventually accepted it harshly due to it's nature of only being useful later. He called upon this link, the Nightmarians were becoming a problem.

"Curses. I shall handle the enemy General from wreaking havoc in our lines. Ebon, I will give you full command over the army until I am finished." He said, a cold edge in his voice as he fought the Lamian Prince. Practicality was an essential tool when leading an army. He knew when to swallow his pride and when to hold his head high.

---

Nightmarians, a whole horde of them. Well, that Prince certainly is pulling out all the stops. Turning the entire field into a magic block was a risky move on his part, but since the Civil armies had more mages with the arrival of Gale Bringer, it was the best thing to do. Mercy watched with interest as the mages fell back into the shield bubble, being replaced with armored pike men reentering the fray. Some managed to continue using magic to their desired effect, but the numbers were painfully small. A red ant turned over and looked at Mercy.

"You aren't going to partake in the fun?" He asked questioningly. Mercy smiled, revealing her shining inscizors.

"Dear, unless Shokunen gives me another paycheck, I don't have to do a thing." She said, her luminous red eyes blinking slowly.