Dragon and Tiger
The day after their standoff, the long-awaited match that only those in the know would recognize finally dawned. At present, it was nothing more than a petty brawl between a slave purchased at great expense from the western regions and a young noble from a prestigious house. Yet if these two possessed talents worthy of carving their names into history, even this clash could become part of legend. Naturally, the fighters themselves cared nothing for such grand notions. For these two hot-blooded young beasts, only one thing mattered—who among the two standing here was the superior creature.
"Sleep well? If you claim you couldn't rest because the bed felt unfamiliar, that excuse would be far too pathetic."
"Ha! What drivel! You'd better not regret showing such pointless mercy!"
Truthfully, whether the bed was familiar or not hardly mattered. A man who had lived as a slave or nearly homeless would have no trouble sleeping soundly once fed well and given a proper place to rest. Richard, in particular, was in peak condition right now.
Following Yuan Shu's insistence that one should never skip meals, the two finished a light yet satisfying breakfast before heading to the training grounds reserved exclusively for Yuan Shu within the vast Yuan estate. Though the only spectator was Yuan Shao, an undeniable clash of the ages was about to begin.
There was no signal to start. The moment they took their positions, the fight had already begun. A life-or-death struggle did not require anyone's permission to commence. The initial stillness came only from each fighter seeking the most advantageous position. It was not technique or experience that guided them, but pure instinct—the instinct of those born with talent so overwhelming they could dominate others with it alone. The air felt like the eerie calm before a storm.
Yet that silence was merely the herald of the tempest to come. Breaking the suffocating stillness, Richard moved first, a savage grin on her lips.
Damn it. When did I start playing these petty games of probing?
She had always been a predator standing at the pinnacle of the wild, an unmatched warrior in battle. Being captured and humiliated had been nothing more than a matter of circumstance. I know you're strong, young master. But that won't be enough!
Her arrogance in always looking down on opponents was backed by genuine skill, turning it into unshakable confidence. Crack! Her body was in flawless condition, so she decided to unleash everything. Her movements were sharper than even the beasts of the plains, as ferocious and vicious as a predator that had locked onto its prey.
Richard's fist grazed Yuan Shu's guard.
Fast.
Yuan Shu blocked the strike with his forearm, but his eyes narrowed. She truly was no ordinary opponent—faster and sharper than anyone he had faced before.
You think you're faster than me?
She charged past him in a single explosive movement, appearing at his back. When Yuan Shu swung his fist backward, Richard dropped low and drove a kick into his knee. Though the blow made him flinch, he tried to press forward—only for Richard to prove faster still. Whoosh! With rubber-like elasticity, she sprang off the ground and spun into a kick aimed at his jaw. Yuan Shu abandoned his attack and jerked his head back, then immediately countered with a punch. Richard tilted her head to let it graze past and drove in a counter of her own.
Thud—!!
Her fist slammed into his face with vicious precision. Richard's strength was monstrous, her body tempered like steel. Yet what defined her was not power—it was speed. Swift, elastic, precise, and lethal, all at a level that transcended human limits. Even Yuan Shu struggled to catch her movements.
"Hah... So that's how fast you are?"
Yuan Shao could barely follow the exchange with her eyes. But Richard was not the only one blessed with overwhelming physical gifts.
"They say the moment you attack is when you're most vulnerable..."
Grab!
Yuan Shu seized Richard's body. He lacked her speed and agility, but he was far sturdier and stronger.
Since grabbing her outright would be difficult, he plans to take a hit and catch her instead? Is that the kind of thinking a pampered young master from a wealthy house comes up with?!
Taking a blow on purpose was easier said than done, even for someone with exceptional durability. Just what kind of life had this man lived in such a noble household to fight like this? Those raised in luxury usually grew cautious, not reckless.
Recognizing the grappling throw he had suffered before, Richard lowered her center of gravity to brace for it—only for Yuan Shu to do something else entirely.
Crack!
"?!"
A sharp pain shot through her leg as her balance wavered. Instead of throwing her, he had swept her inner thigh.
"Let's see that fancy footwork of yours now!"
As Yuan Shu moved to rip her off balance, Richard desperately tried to defend. It was a feint. Pretending to throw her with one hand, he closed the distance and drove his elbow into her forehead instead.
"Ugh...!"
Such a refined feint...! Damn it, how does a sheltered young master learn and use something like this...?!
Richard had no time to finish the thought. This time, Yuan Shu truly hurled her to the ground. Yet even while disoriented, she reacted with lightning speed. A true genius was not so fragile as to lose momentum from a single surprise. Mid-air, she kicked Yuan Shu's chest three times in rapid succession, creating distance to escape. Then, despite nearly being caught and punished moments earlier, she charged straight back at him.
Her refusal to be shaken by failure, her absolute faith in herself—every rumor she had heard in the western lands had been accurate. Though she wore human skin, her heart was that of a beast. Richard, the one with the heart of a lion.
If you can catch me, then try!
Richard shifted into an even higher gear.
"...!"
Thududududududududu!!
As Richard streaked forward like lightning, Yuan Shu raised his guard—only for her to hammer it dozens of times in a single breath.
Kuh, she's no joke...!
It was not merely speed. Her strikes were fast and precise. While battering his guard, she targeted openings his defense could not cover, and even glancing blows were delivered with enough sharpness to tear skin and draw blood.
Defense alone would never win. Just as Yuan Shu prepared to weather the storm and counter, a kick slammed into his side.
Thud—!!
Using the momentum, she launched herself into the air and smashed her other foot into his head.
Crack!!!
The explosive impact made Yuan Shu stagger.
"I'll admit you're a little talented, but you're no match for me! Spoiled young master!"
As Richard landed lightly and prepared to finish the reeling Yuan Shu with a spinning strike, he gritted his teeth and drove forward.
Thud—!!
"Kuh...!?"
Yuan Shu tackled her like a charging bull. No matter how strong she is, my techniques from the modern era should still be superior! Just as he tried to topple her, Thud! A spear-like knee struck his solar plexus. Crack! Seizing the opening, she flowed into a front kick that snapped his chin upward, followed by Bang!! a backfist to his temple.
Even Yuan Shu could not emerge unscathed from such blows. Her martial prowess and reflexes had reached the realm of the divine, and he felt every ounce of it.
Crack!!
"?!"
As Richard tried to press forward again, she flinched. A swift, concise kick from below struck her shin. The heavy, deep impact made her grimace—then Yuan Shu lowered his stance and charged once more. Richard adjusted her posture to counter with a kick, but—
Thud—!!
"Ah...?"
A dull shock exploded in her head. Yuan Shu had feinted the tackle and instead swung a heavy fist into her blind spot.
"I'll admit you're fast. But do you really think your body is tougher than mine?"
Smack!!
Once again, Yuan Shu's whip-like kick lashed into her shin. The two continued their exchange—Yuan Shu advancing relentlessly, Richard gritting her teeth and fighting back. Each of their strengths shone brilliantly.
"A dragon and a tiger... Haha, this is far beyond my ability to judge!"
Yuan Shao watched with growing delight as the battle intensified.