Sunshine

Chapter 38: Evergreen

Oscar's strikes came down in a relentless fury, his blade flashing with every swing, yet Bertilak, despite his injury, managed to block and parry each blow. The older man's mace met every attack with precision, even though blood still seeped from his wound, his breath labored. It was clear the rouge was hurting, but he refused to let it slow him down. Oscar could sense it—Bertilak wasn't as fast, yet somehow he was still managing to keep up.

Oscar leaped back, trying to create some space, breathing heavily. Frustration gnawed at him. He couldn't understand why he was having such a difficult time against an opponent who was clearly injured.

'Damn it! Why am I struggling so much?!' Oscar's thoughts raced with irritation. 'He's hurt—he should be slowing down! Unless... no, it can't be! Am I still not strong enough?' The thought sent a rush of anger through him, his grip tightening on his weapon.

On the opposite side, Bertilak's chest heaved, his expression betraying the fatigue setting in. 'The kid's good... but he's not good enough... Still, I need to end this fast. It's a miracle my wound hasn't torn open again... even with my semblance keeping it closed,' he thought grimly, glancing down at the faint glow around his injury.

Before Bertilak could make a move, Oscar lunged forward, pulling his sword back as if preparing for a strike to the left. Bertilak reacted instantly, swinging his mace to block, but in the last second, Oscar shifted. His blade cut towards Bertilak's right side instead, a deceptive maneuver meant to catch the rouge off guard.

Bertilak twisted his body and barely managed to deflect the blow. The clash of metal rang out, and Oscar growled in frustration, realizing his feint hadn't been enough.

A moment later, Bertilak swung his mace in retaliation. Oscar ducked under the heavy arc, feeling the air whoosh above his head. Spotting an opening, he struck without hesitation—his open palm driving into Bertilak's midsection. The impact forced a pained groan from the older man as he staggered back, clutching at his abdomen.

Bertilak let out a guttural growl as Oscar's palm strike connected dangerously close to his wound, sending a wave of pain through his body. Gritting his teeth, he fixed his eyes on the younger fighter, determination flaring in his gaze. There was no way he was going to let some kid outmatch him. With a sharp breath, Bertilak activated his semblance, and a faint shimmer pulsed across his skin, enveloping his entire body.

Without warning, he charged at Oscar, his maces swinging with deadly precision, each strike aimed to incapacitate.

At first, Oscar deftly dodged and parried each blow, his reflexes sharp. Bertilak's movements were visibly slower, and Oscar used that to his advantage, weaving between the swings with relative ease. But then, something strange began to happen. A wave of intense heat started to press against Oscar, growing hotter with each passing second.

'W-What the...?' Oscar's mind scrambled as beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. 'Why is it getting so hot all of a sudden?'

He narrowly ducked beneath one of Bertilak's wild swings, rolling to the side to gain some distance. His breath was shallow, not just from exertion but from the oppressive heat. When he finally pushed himself back to his feet and turned to face Bertilak again, a strange sensation washed over him. The air was cool. Crisp, even.

'Wait... it's cool now,' Oscar thought, confused. 'But it was just boiling near him... Could it be his semblance? Can his entire body generate heat?'

As Oscar felt the oppressive heat radiating from Bertilak, he began piecing it together. Something was definitely off, and now he had to confirm his suspicions. Gritting his teeth, he charged in once again, his blade poised for an upward strike. The sound of his footsteps echoed on the train's floor as he closed the distance.