Chapter 32: Fierce Battle

He tightened the straps of his backpack to ensure it wouldn't hinder his movements, then gripped his longsword firmly. This sword, once belonging to a mercenary swordsman, was finely forged from steel and had been meticulously maintained. Yet, after contact with the venom of a viper, the blade now visibly shimmered with a toxic aura.

Compared to the weapon in Liu Zhi's hand, his opponent's armament was far more primitive—a macuahuitl, the traditional weapon of the Aztec civilization. Its main body was a wooden club, over a meter long and ten centimeters wide, resembling a wooden oar. Embedded along both edges were sharp, slender blades of obsidian.

Although this weapon appeared inferior to steel arms, Liu Zhi was convinced that in his adversary's hands, a single blow could sever a head. Thus, as he faced his opponent, Liu Zhi resolved to dodge first and counterattack later, avoiding a direct contest of strength.

No sooner had Liu Zhi readied himself than the warrior charged toward him. Clad in armor made from jaguar skin, the attire marked him as one of the most elite Jaguar Warriors. As his foe rushed at him, Liu Zhi felt as though an actual jaguar was leaping toward its prey.

In the face of this assault, Liu Zhi tapped the ground with his foot and sprang backward, employing the shadowy counterstep of the Z-shaped Secret Sword technique. In that fleeting moment, a powerful gust swept past him, and the macuahuitl slashed through the air where he’d just stood.

From this single exchange, Liu Zhi immediately gauged that the Jaguar Warrior’s strength exceeded 5.0—matching him blow for blow was out of the question. He would have to rely on speed and skill.

With this in mind, Liu Zhi twisted his right hand, sending his sword stabbing at the warrior’s throat from an unexpected angle. Years of jungle warfare had rendered the Jaguar Warrior highly knowledgeable about venomous snakes; the instant Liu Zhi struck, he sensed the heavy poison on the blade.

Yet the warrior took no offense—his own arrows and spears were often smeared with the most lethal poison harvested from rainforest dart frogs. To them, poisoning weapons was no shame; in fact, acquiring potent toxins was a mark of talent.

The Jaguar Warrior twisted his torso and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the thrust. His body rebounded with uncanny speed, transforming his macuahuitl from a cleaving chop into a sweeping arc aimed at Liu Zhi’s left hand. The fluid change in attack revealed to Liu Zhi that his opponent’s speed was also around 5.0.

Coupled with superior combat experience, the warrior quickly gained the upper hand, forcing Liu Zhi onto the defensive. Fortunately, Liu Zhi’s weapon was a solid steel sword, still slick with venom. Knowing he was outmatched in weaponry, the Jaguar Warrior avoided direct clashes with Liu Zhi’s blade, instead targeting his openings and deftly evading when Liu Zhi attacked. This kept Liu Zhi from being quickly overwhelmed.

However, Liu Zhi knew this particular weapon was not suited to prolonged, continuous swings; such heavy arms could only be wielded at full force for ten or fifteen minutes at most. As a seasoned Jaguar Warrior, his opponent was well aware of his own limits and would not gamble on a desperate last stand. He would aim to finish the fight decisively before reaching exhaustion.

Sure enough, after familiarizing himself with Liu Zhi’s style, the Jaguar Warrior began to attack with increased speed, capitalizing on his advantage in strength and agility. He abandoned technical finesse, launching broad, forceful strikes at Liu Zhi’s vital points.

Each blow forced Liu Zhi to respond with all his might. At first, he managed to dodge and even counterattack. But as the tempo increased, he struggled even to keep up; every attempted thrust left him vulnerable, his opponent exploiting each fleeting opening.

Only Liu Zhi’s decade of foundational sailor’s swordsmanship kept him alive. Realizing his weakness, he swiftly adapted, using one hand to fend off blows while reaching for his backpack with the other.

His backpack had been modified for such moments, with a side opening usually tied shut. In emergencies, he could quickly untie it and grab what he needed without delay. Now, in dire straits, Liu Zhi didn’t bother to select carefully—he seized whatever came to hand and hurled it at the Jaguar Warrior.

The warrior was unfazed by such tactics; he, too, carried a quiver and would not hesitate to use thrown weapons or blow darts if necessary. Seeing Liu Zhi resort to such measures, he judged that his opponent was nearly spent—a little more pressure, and victory would be his.

Yet Liu Zhi had planned for such contingencies. He’d stored a variety of makeshift tools within easy reach: bags of quicklime, bottles of chili oil, and the like. As he threw them, the Jaguar Warrior, unaware of their nature, simply smashed them apart with a flick of his macuahuitl, scattering a cloud of fine powder through the air.

This was Liu Zhi’s chance. He swept aside the macuahuitl and pointed at his foe. “Supernatural Ability: Gale Force.”

A sudden wind surged from behind Liu Zhi, sweeping the powder toward the Jaguar Warrior. For the first time in the duel, the warrior faltered; he had not expected Liu Zhi to possess magical prowess as well as passable combat skills. The powder and liquid mixed in the air, not as potent as before, but still more than enough.

The moment the quicklime struck his eyes, the Jaguar Warrior felt a searing pain, his vision nearly blinded. Roaring with fury, he lunged at Liu Zhi, brandishing his macuahuitl. In that instant, Liu Zhi saw hope—he darted to the side, aiming to thrust at the warrior’s flank.

Yet his movement was too bold. The blinded warrior instinctively swept his macuahuitl sideways, catching Liu Zhi’s longsword with a full-powered blow and sending it flying from his grasp.