Dawn had succumbed to the enemy's tempo.
Evading the three blades did not take too much effort, but she was unable to overcome them.
'The best option is to shatter these blades, but their successive attacks prevent me from doing so...'
Steel met with solid Qi as Dawn parried another blade. While she intended to smash her fist upon the short, the long blade was already approaching.
Dawn ducked as the horizontal sweep flew over her head.
Qi surged in her muscles as she leapt from the spot where she was crouched, which exploded into rubble as another blade fell.
The relentless attacks of the blades kept Dawn moving, yet she did not tire.
Lifting her Iron Lotus, she drew an arc in the air and sent forth a crescent blade of pale gold.
'This again...'
Prompting the man to move to another rooftop, the crescent blade tore into the first building's rooftop.
"...!"
Another crescent blade was cutting towards him, forcing him to move again. Dawn moved between the blade's violent choreography and retaliated, sending her own attacks towards the man above.
For a moment, the construct-conjuring man's thoughts were delayed; his intentions to dodge took precedence over his intentions to attack.
In that moment, there was a slight lapse in the choreography of his blades, which allowed Dawn to traverse a great distance.
She continued this method to close the distance between her and her enemy gradually.
A single bead of sweat rolled down the construct-conjuring man's brow. He grasped the air and created another construct.
Qi bundled and thickened into a horse-sized hammerhead-like shape. Throwing his hand down, he cast the hammer into the ground.
Dawn avoided this attack, but was caught in the violent shockwave it produced as it uplifted the terrain.
The soil was pulverised, and Dawn's footing was disturbed.
The two short blades swung around to pierce Dawn's sides, while the long blade rose above to cut Dawn from above.
Dao Art -- Hallowed Shine!
Dawn's golden eyes shone with heat as flames spilt from within. Flames wreathed her body as Qi flowed into her arms.
Her physical strength surged, and a defensive layer protected her.
The first of the blades was batted away with Dawn's Iron Lotus. She then absorbed the impact of the second with Iron Lotus and grabbed onto the blade.
Should it have been made of metal, it would creak under the pressure of her grip, but due to its nature and Dawn's defensive Dao Art, the Qi that made up the blade began to writhe and disperse.
Shocked, the construct-conjuring man hastened his long blade to fall quicker, hoping to intercept Dawn's retaliation.
Releasing the blade from her grip, Dawn stepped back and grasped Iron Lotus in both hands.
Her Qi surged into the weapon's blade as she used it to clash against the falling long blade.
A sound similar to a heavy gust of wind and tearing fabric, the long blade was split by Dawn's Iron Lotus.
"This can't be!"
Scattering into countless wisps, the long blade of Qi burned before dispersing into the wind.
Grunting, the construct-conjuring man fell to his knees while clutching his chest.
"Tch!"
While Dawn noticed the man's staggered appearance, she was forced to avoid the horizontal sweep of the hammerhead construct.
However, Dawn also noticed the subtle desperation in the attacks of the constructs.
Each swing was discordant, no longer choreographed with the other's movements.
Crashing into the soil, the hammerhead was slammed without its full power, without the necessary windup.
'Has this one action overwhelmed him already?'
'Losing the long blade construct seems to have injured him... is he using her Qi Core as a Dao Art medium? No... that would not explain this 'backlash' he suffered.'
'Regardless, is his mental state truly this weak? Has one setback already troubled him so?'
With that thought, Dawn decided to push her way towards the construct-conjuring man.
Not only was she evading the desperate attacks of his constructs, but gradually whittling them down, as well.
The first to be destroyed was one of his short-bladed constructs, which Dawn destroyed with Dao Art -- Hallowed Shine.
Kneeling, a terrible pain assaulted the man's chest once again.
'This woman...!'
Fear was building within his eyes, and sweat continued to roll down his brow.
His actions were more panicked, more frenzied; his composure was lost immediately.
Then, the second short blade was destroyed, driving the man to his palms and knees.
'I... I can't let this go on any longer!'
With that thought, he recalled the hammerhead construct, mounting it with his limp body.
'Just what is he planning?'
Dawn remained vigilant as she watched the man's odd movements. Her eyes were wide with shock as she watched his next action.
He ran away.
Using the construct's innate ability to move freely through the air, the man used it to carry himself and escape.
"Do not try and escape!"
Roaring, Dawn jumped into the air as Qi surged through her legs.
She leapt to the rooftop and chased the man who tried to fly away.
Surprisingly, the construct's speed was greater than when it was attacking.
Even when composed or panicked, the speed of the construct's retreat was greater than its offensive intent.
In other words, Dawn could not catch up.
"You fiend! First, you wish to defile the Maiden's agency, not you wish to refuse your punishment! Turn around and face me like a warrior!"
"I don't care! Stay away from me, woman!"
Dawn's taunt didn't work.
The man's intentions were wholly dedicated to retreating.
Dawn's speed could not match his construct's speed, and his back gradually shrank away from her.
Thoughts arose and collided in Dawn's mind; she could not let this man get away, she refused to let him get away.
'I have no other choice...!'
Raising her right hand, Iron Lotus tightly gripped.
Dawn's strength surged as Qi flowed into her muscles.
Bringing her right foot forward, she crushed it into the tiles of the rooftop.
Twisting her body, she launched her Iron Lotus with incredible speed.
It was faster than Dawn's travel speed and greater than the construct's travel speed, as well.
In a few breaths' time, the distance between the Iron Lotus' blade and the hammerhead-like construct was closed.
With a devastating impact, it shattered the construct and continued to fly forward.
Screaming in pain, the man fell from the air, slamming against a rooftop. Inertia kept him moving as he fell off the ledge.
Dawn's weapon was also carried by the incredible power she put behind it, but was reduced by its collision with the construct.
It flew for a breath's time longer before flying through the window of an empty house.
'It struck!'
Without the construct aiding the man's retreat, Dawn was given a chance to close the distance between them.