I sheathed my sword calmly, the entire sequence having been executed in a way that made it appear almost effortless.
Behind me, I heard Changing Star's impressed chirping and sensed Kael's shocked reaction through the sudden silence.
I turned to find both of them staring at me with obvious amazement.
"That was..." Kael started, then trailed off, apparently unable to find appropriate words.
Chirp chirp!
Changing Star's vocalizations carried clear admiration, her tail swishing with excitement at having witnessed the display.
"You killed a Transcendent beast in seconds," Kael finally managed. "Just with... your body and sword skills."
"Pure fundamentals," I finished. "Strength, speed, technique, and positioning. Sometimes the most effective approach is the simplest one."
Kojiro nodded with professional approval. "Clean execution, Master. The deflection-counter combination was textbook perfect, and the killing strike showed no wasted motion or energy."
