The hundredth duel!

ㅤ Their gazes were full of determination. Neither was willing to give in to the other. The inevitable battle began heatedly, sparks flying as the clang of metal rang out. Leaping to the sides, the two men exchanged long-range attacks. Flynn took the brunt of the attack, defending himself, while Yuri leaped aside and went on the offensive. His swift and relentless attacks seemed to be pushing Flynn back, but his defenses were too strong to truly penetrate. Even so, Flynn was struggling. Yet he still found opportunities for heavy counterattacks, which Yuri deftly avoided: if one of those had hit him, the outcome of the battle would have been a foregone conclusion. The rest of the party watched the fighting from the sidelines. They looked somewhat dejected. Only Repede, sitting on the opposite side, traditionally not interfering in his masters' duel, looked resigned. He'd gotten used to it… Sometimes, as if mockingly, they mimicked each other with different versions of the same techniques, proving the effectiveness of each. Their fighting styles were so different, yet neither was inferior to the other. However… Flynn fell to the ground, exhausted. Holding onto the hilt of his sword thrust into the ground, Yuri spoke with difficulty, not quite triumphantly: "I won." But that was all he could muster—he instantly joined his friend on the grass. "It's a draw," Flynn argued, exhaling heavily. "You're out of strength too." "You fell first." The battle with Flynn was exhausting. Literally draining. But at the same time, that emptiness was filled with a pleasant feeling. And not at all from a dubious victory, but from a friendly warmth, for there was no one else who understood him better. Breathed in unison. So they both smiled, their heads barely touching. It no longer mattered what had stirred their souls and fanned the spark—all those things were trivial compared to their strong bond. ㅤ Rita exhaled, waving at them and walking off with everyone else to the now-dim fire, which hadn't received any attention. And they were just about to start cooking dinner… "Finally. I thought they'd never finish." "But you were the one who insisted on staying and watching," Judith drawled, a hint of teasing. Following the ladies, Raven didn't forget about male solidarity, sending a few healing arrows to urge the boys so they could join them sooner. He glanced knowingly at Repede. But he couldn’t do more: it was a sin to interfere in other people’s relationship issues. Especially since Yuri and Flynn always had their own atmosphere. ㅤ After some light healing, Yuri and Flynn found the strength to sit back to back, supporting each other. "Looks like you're catching up again," Yuri chuckled good-naturedly, reminiscing about the days when he couldn't even think about defeating Flynn. "Even if I can’t defeat you anymore, I’ll always be breathing down your neck," Flynn chuckled in a friendly tone. His first loss to Yuri, while not denting his pride, had certainly surprised him. And it had motivated him to keep going, growing stronger. The rivalry had given them both much. It hadn't ruined their friendship, but rather strengthened it. Sparring matches, both friendly and emotionally driven, erased all boundaries, along with any grudges, if any. "Why did we even start a fight this time?" Flynn asked suddenly, trying to remember. "We were supposed to be making dinner, weren't we?" At the word "dinner" Repede's ears perked up and his tail involuntarily wagged. Just as Yuri was about to reply, "I don't know. It probably doesn't matter," he and Flynn suddenly remembered everything with a single flick of Repede's tail. ㅤ "What!?" Rita nearly jumped, hearing the painfully familiar sound of swords crossing. "Again!? Where did they even get their strength from!?" Raven laughed awkwardly, reluctant to reveal himself, feeling guilty. He meant well… Estelle saved him by suggesting: "Maybe Flynn recovered first and healed them…?" "Never mind," Rita grumbled. "I guess they won't be back for dinner…" ㅤ Gritting their teeth, Flynn and Yuri tried to overpower each other, pressing their swords. But neither took a single step back. "I won't let you feed Repede that crap!" Yuri said menacingly. "It's bad for him!" "Sometimes it's okay to indulge!" Flynn retorted. "A fleeting pleasure isn't worth his health!" "One bite won't hurt him!" "That's just your imagination! I know him better!" "Don't brag!" the voice sounded almost insulted. The battle dragged on. The sun had long since disappeared below the horizon, and Repede continued to gaze longingly at his masters, having lost all hope that he would be fed today. Anything at all… Meanwhile, he refused, on principle, to eat the bowl of dinner Estelle had thoughtfully placed before him. ㅤ