Jace quickly moved forward towards Joash, using the new electrical sliding technique he accidentally developed. He slashed upwards in a diagonal arc. But because he moved so quickly his balance was off resulting in a weaker attack.
He managed to cut through Joash’s armor’s shielding and caused a cut to appear on the surface of the armor. But then Jace had to dodge backwards as Joash swung at him. He used the momentum to wind up for another attack but as he was moving backwards he bounced off a pillar throwing him off balance.
After catching his balance again he released he could not learn this new thing completely mid battle. Instead he would have to use it where he could. Because if he tried to overuse it, the new technique would be more trouble than it was worth.
As Jace repositioned a distance away. Joash brought up the hammer and then swung it in his direction. Twisting his hand at a certain point when the head of the hammer was pointing at him. Then they both watched as the red flames that were around the mechanized hammer were unleashed. The ball of flames flew through the air at a rapid speed.
Jace tapped his foot activating the electric sliding technique and moved to the side out of the path of the mobile inferno that was turning everything around it into molten material. Jace tapped his foot again, deactivating the technique. Then he jumped forward and put his sword back behind him to make it look like he was about to do an upward slash.
But hidden from view of Joash, behind Jace’s back, the longsword turned into the shorter and much more maneuverable gladius. While on his left arm the device attached to it that was discreet and under most people’s view began to glow discreetly.
Joash brought his hammer down in a downward arc in order to either dissuade Jace’s attack or crush him into the ground. The mechanized hammer lacked the flames that it usually had. The hammer seemed to have a portion of time after unleashing an attack like that when it could not generate flames.
As soon as he was close enough his arm holding the gladius moved like whip, rapidly going under Joash’s notice until the gladius was buried to the hilt in his body. While Jace brought his other hand and caught the head of the hammer with his palm. Letting the force of the strike move through his body and into the ground with a technique that the Director had once shown him.
It also allowed him to move some of the force into his own strike. It disoriented Joash for a second and Jace took advantage as the Tacole felt unsteady like he was in an earthquake. Jace channeled electricity into the gladius and into Joash’s body.
"AARRGGHHH!!!!" Joash screamed as arcs of electricity went from between him and nearby pieces of metal. Jace twisted the blade that was cutting into Joash’s midsection and went to disembowel his enemy.
But before Jace got the opportunity he was suddenly kicked by Joash. Jace flew backwards and slammed into a pillar. The pillar stopped his sudden flight but was now bent and buckling, no longer able to support the weight of the floors above it like it used to.
Jace ignored the spider webs of cracks that were spreading through both the roof and the floor as he dropped to the ground and quickly jumped toward Joash. Joash, seeming to sense his impending doom instead pointed his hammer at Jace and a plume of red flames were unleashed toward Jace.
Jace was midair so he could not use the electrical sliding technique to dodge. So instead he readied the arm that did not have the gladius and three small white pieces of material shot out. They spread out in the air making a triangle.
Then as Joash’s view was blocked by the plume of flames a thick blue energy shield appeared between the white pieces of material. The mobile shielding working as Jace raced forward continuing on his path through the plume of red flames.
He could feel his armor and in turn his body heating up under the influence of the flames but remained undamaged since the mobile shielding was taking the brunt of the attack. Jace then dashed under the hammer when he arrived at the source of the plume of fire.
Jace slid on the ground under the hammer but as Joash noticed his sudden appearance it was already too late. Jace was close enough as he cut through one of the hands that was holding the hammer. Then as he slid past his enemy he cut through his leg, cleanly severing it with ease.
"AAARRGGHH!!" Joash screamed again as he fell to the ground. Barely using the fallen hammer to support himself as the hammer stopped shooting the plume of fire. Unnoticed by Joash the white pieces of metal flew back to the hidden component on Jace’s arm, but instead of being white they were now glowing red from the heat but remained undamaged.
Jace stopped sliding and moved back towards Joash and swung his weapon in a downward arc as it switched from a gladius to a longsword to get the extra reach he needed as he detached Joash’s other arm from his body.
Joash collapsed backwards while his mechanized hammer slammed into the ground. The red flames that had begun to exude from it were quickly disappearing. Jace went to go and execute Joash when he heard a loud cracking noise.
His head snapped up and he quickly looked around. He found the source of the cracking. It was the sound of several pillars falling apart. It seemed the damage to this floor during their battle had resulted in too much damage. Whether it was Jace cutting through a few or slamming into others or Joash melting others with his intense flames the damage had accumulated drastically.
But before Jace could decide on a course of action he heard a voice quiet almost like it was whispering, He looked down and saw that Joash was trying to speak to him.