My Substitute CEO Bride (Nash Calicraft) novel Chapter 2437

"Hmph, that's still better than the downfall of the Gallaghers," said Marino.

"Hey, hey, hey, did you get something wrong here? It was your family that caused the fall of the Gallaghers, wasn't it?! So, you'd better know your place and shut your mouth!" Teresa was clearly enraged.

She did not want to be entangled with the past. Yet now, her enemy was standing right in front of her, provoking her without fear. He was repeatedly crossing the line.

Marino drew his sword. "Oh, is that so? What a pity. All of you will probably repeat the same mistakes!"

Teresa pulled out two short staves from her waist and combined them. In an instant, one end of the staff transformed into a sharp spear.

"Let me show you the blade of the Gallagher family!"

"Hmph, my sword is no less deadly!"

With that, the two of them clashed fiercely.

Teresa took advantage of the length of her weapon to gain the upper hand temporarily. She knew she had to maintain control over the distance. If she got too close, Marino's sword could easily wound her.

However, keeping it mid-range was only useful for wearing him down. To land a fatal blow, she would still need to close the gap.

Essentially, this battle was a contest of endurance for both of them.

As long as neither of them exposed a vital weakness, the outcome would remain uncertain. But if one of them lost patience and got too close, a decisive strike could end the match instantly.

Even though Teresa appeared to be aggressively advancing with small, quick steps, these subtle movements allowed her to adjust the distance. If she sensed the range was off, she would immediately correct it.

Marino noticed her strategy and thought, 'This girl has never really closed in. She has always maintained a specific distance. She's probably wary of my abilities, and she hasn't used her true energy at all. How cautious of her…'

The arena echoed with the sounds of their fierce engagement. In the spectator seats, Anox and the others watched Teresa with bated breath.

Kalo asked anxiously, "Why is Teresa exhausting herself like this? This isn't her usual fighting style..."

When it reached its peak speed, the sword would produce afterimages, making it appear as though four swords were simultaneously slashing forward.

However, this ability was effective only within the weapon's range. Marino was confident that at such a close distance, he could end Teresa in an instant.

Nonetheless, Teresa just flashed a sly smile. "Finally, you've taken the bait."

In truth, Teresa's sudden attack was a ruse. It was a deliberate move to feign vulnerability and lure Marino in.

She knew Marino would seize the opening and initiate an attack, closing the gap between them.

Teresa understood Marino's abilities well as they were part of the Gallaghers' legacy. The Hansel family's ancestors had used that very power to kill the Gallaghers' patriarch.

Thus, she was well-versed in the Hansel family's techniques as well as their weaknesses.

Suddenly, Teresa's two staves separated. One of them swiftly lunged toward Marino's chest.