She's good. Better than a fair number of men who call themselves SOLDIERs. Most of those men are simply... good enough. Strong enough to handle the average monster and keep the general populace in line. Not good enough to go toe-to-toe with him.

Accordingly, he shifts gears, not simply parrying but countering. Putting more of his strength into his strikes. People don't usually last long against this, but--

It's the branch that fails first, the wood snapping as his makeshift sword slams into hers.

Not that he seems inclined to stop for it.