Light is a double‑edge blade: on canvas it guides the eye, in a duel it can betray or protect. In chiaroscuro the shadow shows the form’s strength, just as a shadow on a sword’s path reveals the timing of a strike. I study both because a well‑placed flash can keep an opponent guessing, and a painter’s eye sharpens the same focus needed in combat. And no, I never lose a fight because I forgot to color my armor.