Chapter 42: The Duke’s Guidance (Last Part)
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The Duke’s body was instantly enveloped in the mist.
I secretly rejoiced in my heart, retreating two steps backward before waving my hand to condense more than ten ice spheres around my body, then launched them toward the figure in the ice mist.
Although the extre cold might not affect you much, it should at least be able to confuse your judgnt, right?
Ice balls hitting the body really hurt!
With my lips almost unable to hold back from curling upward, I secretly made a victory V-sign in my heart.
Got one back!
However, a few seconds later, I realized I had celebrated too early.
Even though the ice mist had obscured his vision, when the ice balls ca, the figure inside rely swayed slightly, sohow managing to dodge them all!
I was shocked, my mouth hanging open.
“Ha! Putting lessons into practice, not bad, not bad. I was careless.”
The Duke spoke while walking out of the ice mist, his face still maintaining that composed expression.
This round of surprise attacks hadn’t caused him any trouble at all.
How? How did he do it, by listening to the sound?!
That reaction speed…
I stomped my foot in frustration, wanting to continue the attack but feeling wary of the giant sword in his hand. Moreover, at this distance, I felt he could use that strange footwork to reach in an instant.
Thinking of this made panic, and I quickly hopped backward several tis to escape.
Then, staring at the Duke’s sharp figure, my eyes gradually began to brighten.
I had no idea how to defeat him.
So amazing, truly amazing!
“Uncle Duke.”
“Hmm?”
“Between you and Carlos, who’s stronger?”
This question made the Duke’s expression slightly freeze.
“What made you suddenly ask this?”
“Curiosity.”
I just wanted to know how far I was from that smug bearded knight without using Abyssal power.
“Hmm…” The Duke planted his ice-blue giant sword in the ground, hesitated sowhat awkwardly for a mont, then smiled, “Although I’ve never crossed swords with him, I think Carlos would probably win.”
Well, an expected answer… right?
Carlos is too strong; it’ll take ti before I can fulfill my wish of bullying him with force.
“But you shouldn’t think too much about it. After all, my Order Power isn’t first-rate, and I can’t use violent thods of attack like you can. That happens to be what puts Carlos at a disadvantage, because that guy, like , can’t be called a genius.”
As if sighing, the Duke shook his head.
“Not relying on talent, not relying on nobility, and not depending on excellent weapons.” At this point, he chuckled while glancing at his tal left arm, “Making it this far purely on that drive alone, you can’t help but admire him…”
Oh, that’s quite high praise.
I originally thought Carlos was the type who had high talent and was strong enough without needing to try particularly hard. But hearing the Duke’s words, it seems sowhat different from what I thought.
Drive?
With that lazy appearance of his, where does he look like soone with drive? No motivation is more like it.
“Well, shall we continue the battle?”
The Duke hefted his giant sword, asking .
I secretly glanced at Madam Catherine in the distance.
She had been waving and calling for us to stop since earlier.
…Feels like she’ll get angry.
But how can I be content to end it like this?
I nodded.
“Continue.”
The Duke’s smile grew wider.
“Then co.”
The giant sword in his hand danced with blue lights, whirling and howling at his side.
Ice mist sprinkled onto the ground, spreading frost inch by inch.
He walked toward .
Suddenly, I rembered when slaying the Endless Abyss, that final strike seed to… have ford ice like this.
That azure color, that feeling… what was it like?
I recall that at that ti, I was blinded by anger, my mind filled only with thoughts of killing the monster before , but ordinary ice spikes couldn’t break through its defense, so I kept compressing the temperature and density of the ice with Order Power.
Finally forming an unbreakable azure blade that instantly pierced the monster’s head.
Not sure if I can achieve it again, but might as well try.
Blue light flashed in my right hand, and an ice spike appeared in my palm. I concentrated, trying my best to recall how I did it then.
Can’t lower the temperature over a large area, need to focus on the ice spike in hand…
Then… compress, compress more, keep compressing.
Crack, crack.
The explosive sounds I could hear in my ears suggested the ice’s compression was eting great resistance.
Not enough, continue.
Crack.
I saw the Duke’s face change in astonishnt across from , his footsteps having long since stopped.
The ice spike in my hand took on a sky-blue color, already at a temperature that made feel cold.
Still not enough, continue.
Fine beads of sweat slid down my forehead as I gritted my teeth and continued channeling the power of Frost Order.
Having gotten used to previous large-scale mindless releases, suddenly doing this kind of precise control was naturally difficult to adapt to. But the Duke was right, I must master the technique, learn the most efficient yet effective way of fighting.
Otherwise, I’d never be able to beat the so-called first-rate.
Muffled sounds of ice being compressed kept coming from my right palm, and I saw the Duke’s expression had now changed from astonishnt to delight.
“It took a full 2 years to even touch the threshold, yet you can achieve this level imdiately after seeing it!”
Is he praising ? Hehe.
My heart sweetened slightly, and I was about to say so modest words.
But with that montary distraction, the ice spike in my palm almost burst apart, frightening into panic as I hurriedly focused my mind to stabilize that restless Order Power.
“Don’t rush.”
“Yes, that’s it, progress step by step.”
The Duke patiently guided from the side.
The ice spike in my hand grew darker and darker in color, almost approaching that of the Duke’s giant sword.
But still not enough, the temperature could go lower, even lower…
Crack——
Done!
I grabbed the piercingly cold ice spike, holding it before my eyes to examine carefully.
The azure color, slightly deeper than the Duke’s giant sword, the beautiful ice casting a thin layer of light under the sunlight.
Feeling the cool, pleasant touch transmitted from my palm, I twirled it between my fingertips a few tis, then looked up at the Duke with a gentle smile.
I swung my hand and thrust it toward him.
“Haha!”
The Duke, having recovered, imdiately raised his giant sword to block.
But would it work?
Watch put a hole in your sword!
However, the reality was exactly the opposite, the ice spike shattered into two pieces with a “crack” the mont it touched the blade.
“…Eh, why?”
I stared blankly at the half ice spike remaining in my hand.
My ice was darker in color, lower in temperature, and harder in strength, so why did it break so easily?
“Hahaha!” But the Duke seed to have anticipated this situation, laughing loudly at , “Of course! Ice is very brittle after all. Your ice has enough hardness, but it lacks toughness. If you can’t increase its toughness with Order Power, what use is it even if it’s harder than steel?”
“…”
I imdiately showed a disappointed expression, looking at him sowhat pitifully.
“It’s alright, being able to achieve this level on your first try is already remarkable.” The Duke repeatedly consoled , “I’ll teach you the rest slowly. With your talent, you should be able to master it before leaving Winter City.”
Before leaving… that’s not too late, but I just refuse to accept it.
I want to try again!
My right hand once again condensed an ice spike, compressing it following the previous steps.
This ti, the azure blade ford noticeably faster, and the color seed even deeper than before.
Holding the frost-gleaming ice spike, I didn’t rush to test it this ti, silently recalling the situation when I held the Shandao in the small village.
At that ti, to enhance the farm tool’s toughness, I had wrapped it entirely with Frost Order. I didn’t think much of it then, but thinking back now… perhaps it was a lucky accident?
So I imitated that thod from back then, slowly channeling Order Power into the ice spike.
Hum——
With a light sound, the ice spike in my hand emanated a faint white light, with wisps of ice mist seeping out.
This might work!
I imdiately smiled again, looking at the Duke proudly.
This ti he was clearly too surprised to speak.
Try again?
I swung my hand to thrust at the giant sword.
Clang!
A sound of close combat rang out, and I could feel the ice spike in my hand trembling slightly.
It didn’t break!
“Hehe, take this!”
I thrust toward the Duke’s giant blade once again.
Clang, clang, clang, crack!
After several collisions, the ice spike shattered again. Looking at the ice fragnts in my hand, I was nevertheless overjoyed.
“Again!”
“Miss Sylvia, although I don’t know why it beca like this, you are the most talented person I’ve ever seen.”
The Duke’s tone was quite emotional.
He looked at the beaming young woman before him, seeming to understand the joy in her heart at this mont.
By reason, one’s affinity with the source is determined at birth, this is sothing everyone knows. But now with the facts right before his eyes, he had to admit.
The girl’s talent compared to before had indeed improved greatly once again.
Not just her talent with Order Power, but her sharpness in battle was even more terrifying, no longer showing her forr clumsy appearance.
It was as if… soone else had taken her place.
“Hehe, again!”
The girl’s gentle and pleasant voice pulled him from his thoughts. Seeing her hold another ice spike with an adorable eager expression, he smiled.
“Weapons made of ice are easy to slip from your grip. I’ll have the workshop craftsn make you a pair of anti-slip gloves soon, like these.”
The Duke pointed to his right hand holding the giant sword, wearing a black fingerless glove that looked sowhat like silk but was clearly much thinner.
“…Mm.”
“In the ti ahead, I’ll slowly teach you how to control the shape of the ice you create.”
…………
The Hunters sitting outside the grounds, watching the two people who had begun fighting again in the center of the clearing, understood in their hearts.
The figures of the young woman and the Duke would probably appear on this clearing for so ti to co.
Although the Madam beside them looked sowhat angry.
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