"You're weak. You don't stand a chance against ."
I grabbed my blade.
I could feel the estoc as an extension of my own body. The weight, the balance, the way it moved with —all of it felt natural and right.
The thrill of the fight, the dance of blades, was intoxicating.
This was where I belonged.
With renewed vigor, I parried his next strike, the estoc moving with precision and grace. I countered with a quick thrust, aiming for his heart. He deflected it, but I was already moving, my blade slicing through the air in a series of swift strikes.
CLANG! CLANK!
Our weapons clashed again and again, the forest echoing with the sound of our duel.
I focused on the other party's blade, noticing the brown energy coating it as he attacked. The mana sent ripples through the air, creating a tangible aura of power. But sothing else was happening, too. I could 'see' his strikes as if I knew how he was going to move before he even did.
In the face of the battlefield, this was my place. My mind raced, analyzing his movents and predicting his attacks. It felt like a sixth sense, an instinct honed from years of fencing and combat training.
SWOOSH!
His blade ca at with incredible speed and strength, but I was ready. I sidestepped, deflecting his attack with a fluid motion of my estoc. The enemy's eyes narrowed in frustration, but I could see his next move forming in his mind.
'He's going to feint left and strike from the right,' I thought, and sure enough, his blade shifted to the left before coming at from the right.
CLANK!
I parried it perfectly, my estoc eting his sword with a forceful clash. The enemy's strength was overwhelming, but I could see the path his sword would take, guided by so unseen force.
His strikes were relentless, each one faster and more powerful than the last. The brown energy around his blade pulsed with every swing, sending shockwaves through my arms. But I held my ground, using my newfound ability to anticipate his attacks.
'He's going to thrust straight at my chest,' I realized, and as his blade ca forward, I twisted my body, letting his sword slide past harmlessly. My estoc shot out in a counterattack, aiming for his side.
SLASH!
The blade cut through his robe, drawing blood. He hissed in pain, but his eyes burned with fury. His next attack was even more ferocious, his sword moving with blinding speed.
But I could see it. I could see the path his sword would take, like a premonition guiding my movents. I parried, deflected, and countered with a series of precise strikes, each one pushing him back.
The enemy was faster and stronger than , but I had the advantage in the fight.
Why was that the case? It was because I had already gotten used to it. When I picked up the Estoc for the first ti, I was still younger than many people on the battlefield.
Each ti, I faced an opponent stronger than myself. Never once had I encountered soone weaker than .
That was also the case when I was Bruce. Even at that ti, when I was fighting with Estoc, my physical abilities were not where I excelled.
It was the sword.
That was why I honed sothing else on the battlefield.
I honed my skills.
His movents beca predictable, each strike following the path I saw in my mind. It was as if I was reading his every thought and every intention and reacting accordingly.
Our blades clashed, sending sparks flying. The forest echoed with the sound of our duel, the intensity of the battle reaching its peak. The enemy's frustration grew with every failed attack, his eyes widening in disbelief as I matched him blow for blow.
–CLANK!
But just as our blades clashed for one last ti, my eyes perked up. I sensed a bunch of other presences around, and that was the sa for him.
'The other patrols are here as well!'
It was evident who was here and who they were. Most likely, they had sensed the energy of the fight. It was even possible that they had brought another expert with them.
"You're not as weak as I thought," the guy before snarled, his voice filled with rage.
His eyes glinted with fury, likely angry at the fact that he had not been able to beat , even while I looked like a first-stage Awakened, and there was a two-rank difference between us. Perhaps he was also angry at the fact that he could be discovered while trying to take my supposed artifact.
"I will end this," he growled, his eyes shining brown.
The earth beneath my feet suddenly cramped, trying to trap . His power over the earth was evident, and he was using it to his full advantage. I felt the ground tighten around my legs, restricting my movent.
The guy's mana surged, manifesting the full power of a third-stage warrior. He rushed at with incredible speed, his blade gleaming with deadly intent.
'It was a fun fight….Sad that it is going to end now.'
「 Black Blade of Ironclad. Iron Coating.」
I used the energy of my second core, coating my body with a protective layer to make it seem like I was purely defending myself to my utmost strength.
"Heh…..Your asly pathetic energy will not be able to defend this."
The enemy's blade connected, and I felt the impact reverberate through my body. But I held firm, enduring the blow with the reinforced coating. Of course, that was not enough as the blade was pushing through my defense and almost about to reach my shoulder.
Just at that mont, I drew mana from my first and main core. The energy flowed through , powerful and unyielding. I focused it into my estoc, the blade glowing with a fierce light.
The enemy's eyes widened in surprise as he sensed the sudden surge of energy. He had not expected to have this much power. His confidence wavered, and that was all I needed.
CRACK!
With a swift, decisive motion, I broke free from the earth's grip, using my enhanced strength to shatter the ground around .
The enemy staggered back, his balance disrupted.
「Void Starfall Blade. Eclipse Star Trail」
The estoc moved with incredible speed and precision, cutting through the air with a blinding light.
"Huh?"
The enemy tried to parry, but my attack was too fast, too strong. The blade pierced through his defenses, cutting deep into his chest.
As the estoc drove into him, trails of stars began to emanate from the blade, wrapping around the enemy and filling the air with a srizing glow. The light from the stars intensified, creating an ethereal pattern that seed to weave through his very being.
"What? What is this?"
The enemy gasped, his eyes widening in terror as the trails of stars coiled tighter, their light growing ever more brilliant. The energy built up around the tip of the estoc, a focal point of destructive power.
BLAST!
The trails of stars converged, and with a final, explosive surge, they blasted through the tip of the blade.
CRUNCH!
The force of the explosion was both silent and devastating, an implosion of energy that tore through the enemy's body from within.
His scream was cut short, his form crumpling as the power of the stars consud him. The light of the stars flared brightly for a mont, then faded, leaving nothing but a lifeless husk.
"…..It was a good fight soldier….But your greed blinded you."
I shook my head as I channeled my mana into my body.
"They are here! The sounds ca from here!"
The shouts of other soldiers grew louder, their footsteps pounding through the forest. I knew I couldn't stay here any longer. My ti was running out.
But before I could leave, sothing caught my attention. A faint glimr in the moonlight, barely visible against the forest floor. I crouched down, brushing aside the leaves and dirt to reveal a ring.
It was a simple band, but as I picked it up, I felt a surge of energy. The ring was embedded with a small, intricate gemstone that pulsed with mana. There was sothing familiar about the energy it emanated, a sense of power and mystery.
'An artifact,' I realized. 'But what does it do?'
I had no ti to ponder its purpose. The soldiers were closing in, their shouts growing more urgent.
I slipped the ring into my pouch.
'Whatever it is, it might co in handy,' I thought, rising to my feet.
I glanced at the fallen-robed figure one last ti, then turned and sprinted deeper into the forest. My movents were swift and fluid, my enhanced strength and agility propelling forward. The ring's mana seed to resonate with my own, amplifying my abilities.
The shouts of the soldiers faded into the background as I put more distance between us. I moved with purpose, navigating the dense forest with ease. Each step took further from the camp, closer to freedom.
'Don't think this is over yet, Lucavion. You still need to pass the forest.'
That was just the beginning.
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