Chapter 164: Fighting in the Tower
Stepping forward, he passed through the glowing corridor, feeling a subtle shift in the atmosphere as the doors closed gently behind him.
The Tower's interior was spacious yet strangely different, the walls faintly illuminated by embedded runes, and the floor beneath his feet solid and polished to perfection.
'Hmm, a separate space for each challenger? Are they using Space Magic or Illusion and Dream magic for this?' he wondered while looking around.
Before him, a semi-transparent figure slowly manifested. It took the shape of a young student roughly his own age, holding a slender sword and calmly watching Orion's approach. The figure was an Echo—a near-perfect replica of a once-legendary student, albeit weaker than the real deal.
Orion calmly drew Realm Guardian, adjusting its weight to increase until he felt comfortable holding it. The average weight of a longsword felt too light to him, as if he were holding a twig.
He took a defensive stance. His gaze sharpened as the Echo assumed a familiar stance, elegant yet direct, radiating confidence and poise.
[Master! Are you ready? o(≧∇≦o)]
Orion's eyes narrowed slightly, smiling faintly as he readied himself. 'Absolutely. Let's see how legendary these prodigies truly were.'
Saying so, he calmed his breathing and his eyes sharpened with focus as he stood facing the semi-transparent Echo. Around him, the gentle illumination of runes lining the arena's walls cast soft, changing patterns of light and shadow across the polished marble floor.
The faint hum of ambient mana filled the otherwise silent chamber, heightening his senses and creating an almost palpable tension in the atmosphere.
The Echo stood still, eerily lifelike with a disciplined stance. The spectral figure gripped a slender sword with an elegant yet clearly functional design, patiently waiting for Orion to attack first.
Orion adjusted his grip on Realm Guardian, feeling the satisfying weight of the obsidian blade, heavy enough to offer resistance yet comfortable enough to wield fluidly.