Chapter 42
Chapter 42: The Duke’s Guidance (Last Part)
***
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 extreme cold might not affect you much, it should at least be able to confuse your judgment, 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 came, the figure inside merely swayed slightly, somehow 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 me in an instant.
Thinking of this made me panic, and I quickly hopped backward several times 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 somewhat awkwardly for a moment, 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 time 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 methods of attack like you can. That happens to be what puts Carlos at a disadvantage, because that guy, like me, 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 metal 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 somewhat different from what I thought.
Drive?
With that lazy appearance of his, where does he look like someone with drive? No motivation is more like it.
“Well, shall we continue the battle?”
The Duke hefted his giant sword, asking me.
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 come.”
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 me.
Suddenly, I remembered when slaying the Endless Abyss, that final strike seemed to… have formed ice like this.
That azure color, that feeling… what was it like?
I recall that at that time, I was blinded by anger, my mind filled only with thoughts of killing the monster before me, 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 meeting great resistance.
Not enough, continue.
Crack.
I saw the Duke’s face change in astonishment across from me, his footsteps having long since stopped.
The ice spike in my hand took on a sky-blue color, already at a temperature that made me 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 astonishment to delight.
“It took me a full 2 years to even touch the threshold, yet you can achieve this level immediately after seeing it!”
Is he praising me? Hehe.
My heart sweetened slightly, and I was about to say some modest words.
But with that momentary distraction, the ice spike in my palm almost burst apart, frightening me 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 times, then looked up at the Duke with a gentle smile.
I swung my hand and thrust it toward him.
“Haha!”
The Duke, having recovered, immediately raised his giant sword to block.
But would it work?
Watch me put a hole in your sword!
However, the reality was exactly the opposite, the ice spike shattered into two pieces with a “crack” the moment 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 seemed to have anticipated this situation, laughing loudly at me, “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 immediately showed a disappointed expression, looking at him somewhat pitifully.
“It’s alright, being able to achieve this level on your first try is already remarkable.” The Duke repeatedly consoled me, “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 time, the azure blade formed noticeably faster, and the color seemed even deeper than before.
Holding the frost-gleaming ice spike, I didn’t rush to test it this time, silently recalling the situation when I held the Shandao in the small village.
At that time, 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 method 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 immediately smiled again, looking at the Duke proudly.
This time 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 fragments in my hand, I was nevertheless overjoyed.
“Again!”
“Miss Sylvia, although I don’t know why it became 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 moment.
By reason, one’s affinity with the source is determined at birth, this is something 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 former clumsy appearance.
It was as if… someone 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 craftsmen 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 somewhat like silk but was clearly much thinner.
“…Mm.”
“In the time 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 some time to come.
Although the Madam beside them looked somewhat angry.