Chapter 72: Brutal Dance and the Emerald Spectator
Seraphina did not offer a verbal response to his arrogant challenge.
She exploded across the reinforced marble arena in a terrifying blur of motion launching a devastating horizontal slash aimed directly at his ribs.
The searing crimson aura trailing behind her steel broadsword generated a blistering wave of heat that scorched the very air it touched.
Leon did not activate his Aura Step to retreat.
He anchored his leather boots into the stone and utilized his Agility to track the incoming strike with flawless precision. He swung the massive star iron greatsword downward meeting her blazing attack head on.
The collision sounded like a detonating artillery shell ripping through the courtyard.
The monumental kinetic force generated by the impact shattered the reinforced marble beneath their feet sending a massive shower of pulverized stone shrapnel flying into the air.
Seraphina’s violet eyes widened in sheer shock as her enchanted steel blade fiercely ground against the dark star iron.
She expected to effortlessly push the servant backward using her superior techniques but Leon’s Vanguard Foundation Breathing allowed him to efficiently channel his kinetic mana creating an unyielding wall of raw physical dominance.
He smoothly utilized his Kinetic Weight skill to rapidly increase the mass of his greatsword at the exact moment of impact forcing the noble daughter to aggressively slide backward across the courtyard just to maintain her footing.
"You are learning how to channel your raw power," Seraphina praised fiercely her beautiful face flushed with the intoxicating adrenaline of high tier combat.
She seamlessly reversed her momentum and launched a relentless flurry of masterful strikes weaving through his defenses with elegant lethal grace.
Leon heavily relied upon his Sword Mastery to parry the devastating assault. The training yard became a chaotic warzone of clashing steel and deafening shockwaves.
Every time their blades collided Leon felt his invisible Kinetic Barrier actively straining against the searing heat of her crimson aura but his newly acquired Mana Efficiency skill ensured his core did not rapidly deplete under the heavy pressure.
High above the training yard standing on an ornate viewing balcony overlooking the eastern courtyard was Lady Isolde Vane.
The arrogant emerald knight had sneaked away from her diplomatic envoy specifically to spy on the highly secretive Sterling training session.
Isolde stood gripping the marble railing with her knuckles turning white her piercing green eyes narrowed in profound disbelief as she watched the brutal spar unfolding below.
She had firmly believed the rugged servant who disarmed her was merely a freak physical anomaly who got lucky but witnessing him actively match blows with the Silver Goddess shattered her haughty illusions.
The crystal bell suddenly chimed beautifully in Leon’s skull fighting against the deafening roar of the combat to project a glowing pink text box right in his line of sight.
[Quest Issued: The Emerald Audience]
[Context: The haughty rival noblewoman is secretly watching you from the balcony hoping to see you crushed. A true warlord never misses an opportunity to show off his overwhelming dominance to an audience of beautiful women.]
[Objective: Perfectly parry Seraphina’s next heavy overhead strike, look directly up at the viewing balcony, and offer a wink to Lady Isolde.]
[Reward: +20 Mana, Skill ’Kinetic Shockwave (Master)’, 300 Shameless Points.]
[Failure Penalty: The Host will suffer a highly embarrassing wardrobe malfunction causing the stitching on his combat leathers to violently unravel exposing his backside to the entire estate.]
Leon read the penalty and firmly decided he was not going to fight the rest of this brutal spar with his rear end blowing in the wind.
He tightened his grip on the heavy star iron greatsword and actively dropped his guard offering Seraphina a highly tempting target.
The noble daughter did not hesitate to exploit the opening.
She channeled a massive surge of her crimson aura into her steel broadsword and leaped high into the air bringing the blazing weapon crashing down with enough destructive kinetic energy to level a small fortress wall.
Leon smoothly raised the massive slab of star iron directly above his head and violently activated his Kinetic Repulsion just as her blade struck his guard.
The resulting shockwave was breathtakingly immense. A concussive blast of raw kinetic force violently rippled outward violently rattling the reinforced walls and shaking the viewing balcony where Isolde was hiding.
Leon effortlessly held the fierce swordswoman suspended in the air her glowing blade hopelessly deadlocked against his dark metal weapon.
He casually turned his head looking directly up toward the ornate marble balcony and locked his dark magnetic eyes onto the stunned emerald knight peering over the railing.
He offered a charming wicked smirk and boldly winked his left eye heavily projecting his massive ninety five points of Charisma directly at the spying noblewoman.
Isolde gasped sharply and aggressively stumbled backward away from the railing her pale cheeks burning a brilliant furious shade of dark red.
Leon casually parrying an apex strike while simultaneously flirting with her sent a highly confusing jolt of submissive heat straight through her pride.
[Quest Completed Successfully!]
[Your combat leathers remain perfectly stitched and highly durable.]
[Distributing Rewards: +20 Mana, Skill ’Kinetic Shockwave (Master)’ Acquired, 300 Shameless Points.]
Seraphina noticed his gaze shifting upward and realized he was paying attention to the rival noblewoman while actively blocking her heaviest attack.
Her aura wildly exploded with a blinding chaotic storm of intense territorial jealousy and a fiercely aggressive possessive fury.
"If you have time to stare at the green vulture hiding on the balcony you are clearly not taking me seriously Leon," Seraphina hissed dangerously her violet eyes blazing with pure unadulterated competitive rage.
She violently kicked off his star iron blade flipping gracefully backward through the air before landing softly on the scorched marble.
The crimson aura surrounding her athletic body rapidly intensified expanding outward into a massive swirling vortex of searing magical energy that actively melted the surrounding stone paving.
The Silver Goddess was deeply offended and she fully intended to make her rugged warden bleed for his wandering eyes.
