Chapter 80: Orion vs. Ares
As he followed Ares out of the hall, the whispers of the crowd swirling around them, he couldn't help but think of the strange dichotomy of this world. These children, these aristocrats, were so caught up in their positions, their titles, their bloodlines, that they forgot what it meant to actually live—to experience things beyond the walls of their grand estates and gilded palaces.
The dueling grounds were outside, under the stars. A cold breeze swept through the air as Ares readied himself, his ceremonial blade gleaming in the moonlight. Orion stood across from him, his stance loose but ready, his mind focused. He had never been one to enjoy physical confrontation, but he wasn't about to let Ares's arrogance slide.
The tension between them crackled as the challenge was made, the circle of aristocrats forming around them. Unlike a mere personal dispute, this duel carried political weight—Ares was a favored son of house Petrosyan, his reputation carefully curated over years of competition and dominance.
Losing here, in front of so many watchful eyes, wouldn't just bruise his ego; it could shift allegiances, weaken his standing, and invite opportunists to challenge his position.
Only three weeks before Orion's fifth birthday, it was common knowledge that aristocratic children weren't formally trained before then, as they required the baseline enhancement provided by House Zey'ran to fully stabilize. Ares had chosen Orion believing he would be untested, an easy mark.
Ares made the first move, rushing toward Orion with a swift slash of his blade. Orion sidestepped with ease, his eyes sharp, his movements controlled. He wasn't just fast—he was methodical, precise. He didn't meet Ares head-on; instead, he let him come forward, always retreating just enough to stay out of range while baiting him into overextending.
Ares pressed harder, growing more aggressive with each missed strike. Orion's strategy was clear: he was kiting, using distance and footwork to wear his opponent down. Each time Ares lunged, Orion would shift his weight at the last second, barely dodging, then gliding a step back, forcing Ares to keep chasing.
The aristocrats watching had expected a clash of brute force, but instead, they were witnessing a different kind of battle—one of patience, control, and endurance. What they didn't know was that Orion had been preparing for this moment long before the duel was ever issued.
For the past week, he had honed his skills in the Ares Combat Simulator—ACS for short. Unlike traditional training, ACS immersed its users in a lucid-dream-like state, where the mind and body synchronized in an accelerated learning environment. The science behind it was straightforward but revolutionary: through controlled neuro-stimulation and precise muscle memory encoding, the experiences gained in the simulations translated into real-world reflexes and conditioning. Because ACS didn't strain the body like real combat, it wasn't prohibited for aristocratic children, even those whose enhancements were still stabilizing.