Chapter 626: Pre- and Post-Cognition I
CH626 Pre- and Post-Cognition I
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Clang!
Somehow, Dalton managed to raise his greatsword in time, gripping it firmly at both ends to brace against the incoming blow.
The blade bit slightly into his palm upon contact, drawing a thin line of blood—but a faint aura coating his hand prevented the edge from cutting any deeper.
Dalton suddenly angled his blade, allowing Alex’s forward-leaning momentum—driven by the downward slash—to carry through, pushing him down.
Using the ground as leverage, much like a man performing a bench press, Dalton braced himself and forcefully extended his arms—launching Alex away in a display of raw strength.
Alex was sent airborne, flipping backwards before landing cleanly on his feet.
However, instead of pressing the attack, he paused momentarily to steady his breathing—giving Dalton the space to rise back to his feet as well.
Dalton, too, did not advance. Instead, he observed his young opponent with a mixture of amazement and respect, even as he recovered his breath.
"You’re something else. I really thought I had you there," Alex remarked with a light chuckle.
"You’ll need more than that to take me down," Dalton replied with a laugh.
Then, his expression hardened.
"I owe you an apology for underestimating you. You are not an opponent beneath me... but one who stands at my level." He gave a slight bow.
In the next moment, he raised his head once more.
"Allow me to correct that mistake."
He shifted into a firm stance, gripping his greatsword with both hands, the blade pointed directly at Alex.
"I will now come at you with my full strength."
Alex’s grin widened, his crimson eyes shimmering with a trace of madness.
"I wouldn’t have it any other way."
He lowered himself into a fighting stance, his war axe poised and ready.
"Come."
Both men once more burst forward simultaneously.
Aura Coating! Weapon Coating!
Combat energy surged from Dalton’s body, wrapping around both his form and his weapon with such refined control that it was almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
The sheer density of that compressed energy caused the very air around him to tremble faintly.
Dalton’s speed spiked dramatically as he lunged forward, thrusting his greatsword with lethal intent—aiming to skewer Alex where he stood.
At that moment, the golden rims around Alex’s eyes glowed faintly, almost eerily.
He sidestepped the incoming thrust—
—but in the same instant, Dalton adjusted mid-motion, his blade sweeping sideways in a fluid arc aimed at slicing through Alex’s midsection.
But as if anticipating the motion, Alex’s war axe swept upward from the side in a scything arc.
Then, like a whip, the hooked axehead caught Dalton’s greatsword—dragging it along overhead before continuing the arc to Alex’s opposite side.
With that movement, Alex attempted to disarm Dalton.
However, the veteran mercenary was not so easily outplayed.
Dalton leapt, following the redirected arc of his blade. Using his body weight, he twisted along the motion and wrenched the weapon free from Alex’s control.
Seizing the brief moment where Dalton was airborne, Alex pressed the attack—slashing towards his midsection as he descended.
Yet, in that instant, Dalton’s aura coating flared.
It was as though his weight suddenly multiplied, dragging him downwards faster than expected.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he sprang forward off his landing leg, launching into a horizontal barrel roll.
The spin served a dual purpose—not only evading Alex’s strike, but also amplifying the power of his counterattack.
Clang!
Dalton’s blade came crashing down, driven by the momentum of the rotation.
But Alex intercepted it—
—with his sword.
As if he had anticipated the counter, Alex’s blade cut cleanly into the path of Dalton’s greatsword, halting the strike before it could reach its full force.
’Hmph—!’
Even so, blocking a spinning greatsword strike with a one-handed, reverse grip was no small feat.
A strained groan escaped Alex as the impact forced him down into a half-kneeling position.
Dalton seized the opportunity without hesitation.
Shifting his descent, he channelled his falling weight directly into the clash, bringing both hands onto his weapon as he attempted to overpower Alex and drive him into the ground.
Boom!
Alex was slammed heavily against the arena floor.
The impact was so forceful that his body rebounded slightly upon contact, momentarily loosening Dalton’s attempt to pin him down.
[Dragon Kumite: Dragon Roar]!
Before Dalton could re-establish control, Alex opened his mouth and released a mana-infused roar.
The shockwave blasted Dalton backwards, forcing him to stagger several steps away.
Taking advantage of the space, Alex flipped backwards and sprang to his feet, retreating dozens of steps to reset the distance between them.
He looked towards Dalton with a wry smile.
’As expected of a Class 4,’ he thought to himself.
Although it might not have appeared so to the onlookers, Alex knew he had just walked a very fine line.
Even with the layered support spells from OmniRune, now that Dalton had become serious—and was actively reinforcing his body with mana—Alex found himself somewhat overwhelmed in both speed and strength.
The only reason he had managed to survive that relentless exchange was because he had moved before Dalton even struck.
If Dalton had initiated his attack before he moved— Alex would have already lost.
Perhaps even his life as well.
Dalton frowned slightly.
He, too, had realised why Alex had been able to evade his attacks—but he could not discern how the young man was accomplishing it.
’Can he... see the future?’ Dalton wondered.
His gaze locked onto Alex’s crimson eyes.
The faint golden rims within them shimmered intermittently, stirring a deep sense of unease within him.
His instincts told him that there was something more to those eyes—something beyond the illusion-based ability he had already witnessed.
Dalton did not realise it, but his suspicion was not far from the truth.
Alex shook his head lightly, as though attempting to clear a lingering haze from his mind.
He glanced down at his body, only to realise that the duration of his buffs was rapidly approaching its limit.
He shook his head again.
To the onlookers, it appeared as though he was still recovering from the heavy slam against the ground.
But that was not the case.
The true reason lay elsewhere.
Phantom Sight Level 2.
Much like Spirit Sight before it, after the restoration and advancement of his Truth-Seeker Eyes, Alex discovered that Phantom Sight had evolved into a higher tier of ability.
It was only upon unlocking this new level that he truly began to understand what Phantom Sight actually was.
At its core, Phantom Sight was the Truth-Seeker Eyes’ attempt to develop a form of cognitive augmentation.
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