Chapter 18: Defeat
"Nah," I said, my voice clear and cold. "That’s not how I killed him."
Lord Sapphire’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected me to survive that last lunge, let alone to speak with such defiance. His face, usually so composed, showed an even more genuine flicker of surprise, quickly replaced by a dangerous narrowing of his eyes.
"Indeed?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "Then perhaps you will enlighten me, boy." He lunged again, his blade a silver streak, faster, more furious than before. He was no longer playing.
CLANG!
I parried, the clash of steel ringing sharply in the night. My new Agility allowed me to dodge, to weave, to intercept his relentless attacks. My Strength allowed me to meet his powerful blows without being disarmed, though the impact still vibrated up my arm. He was a master, undeniably so, but I was no weak boy. I was fighting for my life, and that’s enough reason to rise up against my limits.
As the duel continued, the clang of our blades filled the night. Lord Sapphire’s movements were fluid, precise, every strike aimed for the kill. He moved like a seasoned warrior, his blue hair a blur in the moonlight. I countered, dodged, and occasionally, desperately, tried to find an opening, a weakness. But he was too good.
He grew tired of the prolonged exchange. His patience, already thin, seemed to snap. Suddenly a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes, and a subtle shift in his stance, followed by the tightening of his muscles, they all caught my attention.
The air around his sword began to glow, a faint ethereal glow was emanating from the blade. It was Mana. His Blade was absorbing mana.
"Enough of this," Lord Sapphire growled, his voice low and menacing. The glow on his sword intensified, casting a white light on his face. "You have proven... surprisingly. But this ends now."
He raised his sword, the mana fusing around his blade, a visible aura of raw power. My immediate instincts reacted. This wasn’t just a powerful strike; this was a Sword technique, aimed at killing.