Chapter 247: Sword Prodigy
Steel met steel.
BOOM.
The shockwave from the initial clash swept across the courtyard, forcing observers back several steps. Kael’s Shadow Slayer blades locked against Lucian’s Tier 2 longsword—and for the first moment, neither gave ground.
Then Kael pushed.
His Void Body Tier 4 Late physique made the difference. Lucian’s arms trembled under the pressure, his boots scraping backward across stone. The Shadow Slayer blades—Special Grade, absorbed the kinetic energy of every parry, preventing Lucian from using his own force against him.
They separated. Lucian adjusted his grip, eyes narrowing.
The exchange continued.
CLANG. CLANG. CLASH.
Kael’s blades moved in precise patterns—each strike designed to open a line for the follow-up, each defense positioned to enable an immediate counter. Lucian matched him blow for blow, his Tier 2 sword flowing between parries with liquid grace. Where Kael’s style was precise and calculated, Lucian’s was adaptive—every block shifting seamlessly into an attack, every missed strike curving into a new angle.
The Special Grade weapons and body cultivation gave Kael the edge in raw power. Lucian couldn’t match him in strength. But the gap wasn’t as large as it should have been—Lucian’s technique was compensating for the physical disadvantage with pure skill.
Then Lucian’s sword changed.
The blade began to shimmer—not with mana, but with something more fundamental. Sword intent. A will to cut that extended beyond the physical edge, making every swing carry weight it shouldn’t possess.
Kael felt the difference immediately. His parries suddenly required effort. Lucian’s strikes didn’t just press against his blades—they pressed against his will.
They separated again, both breathing slightly harder.
Lucian’s sword rose. Kael’s blades crossed.
"Sky Rending Technique, Fifth Form: Starfall Cascade."
Dark mana flooded the Shadow Slayer blades, interwoven with the crushing weight of Slaughter Intent. Kael launched himself forward—a cascading series of strikes, each hit triggering the next in an interconnected sequence. Seven slashes in two seconds, each one arriving from a different angle, each one building on the momentum of the last.
Like stars falling from the sky in a connected constellation.
"Water God Technique, Second Form: Tidal Deflection."
Lucian’s blade moved—and water moved with it.
His Water Control ability merged with his sword intent, creating a defense that wasn’t a defense at all. Each of Kael’s seven strikes was deflected by a flowing current that redirected the force rather than stopping it. The cascading pattern broke apart, strikes sliding off Lucian’s blade like rain off a leaf, the remaining momentum dispersing harmlessly into the ground.
Not a single hit landed.
Both fighters paused. Both smiled.
Lucian pointed his sword at Kael. "First Form: Liquid Edge."
He moved.
The strike looked simple—a straight thrust toward Kael’s heart. Kael raised his blades, activating the Second Form.
"Shattered Moon."
The interlocking geometric barrier formed, ready to catch and shatter the incoming attack.
Lucian’s sword curved.
Like water flowing around a stone, the blade bent mid-thrust—impossible by any conventional understanding of physics. The Liquid Edge that should have struck the barrier instead flowed around it, continuing its arc until—
SLICE.
Pain flared across Kael’s back. A thin line of red appeared through his torn clothing, blood welling from the wound.
Kael’s eyes widened slightly.
What type of technique is that?
Perfect synchronization of sword intent and water ability. The intent guided the attack, the water ability reshaped it in real-time. The blade wasn’t just cutting—it was flowing to where it needed to be.
Amazing.
Lucian’s stance shifted. His aura flared—sword intent fully unleashed, pressing down like a physical weight.
"I’m going all out now," he said quietly.
Kael’s lips curved.
So am I.
Slaughter Intent exploded outward.
The crushing force hit Lucian like a tidal wave. His eyes widened, his sword dipping slightly as the weight of thousands of deaths pressed against his consciousness. Ordinary fighters would have collapsed. Lucian merely staggered—his own sword intent pushing back, refusing to break.
Kael’s eyes turned red.
Soul power flooded his gaze, merging with his intent into something new. Not a technique—not exactly. A weaponization of perception itself.
"Slaughter Gaze."
Lucian’s vision went red.
He saw himself dying—brutally, violently, in ways that made no logical sense. His own death, reflected back at him through Kael’s eyes. The vision lasted less than a second, but it was enough.
Paralysis.
Lucian’s body locked up, his sword frozen mid-swing, his mind overwhelmed by the phantom sensation of his own annihilation.
Kael was already above him.
"Sky Rending Technique, First Form: Falling Star."
The red slash descended—Slaughter Intent incarnate, carrying the weight of inevitable death.
Lucian’s sword intent screamed, breaking through the paralysis a fraction of a second before impact. He raised his blade—
CLANG.
The block held. Barely. Lucian was pushed back ten meters, his boots carving trenches in the stone, his arms trembling from the residual force.
Kael didn’t give him time to recover.
Lightning Body activated.
Golden lightning arcs covered Kael’s body as he became a blur of speed, closing the distance in an instant. His blades became streaks of darkness—too fast to track, too fast to block, coming from every angle simultaneously.
Lucian’s defense held for three seconds.
Then a slash opened his shoulder. Another grazed his ribs. A third nearly took his ear.
He was bleeding from half a dozen wounds, his Tier 2 sword struggling to keep up with the onslaught—
Kael raised his free hand.
Five shadow clones materialized.
They attacked from every direction—blades weaving, feinting, creating an inescapable web of steel. Lucian’s eyes darted between targets, his Water God technique deflecting two clones before the remaining three overwhelmed his guard.
Lucian gathered his mana, preparing another Tidal Deflection—
Schlick. Schlick. Schlick.
Shadow chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around his sword arm and pinning it down. More chains caught his off-hand, his ankles, his waist—holding him in place like a fly in a spider’s web.
Kael stood before him, both blades raised.
"Dark Slash."
The concentrated dark energy sliced through the air. The stone exploded, launching Lucian upward in an uncontrolled spin.
Lucian broke free mid-air—sword intent severing the shadow chains—and brought his blade down in a desperate defensive technique. A barrier of water and intent formed around him.
Dark Slash hit the barrier.
BOOM.
The water shattered. The barrier collapsed. Lucian was sent flying, crashing through the courtyard wall and tumbling into the garden beyond.
Kael appeared beside him in a blur of Shadow Step.
The Shadow Slayer blade rose—descending toward Lucian’s neck stopping a millimeter from his throat.
Kael’s smirk was audible in his voice. "I guess I win."
Lucian stared up at the blade, then at Kael’s face. Respect. Maybe even gratitude.
A wry smile crossed his bloodied lips. "I admit defeat."
The crowd was silent. Then murmuring began—awe, disbelief, excitement. Two Rank 7 opponents dismantled back-to-back. The jumping jack wasn’t just political. He was dangerous.
Lucian rose to his feet, wobbling slightly. He sheathed his sword and bowed deeply.
"Thanks, young master."
Kael withdrew his blades. "For what?"
"For a real fight. It’s been a long time since someone pushed me this far." Lucian’s smile turned genuine. "I hope to fight you again."
Kael shrugged. "Alright. I guess you are good with the sword but I might introduced you to someone better if we fight again."
Lucian bowed once more and limped away, leaving a trail of blood droplets behind him.
Kael turned and walked toward the mansion, Lira falling into step behind him. His back wound had already stopped bleeding—Void Body working overtime.
"It’s nice to not see an arrogant face once in a while," Kael said.
Lira’s lips twitched. "I’m afraid you don’t check the mirror regularly, my lord."
Kael chuckled.
The system notification flashed.
Quest completed
Defeat the Shadows challenging your new rank (2/2)
Current Progress: 2/2
Rewards:
- 5,000 Shadow Points
- Gravity Manipulation: Expert III → Master I
- Soul Spike upgraded to Soul Spike Barrage (Sky Grade)