Chapter 368 From the past 3
In this world, there are those who have never played games according to the rules.
Eren Morton was also such a person.
Considering what some of the certain 'nobles' were doing, and [Sharpened] club also belonged to that group, the fact that Eren's bracelet was tempered didn't surprise me.
This is how the games, books, shows, or comics work.
If the person that is committing the evil acts are person belonging to the main cast, be it the main character or secondary leads, in the end audience will approve of that act.
It is very easy to distort the perspective of humans.
This was exactly the case in the game.
Eren Morton was a bastard who never played fair, but even then he was a liked character, both fairly because he was a wingman for Arthur and his actions showed on the screen lightly.
However, if you look at all those scenes as a human, the things Eren did were nothing but dishonorable.
And the people who were the subject of his actions didn't have the chance to speak up at all.
Just like in that scene.
In front of many people, we were clashing our swords.
CLANK!
I parried his blows, but each strike felt heavier, more forceful than before.
There was an unnatural strength in his attacks, a strength that shouldn't have been possible with an injured shoulder.
"You've certainly improved, Callius. I never expected to see you wielding a sword like this."
'Certainly, his bracelet is tempered.'
He was playing a dangerous game, pushing the boundaries of fairness.
But then again, this was something that I could use to trample on this bastard as well. I have yet to forget the past I had with him and his family, who supported Adelyn.
Also, it was a good chance to push my body to its limits and test the swordsmanship I had developed all these years.
Could I win against an opponent that is stronger than me? Or do I need to use the power of Dragons to win?
It was time to learn about it.
CLANK! CLANK!
Without giving in to frustration, I focused on my footwork, trying to find openings in his defense.
However, of course, his movements were fluid, as if he was unaffected by his supposed injury. He evaded, parried, and countered effortlessly.
"What? The cat got your tongue?" Eren taunted.
Of course, I didn't respond and simply focused on my body.
CLANK! CLANK!
Eren's smirk grew, savoring his advantage. He knew he was cheating, and he reveled in it.
"Ready to admit defeat?" he taunted, the words sharp and arrogant.
His words were followed by a sharp diagonal swing that was hard to see with my eyes. But, again, to win against an enemy that is faster and stronger than you, you also need to push yourself.
I could see which muscles he had clenched, and I used this fact to predict his movements. In the absence of [All Seeing Eye], the visual simulation was a lot lower, but in fact, reading other people's movements was my own innate talent.
CLANK
I parried his next strike, the impact reverberating through my arms. However, he didn't stop moving.
CLANK! CLANK! SWOOSH!
Eren's strikes grew fiercer, each blow aimed with precision and power. He was deliberately trying to overpower me, testing my limits while exploiting his unfair advantage.
"You're nothing but a has-been," he sneered, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Once the prodigy, now reduced to a mere pretender."
He was referring to the time when I was a little kid.
'Certainly, he was one of those that envied my talent.'
At that time, there were a lot of young knights who watched Callius with envy, just like those little mages watching my duel against others.
'I shouldn't waste any more time with this.'
However, at this point, rather than wasting time with unnecessary thoughts, it was time to slowly wrap this up.
SWOOSH! CLANK!
"What's the matter?" he taunted. "Is the great Callius Augustride struggling?"
The wicked smile on his face seemed to enjoy the situation he was in, and it was getting harder and harder for me to hold my trait as well.
"Huff…."
Relaxing my body, I received his strike.
CLANK!
The impact slightly pushed me down, but I immediately recovered using my own footwork.
STAB!
With a swift, well-aimed strike, I managed to disarm him momentarily.
THUD
Followed by a quick kick on his chest, making him stagger.
I would normally attack him following this opening, but I knew that would be a mistake.
SWOOSH!
Just to prove that my decision was correct, he quickly recovered, with his bracelet not working as intended making his movements beyond what was natural.
CLANK! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
It was a frustrating dance, trying to anticipate his attacks, knowing that he had an unfair advantage. The crowd, once cheering and enjoying the spectacle, seemed to enjoy it a lot more now.
After all, for humans, what is better than a high-ranking person falling down?
"You never belonged at the top, Callius," Eren continued his verbal assault. "You were just a fluke, and now, your fall is imminent."
Of course, his words passed from one ear to another since, at this point, my ears and eyes were closed, my senses focusing on only the sword in my hand and the sword in his hand.
In the realm of swords, I started constructing his sword, putting every piece in its place.
How he was using his body, which muscles he was using, and which habits he had.
And most importantly, what type of style he had mastered and was showing.
Like a painter that was drawing, I drew his sword.
Like a sculpture, I modeled his sword.
And the moment everything fell into its place, my mind became clear.
'I deciphered it.'
At that exact moment, I understood the principle behind his sword.
From this point on, I needed to do one simple thing.
Reversing the process.
SWOOSH!
Even though my eyes were closed, I could see in my mind where the next attack was going to come from.
Sword of Annihilation. Pristine Dissolution.
CLANK!
I moved my 'Nihil' to the side, and as if the sword was proving his name, the long estoc touched his blade.
The sound of clashing echoed, and the impact flew through my body, but this time, my posture was picture-perfect.
SWOOSH! CLANK! SWOOSH!
Eren's movements were no longer a mystery to me. Like a seasoned musician reading notes on a sheet, I anticipated his strikes, my body moving in harmony with his blade.
"It seems your bag of tricks has run dry," I taunted, a small smile creeping on my face.
In that crucial moment, as Eren lunged forward with another strike, I anticipated his move precisely. His motions were an open book, and I was reading every page with exacting clarity.
SWOOSH!
I sidestepped elegantly, evading his attack with a grace that showcased not only my newfound understanding of his swordplay but also the control I had over my own movements.
CLANK!
My blade met his with calculated precision, deflecting his strike effortlessly. Eren staggered back, his frustration palpable in the air. His smug confidence was crumbling as the tables turned.
"What's the matter, Eren?" I taunted, echoing his earlier arrogance. "Is this how a true prodigy fights? Or did your bracelet lose its touch?"
Eren gritted his teeth, the realization dawning on him that he was no longer in control of the fight. His unfair advantage had been nullified, leaving him exposed.
"Impossible," he muttered, disbelief coloring his words.
"It's not about being at the top, Eren," I continued, my voice steady and composed. "It was never about it."
His frustration was evident in his eyes, the veneer of confidence now cracking under the pressure of my relentless counterattacks.
CLANK! SWOOSH! CLANK!
Each strike he attempted, I countered flawlessly. The once boisterous crowd fell silent, witnessing the tides turning in the duel.
SWOOSH! CLANK!
With each of my movements, I completely nullified his movement. If he wanted to defend, I would purge through that tiny bit of defense he had.
If he wanted to attack, I simply embarrassed him.
In a matter of thirty seconds, the tide was turned.
SWISH!
"Eren Morton," I spoke, my sword moving slowly. "Do you know why you will never leave her shadow?"
At my words, I could see his face raging.
"Do you know why your father had never acknowledged you, even though you wanted it so hard?"
"SHUT UP!"
SWOOSH!
Eren's movements grew frantic, desperate, as he tried to regain control of the battle desperately, like a little kid trying to hold on to the little bit of hope he had.
But it was futile. I had unlocked the secrets of his style, and he was left exposed, his weaknesses glaringly apparent.
"It is because you lack that one simple thing that she has."
"SHUT UP!"
CLANK! SWOOSH! CLANK!
He stumbled, the weight of his own arrogance and his reliance on little tricks dragging him down. The rhythm of the fight was firmly in my grasp, a dance where I led, and he struggled to keep pace.
"SHUT UP!"
SWOOSH!
In a desperate attempt to attack me, he moved his body, not caring about the strength he was showing. At some point, it even reached the threshold of peak 1-star rank.
CLANK!
However, I deflected it, even though my shoulder was dislocated as a result. The pain enveloped me, but in fact, I had felt worse before.
THUD!
His blade fell to the ground as I changed the hand holding my sword.
"Do you know what it is that you are lacking?"
SWOOSH!
My blade flashed as I mumbled.
'Sword of Annihilation. Execution Sword.'
And stood just before his eyes.
"It is honor...That woman you are chasing, even though arrogant and cold like a flower on the lake, will never retort such pathetic techniques…."
Eren's eyes burned with a mixture of hatred and frustration as he spat out, "Honor never did me any good."
I met his gaze evenly as my sword slowly pierced through his shoulder in slow motion.
"It is not about doing any good or not. It is the honor that brings glory to a warrior, and you, who lack this basic thing, will never be a formidable one.
TWIST!
And, as I twisted my blade in his shoulder, engraving the wound on the same place I had on my shoulder, I finished the duel.
On the stage, where I am standing with my shoulder disclosed, Eren Norton, one of those in the past, was kneeling before me.
"It is over."
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