Chapter 181: The Main Tournament (1)
The day of the Martial Arts Tournament dawned.
The Imperial Capital of the Lesian Empire bustled with crowds who had come to enjoy the festival.
The vibrant market, lively enough to lift spirits, perfectly embodied the festive atmosphere.
Moreover, today was not only the day of the Martial Arts Tournament but also Rays first appearance in the main competition.
This tournament didnt solely determine the winner through one-on-one combat. Before securing three victories, contestants engaged in individual duels, and later, they partook in five-on-five team battles during four rounds of matches.
Therefore, victory wasnt guaranteed by personal skill alone.
Princess Celia had mentioned that teamwork and communication were crucial, which seemed very true.
Ray stepped onto the martial arts stage, smiling broadly at the cheering crowd and the many onlookers.
It was almost time.
By now, no unskilled participants were left; only those who had passed the preliminaries remained.
This raised the anticipation for the upcoming battles.
Although Ray had previously fought against Duke Jahad during the war in the Holy Kingdom, that had been more about seeking growth than enjoyment.
Unlike then, this was a tournament and a festival where one could enjoy martial arts without criticism.
Ray walked out of a small dome and headed toward the stage.
The Emperor himself was observing from the VIP seats, starting from the first round.
This was a curious sight for many.
The Emperor himself is watching
Is it the first time hes observed from the very first round?
Whispers of surprise echoed from the spectator seats, adding tension for those on the stage.
After all, they were under the Emperors watchful gaze.
However, contrary to their concerns, the Emperor had little interest in whether they performed poorly or spectacularly. His attention was firmly fixed on Ray alone.
The judges at each stage raised their hands.
Prepare for the martial arts bouts!
At this command, the participants checked their weapons and stretched, readying themselves for combat.
Ray, leaning nonchalantly to one side, quietly observed the scene.
His opponent frowned slightly and spoke.
Not even preparing properly when facing me Are you looking down on me?
Oh, I already loosened up this morning. No need to do it again. Dont worry about it, Ray replied, brushing off the comment with an excuse.
The opponent nodded, understanding.
I see. Perhaps I was being too sensitive. Lets both have a good match today.
Agreed.
After their brief exchange, the judge raised his hand again.
Any strike capable of causing death or intended to kill will result in immediate disqualification!
Everyone nodded in acknowledgment, awaiting the chief judges signal to begin.
When they received it, the judges at each stage relayed the signal.
The Martial Arts Tournament main event begins now!
As the judges words echoed, the sounds of weapons clashing filled the air.
Clang! Ching!
Taking this as his cue, the opponent launched the first attack.
Ray was unarmed.
In his hand, he held only a blood-red branch from a Dryad.
This branch, as hard as the head of an enraged Dryad, could withstand a normal aura attack.
Ray casually flicked away his opponents horizontal slash with the branch, prompting the opponent to frown again.
A branch, really Youre clearly not taking this seriously!
Using a branch instead of a sword was bound to cause misunderstandings, but Ray felt no need to explain.
The opponents swordplay became increasingly fierce.
He seemed to be getting quite heated.
Ray smiled, enjoying the relaxed nature of the duel.
How long had it been since hed enjoyed such a leisurely fight? For Ray, who only remembered frantically fighting wars and dealing with their aftermath, this was a tranquil and joyful moment.
However, his opponent did not share this sentiment.
Though not at full strength, he thought he was pushing Ray, but as Ray effortlessly deflected and blocked all his attacks, cold sweat trickled down his back.
Where did this monster come from!
It was still too early to resort to using aura.
Moreover, if looked at optimistically, his opponent was on the defensive.
Trying to switch to an offensive stance seemed difficult, but if he continued attacking and lured Ray into a false move, surely Ray would fall for it.
After all, that strategy had worked for him before.
But Ray saw right through his plan.
Thats too obvious.
Having read his opponents intentions, Ray smoothly shifted to an offensive stance like flowing water.
When Rays branch clashed with and rebounded against the sword, his opponent gasped and twisted his body to avoid a stabbing motion.
Huff!
He barely managed to dodge the branch.
The sudden attack left him visibly flustered.
At a glance, it was just a branch.
Even if stabbed with it, mana should protect the body enough to not even cause a tickle.
But the branch that had just lunged at him was different in its force.
Was it the way the air seemed to swirl around the branch?
It was incredibly fast, and the power was so immense that it made one question if it really was just a branch.
Ray retrieved the branch and grinned.
Looks like youre the one who underestimated me, not the other way around.
He was right.
The opponent had prematurely concluded that Ray couldnt switch to an offensive stance, given his apparent defensive position.
It was all his own mistake.
He lifted his sweat-drenched hair, beads of perspiration forming.
I acknowledge it. From now on, Ill fight with my full strength. Be prepared.
Im looking forward to it.
After the exchange, the man sprang forward like an arrow shot from a bow.
Ray quietly admired him.
I dont know who his master is, but hes been taught well.
Observing the mans footwork, Ray realized something was clear.
A ripple, akin to a mirage, emanated from the mans sword.
He had unleashed his aura.
With newfound speed, the man aimed straight for Rays side.
However, Ray was not one to allow an easy strike.
He channeled strength into his branch and swung fiercely at the incoming sword, causing a loud boom to fill the arena.
Kwaaaang!
It was as though the martial arts arena itself had exploded.
In that instant, all eyes in the spectator seats turned toward their fight.
Surprisingly, the man maintained his grip on the sword.
Ray observed the mans technique with certainty.
He had undoubtedly mastered systematic swordsmanship.
Wandering ronin or mercenaries, who often relied on practical experience for their skills, would typically drop their swords after such a powerful blow.
Yet this man, as if his sword were bound to his hand, only tightened his hold on the handle.
Still, the impact was not without effect.
He hastily summoned mana to defend himself, but his hand tingled from the recoil.
Unfazed, the man targeted Rays wrist again.
With one hand behind his back and the other wielding the sword, his stance, resembling fencing, allowed him to specialize in thrusting attacks with extra acceleration.
Ray deflected this thrust as well, with a downward stroke of his branch.
Kwaaaang!
Once again, the same explosive sound erupted.
The man grimaced, feeling the immense recoil in his hand.
Kuh!
He glared at Ray, vexed.
What was this swordsmanship that seemed so unfathomable?
How was it possible to block a sword, enhanced with aura, using just a branch?
Judges from other stages also stole glances at Ray and the mans match, startled by the peculiar scene.
The aura was completely blocked by what appeared to be an unremarkable branch.
Moreover, the branch remained intact, unscathed, and uncut.
Its time to end this. It seems the others have finished as well.
With that thought, Rays form scattered.
Having honed his stealth skills while observing Heukyeong and evading elves in the Grensia Mountains, Ray now displayed his technique.
Even though he was right before their eyes, they could not detect his presence, which was eerie enough.
The man, attempting to locate Ray, finally surrendered as he felt the dangerously sharp branch at his throat.
I admit defeat.
There was no other choice.
The gap in skill was simply too great.
He wondered what kind of talent Ray possessed to have achieved such skill at such a young age.
You must have gone through blood, sweat, and tears in training to reach this level I acknowledge it.
The young man removing the branch from his throat was met with a wry smile from his opponent.
Of course, if the man knew how Ray had become so strong, he would have cursed the heavens. Ray had created his own mana rod based on his theories, sparred with Eil whenever he could during his childhood, and developed his own style by adapting Duke Jahads swordsmanship.
To others, even the idea of creating a mana rod based on theory sounded insane, but unaware of this, the man offered a handshake with a smile.
A great match. It made me reflect on myself.
Thats good to hear.
If theres another chance, Id like to meet you again.
If fate allows, we might meet someday.
Ray didnt need the mans admiration, so his response was somewhat nonchalant.
The spectators, unable to fully comprehend the match, couldnt even muster cheers.
Especially that last display of stealth was astonishing.
It was as if a stone rolling on the ground went unnoticed; Rays presence had faded so much that he became undetectable even when in plain sight.
Was he an assassin in his primary profession? All eyes in the spectator seats were fixed on Ray.
Soyeong, watching from a distance, chuckled to herself.
She signaled to Heukyeong with hand signs.
Heukyeong would have loved to see this. He copied his stealth technique exactly, hadnt he?
It felt like seeing Heukyeong for a moment.
That made sense. It was practically a carbon copy.
Truly befitting of The Saint. To replicate it just by witnessing it
The Saint should never be compared to ordinary people. Otherwise, wed just end up with a headache.
Understood.
The two exchanged hand signs quietly while watching Ray stand on the stage.
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