Casper gazed at Ken and then condescendingly blinked his eyes. "Do you really intend to challenge me, insignificant human?" he sneered.
Ken nodded firmly, resolute in his determination.
"Ah, the naivete of youth," Casper sighed, shaking his head. "These days, young people read too many fairy tales and believe they can become Dragon Slayers." He paused for a moment, his face contorting with the recollection of a bitter memory. "Let me show you what a real dragon is capable of," he growled.
Casper's playful smirk vanished as he concentrated, gathering energy in the tip of his finger.
[Void Sphere]
The air around him grew heavy with anticipation, crackling with dark energy.
Suddenly, a sphere of darkness materialized at the tip of his finger, pulsating with power.
Without hesitation, Casper hurled it toward Ken, who barely had time to react.
Ken's eyes widened in alarm as he realized the sphere was hurtling towards him at the speed of sound.
He knew he couldn't dodge it in time, so he quickly tried to conjure a protective ward to shield himself.
Focusing all his energy, he plunged his sword into the ground, hoping to tap into the earth to create a strong barrier.
[Ward of the Ancients]
In a split second, a protective ward materialized around him, glowing with ancient symbols.
However, it was no match for the sphere of darkness hurtling toward it.
The sphere struck the ward with a deafening explosion, shattering it into a million pieces.
Ken felt the force of the impact as the sphere hit him head-on, sending him reeling.
Although the attack didn't cause much physical pain, Ken could feel the immense power difference between himself and Casper.
He struggled to regain his composure as Casper observed him with a smirk, clearly amused by the young man's futile attempt to defend himself.
Casper raised his hand again, this time channeling dark energy directly from the abyss.
[Abyssal Surge]
The air around him grew cold and dense as the dark energy coalesced around him, forming a vortex of black flames.
With a flick of his wrist, Casper sent the flames hurtling toward Ken.
Ken gritted his teeth, refusing to give up. With a determined expression, he charged towards Casper, sword at the ready.
He knew he was outmatched, but he wasn't going to give up without a fight.
However, Casper merely chuckled and effortlessly dodged Ken's attacks, toying with him like a cat with a mouse.
He could sense Ken's frustration and desperation, and it only made him more amused.
Casper looked down at Ken, his expression of smug superiority unmistakable.
It was as if he was looking at a foolish child who didn't know any better. "So, you're really foolish enough to fight me?" he asked, a sly grin spreading across his face.
Ken gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowed with determination.
He wasn't going to back down now. "I'm not afraid of you," he replied, his voice low and steady.
[Shadow Slip]
Casper let out a chuckle, and in the next instant, he vanished from sight, his form blurring into nothingness.
Ken was caught off guard for a moment, but he quickly regained his focus, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement.
[Shadow Strike]
Suddenly, Casper reappeared behind Ken, his form materializing out of thin air.
Ken felt a chill run down his spine as Casper whispered in his ear, "You should be," before unleashing a powerful blast of dark energy that sent Ken stumbling backward.
Ken was quick to react, his instincts taking over as he began to utilize his footwork technique, [Feather Steps], to dodge Casper's attacks.
The technique allowed him to move with incredible speed and agility, his body weaving and dodging as Casper launched one attack after another.
But Casper was just getting started.
He continued to assault Ken with a relentless barrage of dark spells, each one more powerful than the last.
Ken felt his energy reserves starting to dwindle as he tried to keep up with the onslaught.
Ken knew he had to change tactics if he was going to have any chance of winning this fight.
He focused his mind, calling forth his [Flowing Water Sword Art] to help him defend himself against Casper's attacks.
With each strike of Casper's spells, Ken parried and blocked with precise movements, his sword moving in a fluid dance as he defended himself.
At times, Ken also utilized his [Serenity Blade Sword Art] for quick counterattacks.
The art allowed him to strike with lightning speed and precision, catching Casper off guard on several occasions.
Despite Ken's efforts, Casper's attacks were unrelenting, and soon Ken found himself struggling to keep pace with the barrage of dark spells.
But he refused to give in.
'Looks like it's time to reveal my strength.' The fight was far from over, and Ken knew that he was going to have to give it everything he had if he was going to emerge victorious.
Ken tightened his grip on his sword, the cool metal reassuring in his hand.
He took a deep breath, drawing in the musty air of the cave and the scent of his own sweat.
His muscles tensed as he channeled his inner strength and determination, his years of training as a swordsman coming to the forefront of his mind. He wouldn't let Casper's power intimidate him.
In the dark cave, Ken's sword shone brightly, illuminating his surroundings with a warm glow.
The light flickered on the rough walls of the cave, casting long shadows and creating an eerie atmosphere.
Casper's snicker echoed through the cavern, a cold reminder of the danger that lurked ahead.
[Shadow Army Arise]
As Casper muttered these words, a horde of sinister figures materialized around Ken.
They seemed to seep out of the very shadows themselves, their dark forms twisting and writhing like smoke.
Ken's heart raced as he realized the gravity of the situation. He was outnumbered and outmatched, but he refused to back down.
Ken's eyes slowly opened, revealing a steely gaze and unshakeable confidence in his skills.
He assessed the situation quickly, taking in the numbers and movements of the shadowy creatures.
He knew that he needed to act fast if he was going to survive.
[Blazing Flames Sword Style - 2nd Move Flame Thrust]
Ken drew his sword back, feeling the weight and balance of the blade in his hand.
He took a step forward, the crunch of gravel beneath his boots a sharp contrast to the eerie silence of the cave.
With a quick thrust, he launched himself into battle. His movements were precise and calculated, each strike aimed with lethal accuracy.
As flames were the nemesis of shadows, the figures easily succumbed to the burning onslaught.
The heat of the flames licked at Ken's face, sending sweat streaming down his forehead.
The figures writhed and screamed as they burned, but they persisted in their attacks on Ken.
[Blazing Flames Sword Style - 6th Move Burning Fury]
Ken's swords blazed with even more fire as he rapidly slashed at the shadowy creatures.
With each move of his swords, the flames around him grew brighter and more intense.
He moved with incredible speed and precision, slashing at the shadowy creatures that surrounded him.
As he fought, the creatures lunged and clawed at him, but their attacks were no match for Ken's blazing swords.
With each swift stroke, he sent waves of searing heat that burned the creatures to ash.
"Impressive," Casper murmured. He watched in amazement as Ken fought.
[Dragon Blessing]
He snapped his fingers, and the shadowy creatures became more powerful, growing even more agile and sneaky.
Ken's Blazing Flames Sword Style was not without its drawbacks, however.
The intense flames consumed his mana and stamina, leaving him feeling drained and exhausted.
"I can't keep fighting like this," he thought as the creatures closed in around him.
Despite his weariness, Ken refused to back down.
He knew that he had to keep fighting if he wanted to survive. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his limits, his swords blazing with even more intensity than before.
[Blazing Flames Sword Style - 9th Move Firestorm Sweep]
He raised his sword high above his head and brought it down in a wide arc, unleashing a massive wave of flames that engulfed all of the creatures.
The onlookers gasped as they watched the flames burn through the air, the heat and intensity of the attack almost too much to bear.
When the flames finally subsided, all of the creatures were gone, consumed by the fiery inferno.
Ken lowered his sword, his breathing heavy and labored. He had survived, but just barely.
Even Casper raised his eyebrows in amazement.
[Blazing Flames Sword Style - 12th Move Inferno Wave]
Ken and Casper stood a distance apart. Suddenly, Ken slashed his sword through the air, unleashing a torrent of blazing flames toward Casper.
Ken could barely stand after using this move.
In response, Casper quickly used [Dark Mist], summoning a cloud of inky blackness that gathered around where he was standing.
In the mist, the flames were swallowed, creating a chaotic and smoky scene. Ken could barely make out Casper's form through the haze.
Suddenly, Ken felt a sharp pain in his side as Casper appeared out of nowhere, using [Shadow Slip] to teleport to a different location.
Ken gritted his teeth, knowing that he had lost.
"Boy, you have some good tricks," Casper said, shaking his head in admiration. "You're a skilled swordsman, but you can't defeat a dragon with a sword alone."
With that, Casper launched a powerful blast of dark energy with [Phantom Shot], sending Ken tumbling to the ground.
His sword clattered out of reach, leaving him defenseless.
Ken tried to move himself and reach out for his sword, but Casper quickly intervened with [Shadow Grapple].
Black chains materialized in the air and grappled Ken, immobilizing him for some time.
Casper strolled towards Ken, his hands in his pockets. Ken stood his ground, his eyes fixed on his opponent.
"Little boy, I am bored of fighting with you," Casper yawned. "Let me end this, okay?"
Ken clenched his fists. "I won't surrender. I have to protect my friends," he declared, his voice firm.
"What friends are you talking about? They are fighting among themselves over there," Casper pointed towards a place where students were standing before Ken and Casper started fighting.
Ken didn't believe Casper's words.
But as he turned his head, he saw students fighting among themselves.
They were slashing at each other with swords, firing spells and arrows, and shouting in panic.
"What did you do?" Ken roared with anger, his voice echoing through the battlefield.
"Ah, keep your voice low. Shouting with anger might cause throat problems in the long term.
Even though you are awakened, you shouldn't neglect your body like this. It's also bad for the listener.
Can't you think about their poor eardrums before shouting like this?" Casper lectured Ken, his tone patronizing.
"What happened to my friends? Tell me!" Ken said angrily, heeding Casper's words but unable to suppress his emotions.
"Hmm, let me tell you then. Otherwise, you will keep babbling," Casper said like it was a chore for him. "So when we started fighting, they tried to help by intervening. But just then, some worms wearing hoods appeared and attacked them."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ken asked back, his voice calmer but his eyes blazing with fury.
"Meh, I'm not your personal assistant. Why should I care about your worms?" Casper scoffed, his expression bored and indifferent.
"Let me continue the story," Casper said like he was some old man telling stories to children.
"After those worms wearing hoods appeared, both groups started fighting.
The two groups clashed violently amid the chaos, and your group was quickly overwhelmed by the worms wearing hoods.
Despite their best efforts, they found themselves being beaten down by those worms. Even though they had more numbers, they were too weak." Casper shook his head.
"At that moment, I noticed something strange happening.
Some of the people from your group, who had been fighting alongside just moments before, had suddenly turned on their fellow fighters. They began attacking their own allies, seemingly without reason or provocation."
"Sigh... You humans are so treacherous," Casper muttered to himself.
"I don't believe it," Ken said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Casper snickered at Ken's reaction. "Heh, I don't need you to believe in me either," he said dismissively. "You aren't my lover or my wife that I need to make you believe in me."
Ken gritted his teeth in frustration at Casper's words.
He couldn't save anyone again.
He had failed again.
"Okay, let me send you to the afterlife. Say hello to the gods on my behalf," Casper said with a hint of amusement, getting ready to strike Ken.
Just as Casper was about to make his move, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hmm? Who has the balls to stop this great shadow dragon?" he asked, puzzled.
"Casper~ Oh, Casper~ It's fancy meeting you here," a woman said in a charming voice.
Casper shuddered as he recognized the voice. There was no way he could forget that voice. He turned his face and saw the speaker. His face became pale.
"Veronica?" he mumbled.
"Hello, little Casper," Veronica said with a smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Foll𝑜w current novels on fre(e)w𝒆bnovel