CHAPTER 97: SARAFINA’S PROPOSAL (2)

An invisible wind platform appeared beneath my feet.

I lightly jumped into the air and pushed off with both feet.

BOOMM!!

Another wind platformed appeared beneath my feet.

The force of the wind platform erupted, propelling me forward.

I arrived before her like an arrow, thrusting Spiral Fang forward.

I saw Sarafina’s eyes widen in surprise.

She narrowly moved to the side, dodging the attack.

I could read her movements.

I twisted my body midair, somersaulting to the side.

Another invisible wind platform appeared beneath my feet, allowing me to angle my body toward her.

I swung Spiral Fang down.

Swwiisshh!!

Spiral Fang cut through the air, narrowly missing Sarafina once more.

As she dodged, I followed her closely, using my advantage in the air to cover the distance between us in an instant.

Cleaving. Thrusting. Right. Left. Down. Sideways.

Yet it was as though she had eyes on the back of her head.

She could read my attacks and dodge them no matter where I struck from.

Suddenly, Sarafina threw a punch at me.

I landed on the ground, narrowly dodging the attack.

She stretched forward to kick me.

A wind platform appeared beside me.

I slammed myself against the wind platform and was launched away from her.

WHOOSH!!

I launched forward again, taking advantage of her momentary surprise.

I didn’t know if she had left the end of her scarf billowing freely in the wind to make it easy for me to win, but it was the best and only way at the moment that I could emerge victorious in this duel.

I swung Spiral Fang up.

A sharp arc of aura coated in sword intent surged out, slicing the other end of her scarf in half.

Sarafina leapt into the sky, her eyes widening in shock as she somersaulted, twisting her body midair toward me.

Our eyes locked.

I attempted to move out of the way again, but I froze.

I couldn’t move. It was as if my entire body had been paralysed.

My surroundings dulled, as though the light had been taken away from them.

My chest heaved as my breathing grew heavy.

I could only see and sense Sarafina as her feet struck down from above.

Her leg nearly struck my left shoulder, hanging just in the air above it.

BANGG!!

However, the air pressure generated a force that pushed me down, slamming me into the ground.

"Arghhh!!" I coughed painfully, feeling a splitting pain in my left shoulder blade and throughout my body.

My stomach, alongside my internal organs, churned violently.

My vision turned hazy.

I collapsed on the ground and fainted.

***

I felt a warm sensation flow through my body as I regained consciousness. I felt both weak and strong at the same time.

My eyes fluttered open.

The first thing that came into view was the familiar figure of Sarafina.

She knelt on the grassy plain beside me.

I tried standing up, but Sarafina quickly held me down.

"Don’t move. I applied a special salve to your injuries and administered an elixir for you to drink. You should be healed within a few hours at most. So there’s no need to take you to the hospital," Sarafina said.

I didn’t respond because I didn’t know what to say.

"Can you talk?" Sarafina asked.

I nodded.

"Okay. You won." Sarafina brought the torn scarf and placed it in front of me to see.

"I promise never to speak to anybody about what I’ve seen."

My brows twitched.

I felt as though I had fallen into a trap.

If I revealed that I had been attacked by Sarafina, I would also risk exposing the items I had purchased.

"Now I want to know one thing. Did you just use sword intent?"

Sarafina was also good at pretending, so I wouldn’t know if she had spotted my lies or not. I had to carefully filter my words before speaking.

I nodded.

As though not expecting my response, her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

Her lips moved as though trying to speak, but no words emerged.

After several efforts, she finally asked, "How?"

"After a swordmaster hones their swordsmanship to the Expert level, they can awaken a sword intent..." I explained.

However, before I could complete my words, she interrupted.

"Do you think I’m stupid? I know about that. What I want to know is how you were able to become an Expert-level swordsman. The last time I checked, you only possessed low-apprentice-level swordsmanship. Not even Ivory, who had awakened a Rank Two Trait, nor Esther, nor any of the First-Year students have awakened a sword intent."

"Let’s not even mention the skill you used that’s almost impossible for a student below the Magus Department to master. And not only do you possess robust mana, but also a powerful body. Ezekiel Zahara... You are known as the ’Worst One,’" She said.

"I’m starting to think that the information revealed about you are all fake. If this new information is revealed to the public, then I think it would spread across the academy, and you might just become one of the First Year’s most talented students."

"So I’ll ask you again. How did you do it?" She asked.

However, I had nothing to say.

There was no way I was going to reveal the existence of the system.

"I trained really hard to achieve this level of swordsmanship. Apart from that, I don’t know what else to tell you."

I wasn’t lying.

Although the proficiency points I gained with the system’s help enhanced my strength, none of this would have been possible without the time and effort I invested in attaining it.

Surprisingly, she nodded in understanding.

"I’ve heard about how seriously you take your training, to the extent that you’re always taken to the hospital every single time you step into the dungeon," Sarafina nodded.

"You’re infamous for that. Even my students know about you. Now that you’ve defeated twenty-five Windcrest Clan descendants, I can say without a doubt that you’re somewhat of a celebrity within the Warrior Department."