CHAPTER 223: WATER AND METAL

Continuing his ascent, Orion moved calmly yet purposefully. Opponents grew increasingly formidable, displaying intelligence rivaling true warriors.

They anticipated his strategies, exploiting any subtle weaknesses. Orion, however, countered each move patiently, employing the full spectrum of his powers—Dragon Instinct, combined swordsmanship and spells, as well as strategic manipulation of sword weight.

On the seventy-seventh floor, Orion materialized onto a stark battlefield. The arena’s obsidian floor, polished to mirror-like perfection, reflected the distant glow of countless floating crimson lanterns illuminating the expansive chamber.

Opposite Orion, the female Echo stood utterly still, twin longswords held gracefully at her sides.

Her black armor shimmered subtly under the crimson light, silver runes pulsing rhythmically along its sleek contours. Her raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, accentuating her quiet, lethal elegance.

Unlike previous opponents, Orion sensed a refined and poised intelligence behind her eyes—a soul whose depth had yet to fade completely, lingering defiantly despite countless years.

He took a measured step forward, lifting his obsidian longsword as he spoke calmly, breaking the tense silence. "It seems you’ll be my strongest opponent yet."

The Echo smiled faintly, her eyes sharp and piercing as they calmly observed him.

The air between them stilled briefly, tension building before erupting violently as they both surged forward simultaneously.

Her slender frame blurred into motion, dual longswords slicing through the air in fluid, mesmerizing arcs, attacking from different angles with perfect synchronicity.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Their blades collided furiously, sparks scattering brilliantly across the polished obsidian floor.

Orion felt immediate pressure, forced instantly onto the defensive. While his physical strength clearly surpassed hers, the finesse and sheer precision of her dual-wielded longswords quickly negated his raw advantage.

She wove attacks and feints together seamlessly, each strike precisely placed to test and break Orion’s guard.

Orion quickly adapted, leaning deeply into his Dragon Instinct. His senses heightened dramatically, enabling him to narrowly dodge or deflect her rapid strikes.

Their movements became an intricate dance of blades, a dazzling, deadly choreography.

Realizing that purely defensive tactics would lead nowhere, Orion gathered his Thunder mana, channeling it fiercely into his obsidian sword.

The blade erupted in brilliant electric-blue energy, the newly mastered Thunder Sword Aura crackling violently with each swing. Orion slashed decisively, arcs of lightning surging outward, forcing the Echo momentarily into a cautious retreat.

"Let’s see how you handle this," Orion murmured with focus.

The Echo’s eyes flashed briefly with approval, acknowledging Orion’s fierce strike. Without hesitation, she counterattacked.

Her right blade gleamed with a shimmering azure radiance—the serene yet relentless power of Water Sword Aura. Simultaneously, her left blade pulsed vibrantly, becoming encased in brilliant silver—the unyielding, razor-sharp essence of Metal Sword Aura.

Orion’s eyes widened in genuine surprise, fascination briefly overtaking his fighting spirit. ’She’s using two sword auras simultaneously, each with a different elemental affinity? Such mastery...’

She pressed forward relentlessly, her dual sword auras perfectly complementing each other.

Water Aura flowed seamlessly with smooth, unpredictable movements, elegantly deflecting Orion’s lightning-infused strikes. Meanwhile, the Metal Aura struck ruthlessly, exploiting even the smallest openings with merciless precision.

Orion’s defenses rapidly eroded under her dual assault, forced backwards step by step. Despite his strength, each exchange increasingly favored her, leaving him astonished at her profound mastery.

He desperately countered with Thunder-infused attacks, but her flawless harmony of Water and Metal negated his fierce offensive.

[Master, be careful! Her sword auras are incredibly powerful together!]

’I know,’ Orion replied inwardly, gritting his teeth. ’I didn’t expect Sword Auras could be used simultaneously like this.’

The Echo suddenly pivoted sharply, her Water Aura longsword effortlessly redirecting Orion’s next heavy strike.

Instantly, her Metal Aura blade surged forward in a swift, unstoppable thrust. Orion’s Dragon Instinct screamed danger, but it was already too late.

Her blade pierced through his defenses swiftly. Time seemed to blur as the floor’s runes lit up with a glorious array of lights before everything paused and Orion teleported outside the tower.

***

As Orion materialized outside the Tower of Myths, his senses were momentarily overwhelmed by the sudden transition from fierce combat to peaceful surroundings.

Sunlight gently warmed his skin, and the cool afternoon breeze brushed softly against his dampened hair.

Around him, a chorus of excited whispers rippled among the gathered students, who watched him with undisguised awe and disbelief.

A handful of instructors, too, had paused their casual conversations to regard Orion with intrigued expressions.

"Fucking hell!" came an irritated shout from nearby.

Orion turned his head sharply to see Instructor Viren grinning victoriously, holding out his palm expectantly towards another instructor.

The disgruntled instructor reluctantly removed a storage ring from his finger, dropping it with evident reluctance into Viren’s awaiting hand.

Viren chuckled triumphantly, pocketing his newfound prize before confidently striding over to Orion. His demeanor was relaxed, almost nonchalant, though his eyes sparkled with genuine admiration and curiosity.

"Young Helstorm," Viren greeted warmly, clapping Orion on the shoulder, "you’ve made me richer yet again! Truly, I didn’t misjudge you. Your progress today was phenomenal."

Orion managed a faint, weary smile, still breathing deeply to regain his composure. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face, testament to the intensity of the battles he’d just fought.

"Instructor Viren," he said with a slight chuckle, "I’m starting to wonder just how many bets you have riding on my performances."

Viren laughed heartily, drawing a few more amused glances from nearby students. "Ah, let’s just call them friendly wagers to keep things interesting," he replied casually, his tone jovial but mysterious. "Besides, it adds extra excitement to my otherwise dull routine."

Orion raised a skeptical eyebrow, shaking his head lightly. "If you say so, Instructor."

Viren’s grin widened playfully. "Oh, trust me. Your performance alone today was enough to shake the entire student body. Even some third-year prodigies rarely cross floor seventy-five, let alone on their second attempt."

Orion exhaled thoughtfully, feeling both pride and curiosity ignite within him. "Speaking of rankings," he began curiously, "what position have I reached after today’s climb?"

Viren folded his arms dramatically, clearly enjoying the suspense. He glanced around theatrically, noticing the students and instructors subtly leaning closer, eager to overhear. "Well, Young Helstorm, let’s hear your guess first. Which rank do you think you’ve reached?"

Orion paused momentarily, an amused twinkle appearing in his eyes as he glanced aside playfully. "Rank 69."

Viren blinked, caught momentarily off-guard, before bursting into laughter. "Why precisely that number?" he asked, clearly entertained.

"No particular reason," Orion replied casually, shrugging innocently.

[Master, you perv! (⁄ ⁄)]

Lumi scolded, her virtual cheeks reddening visibly on the interface.

Ignoring Lumi’s adorable embarrassment, Orion maintained his cool exterior, waiting patiently for Viren’s answer.

"Close, but you’ve exceeded even your own playful guess," Viren finally revealed, smiling broadly. "You now stand proudly at rank 49."

Orion’s eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise. "Rank 49? Doesn’t that mean I’ve surpassed nearly all the second-year students?"

"Precisely," Viren confirmed with a satisfied nod. "You’ve officially shaken things up, Orion. Some second-years and even a few third-years will no doubt be scrambling to reclaim their positions. Congratulations are indeed in order."

Orion nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the reality of his sudden rise. He glanced toward the immense structure of the Tower of Myths, reflecting deeply upon the power he’d witnessed within—especially that final opponent and her dual sword auras.

"Instructor Viren," Orion began seriously, his voice slightly lowered, "that Echo on the seventy-seventh floor, the one wielding dual sword auras—how common is that mastery?"