CHAPTER 55: 55: LIGHTENING STEPS

He gripped the hilt of his greatsword tightly but his eyes narrowed as he studied Fenwick’s posture. The man stood like a wall, and his stance heavy and steady without a single opening.

Ethan realized at once that his huge greatsword would be a disadvantage. If he dared to swing it against that guard, Fenwick would slide through the gaps and stab him a hundred times over.

"Wait a moment...I need to change my weapon."

Ethan pulled back.

Taking a slow breath, Ethan called Oliver over. With calm hands he handed away the greatsword.

Instead, he drew out a smaller dual-edged longsword. It was lighter, quick to move, and had once belonged to the previous Baron Blank.

Ethan held it close to his body, the blade resting near his chest. His shoulders were tense, his breathing steady. It would be a lie to say he was not nervous.

They exchanged a few quiet words that only the two of them could hear. Then they both lowered into their stances. The air around them turned heavy with silence until a single voice cut through.

"Begin!"

The moment the command rang out, both of them exploded forward like arrows loosed from a bowstring. The ground cracked beneath their boots. Their figures blurred, leaving behind faint afterimages as they clashed in the center.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The swords collided in a storm of sparks. Each strike rang like thunder, echoing across the arena. Their blades clashed and slid against one another.

Steel grinded against steel with screeching sparks. The air stirred with sharp winds every time they met.

Ethan planted his feet firmly and hacked forward with raw power. His movements were not refined, not polished, but every swing carried crushing force. He ducked low, raised his blade high, and slammed from every angle.

His body moved fast, his arms shaking with effort as he deflected and struck again without pause.

Fenwick, in contrast, fought with elegance. His steps were quite precise, his blade moved in smooth arcs that deflected Ethan’s heavy strikes at the last moment. He twisted his wrist to turn aside an attack, then spun his blade to counter. His form was clean, almost graceful, like a practiced swordsman who had seen countless battles.

Yet every time their swords met, the air cracked with the weight of Ethan’s strength.

BANG! BANG!

Fenwick’s expression tightened. His movements remained steady, but each time he blocked Ethan’s strike the shock ran through his arms. His hands trembled,and his fingers was quite numb from the force. He tried to mask it, but his eyes flickered for a moment.

’Why is his strength on the upper end?’ he thought in disbelief.

Both were of the same realm, but from these exchanges it was clear. Ethan’s raw power was overwhelming.

Ethan pressed forward again, his feet kicked up dirt as he lunged. He twisted his body, swinging his sword in a wide arc that hummed through the air.

Fenwick deflected with a swift parry, but the force jolted his wrist and sent a sting shooting up his arm. The crowd gasped as sparks flew, the sound of the clash like iron hammers striking anvils.

Fenwick pulled back two steps, his eyes narrowed. He could not deny the strength before him, but his lips curled upward into a grin. His teeth flashed in the sunlight

’Such brute attacks. With my experience, it would be easy for me to win.’

He let out a soft snort. His grip tightened on his sword, his stance lowering again. The grin spread wider across his lips.

Ethan saw the evil confidence glowing in Baron Fenwick eyes that gave him Deja Vu.

Ethan steadied himself, raising his sword high again. His chest rose and fell, his mind sharp and focused. Across from him, Baron Fenwick prepared to strike back, his grin promising nothing but trouble.

SWKSHHHH

Baron Fenwick moved like a predator circling its prey. His swordsmanship carried years of experience, each swing sharp and calculated.

Ethan’s heavy strikes came down with brute force, but Fenwick’s blade slipped through the gaps and redirected them with precision.

In the next moment as they clashed,Ethan was greeted with a sudden attack.

Ethan gritted his teeth as Fenwick’s sudden kick smashed against his knee, forcing him to stagger. Before he could recover, Fenwick slammed his forehead against Ethan’s face, making his vision blur for a moment. The attack caught him off guard, and his body leaned back under the pressure.

"What the fuck?" Ethan spat out, wiping blood from his lip as he steadied himself. His tone was a mix of anger and disbelief. "Is this swordsmanship or something else?" His eyes glared at Fenwick, searching for an opening.

"There are no rules stating that I can’t use it." Fenwick laughed, his voice wild and mocking as he lunged forward again. His sword burst into flames, the glow spreading across the stage.

He then slashed it.

Each slash carried a storm of power, releasing blades of wind that screamed through the air.

The ground split open under the pressure, stone cracking as if it were paper. Fenwick’s attacks left no time to breathe. The fiery wind blades shot forward in waves, their edges tearing apart the air itself.

Ethan’s jumped around to dodge the attack.

The next wave of blades raced toward him, closing in fast. He could feel the sharp wind biting into his skin even before it touched him.

His heart pounded, and for a moment, he realized if these blades reached him, it would be the end.

As Ethan rolled on the ground and cut off,his eyes widened in horror as he saw Baron Fenwick few inches away from him and shot his sword sending a flame attack.

The glowing blades cut through the air and reached Ethan, only inches away from his chest.

But in that final instant, Ethan’s body flickered.

SWISHH!

The blades tore through him, splitting his form in half. Screams erupted, echoing across the courtyard.

Faces twisted in horror, many believing the fight was over.

Yet in the very next second, gasps replaced those screams.

What the blades had cut apart was not Ethan’s true body but a fading afterimage left behind. Ethan’s real figure stood several steps away, his sword still gripped tightly in his hands as his eyes locked on Fenwick with a cold, steady glare.