Chapter 150: The Midnight Duel (3)
Chapter 150: The Midnight Duel (3)
Jin dashed forward, utilizing the glowing blue aura to extend the deadly reach of his curved saber. He swung the weapon in a broad arc.
Solomon raised Eden’s Penance to block the incoming strike, and the blue energy crashed against the sword. The impact sent a sharp shockwave ripping across the stone plateau.
Solomon slid backward, realizing the force behind the aura-infused attack easily eclipsed Jin’s previous physical strikes.
Solomon anchored his boots into the rock and tightened his grip on the hilt.
’The Paladin never once activated his aura during the fifteen years of training and sparring inside the mental void.’
Solomon had learned the physical forms to perfection. He possessed theoretical knowledge regarding aura manipulation, yet he lacked the practical experience of actually fighting a skilled aura user.
The dungeon mobs and bosses he faced during his expedition offered no real challenge, as they relied on brute strength rather than refined internal energy.
Uriel provided a terrifying test. However, the angel wielded divine magic capable of obliterating everything in a single hit, and Vlad had stepped in to help him survive that encounter.
When Jin swung his saber, the resulting aura waves carried devastating power. But the attacks only promised broken bones instead of instant death.
Solomon dodged a sweeping blue slash, ducking under the glowing blade to hop out of range. He knew exactly how to project aura attacks thanks to the inherited memories. Trying to figure out the proper output and timing in the middle of a high-speed duel presented unnecessary risks.
He held his ground using his physical foundation, deciding to stick to his proven physical forms.
[IceWaterKat: Jin is moving way too fast now!]
[Grim: that aura reach is terrifying.]
[Berell: Solomon is just dodging and blocking.]
[James_hayes: he needs to use his own aura attacks or he will lose.]
Jin stepped into a fluid stance. "I told you to trust no one on a battlefield." Jin spun his saber, aiming the tip at Solomon’s chest. "Your enemies will utilize every advantage to end your life. They refuse to play by the rules."
Jin executed the Azure Crane Blade. The blue aura transformed the simple deflections into crescent-shaped waves of energy, unleashing a flurry of strikes.
Solomon parried the first two blows, but the third strike carried a trailing wave of blue energy. The after-effect slammed into Solomon’s chest. He tumbled across the stone and quickly scrambled back to his feet.
Jin leaped into the air and brought the glowing saber down. Solomon twisted his hips and executed the second form of the Eden Imperial Sword Arts. He swung Eden’s Penance in a horizontal sweep. The pristine steel collided with the descending blue aura.
The resulting shockwave carved deep fissures into the rock, sending loose boulders tumbling down the steep mountain slopes.
[1Fizzy: the whole mountain is breaking apart.]
[Chi_Master: Jin’s sword forms look beautiful but deadly.]
[Fatal_Beauty: Solomon is struggling to keep up with the after-effects.]
Jin landed gracefully on the fractured rock. He snapped his wrist and sent three sharp arcs of blue energy flying toward Solomon.
Solomon relied on his footwork to survive the onslaught. He hopped over the first arc and deflected the second with the flat of his blade. The third arc clipped his shoulder, tearing his spider-silk shirt and drawing a thin line of blood.
Solomon gritted his teeth. He ignored the stinging cut and charged forward. Dropping his center of gravity, he compressed his body weight into the tip of his weapon. Executing the fourth form of the Eden Imperial Sword Arts, Solomon lunged at Jin.
Jin sidestepped the thrust, guiding the blue aura along the side of the greatsword. The energy burned Solomon’s forearms. Solomon retracted the blade and instantly transitioned into the first form. He brought the executioner’s sword down in a punishing vertical chop.
Jin raised his saber to block the attack. The aura flared brightly, absorbing the devastating strike. Jin pushed Solomon away and unleashed another barrage of blue crescents.
Solomon dashed across the cratered plateau, repeatedly executing the fourth form to pierce through the incoming energy waves. The high-velocity thrusts shattered the aura arcs, sending bright sparks raining down on the broken stones.
’The fourth form is very effective against aura attacks or to break combo attacks.’
Jin darted across the fractured stone and swung his curved saber. The blue aura extended the reach of his blade. Solomon stepped backward to evade the glowing arc and raised Eden’s Penance to block the follow-up strike. Sparks showered over the plateau as the weapons collided.
Jin pushed Solomon away and lowered his saber. His chest rose and fell as he pulled in a breath of the mountain wind. "You have to use your aura if you want to stand against me" Jin said between breaths. "If I win this duel while you rely purely on physical strength, I will feel bad. It is basically bullying my own student."
Solomon grinned and adjusted his grip on the hilt. "I am doing fine without it. You just need to swing faster."
[1Fizzy: the trash talk is top tier today.]
[Fatal_Beauty: Jin is actually out of breath!]
[Mezz_3863: Solo Man literally never gets tired.]
[Foodball: telling an aura user to swing faster is wild.]
Jin took another few seconds to catch his breath. He watched Solomon standing across the cratered rock, assuming the teenager must be on the brink of collapse after defending against enhanced aura strikes.
However, Solomon felt no exhaustion. His passive ability recycled his exertion into fresh energy.
Although he was tired, he could still fight without worrying about saving his energy. The stamina tax was catching up, but Solomon had survived a worse situation than this against Uriel, so he wasn’t feeling challenged enough to panic.
Meanwhile, Jin was slowing down. Ever since he began to use his internal energy, his speed and strength had increased, but in return, his fatigue was also climbing.
The moment Jin stopped moving to rest, Solomon anchored his boots against the ground. He aligned his spine with his wrists and unleashed the first form of the Eden Imperial Sword Arts.
He brought Eden’s Penance crashing down toward Jin’s head.
Jin widened his eyes and hastily raised his saber to block. The greatsword slammed into the blue aura shield. Solomon twisted his hips and transitioned smoothly into the second form. He delivered a horizontal sweep that bypassed the faltering guard.
The edge of Eden’s Penance tore through Jin’s blue robes and sliced a gash across his ribs. Blood spilled into the air. Jin groaned and stumbled backward, clutching his injured side.
[James_hayes: HE GOT HIM!]
[Chi_Master: the teacher is bleeding!]
[Grim_2649: Solomon capitalized on that pause perfectly.]
[BloodKnight: A warrior never assumes their opponent is defeated until they fall.]