Chapter 60

Looking at the clone that had a mask on his face and dragon scales around its body, Zephyr could feel that the demonic energy around him waver as he sensed the demonic energy that was mixed with dragon's aura around the clone.

However, Zephyr paid it no attention as he found it no big deal. Seeing the clone's transformation, Zephyr muttered in his mind.

'Dragonification...I honestly expected it would use Sage Arts though.'

The clone and Zephyr then moved forward at the same time. Boom! Their blades clashed against each other, but instead of the sound of metal ringing against metal, they produced explosions. In the blink of an eye, two blades clashed again multiple times.

Shifting his foot, Zephyr then slashed the clone as soon as he found an opportunity. Intense killing intent radiated from his sword as he used [Vorpal Destruction].

[You have dealt 27,629 damage to the target.]

Seeing the number of damage he inflicted, Zephyr narrowed his eyes. Taking account that the clone has already used [Dragonification] and [Hollow], the damage he had dealt was not small at all.

He also wondered why that the [Absolute Defense] wasn't triggered to negate his damage but remembered that his status was not below the clone and more than qualified to become a threat resulting for the absolute defense to be deactivated.

The clone then spat a [Dragon Breath], seeing that magic power was gathering in the mouth of the clone, Zephyr then took a distance as he tightened his grip on his swords. Boom! Zephyr murmered. "Even though it's a Draconic species, this is a bit unfair." He narrowed his [Emperor Eye].

As the breath was released, Zephyr took a deep breath as he watched the breath that was approaching towards him at an extreme speed. Zephyr then swung his sword as he used [Nova Ascension], allowing him to cut the breath into half.

Boom! A very loud explosion appeared behind Zephyr where the breath that was cut landed. Even he managed to avoid the [Dragon Breath], he didn't let his guard down as the [Dragon Fear] that the clone exuded was enough to make him shudder despite being resistant to abnormal statuses.

More in fact, the aura of the [Dragon Fear] was not something a legend can resist when the source has came from an absolute species. The clone then appeared in front of him using [Blink] and slashed the two swords it held and targeted his neck.

Zephyr managed to avoid it barely as the clone was so fast. Suddenly, Zephyr felt his movement became sluggish as the surrounding immediately changed. Magic power had coated it as it resulted for the environment to change.

[You have been affected by a domain.]

[All stats will be reduced by 40%.]

[All resistance will be reduced by 50%.]

'Domain Declaration?'

Zephyr narrowed his eyes after seeing that the clone casted a domain. Zephyr thought that now he might gonna be in trouble for real. After his encounter in Elysia, Zephyr knew that in a domain, aside the suffering from debuffs, all attacks of the caster were guaranteed to hit.

[You have suffered 46,827 damage.]

[You have suffered 46,877 damage.]

[Critical!]

[You have suffered 66,428 damage.]

The clone then simultaneously slashed Zephyr with [Crescent Stream]. With the decrease in his stats and defense, Zephyr's HP fell into a great margin. Unable to block it, he can only stare at the clone.

However, Zephyr didn't back down as all he could see was a futile effort of the clone. Under the influence of Soulstone of Pride, Zephyr wasn't fazed at all.

['The Soulstone of Pride' expresses displeasure.]

[Your Soulstone of Pride shows it's extreme arrogance to the target.]

Little by little, Zephyr's body was becoming lighter as his stats was growing at an exponential rate. Zephyr could feel an overwhelming power inside him as he felt that no one should be stronger than him.

It didn't took long for Zephyr to overcome the decrease in his stats and it is still rising. One of the reason why the soulstones were coveted by everyone in Tensura as it possessed a power that could broke the balance.

The Soulstone of Pride is a broken item as it doesn't allow anyone that there was someone on top of him. It displays its extreme arrogance that everything shall be under him.

Letting go of the Twilight Blade, Zephyr grabbed the Bane Sword as he wanted to reduce the effect of [Absolute Regeneration]. Even Zephyr knows that using the Aetherius Set was the correct asnwer as it would allow him to deal more damage as the clone right now was a dragonoid.

Zephyr decided to not use it as it would only make things less interesting. Dragon scales appeared on Zephyr's body as he then unleashed his own [Domain Declaration] neutralizing the debuffs that affected him.

Feeling the constraints disappeared, Zephyr felt better. Zephyr and the clone immediately clashed together. It was like the powers of different dragons crashing against each other. They were like beasts fighting for dominance. To the Draconic species, territory was extremely important, and it was instinctive for them to use it to dominate a battlefield.

Since both Zephyr and the clone had the bodies of Dragonoid species, their two territories would only damage their surroundings when they collided. However, thanks to the Soulstone of Pride, Zephyr's power was higher than the clone the moment the debuffs disappeared.

The clone's movement was restricted as Zephyr's domain was dominating than the clone's. However, as both domains have the same properties, the domain of the clone didn't disappear but only overwhelmed.

Suddenly, fire and lightning rained around the entire domain as both Zephyr and the clone casted [Fire Storm] and [Lightning Storm]. Zephyr didn't held back as he casted all his magic skills however Zephyr knew that inside a domain, the invulnerability effect of [Lightning Body] has disappeared.

Not like he minded it. Series of explosions appeared as both Zephyr and the clone exchanged attacks. Their HP began to fall at fast rate as both of them cannot block or avoid any attacks.

Without caring at his HP, Zephyr's power rose again as he now unleased the [Sage Arts]. Boom! Receiving the slash from Zephyr, the clone also activated the [Sage Arts]. Like two behemoths fighting against each other, destruction could be seen everywhere.

After the clone was in a disadvantage, Zephyr realized that the clone had the ability to learn, and it already familiarized itself with Zephyr's fighting style. There were times when it got too close for comfort.

Zephyr then controlled all of his swords as he simultaneously casted [Fireball] and [Lightning Blast]. Zephyr's concentration reached the peak as he attempted to muti-task. If any other player were in Zephyr's place, they would have been logged out already as the amount of mental energy would exceed their limits.

It was a safety protocol that a player would be logged out if his brain was being overworked as that could cause many negative effects to the player. However, Zephyr wasn't showing any sign of discomfort as if he was far from his limit.

With both of them using two swords, Zephyr found it was troublesome as he cannot block or avoid any strike that the clone made. As soon as his [Draconic Eyes] caught a weakness, Zephyr then slashed horizontally on the side allowing Zephyr to cut an arm of the clone.

Left with a single arm in a single second, the clone was in a disadvantage as it faced two swords in Zephyr's hands while it was only remained with one. Without allowing it to regenerate its arm through [Absolute Regeneration], Zephyr targeted the throat of the clone.

As Zephyr slashed the clone in the throat, it finally entered the immortal state as it's HP had reached the minimum. Due to the Soulstone of Pride that helped Zephyr to overwhelm the clone in terms of stats, he managed to drain the clone's HP first as his damage, defense, HP and many other attributes were higher than the clone.

Seeing he could no longer deal any damage within 5 seconds, Zephyr became vigilant as the clone was now on its last stand. Suddenly, Zephyr remembered that the cooldown of his immortality passive wasn't over as he had activated it during the time of his duel in Elysia.

Becoming aware of the possibility that he might be the first to zero his HP, Zephyr decided that he should find a way to deal with the clone. Suddenly, an idea lit up on Zephyr's mind.

Zephyr then dashed towards the clone which left the clone baffled as far as he knows Zephyr, Zephyr should step back at this moment as now he was invincible. However, what Zephyr had done next has made the clone even more confused.

Activating [Rush] to increase his movement speed, Zephyr then let go of the sword in his right arm, the clone didn't didn't miss the gap and slashed even he was confused.

[You have suffered 123,727 damage.]

Zephyr didn't care about the damage. Seeing the sword was strucked on his left shoulder, with his right hand, Zephyr placed it to the head of the clone and murmured.

"Devour."

[Your Soulstone of Gluttony's 'Predation' has been activated.]

[Your Soulstone of Gluttony is attempting to devour the target.]

The clone then froze as it was unable to move. With the predation being activated, the clone was unable to move as it resisted and refused to be devoured by Zephyr. Zephyr wasn't bothered by its resistance as he truly didn't care.

His intention was not to devour the clone as that was impossible at the moment. What he wanted was to make it incapable of doing anything until the duration of the immortality state.

The clone persisted and resisted to the maximum but the Soulstone of Pride pressured the clone forcefully as it synergized with Soulstone of Gluttony making it harder for the clone to resist.

It didn't take long for the duration of the immortality passive to finish. The clone had pale complexion and coughed up blood. It was unbelievable situation to the clone as it was incaple of moving during he was on the immortal state.

For the clone, it was ridiculous for Zephyr to resort to a trick and defeat it. However, it wasn't Zephyr's fault that the clone was incapable of replicating the bound items of Zephyr. It might be different if Zephyr equipped the Aetherius Dragon Slaying Set but sadly he didn't.

It wondered why he lost when they were just the same person.

"Your not me and you'll never be."

Zephyr coldly stated as he never thought of the clone as himself. Zephyr then dealt the killing blow as the clone with rage as it turned into a particles of light.

[You have won a fight against yourself.]

[You have overcome your limitations and have taken one step closer to become a true legend.]

[Tier Advancement Quest: Completed.]

[Completion Rate: SSS.]

[Congratulations on becoming a Tier 2 Sword Saint.]

[Congratulations on becoming a Tier 2 Legendary Archmage.]

[All stats will be strengthened by 50%.]

[Attack damage will be increased by 15%.]

[Attack speed will be increased by 20%.]

[You are the first player to become a Tier 2.]

[You have made an achievement that is not easily complished. Additional karma will be provided.]

[You have acquired 500 karma.]

[You have acquired 750 additional karma.]

Zephyr didn't move as the notifications was still not finish and decided to watch it with curiosity.

[Your understanding of sword has reached a new level.]

[The level of Complete Sword Mastery has risen.]

[Number of sword skills that can be created has increased to 15.]

[You have understood the basics of Sword Aura.]

[The skill 'Sword Aura' has been acquired.]

[The title, 'Master Swordsman' has been obtained.]

[Complete Sword Mastery Lv.4]

Increases sword damage by 110%.]

[Sword Aura Lv.4]

[Allows you to exert your mana and convert it into Sword Aura. Increases the damage and sharpness of the sword.

* The effects increases every time the level of 'Complete Sword Mastery' increases.]

[Master Swordsman]

[Given to those who had reached the mastery of the sword.

* When a blade type weapon is equipped, attack power will increase by 40% and attack speed by 10%. This effect is applied separately from the Sword Mastery skill effect.

* Greatly improves your control with sword by 30%. Sword techniques will also have more impact.]

Zephyr nodded at the rewards of being a Tier 2 Sword Saint. He then proceeded to the rewards of his second class.