026 - Sneaking away

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A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

( Proverbs 19 : 9 )

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Ze looked at his opponent, who stood with his sword raised.

"Are we going to witness the fight of the once-called Golden Saint?"

"But isn't it a bit unfair for the boy?"

"He was the one who insisted on the fight, and he said he would kill us."

The crowd became noisy as they talked about the fight in anticipation.

Both had yet to make a move, but they were already evaluating each other's strength from their stances. Neither showed weakness or openings as they stood. The atmosphere tensed, sparking with hatred as one mocked the other with his smile.

Normally, a person's aura shows how strong they are—the brightness, shape, and flow. The old man, the retired sword master, covered his sword with an aura. A brilliant golden sword aura, unwavering and undiminished. It perfectly showcased his conviction and strength.

Ze grinned ferociously as he saw the golden aura enveloping the sword. His opponent was still strong despite his age, and it was evident from his experience.

They were both waiting for their opponent to make a move. A single mistake would be fatal.

"Let's go," Ze said.

Only the words were left behind before he vanished with a shockwave. He appeared before the sword master, armed with nothing but his fist.

"Foolish," the sword master replied, meeting the fist with his sword. The golden sword drew a golden arc before it collided.

*Boom*

A shockwave spread as their weapons clashed, accompanied by a flash of golden light.

A sword master's aura can cleave mountains and cut through steel like tofu. Under normal circumstances, striking a sword covered in aura with a fist is a death wish.

All the onlookers widened their eyes as they witnessed the aftermath of the collision, enough to make their jaws drop.

Ze's fist had connected with the sword and stopped it in its tracks, breaking the sword aura. He grinned ferociously at the shocked sword master.

"Shall we continue?" he asked mockingly.

But the old man replied with a sword strike. The sword aura reformed and clashed again, creating a beautiful arc.

At the same time, Ze withdrew his fist and struck once more.

They collided again, sending shockwaves and flashes of golden light. The fist stopped the sword and extinguished the aura. But this time, without waiting to check, they continued their attacks.

The Golden Saint's sword drew beautiful arcs of golden light with each swing, flowing like a powerful river. They collided repeatedly, causing shockwaves to spread. Bright golden light flashed every time their weapons clashed, accompanied by deafening shockwaves. The audience moved back as the attacks spread, and the shockwaves became unbearable.

*BOOM*

With an even louder shock, they both slid back from the force of the collision.

They stood straight, still standing strong, their faces showing ferocious grins. Both were getting excited as the match continued.

"Shall we stop holding back?" Ze said.

They had been holding back to avoid putting bystanders in danger and to assess each other's power. But things were getting serious.

The Golden Saint lifted his sword, and the aura burned brighter, resembling a golden sun. A golden hue enveloped his entire being, spreading an unbearable pressure that forced the bystanders to move even further away.

Seeing that his opponent was getting serious, Ze moved, vanishing in a blur. What remained in his place was a sonic boom. He reappeared behind the Golden Saint, his fist pulled back and ready to strike. Without hesitation, he launched a surprise attack.

*BOOM*

The Golden Saint turned his back and swung his sword. With a sound that split the wind, his sword drew an arc, colliding with Ze's fist. A shockwave spread, accompanied by a brilliant golden flash unlike any before. The strength and speed of their attacks were unimaginable.

But this time, the Golden Saint, with his golden eyes, clearly saw what happened to his sword aura. The aura got crushed, broke, and shattered by an unknown force, allowing only the sword to meet his fist. It was a split-second move to break his aura.

But he didn't falter; he continued his attack. Every time his aura broke, he formed it again and again, endlessly swinging his sword. He had forgotten the hatred he felt toward the boy who crushed his aura; now, all that remained was pure admiration for his opponent.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

Ze didn't back away either. His fist broke the aura and stopped the sword. He was using his body to its fullest extent to keep fighting, his nerves feeling like they were on fire as the sparks of signals burned his receptors. His brain was running at full throttle, but he kept fighting.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

He was enjoying the fight; it was different from the fights in the north. The beasts there were crude, using their superior strength to kill, unlike humans who were born weak and used all available means to grow stronger. With each step, he felt the ecstasy of the fight, his fist turning red as it broke the sound barrier.

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

The fist and the sword collided, shockwaves spread, and brilliant golden lights flashed. The entire hall was starting to get engulfed in their fight. The sword aura that wasn't crushed by Ze extended outward, cutting and crushing the walls.

*BANG* *CRACK* *BOOM*

The hall was already in shambles as the walls fell, the ceiling blew away, and the floor cracked. The knights were already struggling to stop the stray attacks. The pressure was crushing.

But neither of them cared; they used their full strength to fight. An area of space was created as they collided, crushing everything that came in their way. Their speed had already surpassed the natural limit, leaving only afterimages. The destruction they caused was visible.

*BOOM*

With another deafening shockwave, they split apart.

Ze stood, his fist bleeding and fully covered in cuts. His grin was still present as he looked at the saint.

The saint stood upright, his sword lowered, and his aura subdued. His sword had been chipped away, but a similar grin like Ze's was etched on his face.

"I WILL GIVE MY ALL IN MY FINAL ATTACK. DON'T HOLD BACK," Ze shouted.

Ze extended his hand to the side, a black stick formed of darkness emerging from his cloak woven of darkness. Gripping the sword in his left hand, he looked at the saint. He released his breath through clenched teeth, releasing the pressure from his body.

Fighting the sword master with just his physical strength and a bit of aura coating, without the buff from mana or Qi, was tiring. But for this final attack, he would give it his all.

Sensing that the next attack would be the last, the saint raised his sword, gripping it with both hands as the aura surrounding his body condensed. The aura grew brighter and sharper than ever before, a testament to his growth during the fight. Getting ready for his final attack, he locked eyes with his opponent.

Sensing the gaze, Ze lifted his sword and brought it before him.

Receiving the signal, the saint swung his sword. A tremendous wave of golden aura rushed towards Ze, covering the entire hall in a bright golden light, like a tidal wave ready to crush anything in its path.

"Break,"

*Click*

With a murmur followed by a clicking sound, Ze split his sword.

*Click*

The ripple of the clicking sound echoed in the now soundless world.

Everything before Ze split apart:

The rushing aura,

The sound of the fierce wind,

The man standing opposite him,

The world that stood against him,

Everything was split into stillness as he slashed through the natural conventions and reached the beyond, leaving only absolute silence.

Ze slowly lowered his sword in silence, paying respect to his fallen opponent.

Gradually, the world began to move again. Hearts that had stopped beating resumed, grasping the situation, followed by a rush of shock.

Ze looked at his surroundings; the hall he arrived in was no more. The entire castle lay in ruins, with crumbled walls and fallen pillars that couldn't withstand the shockwaves from the collision.

Ze looked at the people who were blown away; they were relatively undamaged, though nearing death. Some were missing body parts, and the knights' armour was broken as they tried to fend off the stray aura. The best they could do was save their lives and escape its grasp.

Ze could hear the cries of the workers, the clacking footsteps of the soldiers, and the breaths of the dead. The battle between him and the sword master had caused devastation.

Ze lifted his left hand, the spell [Devil's Agony], which had turned into a mark on his palm, lit up. The markings started to shift as the spell transformed from blood red to brilliant gold. It flashed brightly as it completed.

*Tak*

Ze lightly tapped his foot, and a spell covered the entire broken castle, completing instantly. The spell in his hand pulsed with life, ready for action. Another pulse of energy covered the sky; it was a brilliant gold, a stark contrast to the purple spell that covered the land.

The deployed spells were [God's Hand] and [Anti-Gravity Field].

Ze looked at the sky; the sun was setting, indicating it was time for him to leave as well. Not because staying would cause problems like repair fees. No, definitely not because of that. He dissipated his presence and vanished from the crime scene.

...

Ze entered the King's office slowly, finding it empty except for the piles of paperwork on the desk. Ignorant of the fact that he was the cause of the mess, he flopped down onto the sofa, feeling the ache all over his body from the recent fight. He hadn't taken the time to heal himself properly.

Taking a moment, Ze tapped into the Qi stored within his body, enhancing his natural healing abilities several-fold. His fried nerves and internal ruptures caused by exerting excessive force slowly started to mend. Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes, seeking a moment of respite.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang as the door to the King's office burst open, causing Ze to open his eyes, albeit slowly. It was a familiar voice, one he had heard before. Raising his head, he saw Fran, the King of Elves, rushing in, looking somewhat panicked.

"HEY! YOU ARE HERE!" Fran shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

Startled by the intrusion, Ze sat up straighter on the sofa, trying to process the situation. Normally, someone would rush into the King's office only in case of an emergency.

"Come on, it wasn't intentional. I didn't think the whole place would blow up. I will pay, okay?" Ze blurted out, assuming that Fran had come to demand reparations for the damages caused.

Confused by Ze's response, Fran tilted his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Ze's brows furrowed in confusion as well. "Huh?"

"Huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you come here to ask for repair fees?" Ze asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

Fran shook his head. "Why would that be my problem? We have a serious matter to attend to. Callista has woken up."

"Callista!"

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Ze sprang up from the sofa, taking a step forward before instantly appearing in the chambers where Callista was. This time, there was no shocked cry from anyone, but Ze found himself frozen in his spot.

The elf girl who had been standing next to the bed sighed when she saw Ze, having grown accustomed to his sudden appearances. Meanwhile, Callista sat up on the bed, gazing out the window, seemingly unaware of Ze's arrival.

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