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|Jude|

And so, our journey commenced, with the carriages carrying us through the uneventful landscapes of our rural surroundings. There was little to captivate our attention in this secluded area. As evening descended, we halted for the night, gathering around a crackling bonfire that provided warmth and served as a makeshift cooking station.

In the midst of our shared meal, Helen's voice broke the silence, her curiosity piqued. "I've heard that both of you have already awakened your mana cores."

Instantly, the attention of our companions was captured. Adam's enthusiastic voice boomed, "Ha! How about a good old-fashioned sparring session to test your skills?" Glancing at Dad, who observed us intently, we received a nod of approval, affirming that our interest was not in vain. Arthur, always eager for a challenge, volunteered to go first.

|Arthur|

With a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, it was clear that Adam's intentions were not purely to gauge our strength but rather to teach us a lesson and perhaps deflate any inflated egos he presumed we possessed due to our supposed genius status.

Taking hold of the wooden sword I had received as a gift from my parents, I made my way towards the edge of the camp where Adam awaited, standing in a small clearing.

"Think you know how to reinforce your weapon, huh, genius?" he taunted, placing emphasis on the last word.

My father, perceptive as ever, understood Adam's intentions but chose to watch, confident that his little boy wouldn't be seriously harmed. I silently expressed gratitude for his trust, though my mother seemed more anxious, her gaze flitting between me, Adam, and my father, tightly gripping onto her husband's sleeve.

Well, at least Mom was there to heal me if things went awry, right?

Fixing my gaze upon Adam, a mere five meters separating us, memories from my past life flooded my mind—dueling with other kings, defending my country, and the lives of my loved ones at stake. I narrowed my eyes, narrowing my focus solely on the man before me. He was my opponent now.

Channeling mana into my legs, I propelled myself forward, clutching the wooden sword firmly in my right hand...

Adam, still sporting his smug expression, readied himself to block my horizontal swing. However, I deceived him, utilizing a special footwork technique I had honed in my previous world, specifically for dueling. In a split second, I blinked a foot diagonally to his right, although my body's height and weight hindered my execution of the skill. The 40-pound, 110cm frame was a stark contrast to my former self, and I struggled to adapt. While my maneuver did not take me precisely where I had intended, it left Adam's right side vulnerable, as he had already positioned his wooden weapon to defend against my anticipated attack from the opposite direction.

The smugness rapidly drained from Adam's face, replaced by surprise as his eyes widened, grasping the imminent danger.

Swiftly swinging my reinforced wooden sword toward his exposed ribcage, I infused the weapon with mana at the final moment, keen on conserving my energy, aware of my disadvantage against a seasoned veteran like him.

The look of astonishment flickered across Adam's features for a mere instant before he reacted with almost inhuman speed, pivoting his right foot. Just in time, I squatted to evade his upward swing, transitioning my stance from a thrust to a spinning swipe, landing a decisive blow on his left ankle, harnessing the full force of my momentum. Adam's ankle gave way, throwing him off balance.

|Jude|

Arthur's fighting prowess was truly remarkable, surpassing even the most skilled knights of my previous world. His lightning-fast footwork, coupled with his masterful swordsmanship, overwhelmed Adam with ease. However, there was an underlying feeling that something wasn't quite right. It was as if Arthur's movements were designed for someone larger and stronger, someone with the body of an adult.

Yet, Adam proved to be resilient and refused to be taken down so easily. With a swift split-second decision, he executed a roundhouse sweep, his legs sweeping the ground as he fell. In a nimble display of agility, he leaped back up to dodge Arthur's counterattack. Although Arthur managed to block the oncoming strike, the vast strength difference between them caused him to be overpowered, sending his body hurtling through the air. Fortunately, he had reinforced his body beforehand, mitigating the impact of the blow.

My mother shook her head, her worry evident as she rushed to Arthur's side, casting a healing spell to mend any injuries. "Art, my dear, are you alright? How do you feel?" she anxiously inquired. Arthur reassured her, his voice steady, "I'm fine, Mom. Don't worry." At that moment, Adam interjected, his voice tinged with both amazement and frustration, "You haven't taught him how to fight, my ass! How in the world did you train this little monster?" He rubbed his head, still recovering from the impact. Dad, with a hint of astonishment in his voice, managed to mutter, "I didn't teach him that."

Witnessing the scene unfold, I rose from my seat and approached Arthur to check on his well-being. He nodded, indicating that he was alright. I turned my attention to Adam, realizing it was now my turn to spar. Adam seemed as though he wanted to continue his line of questioning, but instead, he readied himself for the impending bout. Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip on the wooden sword, preparing for the challenge ahead.

From the moment I was born in this new life, I discovered a remarkable truth: I still possessed my Cheonmujiche and Yin-Yang body, the very essence of my talent and means to reach the pinnacle. Though I had lost my godly form and the mastery of my sword arts, the core of my power remained intact.

With determination in my eyes, I charged towards Adam, leading my sword with unwavering focus. Adam, now fully serious after his duel with my brother, spared no mercy. His spear clashed directly with my sword, the clash of metal echoing through the air. Instead of evasive maneuvers, I opted for a direct confrontation, seeking to force him into the heat of battle.

Employing slashes from various angles, I aimed to overwhelm him. But it seemed that even with my best efforts, overpowering him proved to be an immense challenge. Or so it appeared.

Drawing upon my experiences from my previous life, where I had relied on the power of Ninth Heaven's and Nine Doors martial arts to elevate my physical abilities and transcend the boundaries of swordsmanship, I chose to employ the same technique once again, this time augmented by the power of mana. The fusion of Ninth Heaven's and Nine Doors with my mana core sparked a surge of newfound strength within me, filling me with an invigorating energy.

The onlookers were astounded by the sudden rise in power they witnessed. I couldn't help but smile, pushing forward with intensified attacks. At this point, Adam struggled to merely deflect and hold his ground against my relentless assault.

Previously, the difference in our physique allowed him to parry my strikes, but the opening of the second door of this technique began to close that gap.

However, showing a measure of mercy, I decided to end the duel with a single strike. Channeling the power of mana, I invoked the {Wind and Lightning Flurry Strikes} technique.

A barrage of thirteen slashing attacks rained down upon Adam, catching him by surprise. He fought valiantly to fend off each strike, but I purposefully withheld some of my strength, ensuring he would survive the initial twelve onslaughts. Just as he believed he had weathered the storm, I unleashed the thirteenth strike, a blow that in my previous life could have rent the sky and the very fabric of the world. The spear was cleaved in twain, but I deftly shifted my sword to the left, sparing Adam from harm.

As my sword made contact with the ground, a massive slash extended for hundreds of meters, a testament to the sheer force behind my attack. Exhausted, Adam collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

Dad stood there in utter shock, mirroring the bewildered expressions of the others. I scratched my head sheepishly and proclaimed, "Looks like I've won!"

The others shook their heads, at a loss for words, while Dad approached me, his astonishment evident. "How can you fight with such mastery?" he inquired.

I replied with a hint of wonder in my voice, "I don't know, Dad. My body simply moves instinctively when I'm engaged in combat. It's as if my sword is drawn to a higher purpose, and I follow."

As everyone pondered the depth of my words, my mom embraced me tightly and whispered, "As long as you're safe, my dear, that's all that matters."

As the night enveloped us, a sense of frustration gnawed at the corners of my mind. I couldn't help but contemplate the true weakness of my current swordsmanship. Yes, it possessed a certain level of strength, but it paled in comparison to the mastery of a true swordmaster. The horizon of my skill remained distant, teasing me with its elusive grandeur. Starting from scratch, rebuilding my repertoire of martial art techniques, purifying my mana core, embarking on the arduous path of the sword, and eventually reuniting with Cordelia—all these tasks loomed before me like an overwhelming mountain. The magnitude of what lay ahead left me feeling exasperated.

A wistful smile tugged at the corners of my lips as memories from my previous life flickered through my thoughts. Back then, too, there had been countless trials to face and objectives to pursue. But this time, the weight of solitude settled upon me, even with my family close by. It was a peculiar sensation, feeling alone amidst their comforting presence.

With a heavy heart, I surrendered to sleep, knowing that the journey ahead would require unwavering determination and a steadfast will to overcome the obstacles that awaited me.