Ashenreach III

To prove myself worthy of the title of the strongest—that was the challenge laid before me by Valen Ashbluff, a man revered as one of the Kings of this world. The weight of his offer was immense: survive ten of his attacks, and he would grant me a wish. A boon from Valen could change my plans in a very positive manner.

I couldn't let the opportunity pass, even if the path forward seemed daunting.

'No attacks beyond the Wall,' I reminded myself, a brief flicker of reassurance. But that comfort was short-lived. Even without his full power, Valen's mastery of the sword and mana at the peak of Integration-rank would be more than enough to crush me if I faltered.

I steadied my breathing, feeling the familiar hum of mana ripple through me. My nerves tensed, ready for the storm I knew was coming. My hands clenched around the hilt of my sword as I looked into Valen's unreadable onyx eyes, eyes that seemed to see straight into my core.

"I accept," I said, my voice steady but the pulse in my ears a wild drumbeat.

Valen's thin smile widened just a fraction. "Good. Show me, Arthur Nightingale, if you are worthy of standing among legends."

Valen moved with an almost casual grace, twin daggers appearing in his hands, their edges swirling with enhanced dark aura. It was a feat that spoke of his command over earth magic—creating and manipulating metal with the ease of a master craftsman. But this was no parlor trick. This was the skill of a man who wielded power on a scale few could comprehend, a Radiant-ranker whose proficiency was as vast as the night sky.

A man who, at full strength, could unmake me with a sigh.

The first dagger spun through the air with terrifying speed, cutting a dark arc as it hurtled towards me. The air crackled with tension, and time seemed to stretch impossibly thin. I activated *Seraphim's Embrace*, the world sharpening into razor clarity. My sight became acute, tracking the dagger's relentless approach, every rotation a threat waiting to unravel me.

'This is just a warmup,' I reminded myself, an unsettling chill dancing down my spine.

I let enhanced lightning sword aura surge around my blade, the electric blue energy coiling and snapping like a storm caught in metal. But I knew that alone wouldn't be enough. The force of Valen's strike would rattle me to my core if I met it unprepared. My arm would go numb, and that would be the least of my worries.

So, I reached deeper, drawing on Sword Intent, the essence of my resolve. The enhanced aura condensed, wrapping tightly around the sword's edge as I swung down in a decisive arc, aiming to cleave the incoming dagger. It felt as if I were channeling not just my mana but my very spirit into that strike, an imprint of will made manifest.

The dagger met my blade with a metallic screech, a burst of energy crackling in the space between us. Sparks showered as my sword bit into it, the enhanced aura flaring brilliantly against Valen's dark power. For a heartbeat, resistance held, but then the dagger split apart, shards of mana-drenched metal scattering harmlessly to the ground.

My arm throbbed, a dull ache creeping up to my shoulder, but I kept my grip firm, refusing to show any weakness. Valen's expression didn't change, but a glint of something—acknowledgment, perhaps—flickered in his eyes.

"One down," I whispered under my breath, steeling myself for what came next. 

Valen twirled the second dagger, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips. This was no warmup now; the real test was just beginning.

The second dagger he hurled at me thrummed with Intent, a refined essence woven seamlessly into the enhanced dark aura, making it an extension of his will.

It cut through the air with a deadly elegance, its speed so precise it felt like a whisper of death.

There was no time for doubt. With a breath, I summoned Lucent Harmony, tapping into the ebb and flow of ambient mana, drawing it into my body to bolster my own reserves. The rush of power coursed through me, tingling at the edges of my skin. My sword met Valen's dagger with a resonant clang, a sound that rippled through the training grounds like the toll of an iron bell.

But before the reverberations had even faded, I glimpsed a flicker of movement—another dagger, summoned as if from the shadows, spinning toward me with identical intent.

'No rest,' I thought, gritting my teeth as I reached for the forces at my disposal. Wind magic flared to life around me, a sharp gust that whipped at my hair and clothes. Simultaneously, gravity magic shifted subtly beneath my feet, steadying me as I redirected the third dagger with a controlled twist of my blade.

The reprieve was fleeting. Another flash of dark steel caught my eye—a fourth dagger, its trajectory unwavering, aimed for my chest.

'Enough,' I decided, feeling the pull in my chest as I activated Soul Resonance. My senses expanded, every heartbeat and whisper of mana in the air becoming starkly vivid. Luna's power flooded me, the unique essence of the qilin's might weaving through my own, blending into the depths of my soul. Mythic Body reinforced my muscles, my stance, lending a supernatural solidity to my frame. I felt invincible, even if just for a heartbeat.

And then there was Soul Vision. The world shifted, revealing the unseen lattice of mana threads surrounding us, pulsing like the veins of a living being. I saw Valen's movements before he made them, the subtle quiver of his fingers as he prepared to release another dagger, each thread thrumming with his unwavering intent.

Time seemed to shudder as I adjusted my grip and parried the fourth dagger, the force of the impact sending a sharp tremor up my arm. My breath came in ragged gasps, each one a testament to the grueling pace Valen was setting. But there was no time to savor the minor victory.

The air shifted, dense with the unmistakable thrumming of power. Threads of mana, thick and alive, wove together in a complex lattice as Valen's gaze narrowed, and the ground beneath me hummed ominously.

A 6-circle spell.

The realization hit like a thunderclap. Valen hadn't said he would limit himself to just blades. His eyes gleamed with challenge, and a thin smile played on his lips as the spell surged to life, a swirling maelstrom of dark energy that coalesced in his open palm.

'Of course,' I thought, the corner of my mouth lifting in a begrudging smile. The test wasn't just about my swordplay; it was about adaptability, the very essence of survival in battle.

Mana crackled around me, responding to the silent call of my will. I called forth my own spell, a 6-circle construct of wind and lightning that flared into being with a crackle and flash. The room seemed to brighten momentarily as the energy danced between my fingers, threads of light intertwined with the wind's invisible force.

Valen released his spell—a torrent of shadowy spikes, each dripping with malicious intent, hurtling towards me with lethal precision. The sheer volume of them would have overwhelmed even a seasoned Integration-ranker.

I thrust my palm forward, releasing my own spell with a roar. The lightning surged outward, riding the currents of wind, splitting and arcing as it sought out each shadowy spike in its path. Crackling flashes lit the training ground, turning it into a storm of brilliance and darkness as the spells clashed.

The collision of magic sent shockwaves through the space, whipping up dust and forcing both Jin and the spectating guards to shield their eyes. The air grew hot and electric, vibrating with the aftershocks of raw power.

My vision blurred momentarily, the strain pressing down like an iron weight. But as the light and shadows subsided, I saw the aftermath—most of Valen's spell dissipated, fading like smoke in the wind.

Valen's eyes gleamed with approval, a subtle nod of recognition. But there was no respite in battle; the momentary pause had only been a prelude. Dark mana coiled around him like a living shadow, shifting and seething with raw power as he prepared his sixth assault.

Without warning, three daggers materialized in the air, their edges shimmering with a dark, enhanced aura that seemed almost alive. Each blade thrummed with Valen's Sword Intent, sharp enough to cleave through my defenses like paper if I misjudged even a fraction of a second.

'He's still holding back, no Resonance yet,' I reminded myself, trying to find solace in that thin comfort. But it was a fleeting thought. Even without the deadly edge of Resonance, the power emanating from those daggers was palpable, pressing against my chest like the weight of a storm.

I tightened my grip on my blade, feeling the enhanced lightning aura crackle around it, responding to my will. Lucent Harmony surged within me, drawing ambient mana to bolster my strength. The world seemed to sharpen as I prepared for the incoming onslaught.

The daggers spun through the air, a trinity of dark, glistening death. The first came in high, aimed to catch me off guard. I swung my blade upward, deflecting it with a clash that sparked blue and black light, sending a shiver up my arm. The second dagger followed almost immediately, darting in low like a viper, forcing me to sidestep and twist my blade downward in a parry that barely caught the lethal edge in time.

The third dagger was the real threat, a deceptive strike that curved mid-flight, guided by Valen's precise control. My eyes widened as I pivoted, summoning wind magic to shift my position with a burst of speed. The dagger sliced past me, close enough to graze my sleeve and leave a singed tear.

I barely had time to catch my breath before Valen moved again, shadows swirling around him. His gaze was sharp, calculating, and there was a hint of satisfaction there, as if he were testing the limits of a prized weapon.

"Not bad," he said, his voice low, reverberating with the hum of mana. "But the seventh will be more than just intent."

My heart thudded in my chest as I steadied my stance.