The sword in Rostam’s grasp was etched with flowing runes, pulsing with an ancient power. A faint dragon’s roar emanated from its blade, a clear sign of its divine nature.
Yet, to his surprise, Jared did not unsheathe his famed Dragonslayer Sword. Instead, simply closed his eyes, his aura steadily condensing around him. In the palm of his hand, a faint white glow began to take shape, subtle at first, but growing sharper by the second.
Contained within that radiance was an unfathomable sharpness, the very essence of sword intent had spent countless hours refining.
Rostam’s expression darkened instantly. His grip on the hilt tightened as a surge of irritation flared within him. “Jared, what is the meaning of this? Are you implying that l’m not even worthy of facing your Dragonslayer Sword? That you can defeat me with nothing but sword intent? Do you think so little of me?”
Rostam’s voice trembled with barely contained fury, each syllable echoing with indignation and wounded pride.
He had seen Jared wield the Dragonslayer Sword before, an unparalleled divine weapon in its own right. Yet now, in their duel, Jared had chosen not to use it. To Rostam, this was nothing short of an insult.
Jared slowly opened his eyes, amusement flickering within them. In a measured yet unwavering tone, said, “You’re right… I don’t hold you in high regard. Against an opponent like you, my sword intent alone is more than enough. If I were to wield the Dragonslayer Sword, it would be excessive… And frankly, an unfair fight.”
His voice was calm, almost indifferent, yet his words struck like a boulder crashing into a still lake, sending ripples of shock through the onlookers.
“Arrogant brat!” Rostam roared, his fury igniting like a raging inferno.
With a swift flick of his sword, a violent surge of sword energy tore through the air, slashing toward Jared.
The sheer force of the attack split space itself, leaving behind a jagged black rift. The sword energy, resembling a monstrous python, coiled and lunged directly at Jared with lethal precision.
Yet Jared remained composed. He raised his right hand effortlessly and casually. With a graceful motion, his palm, imbued with condensed sword intent, swept forward.
In an instant, the formless sword intent crystallized into a streak of radiant white light, slashing through the air to meet Rostam‘s devastating attack head-on.
The two clashed mid-air, yet instead of an earth-shattering explosion, they fell into a momentary deadlock.
White sword intent and black sword energy intertwined, colliding in a relentless struggle. Ripples of fragmented energy spread outward, reducing rocks to dust and slicing nearby trees clean in half. Severed branches and leaves whirled chaotically through the sky.
“Hmph! Let’s see how long your sword intent can last!” Rostam scoffed coldly, channeling more spiritual energy into his attack.
The black sword aura surged, growing fiercer and more oppressive, steadily pushing back Jared’s white sword intent. Yet Jared remained utterly unfazed, a faint, confident smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“Break,” uttered softly.
In an instant, the white sword intent flared with dazzling brilliance.
A monumental force erupted, shattering the black sword energy into countless fragments. But the onslaught didn’t stop there, the residual force surged forward, barreling toward Rostam.
His face paled drastically. In a panic, swung his sword, hastily forming a protective barrier of sword energy before him.
The sheer force of Jared’s sword intent was overwhelming.
Bang!
With a resounding crash, Rostam’s defensive shield shattered instantly. Like a severed kite, was hurled backward, tumbling thirty meters before barely managing to steady himself.
Blood seeped from the corner of his lips as stared at Jared, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
“How… How is your sword intent this powerful?” murmured, his voice laced with both awe and an unmistakable trace of fear.
Not far away, Stefan’s amused expression faded, replaced by a look of solemn contemplation. “This Jared… He’s something else. In just a month, he‘s grown this much?”
Beside him, Red Ghost tensed. He cast a cautious glance at Stefan before speaking. “Mr. Montes, now that Rostam has been defeated, shall I step in?”
Stefan remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. “Not yet. Let’s wait and see…”
