Jared’s expression hardened, not a shard of complacency remained. He felt the strike packed with savage spatial energy, one misstep meant Instant annihilation.
He inhaled, flooded every vessel with spiritual energy, and drew the Dragonslayer Sword into a flawless golden crescent.
“Dragon Rider!” Golden radiance coiled into a colossal dragon, spiraling upward to smash against the approaching sword shadow.
Boom! Shock waves rattled the arena, even the mighty Spiritual Barricade Array spider-webbed with fragile cracks. Both men skidded back three steps, crimson fire churning behind their ribs.
Surprise flashed across Jayson’s eyes, Jared had intercepted Rock Explosion unscathed.
“Interesting!” snarled, tightening his grip. “Again!”
Jayson loosed a long, primal howl. His blade carved through the air ever faster, the arc of silver light multiplying until the dueling platform seemed crazed with moon-bright whirls.
“Sky Havoc Sword Art, second form-Sky Piercing!”
“Sky Havoc Sword Art, third form-Earthquake!”
He released the two cuts a moment apart. Each slash was fiercer than the last, and every shimmering stroke tore a new spatial rift in the very fabric of space. Cracks spider-webbed in midair until the arena itself looked ready to rip wide open.
Jared met the attacks without blinking. He flowed between Dragonslayer and Dragon Rider, one moment brutal as a thunderclap, the next light as drifting silk.
Gold-bright sword lights slammed against Jayson’s sword shadows, each collision detonating with a roar that rattled bones.
Spectators below the stage gaped in mute astonishment. This was no friendly exhibition, it was a duel to the death.
“Incredible! Now, this is the pinnacle of swordsmanship!”
“Jayson’s Sky Havoc Sword Art really earns its legend, but Jared just refuses to break!”
“Who’s going to fall first?”
Up in the VIP gallery, Kael leaned so far forward his knuckles whitened around the rail. He knew Jayson was already fighting at nearly full strength, yet Jared still stood. Unease coiled tight in his gut.
Meanwhile, Corln wore a look of worry.
Jared was only at Wandering Immortal Realm Level Eight; his reserves had to be dwindling far faster than Jayson’s. If the clash dragged on, Jared might simply tire out.
Steel rang again. Both fighters skidded back more than ten steps before they could steady their footing.
Jared’s face blanched, a thin trail of blood glossed one corner of his mouth. Even so, his eyes stayed clear, and his grip on Dragonslayer Sword was rock-solid.
Jayson hardly looked better. His breathing hitched, sweat beading beneath his hairline. He had not imagined such tenacity, throwing eight-tenths of his might had still not crushed his opponent.
“You’re courting death, brat!” Fury burst through Jayson.
He shrieked, unleashing every last drop of spiritual energy. His hair whipped in an invisible gale, and a wild light flared behind his pupils.
“Sky Havoc Sword Art, fourth form-Doomsday!”
This strike was the art’s nightmare climax. Sword shadows split to reveal spatial rifts. Like a newborn black hole, the attack threatened to devour everything within reach.
A collective chill seized the audience. The force Jayson called forth already clawed into Earthly Immortal Realm Level Seven territory, far beyond what a Level Six could muster.
“He’s lost his mind, bringing out that technique here!”
“Jared, yield! One more clash and you‘ll die!”
Lyra and the rest went pale. They lunged toward the arena, only for Corin to throw an arm wide, blocking their path. Rushing in now would only break Jared’s focus.
Amid the ruinous pressure, Jared‘s gaze remained strangely calm. He felt the last threads of energy inside guttering, yet the sword intent burning in his heart blazed higher than ever.
“Dragonslayer, fight with me one more time!”
With that cry, poured his final shred of spiritual energy into his sword. Golden radiance exploded outward. Within it, the illusory shadow of a colossal dragon coiled to life, scales flashing in the light.
“Dragon Soarer!”
The move, born in battle against Hendrix, fused the savagery of Dragonslayer with the dancing grace of Dragon Rider, forging a strike of even greater might.
