The battle raged like a storm.
Lucius and Darius clashed again and again, their swords igniting sparks with every impact. The air crackled with mana as both fighters infused their energy into their blades, their strikes becoming even heavier.
The chatter in the crowd never ceased.
?? "This is insane! The boy is matching Commander Darius blow for blow!"
?? "How is this possible? Darius is one of the strongest knights in Ardentis!"
?? "Lucius Ardentis… is this truly the same boy we once called weak?"
Duke Magnus watched in silence, his sharp eyes studying every movement. Lady Seraphina sat beside him, her expression calm yet unreadable. Meanwhile, Lucius’ eldest brothers, Cassius and Julius, clenched their fists, their gazes flickering between Lucius and their father.
They weren’t just watching the fight.
They were watching their father’s reaction.
And what they saw shocked them.
Their father, Duke Magnus Ardentis, had narrowed his eyes—not in anger, but in surprise.
?? "This boy…" The Duke thought. "He is already wielding an aura blade? And that color…"
?? Julius (whispering, uneasy): "Father looks… impressed."
?? Cassius (gritting his teeth): "This is bad. If he acknowledges Lucius, then..."
They already saw Lucius as a threat. But now, their fear solidified.
CLANG!
CLASH!
BOOM!
The ground beneath them cracked. Dust exploded into the air with every impact, the sheer force of their attacks sending ripples through the battlefield.
At first, Darius overpowered Lucius, pushing him back with raw strength.
?? Darius (grinning): "You're fast, but I'm still stronger!"
But Lucius refused to falter. Instead of retreating, he adjusted his movements, dodging with fluid precision, his strikes finding openings where none should exist.
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?? "How is he dodging like that?!"
?? "Darius hasn’t landed a single clean hit!"
?? "This boy—he’s beyond prodigy!"
The crowd’s opinion shifted with every second.
They came expecting to see a child crushed under a knight’s blade.
Instead, they were witnessing a rising legend.
But Lucius knew.
?? "This battle has to end soon. If it drags on, I will lose."
He took a deep breath, his golden eyes burning brighter.
Then—
A surge of mana exploded from his body.
The crowd gasped, their voices falling into dead silence.
Because in Lucius’ hands, his silver sword transformed.
A shimmering blue aura engulfed the blade, crackling with raw power.
?? "No… way…"
?? "An… Aura Blade?! At nine years old?!"
?? "I heard rumors… but I never believed…!"
But the ones most shocked weren’t the nobles or the commoners.
It was Duke Magnus himself.
?? "Blue…?"
He had known Lucius had awakened an Aura Blade.
But this color—
The Blue Aura Blade. The second stage of aura mastery.
Even his eldest sons only had dark blue blades, despite being much older.
?? Magnus (thinking, astonished): "What is this boy…?"
Adrian, Selena, and Erene stared, completely stunned.
?? Adrian (mouth open): "He’s a… third-circle mage?"
?? Selena (whispering): "Lucius… you’ve been hiding this from us?"
?? Erene (shaking): "How… when…?"
But before anyone could process what they were seeing, Darius grinned.
?? Darius: "Impressive, Lucius. But…"
His own blade flared to life.
A Dark Blue Aura Blade—just slightly darker than Lucius’.
?? Darius (smirking): "Let’s see how you handle a real battle!"
The moment their Aura Blades clashed, the battlefield exploded in power.
The duel turned into a spectacle.
Each strike left shockwaves rippling across the arena.
Lucius struck.
Darius parried.
Darius countered.
Lucius dodged.
Neither warrior backed down.
?? "I can’t believe this…"
?? "Commander Darius… can’t overpower him?"
Strike!
Lucius landed another hit.
Strike!
Another cut on Darius' arm.
Strike!
A third hit, leaving a burning gash.
The crowd went insane.
?? "He’s winning!"
?? "No… this isn’t just a duel anymore!"
?? "Lucius Ardentis is… a monster!"
But both fighters were exhausted.
Their breathing became ragged, their movements slower.
Then—
Darius gritted his teeth.
He infused every ounce of mana into his sword.
The Dark Blue Blade grew darker, pulsing like a living entity.
?? Darius (roaring): "COME, LUCIUS!
LET'S FINISH THIS!"
Lucius did the same.
His Blue Aura Blade shined brighter than ever before.
Lucius (whispering): "Let’s end this."
Both warriors launched forward—
Moving at inhuman speeds.
Swords clashed.
The entire arena trembled.
And then—
A sword went flying.
It spun through the air, glinting under the sun—before landing with a loud CLANG!
The arena fell silent.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Because before them—
The battle had ended.
But who had won?
