I aimed my saber at him and got ready for our bloody exchange.
It was time to roll.
He was the first to move as he shot forward, faster than ever before. Our blades met in a violent clash. The sound of metal rang out like thunder while sparks flew as the storm energy in my saber met the crimson force surrounding his blade.
His wild, unorthodox style served to be the extreme opposite of Ayame’s precise and disciplined approach to swordsmanship. Where she moved with the grace of a dancer, Blackjack fought like a rabid predator who was finally unleashed from his chains, making his attacks unpredictable and devastatingly powerful.
In most of my earlier sword battles, I relied on the numerous hours of training I had spent sparring with my samurai to maintain my edge in combat, but it was clear that I would have to improvise a bit with Blackjack due to the great difference between his and Ayame’s approach to combat.
He swung his blade in a wide arc, aiming for my side. I stepped back just in time to dodge and immediately countered with a quick thrust toward his chest, but he twisted his body unnaturally to avoid it and used his momentum to bring his blade down in a crushing overhead strike. I raised my saber just in the nick of time to deflect. For the first time in my combat history in Thalorind, I was up against such a powerful beast that the collision of our clash had sent a shockwave through the stone floor beneath us, cracking its surface.
Only the war troll who ruled over the goblin camp that we invaded and freed the woman captives who were kept as breeding stock there could hope to match this man in raw physical strength, but I believed that even such a creature would swiftly fall to Blackjack’s might.
“You’re holding up well, brother!” Blackjack roared.
I grunted, stepping to the side to avoid another powerful strike that gouged a chunk out of the ground. My counterattack came swiftly, a horizontal slash aimed at his midsection. He parried with ease, so much so that the force of his block sent vibrations up my arm.
He followed up with a flurry of wild, spinning strikes. I stepped back and deflected each blow to the best of my abilities, but the sheer ferocity of his assault pushed me toward the remnants of the mansion’s wall. One of his strikes broke past my guard, grazing my shoulder and sending a burst of pain through my body.
I retaliated with a downward slash infused with storm energy. The blade met his and the resulting clash sent a crackling shockwave that shattered a nearby support beam, causing part of the ceiling to collapse in a cloud of dust and debris.
Blackjack laughed maniacally as he stepped through the falling rubble and sent his crimson blade slicing through the air like a whip. I dodged by rolling under his swing and countered with a sweeping strike aimed at his legs. He leaped over it with surprising agility, landing with a brutal kick to my chest that sent me flying backward across the cracked stone floor.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Blackjack taunted, after which he slammed his blade into the ground as if he was already done with me. Stay connected through empire
“Yeah…” I spat with a frustrated tone once I got on my feet. “Seeing that you are the first opponent of mine who wielded a similar weapon I wanted to beat you in pure saber mastery, but it quickly became evident that I’m still lacking. It’s about time I took the baby gloves off.”
“Hmm? What nonsense are you spouting, brother? Did you hit your head?” He asked curiously, clearly being very eager to not let our duel end just yet.
I didn’t answer his inquiry with words, but rather with actions.
Blackjack’s grin faltered as soon as I thrust my hand forward and unleashed the might of “[Tsunami Surge]”, the first mage spell that I had cast in our battle.
A flow of water erupted from my fingertips, however, for a split second it was no larger than a nourishing gentle stream of a mountain, but it swelled rapidly into an unstoppable torrent. The accompanying sound was mighty, like a roaring waterfall crashing down from the heavens. I couldn’t help but gasp at my own spell due to the sheer force of the surge that carved its way forward, consuming everything in its path.
Blackjack’s laughter ceased completely as it was replaced by a wide eye that spoke at great lengths about the magnitude of his surprise when the waves mercilessly slammed into him. His body disappeared beneath the swirling currents and was tossed around like a ragdoll as the spell’s ferocity hit him with full intensity.
The water didn’t merely flow; it churned and raged, growing taller and wider with every passing second. Thankfully I aimed it away from the mansion so my allies were safe. The same couldn’t be said about the weak living in a certain part of the Wraithclaw stronghold, though.
[You’ve slain Katie (level 1). You’ve gained 0 XP.]
[You’ve slain Patrick (level 1). You’ve gained 0 XP.]
[You’ve slain Rosie (level 1). You’ve gained 0 XP.]
… Numerous such notifications popped up in my mind.
… In my defense, this was the first time I cast it, so I expected a significantly tamer result.
Indeed, thanks to the Plump Fox’s unwilling but incredibly useful assistance, I had finally mastered [Burning Hands], allowing me to gain access to the next tier of spells of the Elemental Sovereign class. I tried a few of the less destructive spells already, but I didn’t want to cast a tsunami in my home. This was another hubris I’d committed in my lazy comfort. It seemed that the time I spent in Iris’ simulation had made me regress in the carefulness department.
If there was one thing I could agree with Blackjack about, it would have to be his statement that only the strong had the right to decide their fate. Such a sentiment was best evidenced by the fact that any non-combatant who got swept up in my spell immediately passed away, but the man who was first hit, and since then slammed into numerous buildings along the way, was still not only alive but in a proper fighting condition.
I had to admit that Blackjack’s show of defiance was outright admirable. He used the bulging muscles in his arms and legs to swim to the very top of the tsunami wave and by doing so his figure became visible within the giant body of water as he bravely fought against the tide with all his strength. In only a few moments, he had climbed to the very top and stood triumphantly over the waves as if he were a surfer riding the waves of the warm, tropical beaches of Miami. He then turned his gaze toward me, crouched, and launched himself into the air with a powerful leap.
I had no clue how he achieved such a feat, but it most certainly looked badass. However, I wasn’t a simple observer, and neither did I run out of spells. In fact, I was just beginning.
I didn’t wait for him to close the distance. I extended my hand to conjure a counter that was perfect for the situation. “[Leviathan’s Harpoon]!” I murmured, forcing a beautiful lance of blue liquid to materialize into existence.