Alexei then began to slowly walk up to Kaelan, his voice filled with disdain as he spoke, his sword swung over his shoulder.
“I don’t know what you think you’re up to. Maybe you’re possessed. Either way, I honestly don’t care anymore.”
“Since you can’t even use the fundamentals of our clan’s arts, you’ve become a stain upon the pride of our clan, and I shall now gladly rid our bloodline of the disgrace of your incompetence.”
He slowly raised his great sword overhead. The rune markings around it glowed brightly, and the blade seemed to glow as well, as if becoming sharper.
Kaelan’s thoughts raced as he processed his words. Time seemed to slow down as he did.
‘Fundamentals?’
‘Clan arts? Of course, there’s something I’m doing wrong. Now that I think about it, I remember how Darven used to move.’
‘There was a strange way he moved his tail whenever he ran, placing it on opposite sides of his body with each step forward.’
‘How his legs seemed to grab the earth with their claws before he would move in an instantaneous burst of speed and the glowing symbol he had on his hand when he wielded his sword. It seemed to be what was responsible for making all those strange symbols on the sword light up.’
‘Alexei is doing the same as well.’
It was all starting to make sense now.
‘Although there might be others I’m not aware of, I’m sure if I at least use what I know now…’ His purple eyes shone brightly as he thought further, slowly looking up at Alexei, his brain kicked into overdrive.
‘…then things will play out differently.’
…
Often, people wonder what makes a genius so terrifying. Some would say it’s their ability to think outside the box; others might argue it’s their ability to learn new things more quickly than others.
While these are indeed true, they can also sometimes be achieved by the average person with a little more effort. So, what exactly makes them so terrifying?
I’ll tell you.
What makes a genius truly terrifying is their ability to see connections and possibilities that others cannot even fathom.
It’s not just about thinking outside the box; it’s about creating entirely new boxes that redefine the rules of the game. Their minds work at a level that allows them to anticipate, innovate, and adapt in ways that leave others scrambling to catch up.
It’s this drive to push boundaries and their ability to turn the seemingly impossible into reality that sets them apart and makes them so terrifying.
Imagine trying to win at a game where the set rules change every time. Is that even possible? Well, let’s just say a genius would, and they would make it look easy while they do.
…
In those split seconds when Alexei’s descending sword was practically inches away from slicing Kaelan’s head clean off, Kaelan, with a burst of speed, reached out his hand toward his sword he had dropped earlier.
Tiny ripples of lightning could be seen coming from Kaelan’s outstretched palm, as if trying to connect with the distant weapon.
The draconic crest on the back of his hand flared to life, causing the sword to start vibrating. Tiny ripples of lightning began emanating from it, as if seeking a connection with the ones coming from Kaelan’s outstretched hand.
Some of them connected, and then, in a sudden burst of speed, the sword flew from the ground, landing its handle in his grasp.
The runes on the sword now shone brightly, as did the blade. In that fraction of a second, Kaelan spun around, bringing his sword in to counter Alexei’s.
Sparks flew as a massive shockwave was created, causing dust to be kicked up, cracks to ripple in the floor beneath their feet, and lightning to crackle violently around them.
Alexei gritted his teeth as he began to be pushed back while Kaelan slowly rose to his feet. Alexei was enraged at this turn of events.
From his perspective, the battle he had been inches away from winning was now slipping out of reach. It seemed as though Kaelan had been toying with him.
Why hide his strength and allow himself to be pushed around, only to fight back at the last moment?
Was it due to the influence of the lord he had sworn his sword to? Had he thrown away his pride as a dragon? As a Valor-Void?
Why hadn’t he given his best all along? Alexei couldn’t make sense of anything that was happening-all he knew was that he felt insulted.
The fact that Kaelan hadn’t given his all in their fight felt like a slap to his pride as a swordsman. He felt as if he was being looked down on, and he wouldn’t stand for it.
“Kaelan, how dare you! What game are you playing? Are you looking dow-”
Before Alexei could finish, Kaelan interrupted him, saying, “I see now, it’s called a dragon crest, a symbol of one’s bloodline.”
Alexei was confused as to why he said something like that now. “What are you-”
Before he could ask further, Kaelan took a step forward, pushing him back as he continued to talk as if he couldn’t hear Alexei at all. “And apparently, it amplifies one’s capabilities by increasing mana circulation and using one’s draconic aura to enhance the destructive power of their bloodline ability.”
“Meaning, based on how well one can use their crest and how much mana they have, they could theoretically increase their capabilities infinitely.”
“Fascinating.”
Suddenly, with a burst of strength, Kaelan pushed Alexei back with a forceful swing of his sword. The force sent him back quite a distance, causing his legs to dig into the ground as he slowly came to a halt.
He stood his ground, dust rising around him, obscuring Kaelan’s figure, except for his two glowing purple eyes as he slowly stepped forward.
Alexei prepared to attack but paused, readying himself, knowing the battle was about to get
much more intense than it was just a moment ago.
Out of nowhere, the system’s voice echoed in Kaelan’s mind.
[Congrats to the player for personally grasping the concept of ‘Dragon Crests.’]
[Congrats to the player for personally grasping the concept of ‘Bloodline Abilities.’] [Notice! It has been detected that this is a penalty Quest so no rewards will be given!] Kaelan heard the system’s voice in his head but chose to ignore it. He was more focused on what was in front of him. He let out a sigh which came out as steam, his body was overheating.
A slight side effect of what he pulled a moment ago, he then said, “The only problem is, just like anything else, it has its disadvantages.”
“Overcirculation could cause one’s body to slowly overheat, eventually leading to mana veins
bursting.”
“But with the crest, I now also have better control over my physical capabilities. Meaning I
“What are you rambling on about?” Alexei yelled in anger, interrupting him.
“What is wrong with you? Have you gone mad? Is that what this is? Madness=”
“Madness, sanity… does it really matter? What matters is who stands at the end.”
Kaelan said, interrupting him, his intense gaze seeming to pierce through his soul. Alexei felt increasingly infuriated and was about to speak up again before Kaelan said, “So now, let’s try
this again!”