On the other side, Cecilia clashed with the Red Swordsman, pouring out all of her skills without hesitation.
As she attacked, she combined Zed's Slaughter aura with her swordplay. Others would easily tremble and feel pressured, but the old man wasn't budging.
On the other hand, the man had a very stifling 'sword aura', creating a fake sensation of being stabbed.
She knew it was an illusion produced by a swordsman at another level. Zane had talked about her 'sharp aura,' but now she realized that there is a higher version of it, something to strive for.
Meanwhile, all of her attacks were easily dodged and blocked by the middle-aged swordsman. He targeted most of his counter-attacks at Cecilia's weak points.
If she didn't dodge quickly, the consequences wouldn't just be mortal wounds but potentially fatal ones.
After exchanging hundreds of blows, the man observed Cecilia closely. He knew his strength was greater than hers, and his swordsmanship was also superior. But all of his counter-attacks that should have ended the fight were miraculously being dodged. Furthermore, he could feel that every attack he made was getting countered slowly.
He stepped a few meters backward and asked Cecilia, "Your swordsmanship, who taught you?"
Cecilia did not answer but readied herself for the next attack.
"Look, I feel that you have great talent with your swords. I will give you an option."
Cecilia paused and listened attentively.
Seeing Cecilia's interest, the man smiled, "Good. Leave your group behind and come follow me to Zephir country. Become my apprentice! I assure you that within three years, you will be able to surpass me. As you can see, my swordsmanship is the best, and only a few can surpass me."
"I have a connection with the high Lord Vermillion prince. For sure, I will be able to ask Ascendant Ezio to pardon you, and you can leave with us."
When Cecilia heard the man's words, she smirked and raised her voice, "Three years?"
"Yes, within three years, with my guidance, you will surpass me!" He laughed with confidence.
Cecilia smiled and confidently said, "Surpass you in three years? Who said I couldn't do it now?"
When he heard Cecilia's words, he was shocked and angry. His offer was extremely sincere. If others was given this chance, they would have jumped for joy and obediently followed like a dog.
After his shock, he shook his head. He looked at Cecilia with a fierce glint in his eyes, "You arrogant bastard, maybe a dog like you will have to be trained first before coming."
....
Back at the other side.
The squinty-eyed man was gasping and panting. He couldn't believe what was happening.
"No, impossible! How can you have so much of that!"
He couldn't believe that Zane had taken 20 bottles of potions during the fight. His main tactic was to exhaust Zane and his potions with his agile movements, but Zane seemed to have an endless supply of potions. The small bags Zane carried somehow accommodated them all.
"What the hell is happening!!"
Realizing that the battle might be a losing one, he considered retreating and seeking help from the middle-aged man.
When Zane saw that his opponent was planning to run away, he quickly consumed three additional intermediate potions and activated the berserk skill. With renewed vigor, he caught up to the fleeing man.
"WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU GOING!" Zane laughed heartily as his sword swished through the air.
"Leave me alone!!!" The squinty-eyed man screamed in desperation.
As he tried to activate his skill, he discovered that he no longer had the stamina to back it up.
"HELP!!!"
Unfortunately for him, no one could come to his aid. Zane's sword pierced his chest, severing him from the waist down.
....
On Cecilia's side.
Looking at herself, her bandages were all gone, replaced by her broken leather armor. Her short hair was fluttering in the wind. Her body bore deep wounds, some even reaching down to the bone. Both of her swords were battered and had a few cracks.
In front of her knelt a man, missing his left arm and legs.
He tried to speak, but blood came out from his mouth.
"I can't believe I lost. Not only that, to a small girl like you."
"I do believe that I owe you an apology; you did surpass me in this fight."
Recalling what happened, he remembered that he had the upper hand in terms of strength, speed, and skill.
But soon, for some reason, Cecilia's speed also matched his.
Recalling the previous fight, he found out that Cecilia had been slowly learning from him. At first, he found it laughable to learn in the middle of a fight, but after hundreds of blows, he was shocked beyond belief.
She quickly grasped his techniques, trading blow by blow. The end results? Him losing his right arm in the next 50 blows. Then his right leg at the 75th blow.
As a talented swordsman himself, in the end, he was amazed. He was bitter about dying, but he knew that Cecilia's skills would lead go to higher heights that his.
He looked forward to that future. He could even say that he had helped her achieve her current level.
'Well, I helped her kill me. Shit!'
He looked at her one last time, feeling the sword aura she was producing. He knew she had reached the Awakened Sword Aura, the sign of Master swordsmanship.
"I guess I am dying today. I will tell you this as a reward for defeating me."
Cecilia looked at him and grasped her sword tightly, preparing for any tricks that maybe thrown to her. She perked her ears, and waited to hear what he had to say.
"Ascendant Ezio came back. He is guarding the runes."
With those final words, he fell down, never to stand up again.
....
Far away, Zane hollered to Cecilia, "Is he dead?"
She smiled and nodded in confirmation.
Zane cheered, "Great! I'll see you later!" and then he dashed back to the still-raging battlefield.
Cecilia consumed a couple of potions to help herself stand up. On her left hand, she threw away the small empty flask of the paralyzing potion to the ground that she secretly doused her sword with.