Adrian's eyes widened in shock as he uttered one word: "Terrance."
The figure before him had changed. Terrance's once arrogant face was now marred with fresh scars, the products of brutal training, as though he had spent every waking moment preparing for this confrontation. His sneer was as menacing as ever.
"Ah, you remember me," Terrance growled, his voice dripping with venom.
"This is it, Adrian—the day of reckoning. No more games." His cold, menacing tone echoed off the quiet walls of Arvendale's streets, drawing Adrian's attention to the innocent lives that could be caught in the crossfire.
Adrian knew he couldn't fight here. If their battle spilled into the city, the cost would be too high. There was no way he could refuse Terrance's challenge, but he needed to protect the people.
"Alright," Adrian agreed with a nod, his expression grim.
Terrance led Adrian out of the city, toward the vast meadow that bordered the dense woodlands near Arvendale. As they ventured deeper into the wilderness, Adrian scanned the area with sharp, wary eyes, searching for any hidden allies or traps Terrance might have set. But it seemed Terrance had come alone, driven solely by his lust for revenge.
When they reached the heart of the meadow, Terrance's sneer returned, his voice a low growl. "I know you've captured the princess' heart, but after today, I will be the one to claim her!"
Before Adrian could react, Terrance lunged at him with terrifying speed, his sword flashing in the moonlight. Their blades clashed with a deafening ring, and Adrian immediately felt the weight of Terrance's strength. The force behind his opponent's strikes was overwhelming, pushing Adrian back with each collision.
Fighting against the strain in his muscles, Adrian dropped to one knee, gritting his teeth to keep from being overwhelmed. Terrance loomed over him, his face twisted in a sadistic grin.
"What's wrong, fucker? Is this all you've got?!" Terrance taunted, his voice dripping with contempt.
Adrian's eyes darted toward Terrance's aura, his senses sharpening. A quick glance confirmed that Terrance had reached Tier 2, Second Stage—stronger than before, though not quite at the level of the Crown Prince. Still, the gap between their strength was undeniable.
Adrian, only at Tier 1, Third Stage, felt the pressure of that difference weighing on him. His training had been intense, but he lacked the support others had received. The gap between them seemed insurmountable.
'I have to end this quickly,' Adrian thought, his mind racing. If this fight dragged on, he wouldn't stand a chance. He had to act decisively.
With renewed determination, Adrian pushed forward, launching a sudden attack. His blade swung with a speed that forced Terrance to block more fiercely, and for the first time, the overconfident noble stumbled back, struggling to maintain his footing.
"How dare you!" Terrance roared in rage. His body began to glow with an ominous yellow aura, pulsating with newfound intensity. He had tapped into even deeper reserves of power, far beyond what Adrian had seen before.
Terrance launched himself into the air, barreling toward Adrian with unstoppable momentum. The ground trembled beneath Adrian's feet as he braced himself for the onslaught, the earth cracking from the force of Terrance's aura-infused strike.
As the debris swirled around him, Adrian's mind raced. He needed more strength, more speed—anything that would give him an edge. And then it hit him: the training he'd undergone with the Master-At-Arms, the war cries all knights had to master. He hadn't fully tapped into that power yet, but now was the time.
Drawing on his training, Adrian unleashed a skill he had long practiced but never fully tested: [Battle Roar].
A deafening roar escaped his throat, reverberating across the meadow. His entire body surged with power, his aura flaring brightly, enhancing his strength and speed far beyond their normal limits.
Terrance, mid-attack, was caught off guard by the sudden surge of energy. Adrian's next swing, empowered by the Battle Roar, met Terrance's sword with a force so great that it hurled him across the clearing, crashing into a tree.
Terrance coughed up blood, staggering to his feet. His expression was a mixture of rage and disbelief. "How… How could you—a nobody—do this to me?"
Adrian didn't wait for him to recover. He rushed forward, his sword aimed at Terrance's chest, ready to end the fight once and for all. But Terrance, driven by pure hatred, rolled out of the way just in time, and Adrian's blade slashed through the trunk of the tree instead.
Panting heavily, Terrance's eyes glowed with an unnatural darkness. His aura became unstable, flickering like a flame about to go out. His sanity seemed to be unraveling before Adrian's eyes.
"You think you've won? Me?! Beaten by a puny runt like you? Never!" Terrance's voice was wild, his dark energy swirling around him like a storm.
Adrian felt the danger in the air. He had to end this now. Summoning every ounce of strength left in him, he prepared for one final strike, channeling all of his energy into his sword. His roar grew louder, his aura brightening to a near-blinding blue.
Terrance lunged at him with everything he had, the darkness around him pulsating violently. But Adrian's next move was faster. With a final, devastating swing of his sword, he aimed directly at Terrance's exposed neck.
Time seemed to slow as their blades clashed one last time. When the dust settled, only one of them remained standing.
Terrance's body hit the ground with a dull thud, his once proud and arrogant face now lifeless. Adrian stood over him, his chest heaving, his body trembling with exhaustion.
"I won't… underestimate anyone again," Adrian whispered to himself, his voice filled with the weight of the battle. He knew that this victory came at a cost—one he wouldn't soon forget.
The next morning, Adrian awoke in the same forest, the events of the previous night still weighing heavily on his mind. His body ached, and his limbs felt like lead, but he forced himself to his feet.
Terrance's lifeless body lay nearby, a grim reminder of the consequences of their duel. Adrian knew what he had to do. He couldn't leave the body here—not with Baron Leonard Durk, Terrance's powerful father, searching for his son.
With a steady breath, Adrian summoned his aura, using it to dig a shallow grave. The task was grueling, his body protesting every movement, but he worked in silence, his thoughts consumed by what was to come.
When the grave was deep enough, Adrian lowered Terrance's body into the earth. As he covered the grave, his mind began to form a plan. Baron Durk would not take this lightly. Adrian would have to be ready.
He turned and began the long walk back to Arvendale, fully aware of the storm that was about to descend upon him.
A few days later…
In the Town of Galud, a picturesque village under the oppressive rule of Baron Leonard Durk, the tension was palpable. The Baron was a fearsome figure, his ash-blonde hair and piercing green eyes a reflection of the iron grip he held over the town.
From within the grand manor, Leonard Durk stood at his office window, his face twisted with worry. Behind him, a cloaked figure emerged, a silent specter in the shadows.
"Where is my son? Have you found him?" Leonard demanded, his voice tight with barely contained anxiety.
The cloaked figure shook his head, his voice low. "Not yet, my Lord. But we tracked faint aura signatures near Arvendale Forest. I believe we've found the one responsible."
Leonard's eyes darkened. "Then bring me the culprit. Whoever did this… will pay."
The hunt had begun.