Lightless looked at his adversary in rage.
Bastard, how dare someone who is used to receiving without giving back call him his lesser?
No one had the right to call him lesser, not even Orion, his father. While he won't be delusional as Orion to call himself the best in the world, he would never feel lesser to anyone, regardless of who they are.
Bastard, Lightless suddenly felt angry again at the pain he is feeling, one repercussion of having one of the greatest physiques in the six paths. Herculeans do not give anything out, Apathe told him this.
He once watched the battle his father had with hundreds of saints before his birth, it was very painful to watch, almost like someone was breaking his fingers or at that time he had to calculate while wearing shoes made of thorns.
While his body might look like any other, aside from other peculiarities, his nerves were all covered in what Orion called diluted chaos liquid. It is a shortcut his father invented to train their almost un-trainable soul, the diluted chaos liquid coating made their nerves over ten thousand times more sensitive and precise. All those information is passed to their brain which looks like a crystal, but it is also made of a material that even lightless was unable to recognize, processing everything with an unprecedented speed before moving it to their soul which could store infinity.
This is why their minds are too sound, but this is a double-edged sword as this means the slight pain one feels upon stepping on sand is magnified ten thousand times over, almost to the pain of stepping on superheated nails.
This abusive training method could only be used by Herculeans with a soul that could store an infinite amount of information. It would be an understatement that a Herculean soul is what differentiates them from any other being. It is this incredible soul, that Orion used to create a completely different cultivation path in a few hundred thousand mortal years. This almost impossible-to-replicate soul physique is their true secret and burden.
The simple kick he harmed Leonhard with also pained him immensely in return, though the pain was gone in less than a flash, it was still painful.
Leonhard in the distance was slowly rising, causing Lightless to rouse out of his daydreaming.
Leonhard, looking dishevelled, was very pissed. That bastard does not know how to appreciate favours, he tried to help him by limiting himself only to end up like this. Leonhard was angry, not just because of Lightless but the overall situation, especially when he heard Lightless' rant at the end.
He had zero chance of victory?
This angered and scared him, if he was defeated wouldn't he be the first rank two to be defeated by a journeyman?
If he was just any random trash rank two, he might think it possible but he was top-tier among the rank two mages in the thousand realms.
He had to die with the news of his defeat, it must not leak, of course, that is if it happens. Poor Leonhard does not know.
Resolving to finish this battle as fast and noble as possible, Leonhard stopped holding back. Releasing his whole awareness, he could see Lightless' figure in the distance. Picking his walking stick, he unsheathed the sword within, holding it with his right hand. The sword was very slender but unconventional as it only had one bladed edge like a katana, different from the two-bladed-edged swords that are commonly used in the thousand realms.
His left hand was holding the sheath, which looked ordinary but was a staff, a magic wand.
"I see you are an ingrate, huh." Leonhard said, "Do not worry, I would make sure your wounds aren't crippling."
Leonhard's voice was nasal, as he recognized that, he snorted out a small volume of blood leading to clearer breathing.
Leonhard dashed forward, quickly closing the gap between the two of them slashing his sword at Lightless, his sheath also lit up as a fireball was forming to seal Lightless' escape. His intention could be seen from the attack, he wanted to finish the battle as soon as possible.
Pity, it was just wishful thinking on his path, one thing having a soul that can store an infinite amount of information is prediction. While Leonhard's attack might be too fast for Lightless body to react to, it was enough as long as Lightless was clear how the attack was coming, where it would hit and the timing.
Leonhard was surprised to find Lightless just right at the tip of his nose just before his attack could be released. That was the safe place and like that Leonhard found his head being launched back dazing him for a few moments, his already fractured nose was further broken. The few moments of daze were very effective as Lightless kicked his leg, breaking his balance before sending another kick launching Leonhard back where he came from.
"Stand!" Lightless said while frowning. He hated people who think too much work of body refining. Someone at the level of a core formation couldn't just tank that damage?
Why can't people see that there are only upsides to having a stronger body?
He hadn't even used his magical abilities yet, he was already trashing a core formation level mage with just his body. Well, the standard in this dimensional bubble would never reach the level of the six paths but it stands to reason the benefits of having a stronger body.
Leonhard groggily stood up, he realized he could not battle Lightless in close combat, he would play to his advantage. One thing, the two falls taught him was that lightless might just finish what he set out to accomplish. He must not lose to a journeyman.
Leonhard stared at his adversary in wonder, his face became so grim, that he could finally realize his folly. He had been treating Lightless as a weaker combatant to him, he now had a few injuries to remind him of his folly.
Whoosh!!!
The sheath on his left hand lit up with flames, he quickly dipped his sword in it, allowing the sword to be covered in fire. With that wings made of black flames appeared on his back, only to be shut out.
"What---?" Leonhard was startled, why had his skill gone out?
"I am the king of darkness!" Lightless replied his doubts, "Before me, all darkness-attributed arts are useless."
Hearing the declaration, Leonhard's grim face became pale, he finally realized that he had no advantage right from the beginning. The ebony tiger family got to their heights of power due to their mastery of darkness magic, their bloodline was one of the best in the whole thousand realm for practising dark magic. Now, his main strength had been shut down in such a manner that it was unexplainably devastating. Leonhard's already failing mindset became worse.
But he quickly picks himself back up, recasting the magic, this time using only just fire element.
"Since darkness would not work on you, then I'll just have to burn you with fire." His declaration was punctuated by his determination. His eyes were ablaze with flame, no matter how the match ends, his image is already destroyed.
With that declaration, he floated up and sheathed his sword, it was no use showing his below-par swordsmanship. His real strength was magic and his real weapon was the magic staff.
"[Swamp]!!!"
He announced, like a decree, causing the patch of land Lightless was standing on to become a swamp in an instant. Pity, Lightless just stood on the swamp, showing no signs of sinking.
"[Bind]!!!"
In another spell, the flora on the plain moved to bind Lightless. Lightless eliminated a few of them with a hand sign but some still got close, at that point, he leapt out of the swamp. Leonhard was amazed but not surprised, based on the feats his adversary had shown, leaping out of the swamp was not much for alarm.
"[Arrow]!!!"
With that multiple water arrows moved for Lightless.
By this point, Lightless was impressed by Leonhard, using multiple low-cost spells to wear him down while taking the higher ground was a genius idea to deal with him. Pity he didn't try that at first and he was dealing with a herculean.
Wearing him down was almost out of the question as he possessed nearly limitless stamina, he could continue to fight at this intensity for weeks.
While low-cost spells were effective at dragging out the battle looking for a breakthrough. They are more transparent, making them easier to decode for someone like Lightless who possesses an unparalleled ability to process information. Though burdensome, it was enough to decode Leonhard's magic signature slowly but surely, he only needed two more attacks.
As he was still mid-air he could only curl up to protect his vitals. As he had not done his first refinement, energy manipulation was strenuous to him now. Still, he used his hands to deflect whatever arrow he could about five still hit him.
He was launched multiple meters backwards, skidding as he lands crouched. Before he could balance himself, he found his surroundings darkening.
"[Meteor]!!!" Leonhard was straining as he launched a large melting rock over five meters in diameter from over two hundred meters in the air. The force would probably kill or require Primordial Herculean to step up, Leonhard thought. While this might not be the real summon meteor spell, it was an extremely valuable downscale, one he could barely cast despite being in the mid-level of rank two.
"Heh... bastard." Lightless scoffed as the scattered colours in his eyes came together to form a circle before it started spinning rapidly, creating an enchanting glow.
"AAAAAHHHH!!!" He screamed as if enduring torment as his eyes start to bleed.
Behold the large rock slowed down a bit, a gravity-defying feat performed by Lightless. Who, by this time, has his eyes closed as he jumped from his position, landing on the rock before launching himself at Leonhard who was levitating with his wings. Doing all these with his eyes closed.
Leonhard's face changed as he tried to dodge, only to find himself unable to do so. His leg was anchored to the ground by his shadow.
"What--?" He stuttered, clearly in disbelief of the fact before him.
Before he could gather himself, Lightless glided beautifully before him, "Down!!!"
BOOOM!!
BANG!!!
He shouted as he launched Leonhard spiralling downwards with a kick. The large rock was the first to hit the ground, and Leonhard was launched on top of the rock. He fell awkwardly, breaking multiple bones.
AAAARGHHHHH!!!!
A pitiful scream echoed.
"Stand!!" Landing gracefully, Lightless commands Leonhard to stand, what a cruel bastard.
Leonhard, who was tethering between consciousness and unconsciousness, almost killed himself from the shame. Pity, he could not even control any part of his body.
His grandfather watching could not stand it anymore, he tried to forcefully tunnel himself to their location. Orion was seemingly unfocused, so he used this chance but as soon as he came out of the tunnel, to the battlefield a large palm swat him on the floor like a mosquito.
"'Oh... He's unfocused. Let me use this opportunity to get little hardy out of here.'" Orion's voice rang with sarcasm and spite, "What a crud!!"
"Your grandson has not admitted his defeat," Orion announced.
"He's clearly unconscious!! How could you be so cruel?!!" The great duke howled in fury.
"No, he's conscious!" Orion's indifferent voice reached them.
"Stand!" Lightless' voice sounded too.
"Bastard!!" The great duke was spitting mad, his grandson was dying and they were pushing him to it.
"Stand!" Lightless repeated but this time he followed with action. With his eyes still closed, the blood on his face started burning, he raised his hands and Leonhard was pulled in his direction. With a few taps on Leonhard's chest, Leonhard who seem to have troubled breathing was stabilized still conscious, glaring at Lightless.
"Stand or yield!" Lightless said, not paying attention to the hatred of his adversary. Anyone in Leonhard's position would also hate him but that does not mean Lightless had to pay attention to them.
Not getting a reply, Lightless lifts him by the legs and slammed him to the floor, taking the air out of his lungs. "Stand or yield!!"
"Stop!! bastard..." Leonhard's grandfather was miserable now.
"Stand or yield!!" BANG!
It was unknown what magical abilities were holding onto his consciousness, Leonhard refused to go unconscious.
"Stand..."
Bang!!
"Stand..."
Bang!!
".... or yield!!"
Bang!
Bang!! Bang!!!
"It's okay hardy, you can go to sleep now, gramps will do the rest." The miserable great duke could not stand the torture as he had to beg his progeny to put an end to it. As if listening to his grandfather's plea, his gaze softened from the hatred he was holding and he closed his eyes into a deep sleep.
Before he closed his eyes, he saw a very bright sword ray.