I took a look at my talents once more.
Strength: 51
Magic Power: 68
Mana Capacity: 326
Agility: 58
Speed: 53
Endurance: 17
Swordsmanship: Lv 5
Mana Sensitivity: Lv 3
One-handed Sword Mastery: Lv 2
Magic Prowess: Lv 1
Enhanced Senses: Lv2
Knife Mastery: Lv 1
Glass Cannon: Lv MAX
I had gained the Knife Mastery talent at some point in time. I also looked at my skills. I was planning to finally use them in the next battle. The one problem was that I didn't know how to use my skills.
To start I tried to use Vanishing Hollow. A skill that would let me teleport a short distance by turning me into mist.
'Vanishing Hollow.' I said that but nothing happened. Maybe If I imagined myself teleporting to a spot? I looked at the spot I wanted to go towards and focused. Move! I felt really strange. It felt like my body disappeared yet I was still conscious albeit for a brief moment. I then felt a slight dizziness when I looked forward and saw that my position changed. Move! It happened once again. It seemed like the key was thinking of the word move in my head.
I then yelled out loud 'Cleansing Light!' It was an ability that would for a short amount of time heal a portion of the damage I took. Nothing happened but to confirm I went over to the table nearby. Conveniently there was a small knife on the table. I then rolled up my sleeve and slightly cut my arm. A bit of blood dripped from it but almost miraculously about a third of the cut healed.
Final Stand wouldn't activate unless I was on the brink of death so hopefully that didn't happen.
It wouldn't be wise to use Final Journey now as it was before the duel, I wouldn't want to be exhausted before the duel.
**
I walked into the arena and faced Leon. I looked him dead in the eye.
'Mordred Xander. I don't think anything will happen to me if I cut a few of your limbs off, maybe an eye even. After all, who would give a fuck about the failure of the Xander family? No one!' He started chuckling to himself. I would need to go in at full force for this fight just for a chance of winning.
I activated Clarent's ability to see if Leon would yield. In response to this Leon grabbed his head and took a knife in his other hand. Then he cut himself on the back of his head. 'Ahh much better. I was starting to feel like I shouldn't fight after all. You must have an ability that pacifies people. You fucking coward haha!' Clarent Eclipse Mode! With that thought, I took Clarent out of its sheath and held it in my right hand. I held my parry knife in my left hand, I took a deep breath and braced myself.
Leon shot towards me, it seemed like he didn't want to play around for our fight. He threw a few knives towards me. It was time to start using my skills. Move! I teleported a few steps away from his face and punched him with a lot of force. He was sent back a few steps but was unscathed. You would think he would have a low endurance level because of how skinny he was but surprisingly he was quite sturdy.
I had the advantage at the moment due to him not knowing what I had up my sleeve.
'Cleansing Light!' Nothing happened. He looked at me and chuckled slightly. He kept throwing daggers at me one after the other. But this time kept a dagger in his other hand. It was too dangerous for me to teleport straight in front of him. He kept pushing me back but at some point, he had to run out of knives.
I didn't want this to be a battle of attrition so instead, I pushed forward past the knives trying to deflect each one of them. But a couple did graze me on my shoulders. It would've been devastating due to my body's low endurance but Cleansing Light really is the perfect ability to offset my endurance.
He realised that my wounds were healing slightly so instead of throwing knives he took out his anelace and came straight towards me. He slashed vertically so I tried using my parry knife. I did it! I caught his knife! But the look on his face grinned. He took out a butterfly knife and thrust it towards my face. Being distracted I slashed in a wide arc with Clarent and with that opportunity he got his knife unstuck and backed off a little. This was going to be a long fight.
'Hey, this is getting boring why don't we spice things up a little.' He took out his butcher knife. He then coated it with the red aura from his ring. That ring, it seems to supply him with dark magic. Well, it wouldn't matter I'd just need to beat him.
He shot towards me with the knife. I kept blocking him with Clarent but the force of his knife was strong, it was difficult to block with just one hand. Simultaneously I tried to stab him with my dagger but his body was skinny so it was difficult to get a stab in.
His attacks kept getting faster and faster, he was also using his butterfly knife in his other hand, it was putting me under major stress. Move! Move! Move! Move! I kept dodging out of the way of multiple attacks and I found an opening. I swung quickly but he blocked it with his knife. Surprisingly though he was pushed back and stumbled onto the ground.
I couldn't lose this opportunity, I dashed straight towards him and this time two-handed my sword. I put all 51 of my strength stat points into the swing. But instead of cutting something, my sword was deflected. I was in shock for a moment. But in the middle of my shock, I was sent back by a shockwave.
I lay there on the floor in pain. But was soon able to get up thanks to Cleansing Light. Damn this Glass Cannon skill! Even though my endurance stat was below average I still shouldn't be taking this much damage. It seemed that Glass Cannon reduced my endurance stat by a hidden amount. 'To think that I would need to use this ring's real power on scum like you.' His ring was glowing a real dark red.
'Who's the scum here you bastard?' I was getting pissed off. I didn't want to show off Vindicta Von Deus at the moment though so I held in that urge. Instead, I would need to finish this off with my skills.
I couldn't let him pick up momentum so instead of waiting I went forwards to start an assault. But when he blocked with his butcher knife he was able to push me away. He then dashed towards me and started to wail on my sword while I was helplessly blocking, there was nothing I could do. Move! I was able to get behind him but he had predicted it. He turned around almost instantaneously and raised his butcher knife. Move! I was able to move away from him but my body wouldn't be able to take much more.
'Tch.' It was time, I needed to show off my trump card. It seemed that his power comes from the dark attribute. Vindicta Von Deus was a destruction-type move. It was equally effective against everything. But that wouldn't be enough here. In truth, Vindicta Von Deus wasn't the only move that Clarent could do in its Eclipse mode. There was one more attack but there were special requirements to use it. You needed to have an 80 magic power stat in addition to having a Paladin job. There was one more attack but it wouldn't be useful in this situation.
I had neither but it wouldn't hurt to try. I leapt back and held Clarent with both hands. I pushed my right leg outward and took an inside stance. Instantly the air around me grew heavier. It was time. This attack will finish it, I know it! Taking a deep breath I looked at Leon. He was standing there grinning, he coated his butcher knife with that red aura and was seemingly preparing something as well. Whatever you're going to do, it won't be able to stand up to the might of a legendary sword.
I exhaled and lifted my sword. I'll put everything I have into this attack.
'Vastitas ex Arthur!' Contrary to my expectations it actually worked. A magnificent crown of yellow flames filled the arena. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! The sword was spiralling out of control but I kept holding it. It was burning my hands, I could feel my hands melting away, after all, I didn't even have the requirements to use the attack but it didn't matter. Eventually, the flames stopped spewing out.
Is it done? I think it's done. I was tired, my body felt like it had been melted.
'Damn that could've been bad.' Huh? Wait don't tell me. That attack didn't defeat him?
'Haha…' I was in shock. 'Hahahahaha!' I was laughing hysterically, after all, I had put my all into that attack and it didn't even scratch him.
He shot towards me once again. With much difficulty, I picked up my sword and tried to block his attack. It was all for naught though, he knocked me down and I dropped my sword next to me, I tried picking it up again but he stabbed my hand. I couldn't even tell what knife it was. Is this where it ends? I tried punching him but he easily took my arm and broke it. 'Gahh.' It hurt like hell. He then put me upright and stabbed me right in the chest and abdomen.
'Once a failure always a failure huh Mordred?! I can give you some credit that you did well but that's all it was. Just well. Isn't that right failure? It hurts, it hurts. Akari, Akari. I came to the realisation that I couldn't fall here, I had too many things I needed to do and too much business left unfinished. I can't fall here! I still have so much to do! That's right! I'll beat this fucker! My skill Final Stand activated at that moment. My body and all my bones were restored.
'Huh, what's the-.' He was cut off as he was blown away by my final stand. I rose again anew. I couldn't lose this fight. I picked up Clarent once more. He came at me again and our weapons clashed together and sparks flew.
Notification: Mana Flow has been secured. You have gained 1 circle.
The moment that I had been waiting for finally came. With this, the outcome of the battle was decided.
'It's time you fucker! Now I will end you!' I gathered the warm mana inside my body into the palms of my hands. Soon enough my palms were covered in flames, it didn't hurt though. Then the flames in my hands grew and grew. Until… 'Walpurgis Flame!'. Immediately I shot flames straight at Leon. He blocked it with his anelace, but the anelace caught fire from the flames. He yelped and threw it away. He then took out his butcher knife and coated it with a red aura again.
'Final Journey!' I powered up. This would be an all-or-nothing fight I needed to finish it within the next minute. He kept trying to slash me with his butcher knife.
'Die you fucking failure!' It was useless.
'Walpurgis Flame! Walpurgis Flame! Walpurgis Flame! Walpurgis Flame!' The best strategy in the game, is spam overpowered shit until you win. He dropped all his knives and fell on the floor. He was screaming in agony. I then slammed the side of Clarent's blade into his head. Essentially knocking him out.
'Mordred Xander winner!' The effect of Final Journey had worn off. I dropped to the ground in exhaustion. I won, I really won. Man, I'm so happy. That bastard is finally finis-. I passed out, I had gotten the well-deserved rest I needed.