(NOVEL UPDATE: To allow the reader to gauge side character's (character other than Zareth) power, the Combat Power stat will be added to all chapters. It will be adjusted perfectly to show their current strength.)
[Status]
Name: Braemos Jul
Species: Human
Bloodline: Normal Human
Age: 26 Years
Combat Power: 32
Vitality: 100 Years
Health: 76.0/76.0
Stamina: 75.0/75.0
Strength: 80.0
Agility: 78.0
Defense: 71.0
Body: Golden Firefly Body
Rank: Heaven Formation (24.53%)
MP: 67/67
-
This man... was more powerful than Zareth. Although Zareth had leveled up slightly from his system, Braemos was an entire rank above him in terms of cultivation.
Even still, he wasn't an insane amount more powerful.
'System, show me my stats.'
[Status]
Name: Zareth Vanaheim
Species: Human
Bloodline: Unknown
Age: 10 Years
Level: 6
Exp: 8/20
Combat Power: 24
Vitality: 100 Years
Health: 61.0/61.0
Stamina: 60.0/60.0
Strength: 56
Agility: 64.0
Defense: 49.0
Body: Basic Earth Bound
Rank: Earth Formation (0%)
MP: 69/69
-
"Indeed, a duel between blades. What do you say?" Zareth said, seeing the saber sheathed on the man's waist.
He also wore light leather armor, but mostly exposed his body, dressed in a brown tunic and sizable pants, compared to the rest of his group.
His face looked messy but his azure eyes and sharp jawline still made him look handsome, as he had slightly long brown hair erratically spread across his forehead.
With a stature of around 6 feet and a seemingly developed build, Braemos was the best fight out of the group for Zareth.
The man paused for a moment on hearing Zareth's question, still in a daze, before suddenly shaking his head to clear his mind.
Right after, his silly drunk expression had changed to a normal one, as if he had shaken himself sober.
"I accept!" He smiled.
In the next few moments, everyone in the room had moved to the duel spot.
Although Yan didn't want to see these two fight, it looked like the duel was going to happen with or without him, so he came along as well.
Their duel location was just outside of the main festival streets, behind some houses in a fairly open area of 30 by 30 ft.
The witnesses of the fight sat to the side, while Zareth and Braemos stood in the middle about 20 feet away from each other.
After Braemos unsheathed his saber which had a dark red blade, Zareth didn't hesitate to do the same.
From a Scan, Zareth saw that Braemos' saber was also of the Advanced Rank, and was a Tier I as well.
"Okay, start!" Jasmine yelled from the side as she took a bite out of a red fruit in her hands.
On hearing this, Zareth held his blade in front of him, lining it up perfectly in between Braemos' body.
He was going to have to take this fight seriously.
Closing his eyes, he controlled his breath and deeply exhaled, completely grasping the hilt of his sword.
His mind was honed on defeating his opponent. It was in a world of composure and calmness.
Finally, he opened his eyes to see Braemos' face only feet away from his.
Looking down slightly, he saw a saber only inches away from reaching his stomach.
Using his opponent's momentum, Zareth stepped to the side, just barely dodging Braemos' blade with the breath of a hair.
He had only closed his eyes for the span of a normal blink, making Braemos' speed seem immense.
If anyone else had been in Zareth's position, Braemos' extreme speed would have been far too overwhelming, however, Zareth's experience in the art allowed him to keep calm and act one step ahead of his opponent at all times.
Braemos' dashed forward after missing Zareth, quickly turning back around, and charging at him directly.
His movement consisted of a very rapid shuffling motion of the feet, making him balanced at all times.
At the last moment, he drew his saber up over his head and snapped it down toward Zareth.
Zareth brought his own sword up, rotating it sideways so that the handle was up high, above, and to the left of his face.
His blade sloped down and to the right, providing a roof above him.
Braemos' blow bounced off of this roof like a drop of rain, as Zareth stepped to the side, letting Braemos go by before snapping his sword down toward his unprotected shoulder.
However, Braemos' movements were far too quick, making Zareth's timing slightly off.
Just before Zareth's blade reached him, Braemos threw his saber into his mouth and landed on his hands -- quickly spinning his body, kicking Zareth's sword away just in time to land back on his feet with his saber back in his hand.
Without hesitation, Braemos made another attack. This one was pretty straightforward: a quick shuffling approach before snapping his saber in the direction of Zareth's ribcage.
Zareth brought his sword to his side to parry the blow but was still pushed back slightly due to the difference in strength.
Seeing this quick, shuffling feet technique, Zareth noticed that Braemos' movements mostly consisted of footwork.
His swordplay on the other hand was mostly strength-based.
This time, Zareth went on the offensive, jumping toward Braemos before spinning his body, allowing his sword to gain maximum power from inertia, and snapping it forward at Braemos' neck.
Braemos saw this move from a mile away, parrying Zareth's sword, and sending it down to the ground, leaving Zareth's chest exposed.
Braemos stepped on Zareth's sword and lunged forward with his saber, thrusting it toward his chest.
This was it, Zareth's sword was stuck into the ground because of his foot, and he was also left wide open.
Braemos' eyes widened as he made what he thought was the final move of the duel.
However, Zareth had done this on purpose to make him go all in on one attack, lowering his guard everywhere else.
If Zareth hadn't planned this, the speed of Braemos' sword would have easily pierced through his heart, however, Zareth had begun to slope his body downwards before Braemos' saber was even in momentum, allowing him to dodge the saber thrust.
Now that he was parallel to the ground, he was able to easily pull his sword out from Baremos' feet, standing up as he spun his sword until it reached the back of Braemos' neck, at which it abruptly stopped.
As it made contact, a drop of dark red blood began flowing down Braemos' back, and he was unable to make another move.
He dropped his saber to the floor, as a clanging rhythm reverberated through the ears of everyone present.
The entire fight lasted no more than 15 seconds.