Similar to the previous incident, even though the insult was not aimed at me, my emotions began to stir violently in my gut, threatening to burst out at any moment. I could sense that this intense fury was targeted towards Marcus, who had insulted Leon's parents. The strange thing was that I didn't know why I felt so angry at Marcus, but my emotions were spiraling out of control.
Struggling to maintain control over my surging emotions, I glanced over at Leon, and the sight of his eyes sent shivers down my spine. They were cold and unfeeling, devoid of any warmth or compassion. It was almost as if he was staring into the abyss, and the abyss was staring right back at him.
"...You really said it now," he growled, unleashing a wave of crimson mana. In an instant, the look in his eyes turned hostile and his gaze turned even colder than it had already been before.
In that moment, it was clear to me that Leon was in a state of complete and utter rage. It was as though he was on the brink of losing control and was just one step away from unleashing his fury on someone.
Leon's crimson mana was a sight to behold, a wave of pure rage and anger that seemed to engulf everything in its path. It was as if he had unleashed a dormant power that had been hidden deep within him, a force that was now bursting forth with unbridled fury. The energy that emanated from him was so intense that it caused a palpable shift in the atmosphere, as if a hush had descended upon the area.
The change was so sudden and intense that even the spectators were frozen in place, unable to move or speak. His intimidation was so overwhelming that even Sirius had to take a step back. The sheer force of his presence was enough to render an average person helpless.
Despite this, Marcus remained unfazed. He didn't seem to be bothered by Leon's anger or the oppressive aura he was emitting. In fact, he appeared to be almost bored with the whole situation.
"Releasing your mana indiscriminately, that's bad manners…" he said, letting out an exasperated sigh.
Despite the overwhelming pressure that Leon was exuding, it was clear that Marcus was not intimidated in the slightest. His hair may have been tousled, but he remained completely composed, as if he were not facing any real threat at all.
"That's a good expression you have there, by the way. How cute." Apparently, he even found his angry face adorable.
This comment seemed to be the last straw for Leon, causing him to lose control and take a giant leap forward, putting all his weight behind his sword as he thrust it towards his opponent.
On the other hand, Marcus didn't move. He didn't even bother to take any kind of stance. He was simply standing there, looking at Leon with his sword dangling downward.
Leon raised his sword as he advanced towards Marcus, who remained nonchalant, with a small smile playing on his lips. However, despite the seriousness of the situation, Marcus seemed to be unfazed by the potential danger that loomed ahead.
As Leon brought down his sword, Marcus evaded it lightly, a smile on his face. His attitude remained as carefree as ever.
Frustrated and angered by Marcus' demeanor, Leon growled, "Kh…! Do you have the leisure to be smiling?!"
With each passing moment, Leon's frustration grew, and his desperation to land a hit increased. Despite his best efforts, every swing seemed to miss its target, leaving Leon feeling frustrated and powerless. Every time he launched an attack, Marcus seemed to anticipate it before it even happened, always one step ahead of him.
As the battle continued, Leon's movements became more erratic and uncoordinated, his strikes becoming more and more desperate in nature. However, his attempts were all in vain as Marcus continued to dodge and parry with ease, leaving Leon feeling defeated and exhausted.
Exhaustion had started to set in, and Leon's energy levels were rapidly depleting. His breathing became labored, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he tried to catch his breath. Realizing that he needed a moment to gather himself, Leon ceased his attack and took a step back.
Observing that Leon was struggling to catch his breath, Marcus opted to lower his sword in response to the situation.
With a tone of boredom evident in his voice, he inquired, "Is this all?"
In response to Marcus' dismissive comment, Leon refused to back down and displayed a sense of determination.
"Not yet," he said, trying to work himself up and muster his remaining strength. "I'm not done yet!"
It was evident that he was not willing to concede defeat just yet, despite his apparent exhaustion.
Summoning his last reserves of energy, Leon drew in a deep breath and gathered his courage to continue the fight.
"Raaaaaaah!"
With a loud and fierce cry, he charged towards Marcus, his wooden sword flailing in all directions, resembling the actions of a child throwing a tantrum.
The duel was quickly turning into a one-sided affair, with Leon's desperation becoming more apparent by the second.
"Your swings are far too wild," Marcus remarked with a hint of disdain in his voice. "Do you truly believe that you can land a lucky hit by flailing about like a child in a tantrum?"
As the duel continued, his swings became more and more sloppy. He unleashed a series of irrational swings based solely on his emotions. He wildly swung his sword without any regard for proper swordsmanship techniques. To put it mildly, his actions could not even be considered as sword techniques. Unsurprisingly, none of them got close. Every single one of his attacks was sidestepped, parried, and blocked.
The difference between Leon and Marcus was like the difference between an amateur and a professional. Their combat encounter appeared to be a display of an adult toying with a child. In terms of skill and talent, Leon was clearly overwhelmed. I could see that Marcus was going easy on him too. The difference in strength was clear and the outcome was easy to predict. It was obvious who would come out on top, even for an observer like myself.
"Wh-why…why can't I hit you?!"
As the duel progressed, it became increasingly evident that this was no fight. It was more like a public execution, with Marcus being the executioner and Leon the hapless victim.
Public humiliation is akin to a public execution since it can be devastating for one's self-esteem. I know this to be true because I have been in a similar situation to Leon, the hapless victim in this situation. There is no coming back from such an experience, as it leaves a deep wound that is difficult to heal. Being ridiculed in public not only damages one's self-esteem but also scars the individual's reputation. It is a traumatic experience that can lead to long-term emotional distress, and I can say this from first-hand experience.
"Seriously, this is all you've got? Calling you a disappointment would be an understatement. And you call yourself a son of House Asura? How pathetic. Try to at least make this interesting for me, will you?" said Marcus, evading and blocking one slash after another.
"...Ngh! I'm not done yet!" snapped Leon, unleashing another flurry of clumsy attacks.
Marcus effortlessly parried all of Leon's attacks without moving, making it clear that he wasn't even trying. "If you can't win against me even though I'm not being serious, then that shows how incompetent you are," he said.
The insult was like a slap in the face, and Leon felt his anger flare up once again.
"Are you mocking me?!" he shouted.
"It's no mockery, I'm only speaking the truth," said Marcus. "Give it up already. There's no way you can win."
"I can!"
"You can? Please, stop with the jests. The fact that you can't even land a hit is proof that you have no chance of winning."
Despite Leon's protestations to the contrary, Marcus believed that it was impossible for him to emerge victorious in their current situation. The chasm in their strength and abilities was far too great for Leon to overcome, and even his most valiant efforts were unlikely to make any difference. The evidence of this was clear for all to see, as Leon was unable to land a single hit on his opponent. As a result, it was understandable that Leon's frustration was mounting with every passing moment.
"I'm not going to lose. I can't lose!"
Marcus let out a small sigh. "Have you not realized it yet? You should know by now that you won't be able to defeat me."
"Stop it!"
"It'll be the same no matter how many times we do this. Give up, Leon. You can't win."
"I told you to stop, didn't I?!" Leon yelled at the top of his lungs, unable to hide his frustration. He continued to swing his sword with great ferocity, but to his dismay, he hit nothing but the air.
Despite his efforts, his opponent, Marcus, stood there, unimpressed by his display. Marcus couldn't help but feel disappointed at what he was seeing.
With a derisive snort, Marcus shook his head in disbelief. "Is this all you have to offer?" he taunted, his tone dripping with disdain. "For the third son of such a renowned house, your performance is nothing short of disappointing. That's why our Grandfather chose me as his successor instead of you. Leon, you are a failure."
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"
Leon must have not been able to stand listening to what he had to say for a minute longer, because he lunged at him with a scream.
It became increasingly evident that Marcus knew exactly how to push Leon's buttons. With each passing moment, Leon's frustration became more apparent and palpable, as he struggled to maintain his composure under Marcus's relentless taunts and jabs. It was as if Marcus was playing a game, one that he had played many times before.
Marcus looked at him with a disappointed expression. In an almost exasperated manner, he let out a long and audible sigh that could be heard even from a considerable distance away.
"You're such a disappointment, I've completely lost interest."
His sword moved in a blur, deflecting Leon's clumsy attacks with ease. In a matter of seconds, Leon's wooden sword was knocked out of his hands and sent spinning through the air before crashing to the ground.
With a loud thud, Leon stumbled backward, landing hard on his rear.
"Huh?"
Leon was left feeling confused and bewildered by what had just happened. He couldn't understand how Marcus had been able to disarm him so effortlessly.
As I looked around, I could see that the other spectators were just as bewildered as Leon was. How could Marcus have won without even lifting his sword? That question was written on everyone's faces.
It was understandable, though, as Marcus's movements had been so swift and precise that they were barely perceptible to the untrained eye. He had effortlessly parried and disarmed Leon without even breaking a sweat, leaving everyone in awe of his skill.
"Th-The duel goes to Marcus..." Sirius pronounced the victor, sounding perplexed.
It was a natural response given that there was no sign of Marcus's weapon ever moving. He was simply standing there, staring down at Leon with his wooden sword still hanging limply to his side.
...But I saw the trick to it; Marcus had imbued his sword with wind magic, and with a simple upward swing, he had achieved victory. He utilized the force of the wind to increase the speed of his sword to a level that cannot be detected by the human eye.
It was a feat of pure magic, and yet it was so simple in its execution. He was so incredibly swift that I could only barely see his blade even if I concentrated.
Although it was a seemingly simple maneuver, the onlookers, myself included as an outside observer, were utterly mesmerized by Marcus's ability with the sword.
Marcus was unmistakably brilliant. He was truly a once-in-a-century prodigy.
As I watched him with admiration, I couldn't help but feel a sense of inadequacy in comparison to his brilliance. Despite my admiration for him, however, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy that I didn't have the same level of talent that he did.
"Do you understand now? Someone like you is nothing compared to me," Marcus looked down at Leon, his eyes were cold. The contempt and disdain he had in his eyes were as if he was staring at an insect. It was as if he saw Leon as an insignificant and inconsequential being, not even worth acknowledging.
Leon, meanwhile, didn't stand up. He simply sat there, looking bewildered and confused. Even now, he was unable to understand what attacked him. He couldn't even see what happened.
Clap, clap, clap. Just then, someone started applauding from within the crowd of spectators.
As soon as a lone figure entered the courtyard, there was an abrupt hush that descended upon the area. The sudden presence of the individual caused a palpable pause, where not a single person dared to make a move. The only sound that could be discerned amidst the complete silence was the measured and rhythmic tapping of the man's cane against the unyielding surface of the floor.
The tapping of the cane seemed to grow louder with each passing second, creating a sense of foreboding that lingered in the air. The man's measured gait and the steady rhythm of his cane only served to heighten the tension and unease that had settled upon the courtyard.
Despite the deafening silence, it was apparent that the man commanded attention and respect. His very presence seemed to demand it, as everyone present remained rooted in their positions, not daring to move an inch in the face of his formidable presence.
As the tapping of the cane continued to reverberate around the courtyard, the man's imposing figure seemed to grow in size, casting a shadow that loomed over everyone present.
The tranquility of the surroundings was eventually disrupted by the deep, resonant voice of a man. The power and authority in his tone sent a chill down the spine of everyone who heard it.
"Absolutely magnificent!"