"Figh-
Before Vance could finish his sentence, Claude advanced.
Approaching Drake and drawing his saber, he slashed in a powerful blow, using all the inertia of his movement. His saber blade seemed to curve with his speed.
Drake drawing his sword, blocked it head on.
With a metallic sound and sparks, their swords clashed, causing Drake to absorb all the impact in his arms.
"Ugh"
The heavy blow made Drake let out a grunt, forcing him to take a step back.
When Claude saw this, he let out a smile. With a movement of his feet he prepared for another blow.
Making a note not to take the hits directly, Drake decided to take a different approach. Being the weaker side, blocking was out of the question. With the sound of something cutting through the wind. The saber descended towards his head.
The feeling of being in a "real" fight brought an inexplicable satisfaction to Drake's heart.
Drake raised his arms, holding his sword in a block, at a diagonal angle, the saber slid across the body of his sword as he thrust at the last moment of impact, causing the saber's trajectory to deviate.
The weight of the saber suddenly changing its trajectory caught Claude off guard, forcing him to change his steps, causing an opening.
Drake didn't hesitate as he charged wildly.
Taking advantage of the base he used to deflect the attack, the sword had fluid and simple movements, as it rose above his head and descended, where Claude's opening was most exposed.
Claude felt a bit of pressure after their exchanges, making him take this fight seriously. The sword grazed his hair as he retreated and created a space of a few meters.
Claude assessed Drake from head to toe. There was something different about him since they met. Their eyes were different, and from what little chat they have, his personality seemed to have changed.
Now, looking at Drake, he felt something he only felt looking at his older brother or his superiors.
He felt danger.
The feeling of having someone, who just a few days ago was afraid to look into his eyes, suddenly, was facing him and even managing to retaliate, made Claude angered.
Bending his knees and holding the saber in a lunge position. Claude was preparing for his attack.
Of the people watching the duel, many recognized this position. Claude's signature combat technique.
"The young master is finally going to take this fight seriously with his Vicious Snake technique" Said a passerby.
"Isn't he taking this sparring thing too far?" Someone asked.
"Maybe, but young Drake must recognize the moment to give up" Another replied.
Vance, who was watching everything happen, had a heavy expression. From this point, he was sure, Drake would come out with some broken bones.
In the arena.
Claude still kept his saber pointed at Drake, while his eyes stared at Drake as if he were his prey. His body looked like an arrow tensioned by a bowstring, ready to be released.
Just when silence took over the arena. Claude moved in a burst of speed, thrusting his saber towards Drake's sword.
Drake felt as if he had been hit by a hammer, blasting his sword from its block.
Claude's saber made a continuous attack. His saber blade curved like the body of a snake. Exploding like a whip as his attack connected with Drake's left hand.
Drake felt a throbbing pain. Making him step back as he held the sword in his hand. Trying to move his left hand, he grunted in pain, realizing that his hand was broken.
"Shit" Drake said as he gritted his teeth.
From the short exchange they had, Drake realized that the danger from Claude's blade was its point of impact, where the blade would connect.
His technique movements incorporated the movements of a snake, making his attacks unpredictable. His strength was in his unpredictability and malleability.
With a crazy look at Drake's eyes, a very bad plan was taking shape in his mind.
From Claude's expression, it was clear that he was satisfied watching this scene, but not enough. As he advanced, his saber curved again, as it followed Drake's figure.
Looking into Drake's eyes, he noticed something different. His eyes weren't following the saber's blade. Drake's eyes traced a path, the path where the saber blade would be just a few thousandths of a second away.
In Drake's mind there was nothing. His body only reacted, while his soul screamed to hit that spot.
Clang
Sparks reflected in the eyes of the two fighters, while the deafening sound of metal clashing carried throughout the arena.
--
In the audience, everyone had a dazed expression. The Vicious Snake technique, which was created by an ancestor of the Crimson family, was repelled. It was in its early stages where there was no Aura interaction, but still repelled.
"That.. It was luck.. right?" A passerby asked
"Of course it was, there's no way a technique passed down for generations could be interrupted by a child, especially Drake... right?" Another voice emerged with uncertainty.
"Have any of you seen this happen before?" Doubts from him sounded.
Vance, who was close to the arena, saw the whole situation 'Luck? With those eyes and precise cut?' He didn't believe it, but only the course of the fight would bring answers.
--
Claude felt his hand numb.
The slight vibration that his saber emitted, having received the impact of a direct attack, brought discomfort that went beyond the physical body.
'That, was luck, right?'
Allowing his saber to move forward for his next attack, Claude was exerting all the physical strength his body allowed.
Drake held his sword with one hand, calculating the trajectory of where the point of impact would be. He again swung his sword with all his strength.
Clang
The metallic sound, along with sparks exploding throughout the arena
Clang
Clang
Clang
Their exchanges continued.
Claude carried a fierce expression as he continued his incessant attacks. His pride, unbelief, anger and fear. His mind was running wild. He had a look of disbelief on his face, he believed he was superior to Drake, he was.
"Impossible!"
Clang
"I can't lose!"
Clang
"To a bastard!"
Claude uttered sentences after each impact, in an attempt to maintain his sanity.
He had superior techniques, he had a stronger body, he had Aura.
That.
Drake has no Aura, he can barely feel Mana.
The mental pressure that Claude was feeling along with the reality shock was pushing his mind to the limit in search of solutions, making him not consider the consequences.
Clang
After an explosion of sparks along with the metallic sound. Claude stopped his movements. His vicious gaze analyzed Drake, as he slowly lowered his saber.
"My dear brother, I think you better prepare yourself, because now I'm going to educate you" Claude said while trying to look composed.
Claude again flexed his knees, posing for a vertical attack.
When his foot was about to leave the ground. A translucent green aura surrounded his ankles.
His speed was instantly boosted, causing him to explode in a swift motion towards Drake.
For Drake. All that was seen was his opponent about 3 meters away, when suddenly, he was in front of him.
When Claude's body appeared before Drake. His partial aura, which was at his feet, was now wrapped around the arm that held his saber. The saber curved like a snake, following its master's attack
Drake barely had time to react. Suddenly, the saber's trajectory was about to hit his face. His only option was to block with his left arm, which would make him receive all the impact in his bones.
With a crack sound.
Drake's body was thrown far away. His body floated in the air at high speed, before landing around ten meters away. As he landed, his body kicked up a trail of dust, while a trail of blood was left on the ground.
Vance, who was watching everything unfold, decided to intervene. Today, Drake surprised everyone by showing off his improved combat ability. He was slightly proud of Drake's progress.
Vance said loudly.
"Very well, that's enough-
"Not yet!"
Before Vance could finish his sentence, Drake's scream echoed across the training field. As he stood up with his trembling body, supporting himself on his sword.
His body was dirty with dirt, his left arm was fallen, drops of blood were falling from the exposed fracture in his arm that had been hit.
Drake's breathing was heavy, along with the look of madness in his eyes, in this confrontation, he would risk his life if necessary.
His determination was reaching its peak, seeming to influence all the air around his presence.
His heartbeat was accelerating, surpassing an ordinary person's heartbeat. The blood beneath his skin coursed throughout his body. The veins on his body seemed to become more prominent.
Small beams of energy erupted from Drake's skin, emerging and coiling throughout his body. His eyes were barely visible under his black hair, his eyes that were originally dark were slowly turning red.
In his mind, the desire to be in battle reached its peak.
A wild smile formed on his face.
"I can't stop now!"