Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: The Father and Son Duel

The next day, the sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden hue over the plain near the village where the duel would be disputed. Ace and Chris, each prepared in their own way for the duel to be disputed merely hours away. And so, at noon, the time for the confrontation had arrived.

The air buzzed with anticipation of villagers who gathered to watch the battle unfold. Among them, the village chief acted as both witness and referee for the duel, and the other villagers were only spectators. In the crowd, Ellie, Shaw, Maria and Isabella could be seen among them.

With focused eyes, father and son glared at each other, drew their blades and took their stances. The chief, George, raised his hand, and the field fell silent. With a decisive motion, he brought his hand down and shouted loudly, "START!"

In an instant, both warriors were on the move. They dashed and vanished at such high speed that the air crackled with energy as they blurred into motion. Reappearing in the center of the field, they clashed. A powerful gust of wind erupted, sending dust and debris swirling around them.

Chris's face was set in fierce grin, his eyes blazing with determination. "SHOW ME THE FRUIT OF YOUR TRAINING AND RESOLVE, SON!" he shouted, his voice booming with authority. He swung his sword, enveloped in flames, in a powerful downward arc.

Ace's eyes narrowed; his resolve unwavering as a grin drew itself on his lips. "Witness and feel it, dad. This is my own strength!" his voice was filled with a mix of pride and determination as he countered with his own technique. "Null Magic . Shadow Arcane: Izanagi !" With fluid movement and footwork, he covered his sword with shadow magic, and it intercepted his father's strike, the clash of their blades sending sparks flying.

As they moved around the field with high speed, their swords clashing with each other, unleashing sword techniques upon sword techniques, magical arts upon magical arts, those witnessing the fight became captivated at this myriads of black shadows and red fire which emanated such high levels of mana.

As the duel wore on, Chris reminiscing his time as a mercenary, acknowledges that Ace has reached a high-level of combat mastery in both magic and sword. His eyes, though fierce, softened with pride as he observed his son's growth.

"I chose to become the same as you, a battle magus. What do you think about my strength that you helped me train up to this point?" Ace thought as a grin played on Chris's face who seemed to understand what his son wanted to tell him at a glance.

They battle continued to rage on, however, as the duel progressed, both combatants bore the marks of their fierce exchange. Cuts and bruises adorned their bodies, but their spirits remain unyielding.

Chris smiles upon his son once again and sees an opportunity to push Ace to his limits. He counters Ace's lightning-fast stab and kicks him away with a powerful blow. As Ace barely manages to land on his feet, "You truly have grown stronger, Ace. You've grown to great heights, exceeding my expectations," he said, his voice filled with respect. "But, if you're unable to breakthrough this next attack, then you 'will' lose."

Chris raised his sword above his head, taking a deep breath and calming himself. His aura flared, creating a searingly red-hot atmosphere around him, and his blade was engulfed in crimson golden flames. "This will be my final attack so prepare yourself!"

Thoughts rushed through Ace's mind. "This is bad. His mana is being concentrated throughout his entire body."

Ace, his gaze steady, thought, "My old man is really giving his all, huh? Guess I should take up the challenge. Heh. Fine, bring it on, dad."

Ace, his eyes glowing with a golden beast-like intensity, released all of his mana and poured it into his final strike. As he prepared to unleash his final attack, his fingers traced a path down the blade, infusing his sword, now gleaming with a fierce silver aura with energy, and focusing it into a singular devastating blow.

The father-son duel was reaching its climax. Both of them unleashing their ultimate attacks. Chris's voice cut through the air, commanding and resolute. "!" Flames erupted from his sword as he dashed towards his opponent, his form resembling a blazing phoenix that soared toward Ace.

Simultaneously, Ace roared, "Enchant: Izanagi ", Energy sliced through the air, dark shadows coiling around his sword. The two techniques collided with cataclysmic force. The clash of their swords and mana created an intense pressure that shook the very ground beneath them.

The spectators gasped in awe as the landscape around them distorted under the immense energy of the clash. Chris, his gaze determined and unyielding, was on the brink of breaking through Ace's attack.

Suddenly, the power emanating from his son had shifted, taking on an otherworldly quality. Ace was now enveloped in a shadowy black aura with silver hues, his eyes glowing with a deep blackness with white iris, visible from his right eye while a silver flame emanated from his left eye hidden by the aura.

It was as if space and time were fixed. This sudden change was startling. Ace's appearance took on a spectral, bat-like quality, his presence almost ethereal. And while locking eyes with Ace, Chris momentarily taken aback, felt a shudder running down his spine.

The duel reached its peak as Ace, his sword covered in the same aura and with newfound strength, executed a cross-sword attack striking upwards to the left and then downwards to the right with unyielding precision, breaking through Chris's sword. Only a whisper could be heard from Ace in that moment, "I. Won't. Lose. !"

A massive explosion rocked the field, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. As the dust cleared away, the villagers watched in stunned silence. Ace, though exhausted, out-of-breath, and barely standing, was victorious while Chris laid down on the ground, injured but smiling with pride at his son's triumph.

And thus, the father-son duel ended with the victory of Ace, whose strength was spent, collapsed beside his father, his eyes fluttering closed as he fell unconscious.