In the middle of the ruined training ground, Aldrian walked towards Arthur, who looked at him blankly. What Arthur saw in Aldrian was a towering wall, one so high that it felt impossible to surpass. This wall of power forced him to accept his inferiority before the young-looking man at the 'Viscount' stage, he could no longer regard him as a mere 'boy.'
Aldrian stood before Arthur and stretched out his hand, offering to help him up. Arthur sighed, took Aldrian's offer, and stood. His height was much greater than Aldrian's, from the onlookers' perspective, it was a striking contrast. But after what they had just witnessed, there was not a single doubt that the shorter young man could wipe the floor with any of them.
In the end, strength is what matters most. Even if you were a toddler, if you could do what Aldrian did, they would respect you.
"So, what do you think, Sir Knight?" Aldrian asked with a smile. Arthur looked into Aldrian's beautiful blue eyes and bowed his head.
"It was my ignorance and arrogance to doubt you, but you have truly opened my eyes. This will be an invaluable experience for my future. I, Arthur Maximilian, am honored to stand before someone destined for greatness. I hope you don't hold my earlier actions against me."
Aldrian was slightly surprised by Arthur's actions. Arthur was decisive and unashamed to admit his wrongs in front of others. For one of the ten great swordmasters to bow his head was truly a sight to behold. Perhaps it was due to Arthur's principles and upbringing, but it was still remarkable for a man of his status to bow and admit his wrongs in front of others, especially to someone much younger.
"No worries. I never took your actions to heart. After all, your way of thinking was justified," Aldrian replied.
Emperor Ladwin descended and landed before them, his smile bright as he looked at Aldrian. He was thoroughly satisfied with this display of power.
"Now we have reached the conclusion of the duel. The winner is Aldrian Aster!"
Following the emperor's announcement, the elves gave a standing ovation for the duel, not just as entertainment, but also for the insight it provided into the nature of absolute destructive power. They couldn't help but compare it to 'The Wrath of the Forest Spirit,' which could also destroy landscapes. Yet, they felt that perhaps Aldrian's slash was stronger, able to cut through everything in its path and even cause a spatial storm.
Aldrian and Arthur shook hands and descended from the destroyed platform, greeted by cheers from the crowd. Aldrian was also welcomed by Eleine and others from the imperial family, who were once again reassured of his status and power as the chosen one.
The delegation from the church approached him.
"We truly apologize for our knight's behavior," Archbishop Ravin said, slightly bowing his head, followed by the others from the church. "We didn't intend to instigate or escalate the situation into a duel, forcing you to entertain his request. Given the result, as representatives of the church, we will also offer compensation to young master Aldrian, and even to the Ivory Empire if necessary. Once again, we sincerely apologize."
Aldrian waved his hand dismissively. "I've already said not to worry about it, Your Excellency. There's no need for concern."
The church delegation looked at this young man with newfound respect.
"It seems he also has a gracious heart," Archbishop Ravin thought.
"Ah, right. It's better if you communicate directly with His Majesty about our matter, to determine the appropriate course of action," Aldrian suggested.
"We will do that," Archbishop Ravin nodded with a determined expression. They had to bring Aldrian to their church! Now they needed to find a way to convince the Evergreen Imperial Family to allow Aldrian to also be their 'savior.'
Aldrian glanced at the remnants of his sword will on the ruined training ground. He had learned from his experience with Balin that while his sword will could aid cultivators in comprehension and insight, the land where he unleashed the Slash of The End would become a danger zone.
He had left the remnants of his sword will outside Balin without erasing them because he knew they could be beneficial for many sword cultivators in their cultivation. He allowed them to remain, also serving as a deterrent to the devils, forcing them to stay low.
However, not wanting to cause difficulties for the elves, he planned to erase the sword will here. But as he was about to do so, Emperor Ladwin stopped him.
"You don't have to erase your remaining sword will," Emperor Ladwin said. "Let it stay. I'll turn this place into a comprehension site for the elves. Even though we aren't sword cultivators, your sword will might still be very useful to us."
Aldrian simply nodded. If that was the emperor's request, what could he do? They returned inside the palace, walking together, but there was a pair of eyes watching him as if he were a monster.
"How the hell is he not tired at all? He still looks fresh after unleashing that kind of technique, and it doesn't seem to have taken any toll on his body. He doesn't even care about his feat, as if that divine technique was just another ordinary move for him, and it hardly depleted his energy," Arthur thought. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked Aldrian directly about it.
Aldrian's answer? "Well, it's because of my body constitution. It's my uniqueness, so I can't really explain it myself."
Arthur nodded—it made sense, but that capability was incredibly advantageous in prolonged battles. Still, it made him jealous.
"If I may ask, where did this technique come from? Which legacy does it belong to?" Archbishop Ravin inquired. Emperor Ladwin and the others were also curious about the origin of the technique that had gained fame for killing the Hydra. After witnessing its power, they assumed it must be a legacy of some past cultivator with high attainment in swordsmanship.
"Legacy? What legacy? I created it," Aldrian said, as if it were no big deal.
Silence.
They all stopped walking and looked at Aldrian simultaneously.
"What?" they asked in unison. Aldrian glanced at them and shrugged his shoulders.
"It's true. I created this technique when I needed to kill that Hydra. I had to act quickly, and fortunately, the Hydra's attack took time to execute, so it gave me the opportunity to create this technique."
"What do you mean, 'it gave you time to create the technique'?" Arthur asked, incredulous.
"What do I mean? Of course, I created this technique on the spot as fast as possible. I didn't have any technique that could kill a Hydra at the time, so doesn't it make sense to create one?" Aldrian replied.
"…"
They were stunned, beginning to wonder if there was something fundamentally different about the way Aldrian thought. The way he spoke made it sound like creating a technique was as simple as making a sandwich—no, they realized, even a sandwich would take longer to make than the time it took for the Hydra to attack. They started to believe there was no way he was just human; he must be the reincarnation of a higher being or something beyond their comprehension. His mindset was too far removed from their understanding, too complex, too otherworldly.
"Don't tell me all of your techniques are also your own creation?" asked Prince Arion Evergreen. Until now, they had assumed someone had taught this young man those techniques. If he could create a technique capable of destroying a vast area, what about the less complex ones?
"Not all of them, but most of them are my own creations," Aldrian replied truthfully. There were a few techniques he had learned from his father and mother, but he hadn't used them in practical combat yet. He had always relied more on his own techniques.
After hearing Aldrian's answer, they thought it best to remain silent and stop asking questions to preserve their sanity. They soon arrived at the throne hall, where Emperor Ladwin addressed the church delegation.
"So, I heard you wanted to discuss something regarding Aldrian? How about we talk about it tomorrow? I'm sure you're all tired. I'll send you my invitation tomorrow to discuss it further, as long as Aldrian agrees."
"That's perfectly fine. We're pleased to hear that we can talk and come to an understanding," Archbishop Ravin replied.
"Good, it's decided then."
The church delegation excused themselves from the imperial palace to return to their lodgings in the outsiders' district. As for Aldrian, he returned to his room within the imperial palace complex, accompanied by Eleine.
---------------------------
The sun had already set, and the sky had turned dark. The activity in the capital had decreased significantly compared to the bustling day. Unlike Balin, where there were always activities at all hours, most of the elves had returned to their homes to rest after a long day.
At the teleportation station in Evergreen City, elves and occasionally humans could be seen entering and exiting the portals. At that moment, a man wearing a conical straw hat and a black robe stepped out of the portal, a sword at his waist. His eyes scanned his surroundings before he closed them.
"I can feel it. It's much closer now," he murmured.