Amon and Leon stood ten metres apart, the standard distance for duels between Knights of their calibre. The duel hadn't begun yet, and both parties were preparing themselves in various ways. Adelia handed blunt training swords to both of them as they warmed up, and the rest waited patiently at the corner, eagerly anticipating the epic duel.
Gale was the first to break the silence as he glanced at Arya and asked: "Did you edge Sir Amon to engage in a duel with Leon?"
"Hoh? What makes you think that?"
"I didn't expect the legendary Amon Solaris to partake in a duel with someone his age. After all, he wasn't interested in fame or glory in the past."
Gale entered the Knight's Academy at the same time as Amon. And while Amon skipped grades and graduated early, there were few instances where Gale interacted with the super talent. Most of the time, he observed Amon from afar, and the consensus was that the young prodigy was an aloof character.
Never once participating in social events, Amon behaved like a lone wolf. He had no friends, hardly ever helped others and largely remained alone. Yet, no one chastised or ostracised him. Why?
Amon's talent alone was enough to intimidate everyone of his peers.
"You're right; my brother hardly cares about worldly affairs. He wouldn't even take offence if someone spat in his direction. So, it's surprising for me, too."
"Surprising? What is?"
Arya's eyes narrowed as she watched the two young Knights ready themselves for the upcoming duel. Amon may have hidden it well, but Arya has lived with him for sixteen years. She was more or less aware of Amon's unique disposition and his usual disinterest in any and most things. Yet, as he stared down Leon face-to-face in the arena, Arya could sense a bubbling emotion bursting forth.
"I'm surprised he's paying so much attention to Leon."
"I guess… Talent attracts talent."
Gale folded his arms and turned his attention to the two duelists. Just as he was mesmerised by Amon's talent in the past, he was just as enchanted by Leon's prodigal talents. He'd never anticipated to see generational geniuses in his lifetime, let alone have them pit head-to-head.
And now, all he wanted to do was sit back and enjoy the show.
"Yeah… My brother has always been unparalleled, and no one in his generation could challenge him. I'm sure that he's feeling lonely at the top. So, I'm hoping Leon could be a good rival to him."
Arya was genuine. Save Yue, she knew her brother better than anyone else in the world. Leon's appearance would serve as a great stimulus for the constantly bored and disinterested Amon.
"Oh? I didn't know you cared about your brother so much!"
"H-Hmph, who cares about him?!"
Gale laughed at his friend's honest reaction. All this while, Amon and Leon had completed their warmups and were rearing to begin the duel. Adelia gingerly paced herself back to the spectator stands as Rufus stood at centre stage, acting as the referee for this friendly duel.
Caught up in the atmosphere, the young teen obsessed with honour volunteered to oversee the bout. Neither Amon nor Leon had an issue with Rufus being the referee. If anything, they were glad to have someone sturdy like Rufus, who was almost twice the size of Arya and Adelia, as the acting witness.
Not that he was strong enough to stop them, but at the very least, he'd be able to withstand whatever collateral damage came his way.
"May the two duel participants honour the code of…"
"Rufus, there's no need for long introductions. This is not a formal duel."
"... okay."
Leon hurriedly stopped his good friend from spewing a thousand words to fulfil his fantasy of championing an honourable duel between Knights. At best, Amon and Leon had a friendly spar, not a duel with their honour on the line. After he silenced Rufus, the young Apprentice Knight turned his clear blue eyes to his opponent.
Standing at ease with the practice sword in his dominant hand, Amon felt no pressure or tension when facing off against Leon. His peaceful expression only hid a more sinister power that made Leon shiver to his very core.
Amon was, without a doubt, the most powerful Knight he'd duelled since entering the Knight's Academy.
It took everything Leon had to calm his heart down as he readied his stance.
On the other side, Amon wasn't doing much better. His heart rate was accelerating, and the grip on his sword was tighter than ever before. He displayed an air of nonchalance on the surface, but it was just a ruse. Amon thanked the high heavens that he'd trained his poker face and controlled what little bodily functions he had.
It was quite unlike Amon to propose a duel, especially with an Apprentice Knight younger than himself. However, Amon had two reasons for challenging Leon to a sparring session.
One, he wanted to test Leon's ability to ensure that he was adequately prepared for future battles. Although Amon and Yue had been planning to save Hyades, Leon needed to grow quickly too.
More importantly, Amon was curious about how powerful the hero he's been chasing was.
Therefore, the former Transcendent wasn't going to pull any punches.
"Whenever you're ready."
Amon gestured with his free hand, signalling to Leon that he was giving the first move. Knowing the disparity between their abilities, Leon didn't take the gesture as an insult. Rather, he focused all his attention on executing the perfect opening move.
For he knew… there wasn't going to be another opportunity like it anymore.
"Thank you for your courtesy, Amon… Then, excuse me!!!"
Mana flowed through Leon's veins, and his body reacted accordingly. The power Leon's mana generated was enough to emit a pressure that would force lesser beings to clutch their chest in agony. With both his hands firmly gripping the hilt of his sword, Leon charged at Amon with light footwork and generated illusory afterimages of his approaching frame.
To the outside eye, it was as if Leon had used magic to create clones of himself as he sped towards Amon. But to the man facing the attack, Leon's movements were playing out in slow motion. Amon's golden eyes never left the young man's body. Every twitch of his muscle, every vibration in the wind, every sound he created. It was all being analysed by Amon's superior senses.
And when Leon's sword hung over his head, Amon reacted with a swift slice.
CLINK!!!
The reverberation of metal echoed within the training hall as Amon's strike sent Leon flying backwards. Tumbling and rolling on the ground, Leon ate a good amount of dust and sand before returning to his feet. He looked down at his practice sword in horror, unaware of what had hit him. The metal vibrated from the impact, and his hands felt weak from eating Amon's casual hit.
On the other side, Amon's eyebrows furrowed deeply. In anticipation of a good match, he struck with more force than he usually would in a sparring session. Yet, that was enough to send the protagonist of this world into a nervous wreck.
Was he too strong? Or was Leon too weak?
Either way, the first move ended in Amon's overwhelming victory.
"..."
Leon's absent-mindedness ended swiftly, and he gathered himself for the following exchange. Gripping his sword with twice the tightness, Leon imbued his weapon with mana and moved with added zeal. This time, he would mix swordplay and footwork rather than contest Amon's physical strength.
And Amon welcomed the exchange with open arms.
Their blades met each other dozens of times within seconds. The force of each swing sliced the air, creating turbulent wind currents that affected the spectators. Dust and bits of earth flew in the air as their swords cut the ground.
Bit by bit, Amon adjusted his power and speed to match Leon's. It wasn't because he underestimated his opponent but because he wanted to fully evaluate what the protagonist of the world was capable of. And so far, he was heavily disappointed.
'His foundations are solid, but… He's lacking too much.'
Strength, speed, technique… There was a little bit of everything lacking. It was as if he were fighting a weaker version of himself. The methods and movesets they used were all the same, reasonably expected, since they were taught the same skills from the Knight's Academy. Yet, Amon felt like he was fighting a version of himself ten years less developed.
And that wasn't up to par.
After fully understanding Leon's level, Amon upped the ante. Previously, he only defended, reacting to whatever Leon threw at him. Now, he was going to take charge.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The sounds of metal shrieking grew louder with each strike. Amon, who hadn't moved a step since Leon's onslaught began, displayed total mastery of his swordplay. The practice sword, which was blunt and couldn't pierce through armour, looked like a deadly weapon, where any rogue slash would be enough to sever a body in two.
Before, the sparring session looked like an apprentice trying to overwhelm their master with pure power and speed. However, now that Amon had begun his assault, the duel was now a dance with swords.
And it wasn't even a contest about who was the better dancer.
The moment Amon used his feet, Leon had lost. They were using the same moves, they were trained to fight in the same manner, and their swordplay was eerily similar. But alas, the difference was stellar.
Amon's footwork was superior, more fluid and free. He moved around with the grace of a figure skater, each movement was connected to the next. His swordplay was equally elegant. Moving through the air like it didn't exist, Amon's sword work was crisp, clean and sharp. Each strike served its purpose, and it connected beautifully with his dance.
There was no comparison.
Amon was better.
And Leon felt it. Sweat trickled down his face as it took everything he could to focus on defending. His swordplay and footwork were overwhelmed, and the ringing in his arms and legs was enough to tell the tale. In due time, his entire body would ache as it took everything he had to defend against Amon's brutally crafted attacks.
"Wow… This is the first time I've seen Leon completely outclassed…"
"I agree…"
Gale and Adelia's faces hardened, their eyes hardly comprehending what they were watching. There was no question about it: Leon was the best cadet in the entire Knight's Academy. He was poised to graduate with flying colours and would likely be on the fast track in whichever Knight Order he chose.
Leon defeated every Apprentice Knight he faced, and there were times when he could contest with Junior Knights with years of experience under their belt. Yet, here he was… outclassed and outmatched.
"My brother, he… improved yet again."
Even Arya, who knew the abilities of both men, could only gape in awe as she watched her brother systematically dismantle the current greatest prodigy in the Knight's Academy.
While his comrades were amazed and spoke about Amon's capabilities, Leon didn't have such a luxury. All of his body was aching just by exchanging blows with Amon, and it was a wonder that his low-quality practice sword hadn't shattered yet.
Knowing this couldn't continue, Leon decided to evade and regroup. Crossing swords with Amon again, Leon used the momentum to fly backwards and gain some distance. Even if it meant rolling on the ground once more, it was worth it as it gave Leon precious time to regain his wits and move on to the next phase of the sparring.
And Amon sensed it.
Dropping his guard, the young Knight waited patiently for Leon to complete his preparations. Mana erupted from Leon's vessel and congregated itself into a rich golden Aura. Coated by it like an intangible barrier, Leon's mana burst forth like a volcano.
Just forming Aura was the hallmark of a powerful Knight, and any cadet who could do so would graduate from the Academy with a perfect score. But Leon's Aura was not just any regular Knight's Aura. It was more dense and abundant, so much so that it was shocking that the youth only condensed Two Suns.
Fluctuating wildly, Leon's golden Aura was enough to make dozens of seasoned Knights breathless. If anyone saw the Aura that shot up like a pillar from Leon, they would assume that the Knight was someone with Three for Four Suns condensed.
And they would be right to think that way.
It didn't take long for Leon's Two Suns to show themselves. Orbiting the young Apprentice Knight like planets to the Sun, Leon's illusory power created a pressure that cracked the ground and sent gravel levitating.
But that's not all.
Each one of the Two Suns had one other flaming ball orbiting them. The smaller 'Suns' acted as satellites, supplementing the main body with even more mana and power.
It was a phenomenon that the Nine Suns Heart Mantra couldn't accomplish. No, it was a phenomenon never recorded in history. And it was why the Solaris Lord so cherished Leon and, if raised correctly, considered to be the greatest asset the Solaris House ever had.
'The Eighty-One Suns Heart Mantra… It's about time I saw it in person.'