James froze in his seat, staring at the butler who had just made the announcement. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and frustration.
A "friendly spar"? What friendly spar? The teens around his table hadn't said a word about this, and he certainly hadn't agreed to it.
His thoughts raced, piecing together the puzzle. Then his gaze slid toward the head of the banquet, where his father and Van Wade sat.
Their sharp glares and icy smirks practically confirmed it—this wasn't some casual decision. It was a political move, a game of power and dominance between the two families.
James inwardly cursed, biting back the string of profanities that threatened to escape.
Outwardly, though, he pushed his chair back with a calm dignity, stood, and began walking toward the fountain at the center of the banquet hall.
The space around the fountain was wide, the perfect spot for a duel. It was beautiful too—the shimmering water reflected the golden lights of the chandeliers above, creating an almost magical arena for what was about to unfold.
Yet, James wasn't focused on any of that.
He had a massive problem. He couldn't activate his Soul weapon!
Sure, he'd summoned it before, but it was still in its dormant state—a heavy, unimpressive purple rock.
Unlike other Soul Weapon users who gained an immediate boost in strength once their weapons were activated, James had nothing. If he summoned the rock now, it would just sit there, useless.
His opponent, Trent Wade, stepped forward. He was tall and lean, with a cold, piercing gaze. A faint scar cut across his left cheek, making him look even more intimidating.
His blond hair shimmered under the banquet's warm lights, and his red eyes burned with quiet determination. He didn't say a word. He didn't need to.
The way he carried himself screamed confidence.
Excitement rippled through the banquet like wildfire. Whispers filled the air, growing louder by the second.
"Kaelan has a special-grade Soul Weapon!"
"Trent's only got a rare-grade one; he's going to get crushed!"
"Special grade weapons are mysterious and unpredictable! We finally get to see one in action!"
"But isn't Kaelan a bit too inexperienced, he's been blind for years, remember?"
James ignored the chatter, his mind focused on the chaos within him. Then the butler raised his hand and declared, "Commence!"
Trent moved first, and he moved fast. He shot forward like a blur, his footsteps pounding against the floor.
James's heart sank as he hurriedly summoned his Soul Weapon, and with a loud THUD, the infamous purple rock materialised in front of him, crashing to the ground and forming a small crater.
The sheer weight of the thing was shocking, and the crowd gasped in surprise.
But James had no time to admire it. Trent was closing the distance rapidly. Desperately, James grabbed the rock and tried to lift it.
His arms strained, veins bulging, but it wouldn't budge. It was far too heavy. The crowd began to murmur, confusion rippling through their ranks.
"What's he doing?" someone whispered. "He can't even lift his soul weapon?"
James tried. He really did. But the stupid rock was too heavy to lift! His muscles strained as he tugged and pulled, but it wouldn't budge.
His heart pounded, but he forced himself to calm down. 'There had to be an activation chant. Every Soul Weapon had one. Right?'
His thoughts raced as Trent summoned his Soul Weapon—a long, crimson sabre that radiated a sinister energy.
The weapon hummed ominously as Trent raised it high and swung it down with terrifying force.
Boom!
James scrambled to dodge, rolling awkwardly to the side as the sabre's blade sliced through the air and smashed into the ground, leaving a scorch mark.
The crowd gasped. Trent didn't pause. He pressed forward, thrusting with deadly precision.
James barely dodged, scrambling away like a startled cat. The blade missed his neck by a hair's breadth, and the audience collectively gasped.
Van Wade sneered, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Is this the power of a special-grade Soul Weapon? Laughable."
"Be patient," Caylus said, his calm tone betraying no emotion, despite his hands being clenched into fists under the table. "The weapon is still unactivated."
Meanwhile, James was running in circles, dodging wildly, his mind racing for a solution. He could feel the humiliation burning in his chest as Trent grew more aggressive.
Each attack came faster, stronger, the activated Soul Weapon giving Trent a massive advantage in strength and speed. James, on the other hand, had nothing.
He was just a guy with a useless rock.
'Think, think, THINK!' James's mind raced as he ran around like a madman. His weapon's name was Fragment of Extremity—that had to be a clue!
Then, like a spark of inspiration, a thought struck him. 'Extreme. That's it!'
He darted towards the purple rock, dodging another deadly slash. Grabbing it with both hands, he closed his eyes and shouted inwardly,
"Extreme Weapon Activate!"
Nothing happened. He tried again,
"Extremity Activation!"
Still nothing. Trent's sabre came down hard, and James barely managed to roll away, dragging the heavy rock with him.
The crowd burst into laughter, and James's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Even Trent smirked as he feinted a strike, causing James to slip and nearly fall.
But Trent's next move wasn't a feint. His sabre was coming straight for James's chest.
In a last-ditch effort, James yelled in his mind,
"Extreme Attack!"
A deafening boom echoed through the banquet. The purple rock shattered, exploding into a mist that swirled around James like a living thing.
The mist clung to his hands, solidifying into sleek, shimmering purple gauntlets with razor-sharp claws.
The air grew heavy with an overwhelming pressure, and the crowd fell silent, their mocking laughter replaced by awe.
The pressure emanating from those gauntlets was immense, causing the air to ripple like heat waves.
Even James was stunned. The moment the gauntlets formed, an incredible power surged through his body, boosting his strength instantly.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of his newfound strength. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced.
He felt at least twice as strong as before—an unheard-of boost for someone at his level!
Caylus allowed a small smirk to tug at his lips, his posture relaxing ever so slightly.
Trent wasn't about to back down. With a ferocious roar, he swung his sabre with all his might.
James didn't even blink. He scoffed, lifting his gauntlet-covered fist and punching directly at the blade.
Boom!
The impact sent Trent flying backwards, his sabre nearly slipping from his grasp. The crowd gasped, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.
James stared at his gauntlets in amazement, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
Trent tried to counterattack, slashing at James's stomach, but James blocked effortlessly with his left gauntlet.
He grinned. In his previous life, he had learned basic martial arts at the police academy, and now those skills were coming in handy.
James twisted his body, pushing Trent's sabre aside, and delivered a swift punch. Trent barely dodged, his expression one of growing desperation.
Realising he was at a disadvantage, he leapt back to create distance, but James stepped forward immediately, closing the gap.
Trent instinctively stepped back again, his confidence wavering.
The crowd was on edge, their cheers turning into gasps of disbelief. Van Wade's disappointment was evident, though he quickly masked it.
James had another idea. He clenched his fists and chanted, "Extreme Speed!"
The gauntlets disintegrated into mist, flowing into his body like water through a sieve. James felt a strange warmth spread through him, his muscles tightening, his irises glowing a bright purple.
The air grew heavy as James exuded the same pressure as a fully activated Soul Weapon. The crowd froze, their jaws dropping.
James took a light step forward—and vanished.
In an instant, he reappeared in front of Trent, who barely had time to gasp. The crowd was stunned, their mouths hanging open. Even Caylus and Van Wade couldn't hide their shock.
Without hesitation, James activated one more chant. "Extreme Strength!"
He swung his fist, aiming for Trent's jaw. The punch landed with a thunderous crack, sending Trent flying two metres back before he collapsed, unconscious.
The banquet hall was deathly silent. No one spoke, no one moved. All eyes were on James, who stood tall, breathing heavily, his purple irises still glowing faintly.
The match was over. James had won.
_____
Power stone Goal!
20 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
50 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
100 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.