Chereads / The Path To Magical Supremacy / Chapter 18 - Charles

Chapter 18 - Charles

My heart began to pound in my chest. While I kept a serene expression, part of me braced for the worst. Could this be Cleo's doing? The possibility of her involvement put me on high alert. It was easy to imagine that, after trying to blind me, she had finally given in to the desire to finish me off once and for all. An ambush in the desert would be convenient. No witnesses, no evidence. Just the scorching heat and sand to cover everything.

"That's right! It's because of Cleo!" Charles's voice erupted, slicing through the desert silence. "She might have forgiven you, but I haven't!" He was furious, his fists clenched as if he wanted to crush me with his bare hands. His arrogant posture had given way to something more primal: pure, uncontrolled rage.

I took a deep breath, keeping my tone calm, almost disdainful. "Well then, what do you want?" I spread my hands, feigning an air of helplessness, but my eyes betrayed me. There was a mocking glint there, something that clearly unsettled Charles more than he expected.

He hesitated. Weak. The word echoed in my mind as he struggled to find something to say. Finally, he stammered, "You have to swear never to bother Cleo again!"

I smirked. Ridiculous. Still, I seized the opportunity. "Alright!" I agreed without a second thought, raising my right hand to the emblem pinned to my chest. The emblem of my family, the Rustel Family, gleamed under the desert sun: a bloodstained crown. A symbol of power and honor, at least to those who still valued such concepts.

"With my honor as a member of the Rustel Family, I swear never to bother Cleo of my own will again!" My voice came out firm, laced with theatrical solemnity. I knew the weight a vow like that held among nobles. It was sacred, and anyone who broke such a vow would be scorned by all. Of course, everything depended on the interpretation of the words. Of my own will, I had said. That left room for plenty of possibilities.

Charles seemed satisfied, or perhaps too confused to question my readiness. I seized the moment and bowed in a perfect arc. "Alright, Lord Charles! May I leave now?" My voice sounded respectful, with the impeccable etiquette they so valued. I was ready. As soon as he turned his back, it would be the perfect moment to strike. One weakness, and it would all end here.

But Charles didn't take the bait. "No, wait!" he shouted, his rage giving way to something greedier. His eyes gleamed with avarice, and his next demand caught me off guard. "According to noble conduct, you still have to compensate. Hand over all the magic crystals you have!"

Those words echoed like thunder among the surrounding nobles. I heard murmurs and gasps of astonishment. Magic crystals weren't just valuable; they were rare. Even among nobles, few had access to them. They were essential currency for Mages, a gateway to magical academies, and an invaluable commodity for any acolyte.

"Magic crystals?" I repeated slowly, as if processing the absurd request. In truth, I was sifting through my memories. The former me hadn't managed to obtain even one crystal. Baron Elion, with all his influence, had tried everything to acquire one but had failed miserably. That told me all I needed to know: these crystals were far beyond my reach.

"Avoiding meaningless fights is an art few understand." That thought comforted me as Charles advanced. He had no idea that, even at that moment, I was coldly calculating my options. The thrill of subjugating others was fleeting compared to the satisfaction of growing my strength through cultivation. But what intrigued me even more was the irony of the situation. After all, I owed him—for his cruel strike against the former Eclivel—that had brought me to this new life.

But gratitude didn't mean submission. Quite the opposite. Survival demanded practicality, and pride would never outweigh reason. Charles could rant about strength, honor, and vengeance all he wanted, but to me, he was just an obstacle in my path. And obstacles are meant to be removed.

When he demanded the magic crystals, I reacted with the performance that best suited the situation. My hands gripped the empty pouch I carried tightly, while an expression of frantic, feigned despair took over my face.

"You... you can't do this! Those servants won't let you get away with it!" My voice trembled, calculated to sound exactly like a cornered young noble.

Charles laughed, puffed up by his own confidence. "Haha... Why would they intervene? Don't forget, I've already beaten you nearly to death, and no one even blinked." He snapped his fingers, each sound echoing like a prelude to impending violence. "If you don't want me to break your bones one by one, obey and hand over the magic crystals!"

He stepped closer, each step making his shadow engulf me. It was a well-staged play, but the performance was over. Charles had made a fatal mistake: he thought I was defenseless.

As he spoke, my eyes scanned the surroundings. We were far enough from the camp, isolated, with only his lackeys as the audience. These useless nobles were so absorbed in the idea of watching Charles humiliate someone that they didn't notice the real game. Perfect.

"Don't bother looking around," he sneered. "No one's coming to save you."

"Really?" My voice turned into a cold laugh. "That's even better… Time for Plan B! A direct massacre."

Before he could react, my silhouette vanished like a shadow in the desert. The sound of a hum filled the air as I reappeared behind him. "You know... you're so big, yet so pathetic," I murmured, letting the sarcasm drip from my words.

"POW~~" My kick struck the side of his ribs with precision. The force was accompanied by a sharp wind, sending his heavy body flying through the air like a ragdoll.

"Bang!"

Charles hit the ground, screaming in pain, his eyes glowing red with fury as he struggled to get up. The impact had clearly shaken his confidence.

"What?! How...? You're dead! I'll kill you and drink your blood!" His voice was filled with rage, accompanied by a savage expression. He looked less human and more like a cornered beast.

I stood still, evaluating him as he got up. He was resilient, I had to admit. His physique was excellent, something rare even among nobles. "That's the advantage of having a good constitution, isn't it?" I thought, keeping myself ready for the next move.

My kick, even with fifty percent of my strength, had only made Charles stagger momentarily. That was enough for my pupils to narrow in alertness. This bastard was tough as a wall. Before I could react, he swung his fist toward me with the brute force of a wild bear.

I spun to the side, narrowly dodging. His fist brushed past me and struck a small tree behind, shattering it as if it were a twig. The deep mark left on the trunk was a stark reminder of his raw strength.

"A punch that heavy… Even with my constitution, I can't take more than a few of those hits." I took a deep breath, keeping my mind cool. There was no time to hesitate. Amid the tension, I issued a mental command: "Lab, simulate the best method to defeat him!"

The familiar sound of a beep brought a touch of comfort.

["Task established!"] 

["Entering combat mode!"]

A cold, precise voice echoed in my mind, delivering clear instructions.

["Roll to the side!"]

Without thinking, I obeyed. I rolled to the right, escaping another devastating punch that would've shattered me. Sand rose in clouds as Charles's blow struck the ground.

["A weakness has appeared in the enemy's defense!"] 

["Optimal attack zone: solar plexus!"]

"Perfect."

My movements turned into a dance synchronized with the lab's calculations. Every dodge was measured, every step brought me closer to the ideal opening.

"Pathetic," I taunted as I dodged another wild strike. My voice carried a calculated tone of disdain, designed to infuriate him. "I thought you'd be harder to face."

The young nobles around us watched with wide eyes. Their expressions of shock and disbelief fueled my confidence.

"This... this isn't the same Eclivel as before," one of them murmured. "How did he become so powerful?"

Charles, meanwhile, roared with fury. His strikes became more desperate, less precise. He was throwing all his strength away uselessly, and I was ready to exploit it.

Finally, the opening I had been waiting for appeared. Following the lab's guidance, I drove my fist directly into Charles's solar plexus with all the strength I could muster.

"POW!"

The impact was devastating. Charles staggered back, collapsing to his knees, the pain evident on his face. He gasped for air, the blow having knocked the wind out of him.

"You... damn..." he wheezed, doubling over as he clutched his stomach.

I slowly approached, keeping my gaze fixed on him. My tone was now cold, almost indifferent. "You're big, Charles, but your strength is nothing without strategy. In the end, you're just a brainless brute."

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