The sword swings. Reflecting the blazing sunset of the wasteland, it traces a beautiful arc toward the enemy’s throat. Soon, a spear is hurled. It pierces through the flow of power, precisely targeting the gap.
-Whack!!
The spearhead strikes the sword, twisting and deflecting it upward. But Fernandez, of course, had no expectation that the first strike would land a decisive blow.
‘It’s Daryan Schryke, after all.’
Daryan Schryke, the Sun Spear. That renowned knight of the wild. Though now merely the Emperor’s hunting dog, he would later rise to become one of the strongest in civilized society.
Having never imagined he would be wandering the wastelands at this time, this encounter was quite thrilling for him as well.
Regardless of how the events unfolded, Fernandez deflected the spearhead aimed at his vitals without a moment to breathe, thinking:
‘First, win, then think later!’
If he could break him with the sword. If only he could!
-Crash!
The greatsword of King Dain descends upon him like a dark flash. The sword, deflected by the spearhead, is swung back in a clean, powerful strike. A brutal slash that doesn’t even consider the strain on his wrist.
He could feel his ligaments tearing with every moment. As a mage, he always took care to avoid wrist injuries, but now, he was Diemonica!
-Thump, thump, thump.
His heart, racing from the intense swordplay, pumped divine energy through his veins. A wrist injury? No, even if his heart were pierced and burst, it wouldn’t stop him!
‘I can win!’
The thrill, the pleasure, was releasing endorphins in his brain. Defeating mages in magical combat was second nature to him. In his prime, he had never lost a magical duel.
At least among combat mages or wildcast (wandering mages), he had reached the pinnacle. But swordsmanship, this kind of swordplay, was entirely different.
“Impressive strength!”
Daryan laughed, sweating profusely. By now, he had cast aside any pretense of restraint or analysis expected of the Emperor’s eyes. He was fully enjoying this fight as a warrior against a warrior.
-Swish!
“Huh!”
The spear, accelerating in an instant, shot toward Fernandez’s head. The sound of air tearing came only after the spearhead had grazed his cheek. A spear faster than sound! A technique so astonishing it was hard to believe it was crafted by a human body.
“Ugh!”
His head buzzed from the force of the spearhead. Through his blurred vision, he saw Daryan’s next attack. The spear danced through the air like a wave.
-Flutter…
Even as his vision distorted, Diemonica’s hearing caught the sound of the spear cutting through the wind. The sound grew closer, now aiming for his solar plexus!
-Crack!
“You blocked that?!”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“Haha!”
Daryan swiftly pulled back his spear, spinning it gracefully in a full circle before retreating. The spear’s movements scattered in the wind, making him look like a scene straight out of a heroic epic.
Fernandez chuckled and steadied his stance. He had waited for his condition to recover. Truly, the behavior of a noble hero.
Of course, since this wasn’t a life-or-death battle, they were likely holding back, testing each other’s strength. The outcome was still anyone’s guess.
And he was glad for it.
“Impressive. Truly. No need for a handicap. You seem around my age, what’s your name?”
“I’ll tell you if I win.”
“Isn’t that cheating? You already seem to know me.”
Daryan laughed, then spun his spear and took a stance. His lips curled into a clear smile.
“Let’s get serious now.”
-Whoosh.
His hair lifted slightly into the air. Regardless of the wind’s direction, the movement of his collar and hair was clearly visible.
A warrior who has reached the pinnacle is imbued with magical energy. When one can burn the accumulated magical energy along with their fighting spirit, the battles of such warriors unfold on an entirely different plane.
Though Fernandez couldn’t use such techniques, as a mage more skilled than anyone in handling magical energy, he could share the battlefield perspective of warriors like Daryan.
Time flowed slowly. Divided into seconds, each moment was enough to cry, laugh, or chatter. The time it took to blink was divided into ten.
Thinking and acting in fragmented moments, in a strange sense of time and exhilaration that seemed to defy physical laws, the gazes of Daryan and Fernandez crossed.
And then.
-Crash!!!
The spear and sword clashed like lightning. Sparks flew between them. Fernandez, lightly shrugging off the strain on his wrist and arm, swung the greatsword in a wide counterclockwise arc.
The essence of greatsword technique lies not in strength but in rotational force. How smoothly one deflects the enemy’s attacks within that rotational radius is the core of greatsword mastery.
And the greatsword is, after all, a weapon of war designed to break spears!
-Screech!
The sword, tracing a massive semicircle, entangled with the spear shaft, sending sparks flying. Daryan’s eyes gleamed with joy. Fernandez, as if ignoring the spear entirely, looked into his eyes and swung the sword.
Like a salmon leaping up a waterfall, the spearhead twisted and surged with immense force. The spear shaft rebounded elastically, the spearhead aiming like an awl for his heart.
