ONLINE: Blades of Eternity-Chapter 176: THE POWER OF TWO STUDENTS

As the tension lingered in Vice Chancellor Reeves’ office, Guinevere’s frustration finally broke through as she turned to General Cao. "Why do the Mysterious Swordsman and the Dark Prince look down on us so much? What makes them think they’re better than any of us?"

General Cao regarded her sternly. "Guinevere, be cautious with your words. Those two are not to be taken lightly. If they ever decided to join forces, not one person in this academy—aside from the Vice Chancellor and the Chancellor himself—could stand a chance against them."

The weight of his statement sent shock waves through the room, leaving Guinevere and even Lila visibly stunned. They had witnessed the incredible skills within the Academy, yet General Cao’s words suggested an overwhelming power that went beyond even what they had seen. Lila’s brow furrowed in disbelief, her usual calm composure faltering.

Breaking the silence, Vlahiç leaned forward, a glint of knowing in his eyes. "I’ll give you a hint about their strength. Imagine a force so precise that it could cut through spells mid-cast, so fast that a seasoned swordsman would struggle to see it coming, and so relentless that the strongest defenses shatter like glass."

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Both Guinevere and Lila exchanged wide-eyed looks, struggling to process the sheer scale of what he described. They had known the academy’s top students possessed exceptional abilities, but this was beyond anything they had expected. In the quiet that followed, a new sense of reverence—and a deeper motivation—settled over them.

...

Perched on the edge of a high cliff above the mist-laden Veilwood forest, the Mysterious Swordsman gazed out over the treetops, his figure blending into the muted tones of the early evening sky. He was motionless, almost as if he had become part of the landscape itself.

A shadow shifted nearby, and soon the Dark Prince stepped into view, arms crossed, a teasing smirk dancing on his lips. "You know, you spend so much time here," he remarked, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Like some old man who’s grown weary of life."

The Mysterious Swordsman didn’t flinch, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. After a beat, he spoke, his voice quiet yet steady. "One day, you’ll understand. There’s more to life than strength alone."

The Dark Prince’s smirk faltered, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. For once, he had no witty comeback; the gravity of the Swordsman’s words left him momentarily speechless.

After a moment, he cleared his throat, returning to his usual demeanor. "Fine, fine. Let’s not get philosophical. How about a spar, just for old time’s sake?"

The Mysterious Swordsman turned to him, his gaze thoughtful as he considered the challenge. A faint smile crossed his lips. "Alright, then. But remember, I don’t hold back."

With those words, the air between them thickened with anticipation, their auras colliding as they readied themselves. The forest below seemed to hold its breath, bracing for the clash that was about to unfold.

The forest below them lay still, the sky heavy with an approaching storm. A perfect backdrop for the sparring match about to unfold. The Mysterious Swordsman and the Dark Prince faced each other in absolute silence, each assessing the other with razor-sharp intensity.

The Mysterious Swordsman unsheathed his weapon in a deliberate, fluid motion, revealing a blade that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. His grip was firm yet relaxed, a stance that spoke of deep mastery. He took a single step forward, aligning his energy with the rhythm of nature itself, calling forth the silent power of his unique style, The Silent Sword.

His opponent, the Dark Prince, drew his twin blades with a flourish, their edges gleaming with an ominous purple glow. As he activated his mana, the atmosphere shifted, and an unsettling darkness seeped from his form, a pitch-black aura as chilling as it was deadly. The forest’s natural shadows seemed to coalesce around him, shivering as if at his command.

Without a word, they began.

In a blink, the Dark Prince vanished into his shadows, melting into the darkness as though he’d never been there. Only the faintest shimmer of black mana betrayed his movement. But the Mysterious Swordsman didn’t react; he stood perfectly still, his breathing steady, eyes unfocused as he honed his senses to a heightened state. For anyone else, it would seem he was leaving himself wide open.

A whisper of movement—the Dark Prince reappeared behind him, both blades arcing down in a perfect strike. But the Mysterious Swordsman pivoted with lightning speed, his blade coming up silently, almost invisibly. He deflected the blow in a single motion, so smooth it seemed effortless, as though he’d anticipated the move from the beginning.

This was the Silent Sword Style in action. The Mysterious Swordsman’s movements were devoid of the sharp clang of metal; each strike was as quiet as the breeze, each step as soft as a whisper. His control over his weapon was unparalleled, a mastery that allowed him to direct his strength in minimal, precise ways that still carried explosive force.

Undeterred, the Dark Prince retreated into his shadows, darting in and out of reality like a ghost. Each time he reappeared, he struck from unpredictable angles, his twin blades flashing with deadly intent. His movement was like a dance—smooth, sinister, shrouded in a dark elegance.

Yet, every attack met with the Mysterious Swordsman’s effortless counters. He flowed through each move, sword deflecting blades, steps sidestepping traps. It was a dance of silence against shadows, a duel of unmatched grace and lethal intent.

The Mysterious Swordsman then shifted his stance, taking a single breath that resonated like the calm before a storm. He raised his sword, poised for an attack that seemed almost too simple. But in the stillness, an energy stirred, filling the air with a weight that felt like the silence before a thunderclap.

He struck—a downward slash, deceptively slow but carrying immense force. The blade left no sound in its wake, yet it split the air with such intensity that the forest floor trembled. Shadows dispersed as the Dark Prince was forced back, eyes wide with astonishment. He barely had time to raise his own blades to block as the silent strike cleaved through his shadowy defenses, the sheer power of the attack palpable.

But the Dark Prince wasn’t one to back down. With a flash of determination, he called upon his own secret technique. Shadows thickened around him, enveloping him in a swirling cocoon of darkness. When he emerged, his entire form was surrounded by an aura of pitch-black flames that flickered and danced around him like wraiths. His eyes gleamed with a menacing light as he channeled mana into his twin blades, each now pulsating with eerie purple energy.

With a low growl, he unleashed a rapid flurry of slashes. Unlike before, his strikes held an unpredictable cadence, a chaotic rhythm that defied easy counters. His Way of the Shadow techniques melded with his blades, amplifying the lethality of each attack as shadows extended from his strikes, warping the space around him.

The Mysterious Swordsman shifted, fully activating the Silent Sword Style. His form seemed to blur, each movement silent and seamless, an uncanny blend of speed and control that allowed him to counter the Dark Prince’s chaotic flurry with minimal motion. Every strike he made appeared soft, restrained, yet when his blade met the Dark Prince’s, the force rippled through the ground.

Realizing his shadow attacks alone weren’t enough, the Dark Prince shifted tactics. With a smirk, he melded into the shadows once more, reappearing right beneath the Mysterious Swordsman’s guard, both blades aimed for his heart. But in the split second before impact, the Mysterious Swordsman twisted away, bringing his blade down in a barely visible arc, a move so quiet and so precise it bypassed the Dark Prince’s defenses entirely.

A single cut appeared on the Dark Prince’s arm, thin but stinging. He retreated, a glint of shock in his eyes. No one had ever breached his shadow defenses before.

"Your shadows may be powerful," the Mysterious Swordsman remarked softly, his gaze unwavering, "but even shadows can’t escape silence."

The Dark Prince’s smirk returned, albeit strained. "And here I thought I’d make you break a sweat," he replied, though his tone carried more respect than jest.

Summoning his final reserve of strength, the Dark Prince’s mana flared to life, darker and denser than before. His twin blades were now fully enveloped in violet fire, the heat intense enough to warp the air. With a yell, he lunged forward, all of his remaining energy focused on a single, decisive strike meant to end the duel.

In response, the Mysterious Swordsman took a single step forward, sword raised in an unassuming, seemingly relaxed grip. But in that instant, his presence shifted. A profound silence washed over the area, one that weighed on everyone who felt it. He embodied the essence of The Silent Sword Style, gathering his strength and focus into one final move.

As the Dark Prince closed in, their energies collided. The Mysterious Swordsman’s blade moved in a clean, unbroken arc. It met the Dark Prince’s attack with unyielding precision. In that instant, the sound vanished, swallowed by the sheer mastery of the Mysterious Swordsman’s technique.

Time seemed to pause.

The Dark Prince’s twin blades fell away from the Mysterious Swordsman’s form, clattering to the ground, their purple flames extinguished. The Dark Prince staggered back, blinking in awe as he processed the flawless technique he had just witnessed. There wasn’t a single mark on his body, yet he felt as though he’d been defeated through sheer skill alone.

For a moment, neither spoke. They simply stood, both catching their breaths, the weight of their encounter settling in. Finally, the Dark Prince chuckled, low and genuine, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Alright, you win this time," he admitted, his tone carrying a hint of respect. "But don’t think I won’t catch up one day."

The Mysterious Swordsman nodded, his expression calm but softened by the faintest hint of a smile. "I’ll be waiting."

And as they stood on the cliff’s edge, the sun dipping below the horizon, both of them knew that while the spar had ended, the journey for strength—and understanding—had only just begun.