Tenebrous Wolf-Chapter 44: Turning Point

Both Miguel and Serphim were standing before each other. They were both users of the sword. Even so, there was an unmistakable, strange atmosphere between them.

More specifically, the young Vestige seemed hesitant, as if debating whether to speak.

Of course, Seraphim noticed this immediately. Her eyes narrowed at the strange man before her.

"What is it?"

"Oh, was I staring too much? My apologies, Lady Seraphim. I meant no offense."

"Then speak plainly. What are you trying to say?"

"I simply wished to introduce myself since I didn't get to meet you at the cafeteria."

Without pause, Miguel continued:

"I am Miguel of the Viper Clan. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Viper Clan? Klaus thought.

If he remembered correctly, the Imperial Clans were ancient houses entrusted with protecting the Emperor, a duty passed down through countless generations. Strangely enough, despite their prestige, very little was truly known about the so-called Imperial City.

Simply put, their existence was both acknowledged and shrouded in mystery.

That was precisely why the public reacted with such curiosity and excitement whenever an Imperial Clan member revealed themselves. They were figures of great significance to humanity, yet here was one, personally introducing himself to someone of unknown origins?

They don't seem familiar with each other. And more than that... why did he address Seraphim as 'Lady'?

This is interesting.

Soon, the two of them took their respective positions, swords drawn, and entered their stances.

This was bound to be a wild match.

The first and second-ranked aspirants were about to fight, and excitement buzzed through the air. Some aspirants, having already recovered from their swift defeats, eagerly placed bets on the outcome.

Klaus, too, watched in anticipation.

Then, just as the excitement reached its peak—

"!!"

Miguel vanished.

To the untrained eye, he disappeared like a ghost. But in reality, it was an optical illusion. Or rather, it was an effect of his explosive speed. Klaus, thanks to his enhanced senses, barely managed to track his movements.

Even so, the young swordsman was unbelievably fast!

Just like that, the between between the two was closed instantly and Miguel, without hesitation, swung his sword toward Seraphim's throat. However, somehow, despite his never-seen-before speed, she still managed to react in time, slightly pushing her body back and deflected the strike.

However, Miguel did not stop there.

The moment their blades separated, his feet shifted. Then, he effortlessly closed the distance and ruthlessly unleashed am array of slashes and thrusts. It was an high-speed maneuver, obviously formed to overwhelm her with pure speed and attacks from all directions.

Even so,

Seraphim parried every attack. The sound of sound meeting sword echoed.

Her sword moved with eerie fluidity, like a river flowing effortlessly around jagged rocks. Miguel's relentless assault met nothing but perfectly timed deflections, her blade positioning itself exactly where it needed to be.

As the battle became even more intense, Klaus watched in awe; to be more precise, he was more amazed by Seraphim's fluid-like swordsmanship.

Certainly, it could even block an high-speed maneuver from all directions.

Would he able to pull off something like that with a sword? Well, he wasn't arrogant to say he could.

At some point, Seraphim managed to break out of the current sword assault and aimed for Miguel's vitals.

However, the man disappeared again and her longsword only swept through the empty space, before he then reappeared a few paces away.

Having failed to overwhelm her with raw speed, he was adjusting his strategy.

Miguel took a slow breath, and then—

Crack!

The ground beneath him shattered as he launched forward again.

But this time, his movements were even smoother. He wasn't simply accelerating in a straight line. His footwork became unpredictable, his body weaving through the air like a serpent striking from multiple angles.

Seraphim's eyes flashed as she twisted her body just in time, narrowly evading a precise thrust aimed at her shoulder. She countered immediately, sweeping her blade toward his ribs.

Clang!

Miguel twisted his wrist at the last possible second, deflecting the attack without losing momentum.

Klaus's eyes widened. He switched styles mid-combat?

If Seraphim's blade danced like a flowing river, then Miguel's movements were as fluid and swift like the very air, which in turn, mirrored her rhythm but with an entirely different principle. His attacks weren't rigid or direct, they slithered through the openings in her defense like a viper hunting its prey.

Each time their blades met, sparks flew, and each time Seraphim attempted to push back, Miguel disappeared from her line of attack and reappeared elsewhere, striking from a different blind spot.

However,

She still hasn't been hit.

Despite his inhuman speed or his adaptive footwork, Seraphim had not taken a single strike to her body.

Miguel himself must have already realized this too because his grip on his sword tightened.

Unlucky for him, that brief moment of hesitation was all Seraphim needed.

Suddenly, she closed the distance the moment he pulled back, her longsword flashing toward his weak spot. Panicking, Miguel attempted to evade, but the strike was already upon him.

Even so,

There was no sensation of blade meeting flesh.

Instead, her sword passed cleanly through—an afterimage!

It was a bloody trap!

The real Miguel reappeared behind her in a fraction of a second, his blade already descending in a devastating arc. Somehow, Seraphim managed to forcefully twist her body just in time, raising her sword to block, but it wasn't enough. The tide had already shifted.

Seizing the opportunity, Miguel swiftly stepped in and used his free hand to grab the slender girl from below. Then, he lifted her entire body into the air before slamming her into the ground with a thunderous sound.

A sharp gasp escaped Seraphim's lips upon impact, but before she could even inhale, Miguel's silhouette and sword was already at her throat.

For that drastic change, it only took three seconds!

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Watching from the back, Klaus opened his eyes in shock.

What the hell was that? That guy definitely used an ability because what the fuck? Who moves fast enough to leave behind an afterimage?!

He looked at Instructor Kai, but the man showed no signs of moving. In other words, he didn't use an ability.

Did that make any sense? So an Aspirant who hadn't even become a Lancer could create afterimages, huh?! That doesn't make any sense at all!

Then again, he was ... a Vestige of an Imperial Clan.

Perhaps it was one of his 'traits' that allowed him to increase his speed. Unlike Abilities which were active, traits, on the other hand, were passive for the most past.

Klaus himself had several strange traits—[Dark Blood], [Dominance], and most notably, [Cravings].

So what kind of traits did this guy have under his belt?

There was no choice but to surrender.

Miguel pulled his sword away and offered a hand to Seraphim, helping her up.

The other Aspirants gawked at the young man, whispering among themselves in hushed, reverent tones. His performance had left a deep impression

Instructor Kai's voice rang out as Seraphim stepped off the stage.

"Next."

Shit—!

Klaus had completely forgotten that the class was not yet over.

There was nothing wrong with being called a coward. It was simply a strategic survival tactic!

Of course, it wasn't like he was scared or anything.

He just didn't want to expose more of himself than he already had.

Suddenly, a firm hand clamped down on his shoulder.

Startled, he glanced up and met the familiar smirk of his neighbour, Adrian.

"Don't worry, I'll take this guy by myself. Just stay here and cheer for me, okay?"

"W-What..."

Before Klaus could even process those words, Adrian nonchalantly strode toward the arena.

He met his opponent in the center, and for the first time, Klaus noticed something odd. In Adrian's hands...was a spear.

A spear? He's proficient with a spear?

Klaus blinked.

Nowadays, guns and swords were the most commonly used weapons. It was understandable since they were simple enough to learn and use.

On the other hand, a spear was a completely different matter.

Not that spears were used, even some Angelion Units and Ascendants use spears. They were simply incredibly rare.

There was a simple reasoning behind that...

A spear demanded a different kind of mastery, range control, precision, and fluid footwork. It wasn't something that could be picked up casually. Despite that fact, Adrian carried it with a casual and relaxed posture. With a glance, his posture clearly excluded confidence.

Miguel eyed him warily.

He had already proven that the ranking system wasn't absolute, and now Adrian was stepping forward with a weapon that wasn't commonly seen among Aspirants. The murmurs among the students grew louder.

Klaus leaned forward slightly.

Despite his initial reluctance to participate in sparring, his curiosity was piqued. He had spent enough time with Adrian to know the guy was skilled, but he had never seen him wield a spear before.

Let's see how good he is?

Seraphim, having stepped off the stage and returned to her seating position, watched as well. Her composed gaze flickering with mild interest.

The moment Instructor Kai gave the signal, Adrian lunged forth.

There was no hint of hesitation or testing the waters. He lunged forward, spear thrusting with terrifying force. Miguel, taken off-guard, instinctively swung his sword to deflect the incoming strike.

But the moment their weapons met, Adrian twisted his wrists ever so slightly, redirecting the sword's momentum before spinning the spear in a smooth arc and aimed for his opponent's ribs.

A perfect feint.

Of course, Miguel evading the strike by jumping back, but Adrian didn't let up.

His spear lashed out again and again, forcing Miguel into the defensive.

Klaus opened his eyes wide, both shocked and fascinated. Miguel who had defeated the unbeatable Seraphim was currently being put on the defensive!

Ah, I see how it see. That guy is truly something.

Naturally, it made sense.

Despite Miguel's overwhelming speed, he couldn't comfortably dodge strikes coming from unusual angles. With a spear, Adrian could attack from afar while maintaining his distance, preventing his opponent from closing in.

Not to mention, the unpredictable nature of a spear's movements could force an opponent into awkward positions, making counterattacks nearly impossible.

This guy...

Klaus swallowed.

He wasn't just skilled, he was incredibly dangerous. How many monsters were in this academy?

Miguel clicked his tongue upon realizing he was being forced into a corner. He attempted to use his astonishing speed, but Adrian wasn't sluggish on his feet either.

As a result, the two entered a high-speed clash that became increasingly difficult to follow.

"Damn. What the hell?!"

"They're moving too fast, I can't follow it!"

The rest of the Aspirants haven't seen such a heated battle before!

The rest of the Aspirants hadn't seen such a heated battle before.

Miguel gritted his teeth as Adrian's spear danced around him in an unpredictable manner. Every attempt to close the distance was met with a well-timed thrust or a sweeping arc that forced him to retreat. It was frustrating.

Miguel had faced fast opponents before, but Adrian's control over range and timing made every approach feel like stepping into a bloody death trap!

Then, he made his move.

Instead of evading, he surged forward, slipping past the spear's tip at the last second. In an instant, his sword lashed out in a flash—

Only to meet empty air.

Adrian twisted, using the spear's shaft to redirect Miguel's blade while pivoting on his heel. With a sudden burst of momentum, he flipped his spear downward in a ruthless strike.

Miguel barely managed to parry, but the force sent him skidding back.

The tension in the arena thickened. Miguel steadied his breath, adjusting his stance, while Adrian twirled his spear with ease.

Then,

Before anyone could react, his spear shot forward again, but this time, it wasn't a simple thrust. The tip blurred, splitting into three rapid jabs aimed at Miguel's chest, shoulder, and thigh.

A spear technique?

Miguel twisted his body, barely dodging the first, parrying the second, and leaping back to evade the third. But the moment his feet touched the ground, Adrian was already upon him.

The spear arced through the air in a sweeping motion, forcing Miguel to duck. But Adrian was relentless. The shaft of the spear slammed downward like a hammer, nearly crushing Miguel's shoulder.

He rolled away at the last moment, with sweat beading his forehead.

Miguel's frustration reached its peak. It was clear who was dominating the entire fight!

His eyes flashed, and once more, he disappeared.

The young Vestige reappeared behind Adrian and swung his sword toward his back. However, Adrian had twisted his spear at the last possible second and blocked the strike with the shaft.

Sparks flew.

The moment of impact sent a shockwave rippling across the arena.

Miguel grit his teeth. He pushed harder as his strength beared down, but Adrian only smiled.

With a slight shift of his grip, he twisted the spear, deflecting Miguel's blade to the side before spinning into a full-force sweep. Then, shaft struck Miguel's side, hard, causing him to stumble back and groaned in pain.

For the first time in the match, a solid hit had landed in Miguel.

As a result, murmurs grew louder.

In such a situation, Miguel clenched his jaw. It was naturally for him to get angry here. If anyone swapped positions with him, they would understand his pain.

Just when he was about to retaliate,

Clap!

Instructor Kai clapped his hands and stepped forward.

"Enough."

At that command, both fighters froze in place.

"You've both demonstrated enough. Now, return to your seats."

As the two exhaled and obediently returned back to their seats, Klaus slumped back with a wry smile as a single thought flashed through his mind.

What damn monsters. They're both crazy.