Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 119: Battle of the Extraordinary II

Chapter 119: Battle of the Extraordinary II

"You can do this!"

"Go, Sun-young! Go, Sun-young!"

The cheers came from Samuel and Emma. For a moment, she relaxed.

That the worst mistake she could have made.

Sun-young detected a jolt of magic from August as he sprung forth with an electric-enhanced spear. The silver tip rushed by the side of her waist as she narrowly escaped the blow.

Her first thought, ’He’s faster than me!’

Her second, ’Dodge!’

His second strike came upon her. Her body in panic mode, she failed to activate a skill and was on the defensive. Clang! Clang! Clang! Her blade hit the wooden shaft, deflecting it left and right. The continuous weight and momentum was too much, so when he went from thrusts to a two-handed push of the spear aimed at her nose, she conjured a block that sent her sliding across the grounds. A failed block that nearly crushed her nose.

Coos and hoorays followed. Sun-young had no time to think as he jumped her again. He was like a ferocious bunny with claws. Agile and throwing strikes that would inflict lethal damage.

"Haha! Not bad!" August wore a big grin, knees bent and his long spear doing its work. Dodge, block, deflect, that was all Sun-young could do against the electrified thrusts. Two metres away, she was unable to formulate a counter.

There was a beat. A significant moment where his hands came together and went for one strong thrust.

’Super Ember Strike!’

The weapons clashed, a buzz of magic emanating from the point of contact. The tip of the spear had struck the front of the blade. It was a clean block.

"I knew it. Super Ember Strike," August said. "It’s way too early to be having that skill. Either you’re a genius or plain lucky. If you ask me..."

He let out a grunt, smiling, and coolly overpowered her. Her feet pushing back, Sun-young funnelled the totality of her strength to hold him back.

"...you look like a plucky fledgling!"

August jumped and slammed his foot into her temple. Jam packed with electricity, he blasted her away and made her tumble and roll a dozen times over. Sun-young forced herself to stop and smoothly went on all fours. She had lost her longsword during the tumble and struggled to flex her fingers. That kick was nasty. Her brain and hands felt scattered as if her very nerves had been disrupted. It was a miracle her vision wasn’t blurry.

Acting as if he had won, August exited his stance.

Marshal Margaret had the audacity to ask, "Do you think you can keep going?"

Giving up wasn’t an option, not when she still had breath in her lungs. Sun-young took a swipe of the blood rolling down her temple. Her hands and fingers were weak. Her arms and legs were not.

’Take a deep breath. Relax. He might be faster but I can still react. I’ve lost my sword too, so this isn’t a sword fight either. I can dodge and block if I focus.’ Sun-young drew in a breath. ’Still, being on the defensive won’t help to open up a counter. His spear gives him too much distance. I need to be innovative. I need to evolve. I need to get him in range.’

"This sword of yours is almost broken anyway." Having the mental and physical advantage, August walked three long strides and casually kicked the longsword away. "I’ll give you a second to equip something."

Sun-young did not respond and examined him top-to-bottom. She could see; therefore, she could react.

She observed the tip of the spear and judged the distance between it and her sword. Barring the use of her anti-magic sword, the chances of successfully grabbing it were astronomically low. Unless...she just went for it. Sun-young grit her teeth and ran towards the Drop of Volcano, an arm stretched out towards it.

August intercepted her halfway through.

"Maybe you’re stupider than I thought!" August laughed, his spear coming right for her head.

Miss.

She predicted that he would go for the head and swept to the side accordingly. August attempted to bring his spear down diagonally to smack the wood of the weapon into her shoulder. Another accurate prediction. See, in that instant, momentum was temporarily lost. Sun-young seized that momentum for herself, grabbing the spear with her own two hands, pulling the wielder close, and headbutting him in the nose.

’One, two, three!’

Sun-young hit him with a basic three-hit combo. Jab, jab, cross. It worked and August was momentarily stunned. Rather than overstep her boundaries, she stopped and ran over to scoop up her sword.

The Drop of Volcano was back and she immediately lit it up with flames. Her whole body swelling with magical energy, her fingers returned to normal. Triumphant, she faced August once again.

’Thank you William for the lessons!’

Meanwhile, August wiped the blood dripping from his nose. According to William, a direct punch to the nose disrupted breathing and caused the eyes to swell.

"Jesus!" August pinched his nose and blew out the mix of blood and muck. "You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?"

They readied themselves. As one, they rushed towards each other. The speed advantage hadn’t shifted yet something had changed. She wasn’t losing.

’I can see.’

Block, deflect, shift.

’I can see his moves.’

No, it went beyond seeing. She was dismantling his movements. Grasping them for herself, understanding them, then finding weak points.

The former player didn’t understand what was happening even as he broke off the engagement. August was unable to fathom why he was feeling so stilted. So meek. As if his every move was a dead giveaway.

This time, it was Sun-young that charged. This time, it was her pressing the offensive.

"Ngh!" August grit his teeth. His stance put his weight mainly on his rear leg, with the knee bent at around a ninety degree angle. His hands were in front of his body, close to the chest, with one gripping the spear and the other extended as if to strike. The hips rotated and faced the directions of her attacks, a position granting quick, powerful thrusts and quick, agile movement.

But...

’Got him!’

Very minimal defensive. If it wasn’t for his speed and grown instincts, he would have lost a long time ago. Therefore, he was subjected to Sun-young’s most powerful sword attack.

’Ignition Blade!’

The cracks in her sword were filled with lava. August’s eyes went wide. He knew what this was. Despite knowing, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

The blade touched his shoulder—

Boom!

What the Templars had witnessed was perhaps the greatest sword prodigy that had walked the Jacques Sanctum.