CHAPTER 54: ELDRICH VS.BALE

Chapter 54: Eldrich Vs.Bale

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The grand training hall was silent, every eye was fixed on the center stage as two figures, a professor and a king’s marshal, strode forward. Professor Vaelian had done his part, now it was up to the combatants to prove a point. The air, already thick with the nervous energy of the students, seemed to grow heavier with the combined aura of the two duelist.

Instructor Bale, a man of refined and elegant martial arts, bowed his head slightly. "Chief marshal. It is an honor to share the stage with a legend of your caliber," he said, his voice a calm counterpoint to the anticipation in the room.

"The honor is mine, Instructor Bale," Eldrich Lionsheart replied with a simple nod. "I’ve heard tales of the Reverend Blade of the Elite Academy. Let’s see if those tales do you justice."

As they spoke, a page came forward with two simple, polished wooden swords. They were nothing more than glorified sticks, yet in the hands of these two men, they might as well have been the most lethal weapons in the hall. They took their stances, the casual grace of their movements showing the sheer power they held within.

Instructor Bale was the first to speak again. "I must confess, Chief Marshal," he began, a flicker of genuine curiosity in his eyes. "I sense that you are suppressing your cultivation base. Your mana feels like a tightly coiled spring, ready to snap, yet you contain it within the bounds of a mere Adept. Why would a Grandmaster of your standing do such a thing?"

Eldrich’s expression remained unchanged, though a faint, almost imperceptible shake of his head was his only response. "You must be mistaken, Instructor. I am using my mana as it flows naturally. Nothing more, nothing less. Perhaps the air in this hall is simply too thick for you to sense it properly." It was a clear dismissal, a subtle deflection that made Bale’s eyes narrow ever so slightly.

Without another word, the duel began. The silence was broken by the sharp clack of wood against wood. Instructor Bale moved first, his wooden blade a flash of light, aimed at Eldrich’s chest. It was a simple thrust, but one that was imbued with a precision that only years of practice could grant. Eldrich parried, his own blade meeting Bale’s with a subtle twist of the wrist that sent a shuddering vibration up the Reverend Sword Practitioner’s arm.

Then, the duel began. Bale’s style was a beautiful, flowing river. Every strike was connected to the last, a seamless wave of controlled aggression. He was fluid and elegant, his footwork a perfect rhythm that allowed him to strike from any angle. He was a force of nature, a storm of perfectly executed techniques that should have overwhelmed any opponent.

Arios watched from the sidelines, his heart pounding in his chest. Ican’t believe I’m seeing this, he thought, his gaze fixed on every movement. This is it. This is the duel. He had watched this fight 48 times in his past life, a fan-favorite scene in the anime. He had memorized every move, every counter, every subtle shift in their expressions. But now, it was different. It was real.

Instructor Bale pushed the pace, his strikes coming faster, more furious. He aimed for Eldrich’s weak points, his knees, his elbows, even his wrists, but Eldrich was a fortress. His defense was as unyielding as a ever, his parries and blocks a perfect counter to every one of Bale’s flowing strikes. He moved with a brutal efficiency that was a stark contrast to Bale’s perceived elegance.

"Your defense is impeccable," Bale said, a hint of admiration in his voice even as he launched a flurry of strikes. "But a static defense cannot win this duel. You have to move."

"And you have to strike with intent, not just grace," Eldrich responded, his voice a low rumble. He parried a vertical cut, his wooden sword scraping against Bale’s with a sound that reverberated through the silent hall.

Arios could feel the tension mounting. He remembered this part. This was the moment Bale realized that Eldrich wasn’t just defending; he was toying with him. Eldrich was allowing him to attack, allowing him to exhaust himself. The duel that seemed so even was a one-sided affair from the very beginning.

He’s doing it again, Arios thought, a lump forming in his throat. The bait. He’s letting Bale think he has a chance.

Bale’s next strike was different. It was not a simple cut; it was a powerful thrust aimed directly at Eldrich’s heart. It was a move that was meant to end the duel, a full-force attack that showed he had stopped holding back.

Eldrich met the strike with a simple parry. The wooden swords met with a resounding CRACK, the sound echoing in the silent hall. This time, Eldrich did not just parry; he pushed. He infused his wooden blade with a mana that was so potent it made the air around him feel like fire. Bale was pushed back, his feet scraping on the polished floor as he tried to regain his footing.

Arios felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew what was next. This was the point in the anime where the duel became one-sided. This was the point where the Reverend Sword Practitioner realized the immense gap in their power.

"You’re not suppressing your mana," Bale said, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and awe. "You’re simply not using it."

Eldrich didn’t respond. He simply took a single step forward, and the air around him began to change. A faint, reddish glow began to emanate from his body, his aura, and the mana in the room began to swirl, to coalesce, to obey his will. The red glow grew brighter, more intense, until it became a brilliant, shimmering aura of pure destructive fire.

The students gasped, some of them taking a step back in fear. The sheer power of the aura was a physical force, a tangible pressure that pushed them back. It was hot, it was raw, and it was terrifying. Eldrich’s eyes, previously a calm brown, now held the intensity of a blazing furnace. The wooden sword in his hand began to smolder, its surface cracking under the sheer heat of his aura.

He raised his sword slowly, the gesture filled with a power that shook the very foundation of the training hall. The aura around him flared, becoming a pillar of light that stretched to the ceiling. This was the Hell’s Knight, the man who had single-handedly cleared a dungeon with a firestorm. This was the power of a true Grandmaster.

He was going to end it. Arios watched, his heart pounding in his chest, as Eldrich’s eyes locked onto Bale’s. This was the finishing move. This was the one he had watched 48 times. It was all happening now.