Chapter 73: B-Rank Beasts

Eden disappeared.

[Burst-Step]

The guardian immediately turned.

Eden appeared on its left.

Aura Blade swung.

The guardian blocked.

Eden vanished again.

[Burst-Step]

Right side.

Another slash.

Blocked.

[Burst-Step]

Above.

Blocked.

[Burst-Step]

Behind.

Blocked.

[Burst-Step]

Below.

Blocked.

Eden’s movements became increasingly erratic.

He decided to use everything he had to somehow overwhelm the Guardian.

[Paralysis]

The guardian avoided the first application.

Eden changed the angle.

The second struck its shoulder.

Nothing happend.

The third grazed its thigh, though it was just as meaningless.

The fourth landed directly against its torso.

Still nothing.

Eden clicked his tongue.

’Seems like it’s completely Immune to Paralysis.’

He increased the flow of Paralysis through Aura Blade.

The purple Essence crackled violently.

He struck again.

Nothing.

The guardian’s movements remained perfect.

Eden retreated.

’It’s not that Paralysis isn’t entering its body.’

He watched carefully.

The guardian’s Essence was moving differently.

It was constantly circulating.

Whenever Paralysis entered, the guardian immediately redirected its own Essence around the affected area before the skill could take hold.

’It’s manually countering the effect.’

Eden’s grin returned.

’I’ve never even heard of such impeccable Essence control!’

The guardian attacked.

Eden blocked.

The second spear followed.

He dodged.

The missed strike weaved into yet another attack without losing any of it’s momentum.

[Burst-Step]

A fourth attack followed just as Eden appeared.

He ducked.

The guardian’s knee struck him in the stomach.

Boom!

Eden was launched across the cave.

He smashed through the ground, bounced twice, and rolled through a field of broken stone.

His body finally stopped against a massive boulder.

The boulder exploded upon impact.

Eden slowly stood.

"You’re really starting to piss me off."

The guardian calmly replied.

"Good."

Eden blinked.

"...What?"

"Anger creates mistakes."

The guardian raised its weapons.

"Overcome them."

Eden stared at it for a moment.

Then he sighed.

"You know what?"

He rolled his shoulder.

"You’re growing on me a little."

[Burst-Step]

He vanished.

This time, he didn’t attack immediately.

Burst Step carried him sideways.

Then upward.

Then backward.

He intentionally changed the rhythm.

The guardian followed.

Eden appeared near the cavern ceiling.

Instead of attacking, he kicked the stone.

The entire ceiling collapsed.

Tons of rocks and boulders the size of buildings came crashing down.

The guardian raised one hand.

A spear swept through the falling debris.

Stone exploded apart.

But Eden was already gone.

[Burst Step]

He reappeared behind the guardian.

Aura Blade descended.

The guardian blocked.

Eden didn’t stop.

He deliberately allowed the blade to lock against the spear.

Then he released his grip with one hand.

The guardian’s eyes shifted.

Eden grabbed its spear.

And kicked the creature directly in the chest.

The guardian was launched backward.

It smashed through the cavern wall.

Eden used Burst Step again.

He appeared above it.

Then below.

Then behind.

He grabbed a loose chunk of stone and threw it.

The guardian destroyed it without much effort.

Eden appeared inside the cloud of dust.

Aura Blade stabbed forward.

The guardian blocked.

Eden released the blade.

For a fraction of a second, the guardian’s attention shifted toward the weapon.

That was enough.

Eden’s fist slammed into its jaw.

The guardian’s head snapped sideways.

Eden immediately followed with another punch.

Then another.

Then a knee.

Then a Burst Step-assisted elbow.

The guardian finally staggered.

Eden’s eyes lit up.

’Finally!’

For the first time, he’d broken its rhythm.

He summoned Aura Blade back into his hand.

And swung.

The guardian raised its spear.

The impact echoed throughout the cavern.

But the guardian didn’t counter this time.

Eden pushed harder.

The purple blade trembled.

The guardian pushed back.

Eden’s muscles screamed.

Essence surged through his body.

The ground beneath both fighters collapsed.

A massive crater formed.

The shockwave tore through the cavern, pulverizing stone and sending fragments flying in every direction.

Obsidian planted one foot firmly against the ground.

Sylvia shielded her face from the debris.

"Well..."

She smiled.

"He’s certainly getting creative."

Obsidian nodded.

Inside the crater, Eden and the guardian remained locked together.

Their weapons trembled.

Eden’s Aura Blade began to crack.

A tiny fracture appeared near the center.

Eden noticed it.

’It can’t withstand his strikes for long.’

Another crack spread.

Then another.

The guardian’s spear pressed harder.

Eden poured more Essence into the blade.

"Come on..."

The purple weapon screamed.

A spiderweb of fractures spread across its surface.

The guardian watched silently.

Eden gritted his teeth.

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

Crack.

The Aura Blade shattered.

Purple fragments of condensed Essence scattered through the air.

The guardian immediately withdrew its spear.

Eden staggered backward.

His hand remained extended.

For a moment, there was nothing in it.

The guardian didn’t attack.

It simply watched.

Eden looked down at his empty hand.

Then toward the broken pieces of Aura Blade dissolving around him.

His breathing steadied.

His expression changed.

He had spent most of the fight trying to match the guardian.

Trying to find a way around its superior experience.

Trying to force his way through with stronger attacks.

But the guardian had already shown him the answer.

It wasn’t about having a better weapon.

It wasn’t even about having greater strength.

It was about using what he had differently.

Eden slowly raised his eyes.

His silver gaze darkened.

"Alright."

He flexed his fingers.

"If Aura Blade can’t keep up..."

Something began leaking from his body.

Something far darker than Essence.

Black energy crawled over his hand.

The air around it distorted.

The guardian’s expression changed for the first time.

Its eyes focused entirely on Eden’s hand.

Eden felt the foreign power moving through him.

Dark Matter.

The same energy that had once belonged to Zephyros.

Eden closed his fingers.

The darkness condensed.

Unlike Aura Blade, which had been shaped from Essence, this wasn’t merely a weapon formed from energy.

It felt denser.

Heavier.

Sharper.

The Dark Matter compressed until even the surrounding light seemed to bend toward it.

A thin black edge emerged from Eden’s palm.

Then another.

The blade lengthened.

Its surface was completely smooth, without any visible imperfections.

Eden slowly raised it.

The cavern became quiet.

Even Obsidian stopped moving.

Sylvia’s teasing smile disappeared.

She stared at the weapon.

"...Master."

Eden looked at the blade.

A faint smile appeared.

"Let’s try this."

The guardian tightened its grip around its spears.

It took a step backward for the first time since the duel began.

Eden noticed.

His smile widened.

The Dark Matter blade extended another few inches.

Sharper than Aura Blade.

Denser than steel.

And carrying an aura that made the very stone beneath Eden’s feet begin to crumble.

The guardian lowered its body.

Eden did the same.

Two B-Rank beasts stood across the ruined cavern.

One born from an ancient trial.

One who had only recently stepped into the rank.

The guardian’s voice echoed through the darkness.

"Show me."

Eden’s silver eyes gleamed.

"Oh, I will."

They vanished simultaneously.