Chapter 124: Contrast

Gentle rays of the morning sun spilled across the open field, warming the grass and casting a soft golden glow over the surroundings.

Jackson stood with an indifferent expression, casually surveying the landscape before him.

As far as his eyes could see, lush green grass stretched across the field, reaching almost to his knees. A gentle breeze swept through the open space from time to time, making the grass sway in rippling waves. The fresh air carried a strange sense of freedom, stirring the heart with the kind of heroic passion that made one want to draw a sword and charge into battle.

A few meters away stood Veronica.

She held a double-edged knife in her hand, its sharp blade reflecting the morning sunlight. Yet, unlike someone preparing for an intense duel, her expression was somewhat dazed. Her eyes remained fixed on Jackson’s figure, as though she were struggling to reconcile what she was seeing with what she had expected.

That was right.

After receiving Veronica’s message the previous evening, Jackson had finally decided to accept her challenge and arranged for them to meet here for a duel.

It wasn’t because he felt guilty about keeping her waiting for so long, nor was it because her accusations of cowardice had wounded his pride.

He had simply become confident enough to face her without hesitation.

There was no longer any doubt in his mind about the outcome.

Veronica couldn’t do anything to him now.

In fact, even before the duel had officially begun, Jackson was already certain of his victory.

Some might consider his attitude ungrateful or downright selfish, especially considering that Veronica had paid him in advance. But Jackson saw things differently.

As a warrior, he took every battle seriously.

Once a fight began, there was no room for sympathy, unnecessary restraint, or misplaced compassion. An opponent was an opponent, regardless of their background or relationship with him.

He had no intention of pretending otherwise.

The two continued staring at each other as the breeze swept through the field.

Seconds passed.

Then a little more time passed.

Yet neither made the first move.

The silence dragged on until the waiting itself began to feel more awkward than the duel.

Jackson eventually noticed how long they had been standing there. He cleared his throat and casually shifted the sword in his hand, spinning it between his fingers.

“Tell me, how would you like to die?”

His tone was almost conversational, as though he were asking about something completely unrelated to the fight.

Those words finally snapped Veronica out of her daze.

Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, disbelief and unwillingness flashing across her face. She knitted her brows together and examined Jackson once more, almost as if she expected his overwhelming aura to disappear if she looked hard enough.

“How is this possible…?”

Her voice was barely audible.

“How can you already be at the peak of the Third Sequence…?”

At that moment, Veronica’s mind was in complete turmoil.

To be honest, when she had sent that message, she hadn’t genuinely expected Jackson to accept her challenge so readily. She had only wanted to provoke him into finally fulfilling their duel arrangement, perhaps even force him to stop avoiding her.

But when he actually agreed, her confidence had surged.

After all, although Jackson had defeated her during their previous encounter, she was the heiress of Green Soul Corporation. She wasn’t some insignificant student who could be dismissed after a single defeat.

She had her own pride.

Over the past two months, she had worked relentlessly, advancing into the Second Sequence and mastering numerous combat techniques. Her resources, talent, and training were all far superior to those of an ordinary Awakened.

She had been confident that she could put up a proper fight this time.

But the moment Jackson’s aura reached her, all that confidence crumbled.

There was no mistaking it.

The oppressive presence radiating from his body belonged to a genuine Third Sequence Awakened. It wasn’t something that could be imitated through equipment or some temporary enhancement.

He had actually reached the Third Sequence.

And judging by the overwhelming pressure he was emitting, he had already reached its peak.

Veronica found it difficult to accept.

She was certain that Jackson, just like her, had awakened only two months ago. Even if he possessed some extraordinary talent or hidden advantage, how could he have advanced so rapidly?

The gap between the Second and Third Sequences wasn’t something that could be crossed casually.

Yet Jackson had done exactly that.

Looking at Veronica’s bewildered expression, Jackson’s eyes flickered slightly.

Had he really given her that big of a shock?

He hadn’t expected her to react so strongly.

After all, she had already witnessed his battle against the goblins. She should have had some idea that his strength was far beyond what an ordinary student could achieve.

Apparently, knowing that someone was strong and actually standing before them were two entirely different experiences.

Seeing Veronica’s reaction, Jackson couldn’t help feeling a little bad for her.

He hadn’t expected his advancement to hit her quite so hard. After all, she was the heiress of Green Soul Corporation, someone who had enjoyed access to resources and opportunities that ordinary Awakened could only dream of. Yet, despite all that, she was now standing before him, struggling to accept the enormous gap between them.

After thinking for a moment, Jackson stepped closer and gently patted her shoulder.

He wore an encouraging smile, as though he were consoling someone who had just suffered a minor setback.

“Don’t think too much. Anyone who hasn’t undergone the First Life Transformation is just an ant.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“And it doesn’t really matter. There are thousands of people who remain stuck at the peak of the Third Sequence, unable to break through no matter how hard they try.”

Jackson gave her another reassuring pat.

“So don’t worry too much. You might get an opportunity to catch up someday. Then we can have another duel.”