Chapter 301: The Gap Between Us

Kai closed the distance in an instant and delivered a powerful horizontal slash. Arthur showed no sign of panic. He simply leaned back, narrowly avoiding the blow, then immediately countered with a swift, precise thrust aimed straight at Kai's throat.

Just inches from his neck, Kai instantly materialized a second sword out of pure mana. Its bright yellow blade glowed with a golden light, leaving a humming trail of energy in its wake. With a dull clang, the broad blade intercepted Arthur's thrust, bringing it to an abrupt halt.

Without giving Arthur a chance to regain the initiative, Kai immediately swung the yellow sword in his left hand, knocking Arthur's blade aside. At the same time, he launched another attack with his right hand, raising his ordinary sword high above Arthur's head for a powerful downward strike while angling the mana blade toward his abdomen, attempting to stab him.

But Arthur had anticipated the move a split second earlier. In one fluid, precise motion, he blocked the overhead strike and forced its trajectory downward. Then, with a sweeping circular motion of his blade, he knocked the mana sword aside. With the opening created, he immediately brought the tip of his own weapon to Kai's throat.

Kai sprang backward, quickly putting distance between them.

Arthur pointed his blade toward Kai's mana sword and gave a snort.

"That's hardly fair, you know."

He raised his sword slightly, showing it to Kai.

"Just look at this. It's an ordinary training sword, same as the one you're holding in your right hand."

Kai hesitated for a moment, trying to find an answer.

"Yeah..."

"Well, never mind, then," Arthur cut him off, casually spinning his sword in his hand. “Not everyone is destined to defeat me, even with a sword.”

At those words, Kai felt something boil inside him. Anger instantly swept away the last of his doubts. The mana sword in his left hand flickered, then dissolved into a golden haze. Left with just one ordinary blade, he charged forward with such force that the grass crunched beneath his feet.

The next instant, the air rang with the dull clash of steel.

Kai unleashed a furious barrage of blindingly fast strikes. His blade flashed before Arthur's eyes in an unbroken silver blur, but Arthur's parries were precise, crisp, and calculated down to the millimeter.

Kai pressed the attack with all his might, putting every ounce of his pent-up anger into each blow. But as Arthur blocked another strike, blood suddenly spurted. Two ragged cuts opened on Kai's arm, and red droplets began to fall to the ground.

Despite this, Kai continued to fight with the same ferocity, steadily forcing Arthur backward.

Arthur retreated step by step, managing to fend off the relentless barrage. He could see every strike coming: a quick movement of his blade to the side, another, then knocking aside yet another thrust, parrying to the right and blocking overhead.

Then, abruptly changing the rhythm, Arthur made a sudden dash backward. Kai noticed the move and immediately raised his sword for a finishing blow, but in the same instant, Arthur appeared right behind him.

Caught off guard, Kai froze for a split second, but still managed to thrust his sword backward. The next moment, Arthur's heavy, crushing strike came down directly on his blade. The force was so great that Kai was sent flying and slammed hard into the ground. He rolled over and sprang easily back to his feet.

Kai let out a heavy breath, glaring at Arthur with undisguised contempt and anger.

"What, seriously? You're still not using your full power? Why don't you actually use it now, huh?"

Arthur looked at him calmly.

"That would kill you... Well, you wouldn't actually die, but you'd be in for a pretty rough time."

Kai bared his teeth in an angry grin, tightening his grip on the hilt.

"Yeah, I know. But use it anyway. I've only ever seen you use it against others. Am I really that weak in your eyes?"

Arthur let out a heavy sigh, gave a slight shake of his head, and allowed himself a faint smirk.

"All right."

He raised a hand and beckoned Kai forward with two fingers.

"Come at me."

Kai didn't hesitate. He launched himself forward, unleashing a series of fierce, sweeping strikes. His blade sang through the air once more, but Arthur was now moving a little faster, with greater force, shutting down every attempt to corner him.

As he parried another thrust, Arthur remarked casually:

"You're far too aggressive. I understand you're deliberately holding back on using mana, of course..."

With one sharp, powerful swing, he knocked Kai's blade sharply off line, forcing his sword arm far backward and leaving his entire right side exposed.

Kai barely managed to react in time. He pulled his blade tight against his chest, using it as a shield just as Arthur's strike came crashing down. The metal rang out under the tremendous force.

Without even giving Kai a chance to catch his breath, Arthur spoke again, narrowing his eyes.

"By the way, don't you have some kind of ability that lets you see all my movements... in slow motion? Couldn't you just channel mana into your brain?"

Kai adjusted his grip on the sword and launched a counterattack, striking again and again.

"Do you seriously think I'm not using it right now?! Even with it, I can barely keep up with you!"

"Then learn from Arsher," Arthur replied immediately.

Kai knocked aside another strike, all his frustration evident in his voice.

"That's exactly what I've been doing, night after night!"

Kai suddenly picked up the pace, unleashing a barrage of hundreds of strikes against Arthur. His blade became a single, humming blur, turning the air between them into a maelstrom of steel and sparks.

Arthur's perception reached an almost unfathomable level. He tracked every trajectory, every strike coming down on him, effortlessly redirecting and parrying them all.

Drawing his right shoulder back slightly and bringing his sword behind him, Arthur took a sharp step forward and unleashed a single, powerful horizontal slash.

More than three hundred invisible blades burst from that single motion, crashing with tremendous force against Kai's relentless assault. With a single strike, Arthur completely broke through and shattered Kai's entire combination. The force of the shockwave pierced his defenses, cutting across his body in dozens of places. Small, bleeding gashes immediately opened across his cheeks and arm.

The next instant, Arthur's blade stopped just a millimeter from Kai's throat. Another fraction of a second, and it would have severed his carotid artery.

Kai froze, but at the very last moment before the fatal strike, he teleported to the opposite side of the clearing.

Meanwhile, the devastating shockwave left behind by Arthur's swing surged onward into the forest. The air split with a whistle. Every leaf on the trees behind Kai stripped away in an instant, while the thick trunks were neatly sliced through and shattered into countless pieces.

Arthur calmly lowered his sword, exhaled, and said in an even tone:

"I'm getting hungry. Think I'll go grab something to eat."

He turned and began walking leisurely toward the house. Kai stood frozen, staring after him in disbelief.

"What, already?!"

"We've been fighting for quite a while now," Arthur replied without looking back. "Besides, all you wanted to do in the first place was show off that technique I taught you."

Kai quickly caught up with him.

"But after you eat, can we continue?"

"We'll see. Maybe."

A few minutes later, as they walked along, Kai kicked at another branch, then suddenly turned to Arthur and said with a heavy sigh:

"Seriously, the fact that you don't have a shred of mana is fucking infuriating..."

"If you used your magic, you'd beat me in an instant," Arthur shot back.

"Yeah..." Kai stared stubbornly ahead. "But I still need to learn swordsmanship, too. No one's ever beaten you in a sword fight. So that's it! I'll be the first!"

Arthur gave a snort.

"Well, good luck."

They reached the house and immediately spotted Noah lying on the ground. His face was covered in dirt, his breathing heavy, and one hand rested on his forehead. Seraphina was kneeling beside him, fussing over him and tugging at his shoulder.

"Lord, Noah... Lord, Noah, are you all right?!"

Noah grimaced and snapped hoarsely:

"Will you shut up already?!"

He struggled to sit up a little, but a second later, his strength gave out and he fell back, the back of his head hitting the ground. He let out a heavy breath.

Kai stepped closer and looked down at him.

"You good?"

Noah gritted his teeth and gave a restrained reply:

"Yeah."

Meanwhile, Arthur walked over to Seraphina, stepped smoothly behind her, and without a word, gently placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair. With a faint smirk, he nodded toward Noah.

"Well, you'd better get used to it. She's not going to leave you alone for a single second."

Seraphina simply brushed his hand away with an indifferent expression. Arthur merely raised both hands slightly in an apologetic gesture.

Then he nodded toward the door for Kai.

"All right, Kai, let's go grab some grub."

"Okay," Kai muttered, and the two of them went inside.