Chapter 53 Vikhilk!
ραпdα nᴏνa| сom "Look at how shrewd his Highness is. He wouldn't have started the duel if he wasn't confident in his ability."
A young man with a cleanly shaved face and a buzz cut interjected, voicing his admiration for the prince's audacity. The man's striking brown hair and piercing golden eyes were eye-catching, enough to turn heads wherever he went, and there was a cool tattoo etched beneath his eyes that was truly intriguing. The tattoo was a fierce dragon with intricate details, emphasizing the young man's status as a 1-star Galatic Warrior.
"Not to mention, in our clan, only three individuals have achieved the second level of the Breath of Frost Technique before the age of 18, namely the Grand Patriarch, Patriarch, and Asher," the young man continued, his voice laced with reverence. "But the crown prince is the fourth. Even if he loses, his accomplishment will become the talk of the capital soon, earning him instant notoriety. He will become famous overnight. And if he wins, well, let's just say I'm already his number one fan."
Ylva and Annika whipped around in surprise at the sudden appearance of the newcomer.
"When did you get here?" Annika asked, feeling incredulous.
"And why didn't I sense you until now?" Ylva asked, feeling perplexed.
"Let's wait until the battle is over. I'll explain everything then," Vikhilk said, flashing them a mischievous grin.
He hailed from the Frost Burn Household, whose members were renowned for being advocates of peace. They spent their days tending to their spiritual farms, cultivating magic herbs, and raising spiritual beasts.
Despite being a member of the Frost Burn clan, Vikhilk was an anomaly among his kin - he had an insatiable love for combat.
Back in the arena, after trading blows for a while, Jack and Evan both took a step back to catch their breath.
Evan thought: There shouldn't be much energy left in Jack's soul pockets. He wouldn't be able to defend against my attack. It is time to go all out.
Jack shot Evan a withering look, his eyes filled with contempt.
"Listen up, kid," Jack said, his tone dripping with superiority. "I'll give you a free move. Show me what you've got. But if I overcome it, it's your defeat."
"You'll regret underestimating me," Evan retorted as he channeled his ice-type soul energy into his sword, causing it to glow with an icy blue light, which illuminated the arena with an otherworldly radiance. The air around him grew colder, as if the very temperature of the world was dropping in response to his raw power.
In an instant, the crowd gathered around the arena was struck with astonishment, their jaws dropping as their eyes bulged out of their sockets in disbelief. It was as though they had just witnessed a great mystery unfold before them, an enigma that defied all logic and reason.
At this moment, there was pin-drop silence. Even the sound of the gentle gust of wind sweeping through the training ground could be heard.
"... Temperature plummeting as if winter has arrived. That is the power of the third level of the Frost Breath Technique." Jack's eyes bulged in shock. "I can't content against it. I need to stop him from completing the move!"
Jack quickly charged forward and launched his saber at Evan, contradicting his earlier words. Evan had expected it. He knew Jack was shameless.
"I won't let you unleash it," Jack shouted with a twisted expression, bringing his weapon down on Evan.
"It's too late," Evan said calmly, without even flinching. He brandished his magic sword, which was glazed in ice, to meet Jack's attack.
Clang!
The swords clashed, emitting a crisp ring that echoed through the air.
Boom!
In an instant, a burst of icy energy erupted from Evan's sword, sweeping through the arena like a raging tsunami, freezing it and crashing into Jack.
Swoosh!
Jack's body was thrown back like a rag doll, and his sword was sent flying out of his hand.
The spectators were rendered speechless, their eyes bulging with incredulity as they witnessed the unbelievable scene unfolding before them.
Like a lifeless puppet, Jack was hurled out of the arena, hurtling through the air before crashing onto the ground with a deafening thud.
He was manhandled so badly that it was ridiculous!
"Ugh!
Jack groaned in pain and spat out blood, the metallic taste filling his mouth. His vision was blurry, and he could feel his body shaking with the aftershocks of the impact. He looked up at Evan with a mix of hatred and admiration.
He wasn't even in the Soul Manifestation Realm a few weeks ago. When did he become so strong?! And now that he is stronger than me, what right do I have to hate him?
Jack's hatred for Evan came from the fact that despite being their crown prince, he was a pathetic soul that didn't train as hard as others and hid in his room most of the time.
The Crown Prince of Frost was a person that was supposed to lead their people, but Evan hadn't shown a single quality of being worthy of such a position in the past.
That was why Jack wanted to place someone else in his position, and if that person was himself, then it could be even better, but now that he had lost against the very person he looked down upon, he began to see Evan in a new light, his hatred dissipating by a little amount.
With a graceful leap, Evan landed in front of Jack, pointing his sword at his throat. "You have lost," he declared in a frigid tone. "Submit to me, or suffer the consequences."
"Fine. You win this time," Jack conceded, feeling the icy edge of the blade against his skin.
A wise man knew when to admit defeat. He couldn't continue the fight in his current state. Besides, he had no intention to.
Evan lowered his sword and stepped back, his icy aura dissipating as he stopped pumping his soul energy into the magic sword.