Arthur vs Davis
In a clean, open field beneath the vast sky, two boys stood facing each other.
One, aged ten, stood tall at 179 cm — an unusual height for his age. His golden eyes shimmered with a quiet, confident fire.
The other, twelve years old and of the same height, bore sharp blue eyes and matching blue hair, exuding a noble presence.
The blue-haired boy stepped forward with a calm smile.
"Hello, Arthur. I've heard so much about you… but never had the chance to meet you in person."
Arthur returned the smile politely, his golden eyes steady.
"It's an honor to hear that from the sole successor of House Eisenworth. Nice to meet you, Davis."
The two nodded in mutual respect. The match was about to begin.
"Do your best," Arthur said, his tone sincere.
"I will," Davis replied, gripping his staff tightly.
⸻
As the countdown began, tension thickened in the air.
3… 2… 1—Begin!
Arthur immediately drew his sword — Ashbreaker. Its blade glowed a deep crimson, shimmering with golden mana. His eyes flickered like twin suns as his aura flared.
Across from him, Davis raised his staff and summoned his beast — a Starwolf, lightning crackling from the horn on its forehead.
With a fierce growl, the Starwolf leapt forward, unleashing a Lightning Strike.
Arthur didn't flinch.
With precise timing, he intercepted the lightning using Ashbreaker, absorbing and redirecting the force. In the next second, he vanished — moving rapidly using his E-rank footwork, zigzagging through the field, appearing suddenly in front of Davis.
He struck for the head.
Davis raised his hand quickly. Mana Barrier!
The transparent dome shimmered as Arthur's blade slammed into it. Without pause, Davis countered — a Water Spear formed at his side and launched toward Arthur's flank.
But Arthur's eyes caught it.
CLANG! CLANG!
Two quick swings. Both spears were deflected mid-air.
Still, Arthur advanced, his strikes relentless, aiming once again for Davis's head.
Davis frowned. He summoned another beast — a Tree Golem, which sent thorned roots lunging toward Arthur.
SWISH!
Arthur's sword cut through them effortlessly.
Davis's eyes narrowed. "Fine then…"
The Starwolf struck again — this time with amplified lightning. At the same moment, Davis summoned a second beast — a Fire Drake, which launched a massive fireball straight at Arthur.
And then—
"B-rank spell: Water Vortex!" Davis chanted, forming a spiraling tornado of water blades, timed to strike immediately after the beasts.
BOOOOM!
The triple strike hit all at once — lightning, fire, and the slicing waters of the vortex.
Smoke and mist swallowed the battlefield.
Silence.
Davis stepped forward, panting lightly. "Did I get him…?"
The smoke cleared.
Arthur stood there.
Unscathed.
A golden barrier of mana shimmered faintly around him — every single attack had been blocked.
Davis clenched his fists. "Tch… not enough."
Arthur raised his blade once more.
"My turn."
The golden mana barrier faded from around Arthur as the dust cleared. He stepped forward calmly, his crimson sword Ashbreaker humming faintly in his grip.
Davis gritted his teeth.
"You blocked everything… without casting a single spell?"
Arthur didn't reply. He simply raised his blade into stance.
The silence spoke louder than words.
Davis scowled.
"Fine! Let's see how long you last against this!"
He raised his staff and summoned again — this time, two powerful beasts:
•A Frost Basilisk, its breath misting the field with cold.
•A Water Serpent, coiled with speed and precision, waiting to strike.
With a roar, both beasts lunged.
The basilisk released a cone of freezing mist while the serpent darted in a blur of aqua light, aiming to pierce Arthur's side.
Arthur's foot slid forward — E-Rank Footwork: Shadow Glide.
His figure vanished, reappearing behind the serpent.
CLANG!
One clean slash.
The serpent dropped, severed cleanly across its neck.
The basilisk turned, opening its mouth for another icy breath—
But Arthur was already in the air above it, twisting.
D-Rank Sword Skill: Crescent Fang!
His blade carved a glowing arc downward, striking the basilisk's skull before it could react.
With a deep crack, it collapsed.
The battlefield fell still for only a heartbeat.
Davis raised his staff high, eyes glowing.
"You want swordplay? Then survive this—!"
"A-Rank Spell: Ocean Lance!"
Above, a massive spear of pressurized water formed — sharp, dense, rotating like a drill.
It launched down at blinding speed.
Arthur didn't dodge.
He spun his sword around, planted his back foot, and breathed.
C-Rank Sword Skill: Iron Breaker Thrust!
With a shout, he thrust Ashbreaker forward. His mana surged only into his arm and blade — no spells, just raw technique.
The Ocean Lance met the tip of his sword—
BOOM!
The water spear shattered into a violent splash, completely neutralized.
The ground cracked behind Arthur from the sheer force he absorbed, but he stood — unmoved.
Davis stepped back, shaken.
"He broke an A-rank spell… with a C-rank skill?"
Arthur adjusted his grip.
"You rely too much on others to fight for you," he said quietly.
"Let your sword speak for once."
Davis growled and summoned again — the Starwolf returned, alongside a new beast: the Tidefang Tiger, water blades surrounding its claws.
The beasts charged in perfect sync.
Arthur closed his eyes briefly. Then—his body flickered.
D-Rank Footwork: Flowstep.
He weaved between both beasts, each step elegant and precise.
The Starwolf struck with lightning. Arthur spun—
C-Rank Sword Skill: Spiral Parry.
He deflected the lightning using the momentum of his sword, then twisted, delivering a blow to the tiger's head—
F-Rank Skill: Triple Slash!
Three blinding strikes in a blink.
The Tidefang Tiger was knocked back, unconscious before it hit the ground.
The Starwolf growled and jumped once more.
Arthur stepped aside, sidestepping effortlessly—
E-Rank Footwork: Feather Pivot.
He struck once.
The Starwolf dropped, unmoving.
Davis's eyes widened. He gritted his teeth.
He raised both hands.
"Last one. You won't stand through this!"
The air above them twisted as water gathered unnaturally.
"A-Rank Spell: Leviathan's Judgment!"
A massive serpent of pure water emerged from the sky — dozens of meters long, crashing toward Arthur like a tidal dragon.
The crowd gasped. The ground trembled.
Arthur lowered his stance.
His aura condensed.
He didn't use a spell. Didn't summon a beast.
He moved.
C-Rank Sword Skill: Arc Sever.
A single, focused slash.
Golden mana traced the edge of Ashbreaker.
The moment the water leviathan struck—
SLASH!
Arthur's blade cut through it — clean, effortless.
The entire spell split in two, collapsing into rain.
Silence.
Davis fell to his knees, exhausted.
His beasts vanished. His mana was nearly gone.
Arthur stood tall, sword resting on his shoulder, untouched by the storm.
"This… is the difference between power and mastery," he said quietly.
The crowd erupted.
Davis, kneeling, panting heavily, stared up at Arthur in disbelief.
Rain from the shattered Leviathan spell still fell gently across the battlefield.
His hands trembled.
"He's not even tired…"
Arthur stood motionless, sword lowered, not a single scratch on his frame. His golden eyes calmly watched Davis, not with pride or arrogance — but expectation.
"Are you done?" Arthur asked, voice low, calm.
Davis grit his teeth and slammed his staff into the ground.
"Not yet."
His mana flared wildly, pushing his body past its limits.
"You said I rely too much on others? Then let me show you the pride of a summoner!"
The ground cracked as a deep magic circle formed beneath him, blue lightning arcing into the sky.
"Summon: Tyrant Fang, King of the Northern Glade!"
The field shook violently.
From the rift emerged a colossal beast — Tyrant Fang, a massive armored wolf with twin icy horns and runic patterns glowing across its hide. Its mere presence sent shockwaves through the field.
A peak Rank 1 beast — the limit for Davis's current abilities. Twice as strong as anything he had summoned before.
It growled, lowering its massive head. Its breath turned the air to frost.
Arthur looked up at it.
No change in expression. No hint of fear.
Davis stood again, using his staff for balance, face pale but resolute.
"And now… my final card."
He raised his staff.
The air around Davis condensed unnaturally. Water spiraled upward like a storm forming above his head.
"A-Rank Spell: Ocean Crown — Domain of the Tide King!"
The world changed.
A dome of surging water enclosed the battlefield. Inside, Davis reigned as king — his magic surged, the air turned thick, movements became slower, dampened by the overwhelming water mana.
Arthur took one step forward — the pressure pressed against him like a crashing wave.
The giant wolf moved first — vanishing in a blur of icy mist.
It reappeared above Arthur mid-air, fangs shining with mana.
BOOM!
A full-force slam. The ground shattered.
Davis leaned forward, watching intently.
"That must've—"
The smoke cleared.
Arthur stood, one hand pressed to the ground, blade raised above him, having perfectly parried the crushing fang.
He launched forward.
E-Rank Footwork: Phantom Dive.
He passed through the mist like a shadow, leaping toward the beast's flank.
D-Rank Skill: Spine Cleave.
His blade dug into Tyrant Fang's side — not deep, but precise.
The beast roared and countered with a frost horn strike — Arthur spun beneath it, slicing one of the runic plates along its ribs.
F-Rank Skill: Split Step.
He disappeared and reappeared on the beast's back.
Another strike — aimed at the mana core between the shoulders.
SLASH!
Tyrant Fang roared in pain and fell hard to the ground, skidding across the soaked field.
Davis, now within the domain's watery crown, summoned blades of high-pressure water — hundreds of them.
"Ocean Crown: Final Rain!"
All at once, they descended on Arthur.
It was a storm — inescapable.
But Arthur didn't move from his stance. He spun his sword behind his back.
C-Rank Sword Style: Windmill Reap.
He moved in a blur — blade swinging in perfect rhythm, each rotation faster than the last.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG!
Every single water blade was deflected. Sparks lit up inside the watery dome like lightning.
Davis stared, mouth open.
"That's… not possible…"
Arthur broke forward through the storm.
One clean cut.
BAM!
The dome of the Ocean Crown cracked — then shattered.
The pressure vanished.
The rain stopped.
Tyrant Fang tried to stand, snarling.
Arthur appeared in front of it, and with a simple, graceful upward strike—
D-Rank Sword Skill: Final Arc.
A golden crescent slashed upward.
The beast dropped, unconscious.
Silence.
Davis fell to one knee, his staff slipping from his hand.
Arthur stood, bathed in sunlight, his sword gleaming crimson and gold.
He didn't say a word.
He didn't need to.