The crowd roared as Elias thrust his sword into the air—mana flared, wild and bright.
"A-rank Skill: Blade Cascade."
A storm of glowing swords materialized above the arena—thirty shimmering blades, each pulsing with blue mana. With a single command, they rained down toward Arthur like a divine execution.
Fwwsshh!
The sky itself looked like it would split open from the pressure.
But Arthur—
He laughed.
It wasn't mocking.
It wasn't arrogant.
It was calm.
His foot shifted—B-rank Air Element Footwork: Skyflow Drift.
He blurred into motion, and his golden aura burned like fire.
Then—he whispered.
"Valerian Sword Form One."
With a single, precise step, he cut through the wind.
Clang—CLANG—CRASH—!
Five swords shattered on impact. Pieces of glowing mana clattered to the floor like broken glass.
Arthur didn't stop.
"Valerian Sword Form Two."
His stance changed.
His body flickered—faster, sharper, more aggressive.
Ten more swords came screaming down—and were cut from the sky with brutal efficiency.
Each strike was exact, no wasted movement.
The crowd had started to rise from their seats.
Elias narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightening.
Then—
"Valerian Sword Form Three."
Three afterimages of Arthur appeared—mirror reflections of him, each perfectly mimicking his movement.
Together, they tore through the remaining fifteen swords in a dazzling display of speed and mastery.
BOOM!
A ring of golden light rippled through the arena floor as the last of the storm fell broken.
The audience gasped in unison.
But Elias was not finished.
He was waiting.
As Arthur moved within ten meters—just close enough—
Elias smirked.
"A-rank Sword Skill: Severing Arc."
Blue mana slashed through the air like a wave of death—so fast, so precise—it seemed to slice the very space between them.
Arthur was mid-step, caught between commitment and caution.
He shifted—
But the blade came not from ahead—
It came from behind.
SLASH!
The strike caught Arthur clean across the side. A thin arc of blood sprayed out, staining the dust.
Elias didn't waste the moment.
He lifted his hand—
"Ice Spear." A quick E-rank spell—but enough to end it now.
The ice shard formed—
—but then hesitation.
Elias blinked.
The Arthur he struck—
was fading.
A faint shimmer of black mist—
"Wha—?!"
Too late.
Behind him—
A shadow.
A whisper of gold.
"Valerian Sword Form Four."
Arthur's sword pressed to his neck.
Elias spun, barely dodging the killing blow—but not fast enough.
SLASH!
Arthur's blade cut into his shoulder, sending him tumbling backward again. Blood splattered across the floor.
Elias gritted his teeth, staggering as the pain flared.
That was a shadow clone… a feint! When—how—?!
His breathing grew heavy, heart pounding in his ears.
Arthur stood across from him—sword steady, aura blazing brighter than before.
He didn't say a word.
He didn't need to.
The silence said everything.
The Valerian heir had drawn blood.
Again.
"I'm done holding back," Elias said coldly, the edge of frustration sharpening his voice.
His eyes flared, and he moved—fast.
Lightning Jab.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
The arena shook with repeated bursts of crackling energy, streaking toward Arthur like spears of wrath.
But Elias wasn't done. His fingers curled toward the heavens—ice forming in the air.
"Glacier Coffin."
From the ground, jagged ice pillars erupted, encircling Arthur. Before the crowd could blink, they slammed shut, trapping him in a frozen coffin of death.
Lightning Javelin.
It fell like divine judgment, descending toward the sealed Arthur in a perfect kill shot.
The moment it struck—
He vanished.
Fwwsshh!
No flash. No teleport signal. Just… gone.
Elias's eyes widened.
The javelin struck only ice, exploding it into frozen dust.
Then—
A voice.
"Your Highness… you're very good."
Arthur stood behind him, calm as ever, as if he had never been in danger.
A-rank Movement Skill: Void Rush.
An instant shift beyond space—a technique so rare, every noble envy it
Elias clenched his teeth.
"Fine… Let's end this."
He raised his sword again—
"A-rank Skill: Blade Cascade."
The skies opened once more, thirty swords descending like judgment.
Arthur's eyes narrowed. He didn't stay still this time. He moved, blocking with wide, powerful swings.
Dodging. Rolling. Letting his B-rank Defensive Spell: Air Shroud slow the strikes.
But then it came.
The real danger.
Elaris's voice screamed in his mind.
"Master! Lethal attack incoming—get out!"
Arthur's instincts roared. His feet shifted just in time—
But not fast enough.
SLASH!
A deep cut opened across his shoulder. Blood sprayed into the air.
The crowd gasped—not at the attack…
But because Arthur Valerian bled.
For the first time in this entire tournament.
He exhaled sharply, one hand steadying his sword.
"I have to be careful…"
"Elaris, can you read it?"
"No, Master. But you can predict it—with your ultimate skill. It's sword-based. That gives us a format—patterns."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"Then I'll try."
Across the field, Elias looked stunned.
"No way… no one should be able to block Spatial Severance. It tears through dimensions."
"He just got lucky. That's all."
He launched it again.
The invisible cut screamed through space—
But Arthur dodged it again, only inches away from death.
The crowd had gone silent. Even the Pope and Emperor leaned forward in their seats.
Elias snarled, unleashing everything.
Lightning javelins fell.
Tornadoes roared.
Swords rained from the sky.
Arthur was a blur.
Blocking. Dodging. Countering. Bleeding again.
And then—
"Time to get serious."
He whispered it low.
Gale Speed: Velocity 4.
An A-rank footwork skill blessed by air.
Arthur disappeared.
CRACK!
He reappeared in front of Elias.
His blade gleamed golden with aura—
A precise arc.
"Haaaaa—!"
The strike cut through Elias's arm—clean.
Blood sprayed as Elias flew back, shrieking in pain, his right hand severed at the wrist.
He barely managed to float using a burst of wind.
But Arthur was already moving again.
Elias shouted in rage—
"Spatial Severance!"
But Arthur was ready. Predicted. Timed. Dodged. Just like before.
Then—
His sword lifted.
"A-rank Darkness Spell—Black Lotus."
A single, ominous flower bloomed beneath Elias.
He saw it—
But couldn't move.
"Wha—?"
The lotus expanded silently.
SHHKK—!
A black petal slashed through his body. Elias's form trembled—
Then shattered into blue particles, vanishing from the stage.
He reappeared outside the boundary—unconscious, crumpled on the ground.
Winner :- Arthur Valerian