****(POV)

How long has it been since I have left the Moon Keep?

A long while.

I wonder how they are dealing with matters there.

Probably badly.

Good thing the war hasn't started yet.

I have been truly busy on my side recently.

I finally found a way to improve quickly.

Well, it is to simply fight.

More so I have found the perfect target.

There is a thing called the thousand swordsman list here.

Figuring on it are a bunch of nice preys.

Especially the ones on the lower positions are mostly all rank 3s.

Thus the perfect opponents to hone my blade.

Right now I am waiting by the side of a joke of a city.

One called Eaglevein.

These fools are all cohabitating.

Ignoring the fact that soon enough they will be at each other's throat.

I am expecting this city to be the first to fall.

Bunch of hypocrites.

As if peace was ever an option.

Either way, I will have to slaughter most of them when the time comes.

I may not be strong enough to contend with the strongest powerhouses, but soon.

Ever since I have attained rank 3 I have the confidence to even flee from a rank 4.

I can simply jump on my sword and fly away.

This is why I am boldly standing outside the towering walls.

I tasked someone with delivering a challenge letter.

This world's writing is messy.

I did learn it on the side.

If anything, in order not to shame the Goddess.

Could you imagine an illiterate champion?

The shame!

I can see bystanders assemble on the sidelines.

I can understand that.

Death is fascinating.

Truly an entertaining spectacle.

I am used to it.

After all, it isn't my first public execution.

Ah, I mean official duel.

Still, I have done my research accordingly.

My chances against this opponent are good.

I wait patiently.

"Who dares challenge the mighty iron flash!"

Talk about a pompous name.

I bet he is a vain man.

I keep mum.

I have no desire to talk with a soon-to-be-dead.

I simply gesture him to come and fight.

I can kill him without worry.

He is not part of a strong faction.

"You truly do not know the immensity of heaven! You overestimate yourself!"

Eh, do I look stupid?

He is talking incessantly, but this is all a ploy.

He is looking for a flaw in my defenses.

Slowly coming closer and closer.

My guess is he will try to end it in one decisive move.

A preemptive attack.

"Countless fools have fallen under my prized sword!"

I need to accurately judge the distance.

Actually no, better I be extra careful.

There are all sorts of powers in this place.

This guy is considered a ranker.

"I will show you how awesome I am and …"

*SLASH*

*SIDESTEP*

"How?!"

He extended his arm and slashed.

That's when I could feel it.

The energy around the sword.

Focused on the tip.

An invisible energy coating it.

Giving it more reach.

Good thing I was careful.

Had I gone for a minimum evasion technique I would be dead.

Still, now is the time to go on the offensive!

Starts a deadly sword dance.

His specialty is obviously attacking.

From weird angles, he keeps thrusting his sword at me.

Every time I avoid it.

Slowly but surely as we exchange blows, I am coming closer.

At this point, we have no choice but to include more parries.

An elegant rhythm soon appears.

Every clanging of our swords powerful yet skillful.

He is slowly losing ground.

This is it.

Slowly and surely.

Keep going until he commits a mistake.

I can see him becoming worried.

His movements becoming stiffer.

He knows the end is near.

I keep going until, finally, I see an opportunity.

I thrust my sword straight at his heart.

He proficiently dodges it.

Before I can change the trajectory of my attack comes his left hand.

I can feel it.

It is the same invisible energy as earlier.

A dual-wielding style.

One that is extremely hard to defend against.

I forcefully bring back my sword.

*CLANG*

This brief collision pushes it backward.

I am now fully open.

My weapon too far from my body to protect it.

That is when he strikes.

Dashing toward me.

Blocking is impossible.

My only solution is to break my posture to roll away.

This will in turn make me vulnerable.

He knows it.

I know it.

I can see his victorious grin.

I throw myself out of the way.

He thinks he has won.

He couldn't be more mistaken.

From his blind spot, it flies forward.

The sword that was hovering behind my back this whole time.

I control it carefully.

I can hear the sound it makes upon impact.

I can feel the feedback through the mana.

I can hear his dying grunt.

I turn back to a corpse with an impaled heart.

A fool to the very end.

Of course, I knew about my opponent before challenging him.

I am not reckless.

I crouch near the cadaver and I …

*SLASH*

Decapitate it!

I then use fire magic to reduce it to cinders.

While it isn't my specialty at all I can still do this much.

A lifeless husk has no resistance to magic after all.

Now, what should I do?

I have heard of two confirmed rankers here.

The second one is an elder of a sect.

For this reason, I am probably better not challenging him.

It could prove troublesome.

Not that I'm worried about having to fight.

I simply do not wish to set myself back.

Getting hunted would make my training less convenient.

It could affect my progress in the long term.

After all, the sooner I reach rank 4 or even 5 the better.

This is a race against time after all.

Just as I'm thinking about my future plans…

"Come get your fresh pies! Delicious and full of nutrients!"

Some guy is taking advantage of my fight to increase his sales.

I don't like being taken advantage of.

Time to teach him a lesson.

A deadly one.