Chapter 2911: Without Direction (1/2)
The First Sword Arena had become a wellspring of excitement and exhilaration!
As Ketis of the Swordmaidens and Ivan of the Cloudstriders began to clash against each other with increasing intensity, the millions of spectators who had managed to secure an expensive seat in the vertically-stacked stands became engrossed by the spectacle taking place.
Both of them were evenly matched!
When two strong sword initiates clashed against each other without either side taking the upper hand, the match turned into a thrilling drawn-out engagement that was rare to see in the arena.
The crowd loved it! They paid a lot of money to witness the glory of higher-level swordsmanship.
Since swordmasters rarely showcased their powers in public, the only way for the general public to get in touch with battles like these was to attend fights like the one unfolding before their eyes.
Many swordsmen and swordswomen eagerly tried to capture anything that might help them advance their own sword fighting ability. Almost no one succeeded as the battles at this level were too high for them to comprehend.
For example, the Swordmaidens that had gathered at the backstage to cheer Ketis on all recognized the moves she made, but in her hands they seemed to reach an unfathomable level.
”I never knew you could do that!”
”Ketis is so brilliant!”
”She can cut everything!”
People like these were only able to observe the surface of a sword duel. There was only so much they could gain from perceiving the obvious.
Only the true swordmasters who had already found their direction were able to appreciate the struggle that happened beneath the surface.
To Venerable Dise, the entire First Sword Arena turned into a furnace of wills. The heated emotions from the crowd mingled together in a giant cloud of human energy.
Normally, this odd energy was very strange and undetectable, but expert pilots like Venerable Dise barely managed to sense it when it had concentrated and accumulated to this level.
This energy did not sit still!
Instead, as the two sword initiates clashed against each other in the center of the arena ground, their competing wills seemed to suck in the emotions of the collective. This indescribable reaction seemed to drive the two sword initiates forward.
Even swordsmen weren't immune to the power of human desire!
Venerable Dise looked thoughtful as she looked around the arena. The vertical architecture and the huge capacity of the venue did not seem so random anymore.
”Interesting.”
”What's interesting?” Commander Sendra asked as she stood at Dise's side.
”Nothing important.”
”Who do you think will win, Dise?”
”I can't say.” The expert pilot honestly replied. ”That brat Ivan hasn't entirely gotten used to his altered body yet, but he is still able to execute his sophisticated sword techniques to an extremely high degree. Ketis is the opposite. She is very comfortable in her own skin, but the execution of her techniques leaves much to be desired sometimes.”
Sendra stared at Ketis in the distance with a playful expression. ”She's innovating. The reason why Little Ketis looks sloppy at some points is because she's trying out new ideas!”
A proud expression appeared on Venerable Dise's face. ”She has already grown up. While I don't particularly like Mr. Reid, I am grateful that he is managing to bring out the best of our sister. Ketis needed to experience a duel like this. She has butchered a lot of weaker opponents, but that will never get her ahead. We're lucky that the Heavensword Association is able to offer her a true challenge.”
Both of the senior Swordmaidens exchanged knowing glances. They clearly recognized the value of holding tournaments. This was just one of many local customs they intended to bring back to the Larkinson Clan once they returned to the expeditionary fleet.
CLANG!
In the center of the arena, Ivan did not resist when a glowing greatsword collided against his luminant fencing sword. The wind seemed to assist him in pulling back and bleeding away the force acting on his body.
He did not relax, though. His instincts warned him of an acute threat.
”Hah!”
He spontaneously pushed his body to the side, borrowing the power of the surrounding wind in order to give him an extra boost.
SCHWING!
A sharp energy blade narrowly missed his body as it cut through the remaining wind before tearing into the solid floor.
Made of a special blend of exotics and materials that allowed those below a clear view of the battle above their heads, the floor was very resilient against attacks. Not even mechs were easily able to crush the material!
Yet the narrow sword energy blade that extended from Ketis' greatsword managed to leave a clear groove behind! If Ketis hadn't cut off the energy blade after she realized that she had missed, the cut in the floor would have been much deeper!
She gritted her teeth. Even though she managed to adapt the original form of the Sword of Lydia into a slender and less consuming version, she could not waste her energy willy-nilly.
Both of them had long realized that it was difficult for them to finish each other off with powerful finishing moves!
Ketis possessed the remarkable ability to cut insubstantial energy. This meant that she was always able to interrupt Ivan whenever he attempted to stoke up the surrounding winds!
On the other hand, Ivan still possessed an undeniable advantage in mobility. If Ketis invested in any big moves, then her adversary would simply become incredibly elusive, thereby preventing her from landing her potent attacks!
Due to these realities, the duel turned into a stalemate where both sides entered into a battle of attrition.
While Ketis and Ivan attempted to preserve their resources and minimize their expenditures, the struggle between the two rivals did not abate too much.
Ketis, who had become more in tune with her own swordsmanship, disdained passive defense.
She did not wish to repeat her performance in her first duel against Ivan! She was not cut out for defense. She excelled at making the edge of her blade sharper. Why should she use the flat of her greatsword to block Ivan's swift attacks?