ONLINE: Blades of Eternity

Chapter 229 THE DUKE OF DARKNESS

'Huh? What is he doing?' Pine thought in bewilderment.But before Pine Hughes could respond, Kelvin raised his scythe even higher into the air as a burst of malevolent energy erupted from it, spreading outward like a wave of liquid shadow. In an instant, a giant sphere of darkness enveloped the entire arena, consuming Pine before he had the chance to react.

The spectators gasped in shock, their view of the duel completely obscured by the massive, writhing ball of darkness as whispers began to appear amongst them.

"What is that?!"

"It's the same technique he used against Valir! But this time... it's even stronger!"

Inside the impenetrable darkness, Pine found himself utterly disoriented. The darkness wasn't just physical—it was suffocating, oppressive, and seemed to gnaw at his very soul. His breathing quickened as panic began to set in.

Then, from the void, a chilling voice rang out, echoing ominously all around him.

"Welcome to my darkness."

The words sent a shiver down Pine's spine. But despite the fear clawing at him, he gritted his teeth and steadied himself while he muttered in a tone so low that only him could hear it.

"No... I won't lose like this."

Summoning every ounce of his strength, Pine twirled his dual crescent blade, gathering a radiant energy that shone with the five elements—fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning. The crescent light from his weapon surged outward, cutting through the oppressive darkness like a beacon of hope. And with a roar, Pine yelled out with all of his strength.

"Take this! Crescent Light of the Five Elements!"

The blinding energy expanded rapidly, tearing chunks of the darkness apart as it surged toward Kelvin. The spectators could see flashes of light breaking through the dark sphere, hinting at the battle raging within.

Inside, Kelvin's expression shifted slightly as the crescent light reached him, slamming into his defenses. He grunted, struggling momentarily against the sheer force of Pine's attack.

"Not bad... but not enough." Kelvin eventually muttered with a small grin on his face.

With a low grunt, Kelvin channeled the full power of his dark magic into his scythe. The weapon began to glow with a sinister black aura, and he swung it downward with brutal force while he called out.

"Shadow Reaver!"

The dark scythe unleashed a devastating wave of energy that collided with Pine's elemental light. For a moment, the two forces clashed, creating a dazzling and chaotic display of power. But Kelvin's darkness quickly overwhelmed Pine's attack, extinguishing the radiant crescent light entirely.

Pine staggered back, his energy spent, as the darkness around him closed in once more. Before he could react, Kelvin appeared before him in a blur, the scythe resting menacingly at his throat.

"Wait... Who did he just challenged?"

"He challenged Aric Alexandria!!?"

"Is he crazy!!?"

The arena erupted into a mixture of gasps and murmurs. Aric Alexandria, the illegitimate son of King Alexandria and the head of the Royal Chosens, was known not just for his unmatched skill but also for wielding the fabled Blade of Dawn. Kaelen's boldness in challenging such a figure ignited a storm of discussions.

Aric stood from his seat in the midst of the other participants with a faint smile of amusement, his royal attire glinting under the sun. Arriving gracefully gracefully into the arena, he regarded Kaelen with a condescending smirk.

"So, you're the one they're whispering about, Kaelen Dragonyx," Aric said, his voice dripping with noble arrogance. "I'll admit, your audacity is commendable. However, do not mistake that for worthiness. The Blade of Dawn does not unsheathe for just anyone."

Kaelen met Aric's gaze with unshakable resolve. "You'll find that I'm not just anyone," he replied firmly.

The crowd erupted in cheers, some jeering at Kaelen's audacity while others applauded his courage. Up in the VIP section, Kael Dragonyx leaned forward, his piercing eyes narrowing as he studied Kaelen's every movement. "Interesting," he muttered under his breath.

As for Castenada and Marel, the later suddenly muttered with a wry smile on his face. "Well it seems like his boldness and confidence is already to the max so we don't need to worry about that". But Castenada didn't give any reply as he observed the arena intently as if he is hoping Kaelen will win this duel.

Aric dismissed Kaelen's words with a wave of his hand. "I'll humor you, but the Blade of Dawn will remain sheathed. My light magic will suffice to end this quickly."

Seraphine stepped forward, her voice echoing across the arena. "The duel between Kaelen Dragonyx and Aric Alexandria begins now!"

As the signal was given, Aric immediately summoned an aura of radiant light around him, the brilliance casting long shadows across the arena. With a graceful motion, he unleashed a wave of light magic, the golden energy surging toward Kaelen in a blinding arc.

Kaelen reacted instantly, his disguised Blade of Eternity flashing to life. He slashed through the wave of light with a precise arc which birthed from his Sword Arc technique, dispersing it like mist. The crowd erupted into cheers at the display of skill, but Kaelen's expression remained focused.

Aric raised an eyebrow, a flicker of genuine interest crossing his features. "Not bad. Let's see how long you can keep up."

Kaelen didn't respond with words. Instead, he launched himself forward, closing the gap between them in an instant. Sword arcs burst forth from his blade, forcing Aric to dodge and weave. The Royal Chosen's leader retaliated with concentrated beams of light, but Kaelen evaded them with quick footwork called Quick steps and precise counters.

The duel intensified as Kaelen's relentless offense began to chip away at Aric's confidence. The Royal Chosen's leader found himself on the defensive, narrowly avoiding Kaelen's strikes. The crowd watched in awe as the young Dragonyx warrior continued to press forward.

Kaelen's voice cut through the clash of magic and steel. "Still think I'm not worthy?"

Aric's calm demeanor faltered for a moment. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a dome of radiant light to push Kaelen back. "Impressive," he admitted, his tone more serious now. "But you've yet to see the true power of light."

Kaelen smirked, gripping his blade tightly. "And you've yet to see the depths of my strength."