ONLINE: Blades of Eternity

Chapter 86 OVERWHELMING

As the duel between Julian and Linus began, the atmosphere in the coliseum crackled with tension. Julian stood tall at one end of the platform, his gaze sharp and unwavering. His sword rested in his hand, almost as if it were an extension of his very being. Linus, with his twin daggers spinning effortlessly between his fingers, bounced lightly on the balls of his feet.

His lean form was primed for speed and agility, every muscle coiled like a spring ready to explode into motion.

"Let the match begin"

The announcer's voice echoed throughout the coliseum, signaling the start of the duel. In a blur of motion, Linus darted forward, his movements quick and precise. He closed the distance between them in seconds, his twin daggers flashing out in a flurry of rapid strikes aimed at Julian's torso.

But Julian was unshaken. With a swift motion, he brought his sword up in a fluid arc, deflecting Linus' strikes with an almost effortless grace. His blade moved as if it knew exactly where Linus' daggers would land, anticipating and countering every attack. Linus twisted and spun, trying to find an opening, but every time he thought he had an advantage, Julian's sword was already there to meet him.

Julian's face remained calm and focused as he parried each of Linus' attacks. His footwork was impeccable, and his stance remained rock solid. It was as if he wasn't even trying, merely brushing aside Linus' attempts to penetrate his defenses.

'How can't I outmatch him in speed?'

Frustration began to show in Linus' eyes as he increased the speed and intensity of his attacks, but it made no difference. Every time he closed in, Julian responded with precision and control, his sword cutting through the air with deadly efficiency.

With a swift movement, Julian shifted his weight and sidestepped one of Linus' more aggressive lunges. Before Linus could recover, Julian lashed out with a powerful strike aimed at his opponent's side. Linus managed to raise one of his daggers in defense, but the force behind Julian's blow sent him staggering back, his arms trembling from the impact.

Kaelen's expression was unreadable, but internally, he felt a wave of unease washing over him. The duel had been swift and brutal, with Julian exhibiting a level of skill and control that seemed far beyond what they had previously seen. His movements had been flawless, his strikes precise — there had been no wasted effort, no hesitation.

"He's dangerous," Kaelen murmured, his voice low but tense. His hand subconsciously tightened around the hilt of the Blade of Eternity at his side. "He's not just strong... he's calculating. There wasn't a single moment where he seemed off balance."

Sofia nodded in agreement, still shaken by how the battle had unfolded. "Linus barely had time to react, let alone fight back," she added. "I thought for sure he would have at least held his own for a while, but... Julian made it look effortless."

Kaelen exhaled slowly, his mind racing. Julian had seemed strong before, but this display had revealed something far more dangerous than simple skill with a sword. His composure, his cold efficiency — it reminded Kaelen of a predator playing with its prey. And that realization sparked a new level of wariness within him.

Sofia noticed the tension in Kaelen's posture and gently nudged his arm. "You're not scared of him, are you?" she asked, half-teasing but also genuinely curious. She knew Kaelen wasn't easily intimidated, but there was something about Julian that even she found unsettling.

Kaelen shook his head, though his eyes remained narrowed. "Not scared," he said quietly, "just... cautious. He's not like the others. We've seen strong opponents before, but this... it's different."

Sofia glanced at Julian again as he took his seat in the participants' area, his expression calm and detached as if nothing had happened. It was unnerving, seeing someone so unaffected by what had just transpired. "We'll need to be careful if we face him," she remarked. "There's more to him than we thought."

Kaelen nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, his wariness only deepening. "We can't underestimate him. He's hiding something, and I have a feeling it's something big."

As the next matchup was about to be announced, Kaelen's mind remained focused on Julian. Whatever was lurking behind that calm exterior, he knew it was something that could tip the scales in the tournament. And now, more than ever, he realized that he had to be ready for anything.