Sword Duel

The subjugation quest quickly started, the group consisting of Allen and 10 soldiers marching towards the marked runes. Over this group, Allen was named as the leader of the operation and was the only one wearing a special Fatui uniform, his Ice Mage Cicin without mask, all the others wore normal army clothes with leather armor that didn't restrict their movements and wielded spears.

Compared with what he was used to, mostly seeing Skirmishers and Elites, they were kind of weak, people that won't be able to pass the third wall. Not that Allen could complain as his own actual strength wasn't much different.

"Aren't you all too lazy?" Allen scolded as the soldiers who even when they were about to reach their objective were too calm, chatting cheerfully with each other without mattering their surroundings at all.

"Why shouldn't we be?" One of them answered as if nothing "We are here to simply babysit you, will kill some farmers and return home."

'This idiots' Allen sighed at their behavior 'Alina said that it would be dangerous and I doubt that it will only be for me. Let's hope that they improve once we reach there.' However Allen's hope was not answered.

Once they reached the runes "Let's send a scout first to look out the situation, their number and position. Then, we can act depending in the results, opting for an encirclement or a-" "You think too much! There's no need. Charge!"

"AAAA!"

Completely ignoring his words, the soldiers charged madly against the main building, completely disregarding everything while shouting.

'Those fuckers' Allen cursed and following his brain unlike them, he decided to stay at the back hidden, waiting to see the situation and finding a time to enter the fight. But that time didn't come.

Just as the soldier stepped inside the rooms, bandits holding crossbows surged from between the rocks, shooting arrows at the unguarded soldier, perfectly piercing through their armor.

With a mere volley, they killed three of them and incapacitated the other to continue fighting, finishing the battle if it could be called that.

'Just like that?' Allen blinked in surprise 'What's the meaning of this?! Shall I try to kill them all by myself? That's suicide! I should escape for now.'

"So you were hiding here" Allen turned around while drawing his sword, seeing a man with brown hair and a lean body.

"You were informed of the attack" Allen stated seeing the man and the already prepared ambush 'Fuck Pantalone and his tests.'

"Yes, we were informed that you would attack today. I was so worried that I couldn't sleep last night. In the end, it was killing a newbie team of nobodies." He said drawing his sword, pointing at Allen "You are at least a little better than the others to hide and try to escape, but we had long since detected your group. It was too easy."

"I see..." Allen analyzed his surroundings and calmed down "You are forced to fight me alone, no?" Not taking the opportunity of a sneak attack, plus the look of the bandits that showed scared faces while looking at Allen and their surroundings, paranoids as they were being watched but not daring to step forward or even point him with their weapons. For Allen, that made it clear. This was a prepared test, forcing a fight between him and another sword user. If it was like this, he could still win, winning against him being enough.

"I'll kill you, boy!" The man lifted his sword, swinging it down at great speed.

Seeing the sword approaching and knowing the difference in strength, Allen stepped back, avoiding the sword path. However, the man instantly reacted, stepping forward more, his reach increasing.

"Fuck!" Allen lifted his sword, putting his left hand over the lateral of the blade, trying to block the strike.

"CLANK!" Both swords clashed and Allen who was unable to cope with such strength was shot over two meters, crashing to the ground. Allen felt hurt all over his body, his right hand that had taken most of the hit, trembling uncontrollably.

However, he had been lucky that the hit wasn't a direct one by an inch and being pushed away, if not, he wouldn't have been able to cope with the attack, his sword faltering and losing it while the man's sword cleaved him in half.

"Die!" The man didn't wait for Allen to react, he charged forward, twisting his wrist and lowering his body, changing his sword stance, making a wide lateral swing direct to his neck.

Allen quickly stood up, lifting his sword again, but seeing the upcoming strike, he knew that he had no way to stop it with his sword.

"ICE SHIELD!" Allen focused elemental power on his suit, activating the skill, creating an ice shield "CLANK!" The man's sword hit the hard ice, rebounding in it. The man clenching his teeth due to rebound force.

"What is this shit!" The man swore madly "Fuck, DIE!"

"Clank!" "Clank!" "Clank!" The man quickly started a barrage of attacks against the shield, trying to destroy it to not vail, not leaving even a dent on it.

'This shield was able to stop an Ice Boar. He won't be able to destroy it. Here at Snezhnaya, I can keep it activated all day long. What should I do?' Allen tried to calm down thinking.

'Should I keep myself inside the shield waiting for help to come or...' Allen moved his left hand over his back, feeling the touch of two knives 'I can use my Elemental Burst, trying to create an opening to kill him. But...'

'What would be the punishment to go against the rules' Allen remembered the prohibitions of the mission of not using his Burst or any other weapon.

'Only use the sword.' Allen turned his gaze towards his sword, quickly turning towards the man incessantly swinging at him, his movements wide, powerful and... clear.

'Why are they so clear?' Allen's eyes were wide open, following each of the man's strikes, seeing them as in slow motion when it was clear that it has a great speed, being able to grasp every movement.

'This is...?' Pierro's words resounded in his mind 'This is Talent.' Allen's eyes became sharp, heavily focusing on the man's sword while lifting his sword and clenching with both hands.

"SHIT!" The man lifted his sword at his back, making a full downward swing with his full strength towards the shield "CLEAVER!"

Just as the sword was about to hit the shield, this one broke down, the sword passing through it, breaking the man's posture who expected a full blow. At the same time the shield was destroyed, Allen stepped forward while backing his sword, avoiding the man's sword and positioning next to the man.

"Ice Coating!" Allen clenched his sword with full strength, his Vision over his pockets shining brightly, his sword coating with a sharp ice layer.

"CLEAVER!" Allen swung his sword downwards with full strength.

"Sssssss!" Allen's sword sliced over the man's right forearm, cleanly cutting it, thanks to the quality of his sword, boosting its power with his Elemental Skill plus the effect of the sword to increase the damage over Cryo affected.

The man's dominant arm went flying with a sea of blood and meat, his sword with it.

Allen reacted quickly, twisting his wrists, lowering his body and changing posture, preparing to make a lateral swing over the man's hips. However, he was interrupted by the man who lifted his right leg.

Knowing better, Allen left hand left the hilt, using his left arm to cover his body while using his Elemental Skill, coating it with ice spikes.

"FUCK!" The man shouted in pain and anger, kicking Allen who covered with his left arm.

"AGGG!" "TX!" Allen was sent flying over three meters, but having already been prepared, he landed with a good posture, finishing standing up still gripping his sword and only with a slight injury on his left arm.

On the other hand, the man had lost his dominant hand, a river of blood flowing over the injury. Moreover, his right foot was full of ice spikes, blood surging from the wounds and making him difficult to even put it on the ground.

"You! What are you?!" The man said with a mix of fear, pain and anger as he looked at Allen stance that he quickly recognized. 'That stance and the previous attacks are the exact same as me.'

While clenching his wound with his left hand, the man couldn't be more shocked. Just a few minutes ago, the boy in front of him while he wielded a sword, it was clear that he had no idea, not having learned any style, his posture being of a newbie.

'Are you telling that a complete amateur was able to copy me with only a few interchanges?' The man thought incredulously 'Are you fucking me?!' Looking at the boy in front of him, his sharp glowing purple eyes, and the grin on his face, he trembled unconsciously in fear.

"YOU MONSTER!" Without mattering his injury, stepping forward with his injured foot, the man took the sword on the ground with his left hand, charging toward Allen.

Seeing him struggling to charge at him, Allen knew that the man was already done. The best way, being running away and wait for him to lose, however, he didn't want that. A big grin formed over his mouth as he clenched his sword and charged forward.

"Clank!" "Clank!" "Clank!" The swords meet each other, clashing and rebounding by the similar strength and quickly swinging again.

The man's strength was higher, however, Allen was able to cope with it. The man had lost his dominant arm, and his moves were sluggish due to the blood loss and exhaustion, making every one of his attacks have the minimum power while all of Allen's movements were perfect without any fault at them. Moreover, Allen showed his control over Elemental energy, coating sharply his sword, while at the same coating the man's sword badly, lowering its sharpness.

"FUCK!" The man swung his sword, Allen jumping backward, avoiding it.

"This is the end!" Allen made his stance, preparing for a wide lateral swing.

"I'll kill you, monster!" The man with bloodshot eyes, lifted his sword, using his remaining strength, stepped forward, swinging his sword.

"CLEAVER!" "CLEAVER!" Both unleashed their wide swings, both sword meeting each other.

"Crrr!" The man's eyes went wide as Allen's sword sliced through his sword, cutting it in half while approaching him.

"Slash!" Allen's sword sliced over the man's stomach, opening it, blood and viscera falling from it.

"Shit!" The man shouted weakly, knowing that it was his end "Buag!" He vomited blood, feel over his kneed and stomped over the ground, a pool of blood forming under him.

"Paf!" Allen fell on the ground with his butt, gasping and extremely tired due to the previous adrenaline and combat. He held his sword strongly and made a big smile "This is my style."

"The Boss is dead" "The kid killed it!" "We are dead!" The bandits shouted in fear.

"KILL HIM!" One of them shouted, wielding a hammer and charging toward Allen, the others following him.

Seeing the bandits approaching, Allen remained calm as he saw a footstep forming over the snow "I suppose I have ended, can you take care of it?"

"Good work" Alina appeared in front of Allen. She was wearing her crimson suit, but without her mask on. Why? Because she was sure to not leave anyone alive to discern her identity "I'll take care of the rest." Alina said smiling at Allen.

"I'll leave it to you, Alina" Alina stepped forward, calmly walking towards the bandits that stop still.

"It's her!" They shouted, their fear paralyzing their bodies.

"Fight or try to run away. The end is the same" Alina said calmly "Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!" She took out her spear, this time with edge, and charged towards them "You will all die!"

Allen shockedly saw Alina's massacre, her fast speed and dancing-like movements that left no defense, ruthless and beautifully slashing her way.

'So strong!' Seeing her Allen's eyes shined 'I will reach this level one day. No!' Allen shook his head 'She is a merchant, so I'll need to go far, further away. I'll surpass her!'

"We have finished here." After less than a minute, the only thing left was a red pool tainting the white snow. Alina turned to Allen with a smile "Let's return."