Chapter 10

In a hill where a castle stood, several clashes resounded in the place where the throne hall was located.

Moonlight seeps through the gap of every window glass behind the throne as it revealed two silhouettes, fighting with swords in their hands.

shisshh!

The tip of the blade of the figure with a mask narrowly peels the face of its enemy. It was a precise blow and yet the other person still dodge it in either desperation or instinct.

Whatever it be, the said person didn't have free time to discuss as he gripped his swords tightly.

Frontal Speed!

In that instant the sword in his hands suddenly moves, becoming a series of streaks slicing to the masked man. Consecutive damage was delivered however there's no blood coming from his enemy.

He was not surprised by this as he continuously move his sword. His skill, [Frontal Speed] has now leveled up to 2 after gaining 5 SP as he reached level 5 so the duration increased into two seconds. However, still in the next moment, his sword was blocked—again.

This medium play was running for whole two minutes now and the person, Caleb only hold his ground in the fight because of his fast reflexes.

He continued to make precise counterattacks but it will stop midway because his enemy was a skilled swordsman as well. Making a combo in this kind of opponent was too hard to perform. However, he was still calm and continuously moved collectively to precisely predict what's the next move of his enemy.

Another minute had passed and he can't land a proper attack on his enemy. He swing his [Bleed] sword vertically with his skill [Moon Slice] activated and the bluish energy waved through towards Zaine.

His enemy easily sidestepped to the other side to evade the slice but it become an opportunity for him as he also follow up a thrust to its left shoulder.

He already knows that with the current level of his [Moon Slice], the speed of it was not enough to catch his enemy so after he swing his sword, he only focused intently to predict where his enemy would dodge and decide to strike at it.

Reading fast movements was too much for a low-level Swordman but Caleb was just level 5 in the name. His experience and knowledge he bares right now were passed through hundreds.

He follow up a [Slash] but it was then deflected by the sword of his enemy. Because of this, he decided to retreat while also Zaine, for the first time, stopped attacking and retreated for a few meters. His enemy nonchalantly throw its sword to the side of the hall like it was just trash and started talking.

"A strong opponent! For so many years I've grown bored to this place, but now you bring me a sword that's worthy of my beloved. Such a shame, you'll be soon killed." Zaine exclaimed but paused midway as stretched out his both hands.

"Come, Samira!" His deep voice resounded in the throne and the next moment, a wild array of black mist around the area was moving towards his hands. It gently swirled until it slowly vanish and a sword with a luster of black was left.

Zaine gripped the sword slowly and gently, caressing it like his true treasure.

"You've finally gotten serious huh," muttered Caleb as he also equipped his second sword, [Bleak] in his left hand.

"Come." After he said this, a slight whirl of wind was made and his opponent was in his front already raising its sword.

clangg!

A resonant sound echoes in the hall as Caleb crossed his sword to block it. It was a tough blow that can blow a player away!

He gritted his teeth as he forcefully deflect the sword upward. At that moment, he activated the skill [Frontal Speed] and made multiple slashes horizontally using his two swords to the torso of his enemy.

Finally, he slashes diagonally from both sides forming a cross slash, inflicting critical hit with his combo damage and the other passive skill [Swift Blade].

He inflicted almost 300 damage with his single counterattack. Though it was not the desired result considering his physical attack was almost 50 and in his hands were currently two Uncommon swords, the high defense of Zaine cannot simply be ignored.

His usual damage since the beginning was 15-25 damages. This was quite small considering his enemy has a whole 900 HP!

In his last strike, it was blocked by Zaine probably because his attack speed was already back to normal. A cooldown of 30 seconds is shown in his skill [Frontal Speed] so from now on he can only endure his low damage output.

His enemy struck its sword again attacking his torso. He moved accordingly to deflect it but soon realized his mistake as the black blade was just an afterimage while the real blade was already slashed in his right shoulder.

A large number of -142 floated in his head!

The single strike from this Crown monster was terrific that 80% of his life was already cleaved.

He retreated hastily to get some distance but Zaine continue to pursue him. Its black sword gleamed as the light of the moon reflected in it as it moved over to him targeting his neck.

Caleb raised both swords in his right and barely blocked the strike but with the power of the blow, it have a high chance of knockback effect as he was forced to one of the pillars in the hall.

He checked his life and there have only 13 points left in his full 175 HP. Receiving another strike was not a good choice for him.

A sword then was swishing audibly to the air coming from Zaine clearly saying he had not done yet. Caleb, though low health he was still able to decide calmly and quickly roll to his left side to evade the attack.

thumpp!

The black sword smashed through the stone pillar and several pieces of it flies around the hall as Caleb take this opportunity to deliver a [Moon Slice].

Checking again the life of Zaine, he saw it have only 360 HP remaining. One more combo and it'll be the end.

But Caleb has patience in his every move. He didn't hastily rush forward like a fool blind by false hope. He knows that Zaine was in full assault now. In fact, that was his skill when he was using the sword that have the name of his beloved.

A player affected by his curse was not worthy of this sword. He will only use a common sword like the sword he threw a while ago.

If Zaine will use [Samira], his speed and power will increase gaining him an advantage in the sword fight. The sword also consumes his mana generating harder blows.

However, despite this fact, Caleb remained calm and continued to analyze his enemy. There will be no benefit for him if he'll panic this time. He then takes an HP potion to recover his life while simultaneously retreating from Zaine.

Using the pillars in the hall, he will buy time for his skills to cool down and find a chance to counterattack.

kinnnnnn!

Zaine's blade slid down to another sword's blade and created a dry sound. Caleb barely guards the strike coming from his enemy.

But the Crown Monster didn't stop his movement as he made another swing of his black sword towards Caleb.

Another sword with a tint color of red moved to deflect the next slash. Caleb instinctively moves it, probably because of his instinct that was honed for so many battles in the past, he can make that move.

Zaine's attack was polished but his enemy also had a tenacious attitude attached to its body. It never panics even having a sliver of life.

Caleb didn't waste any time and activated his [Frontal Speed] to counterattack. He began to deliver consecutive slashes in any direction, inflicting combo and critical hits.

When his enemy's life was almost zero, he swiftly delivered a slash to eagerly end its life but in the next second, a dull sound was made.

Caleb hastily shifted his eyes to his sword and saw a black blade was blocking it from advancing. He can't believe it. Zaine was able to guard his strike when he was still in the middle of using his full 200% attack speed!

Zaine, however, wasn't concerned to Caleb's surprise and quickly deflected the sword as he carry a powerful thrust to Caleb's chest.

His black sword penetrated to Caleb's body until the tip of it come out to the back.

However, at that moment, his enemy's body burst into a black shadow and began to swirl in his front.

After a while, Zaine's body was stabbed by the two swords from his back. One was black and the other was red.

He kneeled to the ground because of it, but one can see there was no blood gushing from his body. His masked started to break and also fall to the ground by piece.

Revealed from the mask was an undead face. Indeed, Zaine was already dead but his will and regrets continue to live in his dead body.

Caleb at the same time just stared at his enemy. He already sheathed his both swords, a way to declare the end of this battle.

He survived the last attack of Zaine because of the skill [Night Veiled]. He never thought it will save him at that time and he was thinking if he never obtained it in the first place, he will surely fail by now.

"I see... You are not afraid of death...In the end, you are just like me."

In his last words, Zaine finally burst into light vanishing from his sight.

[System: Swordsman Zaine was killed. Obtained 1200 EXP!]

[System: Congratulations! You cleared the Rift of the Cursed Swordsman.]