Chapter 3: The Veil of Time

Harrison struggled to keep up with the irregular movements of Captain Ryon. The enigmatic swordsman seemed to disappear and reappear without leaving a trace, consistently aiming for Harrison's blind spot. Despite his best efforts and predicting all his sword techniques, the relentless onslaught of last-second reactions was taking its toll. Harrison's movements grew sluggish, his fatigue becoming apparent.Undeterred by Harrison's struggles, Captain Ryon continued to taunt and gloat. "Is that all you've got, Wandering Priest? Honestly, I'm disappointed. I expected more from the legend himself!"He then disappears and appears somewhere else yet again in front of Harrison, "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. My power is the strongest, and one day, I will soar through the ranks until I become the STRONGEST SWORDSMAN THERE IS!"Slightly weary, Harrison responded, "That's quite the lofty goal you've set for yourself." He pondered silently, "I still have no idea what his ability does."Realizing he needed a plan to decipher Captain Ryon's elusive movements, Harrison decided to take a risk. He swiftly turned his wooden sword upside down and struck the ground directly beneath him, creating a massive dust cloud. Rubble scattered in the air, obscuring the battlefield. However, this maneuver left Harrison vulnerable to attack, providing Captain Ryon with the perfect opportunity to strike his blind spot. With a fierce slash, Captain Ryon landed a hit on Harrison's back, leaving a deep gash. Though not gravely injured, Harrison discovered something valuable from this exchange.Captain Ryon, growing overconfident, resumed his gloating. "You're on your last legs, priest. My next attack will sever your head. Prepare yourself." He smiles with pride as he sees Harrison's bloody back.Reflecting on the attack, Harrison thought to himself, "I couldn't completely avoid that strike, but I did gain a clue from that experiment. First, I confirmed that Captain Ryon's speed isn't the sole factor. The dust cloud surrounding me wasn't severely affected by any quick motion. That suggests he's moving at a relatively normal speed. So, how does he manage to appear behind me?" His gaze fell upon the rubble on the ground, and suddenly, enlightenment struck. "I've got it!"In the midst of Captain Ryon's arrogant banter, Harrison set his plan into motion. Placing his wooden sword on the ground, he sat in front of it, closing his eyes.Captain Ryon's amusement turns into frustration. "Stand up and fight me! Fight me until I kill you with my own hands!"Ignoring the provocation, Harrison remained motionless. Captain Ryon's frustration peaked, and at that moment, he launched his attack. Harrison extended both of his arms, moving them in a slow circular motion while whispering words under his breath, "New Moon."Captain Ryon, appearing behind Harrison's blind spot yet again, prepared to strike. However, to his astonishment, his sword swung through empty air. Harrison had vanished right before his eyes.Captain Ryon heard Harrison's voice resonate around him. "It seems you've been blinded by darkness." Looking down, he saw that Harrison had evaded his attack at the last possible moment. In a swift motion, Harrison seized his wooden sword. Before Captain Ryon could comprehend what was happening, Harrison unleashed a ferocious strike, bringing his wooden sword down upon Captain Ryon's collarbone with tremendous force, shouting, "Half Moon."The impact sent Captain Ryon crashing into the ground, creating a small crater upon impact.As the dust settles Captain Ryon laid in the crater unconscious and Harrison reflects on his plan. "You gave me quite the challenge, but once I understood how your ability worked, dealing with you became straightforward. Observing the debris on the ground, I noticed something peculiar. Just before your attack, all the debris was airborne, but the moment your strike began, the debris was already on the ground. This discrepancy didn't make sense unless time continued to flow for the debris, indicating that your ability affects your opponent's perception of time. It would explain how you managed to appear behind me in my blind spot without detection. Your ability is indeed dangerous, but it's not insurmountable. The technique I just used allowed me to enter into a state of Zen where my movements were completely based off of instinct regardless of whether or not my perception of time is compromised. Now, I just need to figure out its trigger."Harrison recollected the moment when he first faced Captain Ryon and how the enigmatic swordsman seemed to ask him a strange question. "All I remember is him being peculiar and asking some kind of question. Could it be...?"Approaching Captain Ryon's unconscious body, Harrison began slapping him repeatedly until he regained consciousness. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Captain Ryon exclaimed, noticing the priest before him.Harrison wasted no time and spoke before Captain Ryon could react. "Don't make any sudden moves. I know how your ability works."Captain Ryon's initial concern gave way to a smirk. "So what? My ability is still in effect. No matter what you do, you can never be safe." He started laughing maniacally.Harrison mirrored his adversary's smirk. "True, but yes I've chosen to face you with this wooden sword."Captain Ryon's laughter ceased abruptly, shock etched on his face. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, NOOOOOO! How did you figure it out?"Harrison maintained his confident smirk. "Honestly, it was just a hunch. By answering your previous question, your ability lost its effect on me. Your reaction confirms my suspicions."Harrison then prepares to walk away and heads towards Christian. While he is walking away he says his final words to Cpt. Ryon, "You possess a formidable trigger ability, but sadly you're too much of an idiot to utilize it properly."