Chapter 57: No Retreat

Brison galloped on his warhorse, glimpsing faint lights from the seaside through gaps in the dense forest. Just as he was about to make a final push to the shore, his horse suddenly neighed and stumbled forward. The unexpected fall threw Brison off the horse.

In mid-air, Brison realized he had fallen into a pitfall, a simple but effective trap to stop charging warhorses. These pits, just the size of a horse's hoof, could cause the horse to stumble and potentially break a leg if it stepped into one at high speed. Normally, horses would slow down and avoid such pitfalls, but the snow covering the ground had hidden them, leading to the fall.

With a thud, Brison hit the ground hard. Ignoring his own pain, he quickly checked his horse, relieved to find it only injured, not with broken bones. Standing up slowly, he approached a figure holding a sword.

Ethan watched in amazement as the figure advanced. The man was clad in a strange white heavy armor, covered in copper circuitry that glowed silver, giving the appearance of ancient design infused with futuristic technology. The sheer sight of this armor filled Ethan with a sense of oppression.

Due to this overwhelming presence, Ethan abandoned the idea of attacking while Brison was down. Instead, he activated his berserk mode but held back from attacking immediately, feeling that his current strength might not penetrate the armor.

As the berserk mode enveloped Ethan in a layer of red light, he planted his champion blade firmly before him and asked, "Brison Pierre?"

The approaching figure halted. After a moment, a heavy, angry voice responded, "How did you find out? What have you done to Robert?"

"He's fine," Ethan replied with a smile. "Just tied up. But he wouldn't say a word. So, I'm curious, what happened between the Pierre and Lawson families? Would you care to tell me?"

Brison laughed loudly, "You're a cunning opponent. I recognize the berserk mode of the ancient great bear. The longer you maintain it, the stronger you become. I didn't expect anyone from the Lawson family to master this skill again. Unfortunately, you've met me."

Drawing his knight's longsword, Brison continued, "You didn't attack me when I fell, nor did you initiate combat now. You're stalling for time. But do you think I'll give you that chance?"

Before Ethan could respond, Brison lunged forward, his sword aimed in a jump strike at Ethan. Ethan, his plan uncovered, could only parry the blow. Sparks flew as their swords clashed, and Ethan used the force to leap back. The strike had only been a test, and Ethan felt that Brison's strength wasn't as formidable as expected, yet his aura suggested otherwise, leaving Ethan conflicted.

Brison launched another attack, his sword slashing continuously without any defensive posture. Ethan was taken aback but had no time to ponder as he parried the incoming strikes. Despite blocking each blow, Ethan found Brison's swordsmanship amateurish. If not for his golden-tier power, any skilled swordsman could have bested him. This strange mix of strength and weakness made Ethan wary.

Meanwhile, Brison was equally shocked. His experience told him that most would break their swords or be cut down if they dared to parry his blows, yet Ethan blocked them all effortlessly.

"Ah, so you're at the golden tier," Brison remarked mid-swing, realizing Ethan's true power. Ethan didn't fully understand the comment but guessed that Brison relied heavily on his armor's defense. Feeling his strength build up, Ethan finally countered with a powerful strike aimed at Brison's weakest point—the arm joint.

A loud clang echoed as Ethan's sword struck the armor, reverberating like a bell. The impact numbed Ethan's arm and forced him back several steps. To his dismay, Brison's armor bore no scratch, and Brison quickly counterattacked.

Stabilizing himself, Ethan recognized the problem. Brison's impenetrable armor meant he could afford crude swordsmanship, relying on sheer defense. Ethan realized he needed to break through this "shell" to stand a chance. His failed strike and the subsequent loss of balance almost cost him dearly.

Despite their uneven skill, Brison understood his predicament. His enchanted armor, though incredibly durable, required constant mana to operate. If the battle dragged on, his mana would deplete, leading to his downfall. However, retreat was impossible without his warhorse to carry the heavy armor.

Both men, recognizing their respective disadvantages, pushed on. Ethan knew retreating meant risking Angelina's life. For a man, his own life mattered less than his family's safety. Thus, he parried each of Brison's strikes, hoping the knight's stamina would run out first.

After dozens of exchanges, Ethan noticed Brison's attacks weakening. The knight's speed and strength waned significantly. Realizing his chance, Ethan decided to bide his time. He abandoned his berserk mode to conserve energy, blocking each attack with growing ease.

Half an hour later, Ethan felt only warmed up, while Brison struggled to maintain his stance. To Ethan's surprise, his strategy of endurance had worked.

With a sly smile, Ethan prepared to finish the fight.