14 The Duel

After Michael accepted the duel, murmurs can be heard across the room. Everyone was discussing what the outcome of the battle would be or why did John Clithford challenge the Dacre heir to a duel. No public enmity was known, so people started to guess that John was probably jealous of Michael's talent and fame throughout the Kingdom, so he challenged him to show that he, too, was talented.

That is a good guess but still far off the actual truth.

After the acceptance, Aragon immediately informed the crowd that if they wanted to spectate the show, they had to move to the training grounds where the match would officially be held.

"Brother you didn't have to accept the duel," said the worried Liz to Michael.

"It's okay. Actually, father had already informed me that since the King would attend, someone might challenge me to a duel to win over his favor, so I already expected it," informed Michael, his sister about what had transpired before.

"Still, be careful. I heard he too was strong, around E rank maybe?" rhetorically asked Helen.

"Don't you have any faith in your brother?" asked Michael while pretending to be hurt by her words.

"No I don't," she said and immediately left while laughing.

"Tch, tch," he muttered while he was also laughing.

Finishing his conversation with his sister Michael went towards his father and followed him to the training grounds with John and all of the attendees, including the King, who didn't leave the party as soon as the challenge was heard.

'Let's see if my investment in you was worth it, Dacre,' thought the King while following Aragon to the training grounds.

Arriving at the training grounds, Aragon commanded the awakened with the earth affinity in his house to make seats for everyone who would watch the fight and an 'arena' for the match. When the preparations finished, and the spectators took their seats, he explained the rules of the fight to Michael and John.

"First, no lethal injuries are allowed. Second, If you don't want to continue the fight, you can surrender by tapping twice or saying it. And third, no external help is allowed, like potions. Am I understood?" said Aragon in a loud voice.

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Okay then, get in positions and fight."

As soon as Aragon said fight, John took his spear out, and Michael took his sword.

'I'm quite curious as to how I will fare with someone almost at the same rank as me,' thought Michael and immediately rushed ahead and swung his sword horizontally at John, which the latter parried with his spear.

"Ohh? You managed to block that?" asked Michael with a taunting tone while backing up, and he attacked again, mixing his swordplay with fists and kicks.

'Fuck, he's stronger than what dad told me. I should use the spear arts of the family now, or else I don't know how much longer I can stand,' even though John was being pushed back and some minor cuts could be spotted on his body he could still think calmly and judge the situation.

'Obliviate,' yelled in his mind John as he unleashed a lightning-amplified attack through his spear that was so fast that it made it seem as if it was invisible. That was the first movement of Clithford's spear art that when mana -which can only be used by lighting affinity users- was poured, it could amplify the attack several times over.

Michael immediately noticed the change in the atmosphere as well as all the spectators in the seats, especially the ones that were of higher rank. After he noticed it, he also used the third movement in his sword art, 'Integration,' and as soon as he used it, cold air permeated the room, setting the temperature at a freezing point.

The weapons collided, and a destructive 'BOOM' resounded at the training grounds. After the collision, the crackling sound of the lightning could be heard, and the cold became even more prominent due to the frozen ground.

The dust started to subside, and a figure could be spotted standing still, his back straight, if someone could see through the cloud of dust that was created, they could spot a man that was standing with an unwavering look in his eyes.

As the dust completely cleared, Michael was spotted standing, and in front of him was John, laying on the ground with a deep slash on his torso, and also his wound seemed to be frozen.

'He was this strong ha? I had to use almost all my power in my last attack. I guess I got a little too cocky seeing my stats,' thought Michael while watching John, who was unconscious on the ground.

'Even though you probably came with ulterior motives today, your prowess deserves my respect,' and that was the last thing that got through Michael's head as the cheering of the crowd started to resonate through the training grounds.

After that, Aragon announced his son as the winner of the duel and fed a healing potion to John to heal his wound that was frozen by Michael's attack which as a result also stopped his bleeding.

"You've done well, son. We'll talk later," Aragon said and left as he watched the King approaching Michael.

"Congratulation Michael. I knew you were the strongest in your generation," said Raphael, the King, with a friendly smile on his face while his hand was on Michael's shoulder.

"You truly did well, Michael!" both Jonathan and Helen at Michael with also a smile on their faces.

"I knew that John was at [E] rank. So I guess you are at [E+] or maybe higher?" inquired the king with a glint in his eyes.

"I broke through to [E+] rank four days ago. Maybe if I didn't, the outcome would be different," lied Michael as he still remembered the words of his father that the King probably had an ulterior motive today.

"You don't have to sell yourself short. You are the winner today," Helen chimed in.

"I'm just stating the facts, John was powerful," it was true since John was quite powerful, and with this lighting affinity, he could be a difficult opponent.

"Still, you did well."