471 Lucas vs Zarathas Part 1
Lucas stood tall against the crimson bolts of blood that hurtled towards him at breakneck speed as he brandished his sword multiple times in the blink of an eye.
With each swing of his blade, he deftly deflected the deadly projectiles, his bloodshot eyes fixed firmly on Zarathas.
Lucas knew that he could not let his guard down for even a second, especially now that his entire private force was annihilated. The safety of Constantine county was at stake, prompting him to remain steadfast in the face of an overwhelming responsibility, one that would have caused even the most experienced warrior to tremble with nervousness.
Unlike others, he felt no fear or uncertainty. Instead, he was consumed by a fiery rage and an unrelenting desire to fight until his very last breath. The flames of determination burned within him vividly, urging him to defend his homeland with all his might. He was resolved to give everything he had to shield his people from harm, even his life.
A person who wasn’t afraid of death was the most troublesome. Zarathas detest people like Lucas.
Zarathas’s finger glowed in an eerie red, showcasing that he was preparing to launch another attack.
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With a burst of Sword Force, Lucas’s sword emitted powerful ripples that rippled outwards towards the oncoming blood beams.
As they made contact, the beams shattered into a dozen pieces, dissolving into nothingness.
Although he witnessed what happened, Zarathas was not deterred. He unleashed two beasts made of blood, each one more powerful than the last, both stepping on air and stalking Lucas like predators.
“Relying on your Sword Force, you can only fight one at a time! It’s game over for you,” Zarathas sneered, certain that he had the upper hand. “I don’t know why you are bothering to face me all alone. You’re clearly outmatched here.”
The Sword Force wielded by Lucas was limited to a linear trajectory, only capable of advancing forward in a singular direction. It was a formidable weapon but not impervious to vulnerabilities. Zarathas, in the brief moments of combat they shared, had astutely discerned its weakness and was now taking full advantage of it.
“You’re correct. With my sword, I can only defend against one at a time.” Lucas conceded as he observed the blood beasts encircling him like bolts of thunder. But then, despite the imminent threat of death, a grin spread across his lips as he proclaimed confidently, “But, what makes you think that I am solely reliant on my Sword Force?”
Zarathas was keenly observant of Lucas’s sudden shift in demeanor, causing him to immediately abandon his playful food manipulation and curl his fingers in anticipation. And as if the moment had been perfectly choreographed, the blood beasts sprung into action with lethal intent. One of them unsheathed its claws and lashed out at Lucas’s back while the other lunged forward, jaws agape, in an attempt to sink its teeth into his shoulder. The precision and coordination of their attack were truly deadly.
‘He won’t be able to dodge this!’ Zarathas thought, but he frowned the very next instant as Lucas called unleashed Defensive Force to create an impenetrable shield that deflected both the blood beasts in the same direction. He retaliated immediately, stabbing them dead with his sword force.
Zarathas was left utterly dumbfounded, barely able to believe what he had just witnessed. He had thought for certain that his familiars would have been able to overwhelm Lucas, but the boy had proved to be more skilled than he had anticipated.
Zarathas spoke in shock and disbelief, “A Defensive Force strong enough to overcome the destructiveness of Death Force… you had it all along. But why didn’t you use it before?”
Lucas, so far, had only used Sword Force, and it was clear that his skills with the sword were unmatched. After all, he was able to cut through Zarathas’s blood magic that was infused with Death Force. It was the same as saying that he had the skills to harm even Death. But now he was showing that he could also slap beings infused with Death Force away using only Defensive Force, something that was thought to be impossible for aura grandmasters. It was a testament to Lucas’s incredible mastery of Sword Force and Defensive Force, and it was also the reason why he survived while the rest of his private army died.
“Despite my people dying in front of my eyes, I didn’t go all out before because I needed to preserve my strength for when the stage was set,” Lucas replied, his voice full of hurt and self-blame.
“What stage? What are you talking about?” Zarathas asked, bewilderment vivid in his eyes.
“The very people you called useless had set this stage for us.” Lucas’s voice echoed through the forest. “They gave their lives willingly to give me a chance to prevent you from destroying our homes and killing our families!”
Zarathas looked at Lucas with a hint of surprise on his face, for a moment thinking he was in trouble. However, as he observed that nothing had changed, his expression quickly morphed into one of contempt.
“Look at you, still clinging to a lost cause,” He sneered at Lucas, his voice dripping with derision as he spoke, “You lost everything you held dear in a single day. Even your beloved died. It looks like the absurdity of the situation has made you become delusional.” Zarathas paused for a moment as if considering his words carefully. “But even if you go crazy,” he continued, his tone mocking, “nothing will change. Your comrades’ deaths were meaningless. And you, too, will die fighting for a lost cause.”
With that, Zarathas launched himself at Lucas with tremendous speed.
“The one dying today will be you!” Lucas said as he activated the ace up his sleeve, a powerful formation that his fallen comrades had sacrificed themselves to establish.