Sleepy~
...
"Start!"
The headmistress's words resounded in the arena.
But Alan and I remained quiet.
Every student and teacher in the stands turned serious. Of all the fights until now, this was perhaps the most important.
I was facing my brother, the crown prince. It was the crown prince versus the fourth prince of the empire.
It was not a secret in the empire that our relationship was not good. On the contrary, many people suspected that the crown prince was related to the assassination I suffered a month ago.
Besides, I could be considered as the only person in the empire that could threaten the crown prince's throne. Although Bryan was the second prince, he was a famous good-for-nothing, and Dina and Lena were women.
I, on the other hand, was considered a genius. Although my speed of cultivation was considered a bit slower than Alan's, it was well-known that my battle prowess was one or two layers higher than my cultivation level, and my sword arts had reached the pinnacle.
Add the existence of a mysterious teacher to that, and nobody would believe me if I say I'm not interested in the throne.
Well, in truth, I'm not interested. Not in the slightest.
So, now that Alan and I were facing each other in a duel, many people were expectant to the result of the battle.
Looking at it in another way, if I win this fight perhaps some nobles would support me instead of my brother in exchange for some promises.
And even if I lose, I'm four years younger than Alan. Nobody will find anything wrong with it.
Alan also knew it. He knew he could not afford to lose this fight against me. Moreover, he must win easily and defeat Dina in the next fight. Only that way he could reaffirm his right to the throne.
That was the reason he resorted to threatening me just now. No matter what, he can't lose, he MUST not lose.
However, I don't like being threatened.
Seeing that Alan did not have the intention to make the first move, I decided to open my mouth.
"Brother, you probably don't know me too well. So let me tell you a bit about me."
My voice was very soft, but strangely, all the people around us could hear it clearly.
"I don't like being threatened."
When my words left my mouth, the entire arena was in an uproar.
Alan's face distorted. "Claus, what crap are you talking about!?"
"Do you think that just by threatening me I will concede this fight?" I continued calmly so all the people in the arena could hear. "I can't believe you have so little confidence in yourself that you have to resort to dirty tricks to guarantee your victory."
Alan paled. He could see the faces of surprise and understanding in the students and teachers. Some of them were even looking at him in disdain.
"Silence! Do you think your lies will be of use!? I don't need your cooperation if I want to defeat you!"
"Truly?" I smirked.
Then, I raised my sword.
All the mana in the surroundings rushed towards me. For an instant, my sword seemed like a black hole that sucked everything inside, even light.
The sight was beautiful and incredible. Even the people in the stands could feel the power inside my sword.
Although the mana I used was still in the fifth-layer, the power of this technique had surpassed the fifth layer completely. Even a seventh-layer technique could not cause such pressure.
All the people observing the fight gulped. Fear, dread, and admiration surged in their hearts.
To be honest, I don't like flashy moves, but I must use one this time.
"Then, Brother, let's decided this duel with one attack. Bah, I disdain using more than one attack to defeat someone like you. Come, brother, if you manage to endure this attack of mine, I will admit my defeat."
Alan paled.
He could feel the terrifying power behind this sword. For an instant, his heart was filled with despair.
He knew that regardless of anything he tried, he would lose.
Nevertheless, he was the crown prince. He could lose, but he refused to be a coward.
Hence, he took a deep breath and calmed down. He then circulated his mana to activate his defenses.
But then, he realized he could not move his body.
Alan was startled. He tried to move his hand, to circulate his mana, to take his weapon out, but nobody worked.
Finally, he looked at me.
Instantly, he realized it was my doing.
'How…?'
I keep my sword raised. Five seconds passed, but Alan was still unable to move.
But in the eyes of the students, he was too overwhelmed by my strength that he was too scared to move.
For an instant, many people wondered if it was alright for someone so cowardly to be the crown prince.
At that point, I decided to give him the final blow.
"… How useless, brother. I expected you to struggle even a little. But to think you can't even move. Such a coward. How can someone like you to be the crown prince?"
"N-No."
"Such a disappointment." I shook my head.
Not only I, but many of the people seeing this fight also showed their disappointment.
"Sigh… Such a letdown. Let's end this then." With those words, I swung my sword down.
*RUMBLE!!!*
The sword slashed, the world lost its light, and the arena shook.
Nobody was able to see anything. The light of my sword attack was so blinding that nobody was able to look directly at it.
However, simply the shockwaves impacting the surroundings and the clouds of dust rising to the skies spoke about the destructive power behind this attack.
When the clouds of dust finally settled, an astonishing sight appeared before everybody.
The entire stage had been destroyed, crushed into nothingness. Even the barrier protecting the spectators showed numerous cracks, it was still working only due to the headmistress strengthening it.
But in that scene of destruction, two places remained intact.
One was the area where I was standing.
And the other was everything one meter around Alan. There was not even the slightest scratch.
I sheathed my sword back and turned around.
"I admit defeat."
"Huh?" Even the headmistress was surprised. She looked at me as though I was crazy.
However, I just shrugged and spoke
"I don't want dirty my sword cutting someone like him." I then jumped down and left the arena.
Everybody was astounded. Just after being dumbfounded by my powerful attack, they were shocked once more by my words.
Alan paled. He tried to say something, but I didn't allow it.
He could only swallow the disdain and disappointment he was being showered with.
That was my only purpose today, to humiliate him.
To show him that he is a nobody.
...
P4TRE0N: patre-on.com/aidnovels