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Chapter 85: Outclassed
The moment Zayn laid eyes on the young man accompanying Lady Isadora, he knew this was going to be a hassle.
The guy had that polished, slightly arrogant noble air about him — black hair perfectly combed back, glasses that gleamed whenever the light hit them, and a sword resting at his hip that probably cost more than most commoners made in a year.
Despite the aura of confidence he gave off, Zayn wasn’t too impressed. Sure, the guy had soul energy, but it wasn’t anywhere near his level.
If anything, it felt like the kind of strength that came from years of formal training rather than experience in actual life-or-death battles.
Isadora and Celestia had already settled down at the sidelines, their previous presence shrinking as they chattered excitedly, leaving the two men to square off.
Zayn shook hands with the noble, who introduced himself as Cedric Rosenthal.
Cedric gave him a once-over, his lips twitching in amusement. "Celestia’s... boyfriend?"
He made no effort to hide the doubt in his voice.
Zayn smirked. "Something like that."
The nobleman hummed and adjusted his glasses before stepping back. "I hope you can at least entertain me."
Zayn bit back a groan.
’Nobles.’
A few minutes later, they were both standing on a field in the backyard, surrounded by a small audience of maids who were already whispering among themselves.
Some of them were outright cheering for Zayn, which was odd considering he’d just arrived at the mansion.
It wasn’t that they knew him — they just wanted Cedric to lose.
Even before the duel started, Zayn was already winning in popularity points.
Cedric pulled out his weapon from his storage ring, and Zayn raised an eyebrow.
The sword was ridiculously long, almost as tall as its owner, and covered in runes that pulsed with magical energy.
It was the kind of sword that screamed overcompensation.
Meanwhile, Zayn glanced at the slim, refined noble sword that the maids had given him earlier.
It was a beautiful weapon, sure, but when faced against that monstrous slab of steel Cedric was wielding, it wouldn’t last more than a few clashes.
Well, that wasn’t a problem.
Zayn exhaled slowly and funneled a controlled amount of soul energy into his blade. Golden light ran across its surface, strengthening the weapon beyond what it was originally meant for.
The sword might have been a noble’s dress weapon before, but now it was something that could actually hold its own.
Cedric’s glasses gleamed as he saw the enhancement. "Oh? Soul energy reinforcement? Impressive."
Zayn gave a casual shrug. "You’re not the only one with tricks."
A butler stood between them, raising a white handkerchief. "The duel between Sir Cedric Rosenthal and Sir Zayn Renhald, representing Lady Celestia, will begin shortly. The first to yield or be incapacitated loses. No fatal attacks are permitted."
’They already forged a noble surname?’ Zayn had to admit, these people were sharp.
Zayn rolled his shoulders, getting into a loose stance.
Cedric, on the other hand, stood perfectly straight, looking like he was about to conduct a fencing lesson rather than an actual fight.
The butler dropped the handkerchief.
Cedric moved first, swinging his massive sword in a downward arc, the air itself splitting from the sheer force.
Zayn sidestepped easily, the wind pressure ruffling his noble outfit as the blade slammed into the ground, kicking up dirt.
The moment it landed, Cedric twisted his wrists and brought the sword up again in a fluid motion, aiming for a horizontal cut.
Zayn ducked under it, rolling to the side before lunging forward.
His sword flickered, aiming straight for Cedric’s ribs —
A barrier flared to life around Cedric, absorbing the impact.
Zayn clicked his tongue and immediately pulled back before Cedric could counter.
"Magic barriers," Zayn muttered, bouncing lightly on his feet. "Of course."
Cedric adjusted his glasses with one hand while resting the sword on his shoulder. "I can only use it a few times, so I suggest you don’t rely on getting through with basic attacks."
Zayn grinned. "Oh, I love a challenge."
This time, he moved first.
With a burst of soul energy, Zayn dashed forward, his enhanced speed making him a blur.
Cedric swung his massive sword again, but Zayn ducked under the blade at the last second, stepping into his opponent’s guard.
Before Cedric could react, Zayn slammed his palm against the noble’s chest and released a concentrated burst of soul energy.
The shockwave sent Cedric skidding backward, but to his credit, he didn’t fall. He twisted his body mid-slide, regaining his footing.
Cedric exhaled sharply. "Soul energy body reinforcement and burst techniques?"
He really didn’t know half of what the noble was talking about but still...
Zayn smirked. "I get around."
The maids watching cheered. Celestia was nearly bouncing in place, while Isadora remained composed, merely watching with interest.
Cedric narrowed his eyes, gripping his sword tighter.
He channeled energy into the runes, and suddenly, the massive blade became lighter.
Zayn’s smirk faltered slightly.
’That thing was already a pain to deal with. Now it was faster?’
Cedric disappeared from view for a second before reappearing right in front of Zayn, his enhanced blade slashing diagonally.
Zayn barely managed to parry, his reinforced noble sword straining against the pressure.
The impact sent him sliding back.
"Oh, now we’re talking," Zayn said, rolling his shoulders.
Cedric didn’t respond. Instead, he pressed forward, sending a flurry of rapid slashes toward Zayn, each one faster and more precise than the last.
Zayn weaved through them, dodging by the skin of his teeth while redirecting some of the strikes with minimal movements.
The noble sword he was using wouldn’t last forever. He needed to finish this quickly.
As Cedric swung again, Zayn caught the edge of the blade with his own sword and twisted, using Cedric’s momentum against him.
The sudden shift made Cedric stumble, his guard momentarily dropping.
Zayn capitalized on the opening.
With a burst of speed, he spun around and slammed the hilt of his sword into Cedric’s gut, the barrier made itself known once again but it shattered shortly after.
The noble let out a strangled breath as the impact forced him to stagger back.
Before he could recover, Zayn followed up with a kick to the chest, sending Cedric crashing onto the grass.
Silence.
Then, the maids erupted into cheers.
Cedric groaned, sitting up with a wince.
He looked at Zayn, then at his own sword, and let out a breath before shaking his head with a small chuckle. "I yield."
Zayn stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Good fight."
Celestia ran over and practically tackled Zayn with excitement. "That was amazing! I knew you would crush him!"
Zayn rubbed the back of his head, glancing at Cedric. "You alright?"
Cedric sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Yeah. You are as strong as she said."
Zayn blinked, looking at Celestia. "That was expected."
Celestia grinned sheepishly. "Ehehe..."
Zayn sighed.
Still, as he looked around at the cheering maids and the satisfied expression on Cedric’s face, he had to admit...
It was a fun fight.
