Chapter 91: Adrian Vs Karl (2)

Chapter 91: Adrian Vs Karl (2)Karl approached with his spear at incredible speed, but Adrian was a step ahead, his body already shifting into the defensive stance of the Phantom Flow Technique.

As the spear thrust neared, Adrian evaded sharply, sidestepping by a hair’s breadth and in the same fluid motion, he snapped his hand up, aiming a swift strike at Karl’s grip on the spear.

Karl, ever the skilled fighter, anticipated the counter. Unable to halt his forward momentum, he retracted his spear just enough to meet Adrian’s palm with a defensive strike of his own.

~CLANG!~

He expected to deflect the blow easily with his spear, but the impact sent a jolt through his arm, the force vibrating up the spear’s shaft and into his body.

The strength difference was so vast that it threatened to throw off his balance.

Karl’s eyes widened and his grin stretched further as he channeled the force, sliding back across the sand to regain control.

For the first time, he felt Adrian’s strength firsthand, and it thrilled him.

Adrian didn’t give him time to recover. Though he was not an experienced fighter, his 2-Star Knight physique gave him speed and power far beyond Karl’s 1-Star rank.

He also had enough fundamental skills to convert that into a fair fight.

Noticing Karl’s slide had brought him closer to the circle’s boundary, Adrian seized the opportunity. One of the duel’s goals was to force the opponent out, and he aimed to capitalize on it.



He charged, sand kicking up under his feet as he angled a punch towards Karl’s chest.

Karl reacted instantly, raising his spear horizontally to deflect the blow.

~CLANG!~

The impact rang out like before once again, and the shaft trembled. But this time, Karl was more prepared, so he held firm.

Adrian’s hand darted toward the spear’s shaft, aiming to wrench it free, but Karl’s skill shone through.

With deft twists of his wrist, he spun the spear in rapid, timed arcs that left its motion a blur.

Adrian struggled to match the rhythm, his fingers brushing the shaft but failing to secure a grip as Karl kept the weapon dancing just out of reach.

Karl’s eyes gleamed, spotting an opening. He let Adrian’s hand close dangerously near the shaft, teasing a solid grip.

At the last moment, he harnessed the spear’s spin, adding his own momentum, and leaped. His body arced over Adrian in a flash and he landed lightly behind him.

The move was lightning-fast, and now Adrian stood perilously close to the circle’s edge. Their roles were reversed.

The crowd of knights gasped as they were impressed by Karl’s acrobatics.

But Adrian didn’t flinch. His focus was razor-sharp, ignoring the crowd’s reactions as he pivoted on his heel, sand crunching underfoot.

He knew that Karl’s leap would leave him momentarily unbalanced when he landed, and so he had to seize that moment.

If there was one part of the Phantom Flow Technique he had fully mastered, it was rotating his body and he made use of that. His body flew like water as he quickly spun to face Karl.

Karl, meanwhile, had landed immediately, and he knew the golden opportunity he had. He didn’t bother readjusting his stance.

He twisted his spear as quickly as he could, before aiming a swift jab with its blunt part to Adrian’s back.

’Got you!’ he thought with a grin fierce, believing the duel was his. But Adrian predicted his move.

~CRACK!~

Adrian’s hand shot up and fingers clamped around the spear’s shaft just as it neared his spine.

The metal vibrated under his grip and Adrian knew he couldn’t had caught it better.

Karl’s grin faltered and his eyes widened in shock, meanwhile Adrian’s expression remained cold.

With a sharp yank, he pulled the spear toward him, dragging Karl forward. The 1-Star Knight stumbled as his balance was thrown off, and Adrian capitalized without hesitation.

~THUD!~



Adrian’s foot lashed out, delivering a powerful kick that slammed into Karl’s chest.

The impact echoed across the yard as Karl coughed sharply and blood rose to his lips.

The spear were now free from his grasp, clattering to the sand as he staggered back and collapsing on the floor.

Adrian stepped forward slowly and snatched the spear from the ground. He loomed over Karl, the blunt end of the weapon pointed at his friend’s neck.

"You’ve lost."

The training yard was still and the knights were frozen in shock.

Joshua finally blinked, shaking himself from his daze and running towards their spot.

"T-t- the winner is... Adrian!"

No cheers followed. The crowd stood in stunned disbelief as they struggled to process how swiftly the tide had turned.

Karl’s skill had dominated the duel, his spearwork a dazzling display of precision and agility.

Yet Adrian’s raw power and uncanny timing had flipped the fight in an instant.

No one had expected him to pivot so quickly, let alone predict Karl’s strike and position his hand to seize the spear with such unyielding grip.

The boy who rarely trained in the yard had outmaneuvered their best spearman.

Adrian ignored the silence as his focus was on Karl, who lied in the sand, clutching his chest.

Blood stained his lips, but his grin, though shaky, remained.

Adrian extended a hand to him, and it took some moments before Karl accepted it, letting his friend pull him to his feet.

"Let’s get you to the infirmary,"

Adrian said with a tone devoid of gloating. He slung Karl’s arm over his shoulder, supporting his weight as they moved toward the yard’s edge.

The knights parted, their murmurs resuming as they watched the pair leave.

As they walked, Karl’s spirit remained unbroken despite his condition.

"Bro, I can’t believe I lost," he rasped in disbelief and amusement.

"It was that kick. I was careless back there. If I’d gotten my stance right, I wouldn’t have given you that chance..."

Adrian glanced at him with a flat expression. "Focus on state. You’re talking too much."



Karl let out a weak chuckle, wincing as it jostled his chest.

"Bro, seriously, you’re stronger than I thought. Like, way stronger. You’ve earned my respect, man. But don’t get comfy... we’re having a rematch next time, and I’m not holding back."

Adrian sighed, realizing Karl’s chatter wasn’t slowing down. He tuned him out, focusing on the path to the infirmary.

Karl kept mumbling about the duel, replaying moments where he could’ve turned the tide, but Adrian’s mind was elsewhere, analyzing his own performance which had done well to impress him.

At the infirmary, a healer greeted them, her eyes scanning Karl’s condition.


She guided him to a bed, her hands glowing with soft mana as she chanted and began working.

"Minor bruising and a slight rib strain," she said with a calm voice. "It’s nothing serious."

Within minutes, her magic knit Karl’s injuries, the blood on his lips fading as color returned to his face. "Rest for the day, and you’ll be fine," she added.

Adrian nodded in agreement, but Karl was already sitting up, his grin returning. "Thanks, doc!"

***

As they entered their dorm room, Karl nudged Adrian.

"You know what, bro? I feel way better now. We should go again. I promise I’ll beat you this time."