Cybernetic Evolution System

The wind around me swirled and surged outwards.

The sight was a comparison of a candlestick burning close to a campfire.

Sensing the intensity of my aura, Jaran's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"Impossible! How has your aura improved so much!?!" He shouted.

I did not answer.

Jaran gritted his teeth harder in frustration as I ignored his question.

I could see his pearly white teeth, and had the urge to shatter them.

"Fine! You don't need to respond, I'll beat the answer out of you!" Jaran added.

He quickly recomposed his emotions and spread his legs apart.

"I don't need to use my clan's sacred art to defeat you. If you can withstand the power of my sword, you have won!"

Suddenly, a warm azure light emerged from the gem, enveloping he entire longsword with its glow.

I narrowed my eyes at the Dove Sealing Sword.

The sword has two core abilities: Firstly, every successful attack on an opponent reduces their mana, including those from aura-coated swords, by a small amount.

I heard rumours that unleashing multiple attacks simultaneously could even disrupt a sacred art, preventing it from being cast temporarily.

However, it was ineffective against a Magical Swordman who had awakened the Rank Two Trait - Mana edge.

This was one of the reasons Ivory had easily suppressed Jaran.

Secondly, it unleashes a mysterious seal that, upon contact, randomly seals a portion of the opponent's skills or spells temporarily for ten seconds.

Those were the only known abilities of the Dove Sealing Sword.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jaran had kept others a secret to prevent anyone from learning about how to defend against them.

I quickly made a plan in my head.

Step one: Prevent the blade from coming into direct contact.

Step two: Widen the gap between us after each attack.

That would grant me the opportunity to quickly recover even if I were struck by the seal.

I looked at my iron sword.

I summoned my metal attribute and reinforced the blade, enhancing its durability, so it wouldn't shatter against the Dove Sealing Sword.

Instantly, the blade was coated with a vibrant silver hue.

However, I was unsure about how long the durability would last, so I made another plan.

Step Three: Avoid frequent clashes to prevent the blade from falling apart.

That left me with few options.

I needed to strike first.

Mountain Snow Dragon Art!

Tiny snowflakes manifested around me.

A layer of frost emerged from the ground and spread around me at the centre.

"HAHAHA! You think that you can defeat me with that? I don't even need to use my clan's sacred art to defeat you!" Jaran roared with laughter.

He held his sword out in front of him, pointing it directly at me.

He gestured with his left hand. "Come," he taunted.

Without hesitation, I dashed forward.

Drifting Myriad Steps!

My footsteps were much rigid than Ivory's, like a rock bouncing from steep curves to another.

There were no mirages created by my movement.

That was because my understanding of the Mountain Snow Dragon Sacred Art was still at the beginner level.

Seasoned veterans had deliberately taught Ivory the Mountain Snow Dragon Sacred Art, so it was easier for her to stealthily advance passed the Beginner stage to the intermediate stage over time.

It was only recently, during the last term's exam rankings, that she had achieved this feat.

I wasn't sure if I could have achieved the same result if I had been given the same training and attention, because, in the end, talent was still essential in mastering a sacred art.

But I was sure that it would have made a difference.

Thanks to my improved physical abilities, I arrived before Jaran in an instant.

Jaran's face, which had broken into a wide grin, suddenly froze, twisting into horror and fear.

Avalanche Breaker!

This technique could unleash a powerful strike.

It was the same one that Ivory had used to enhance her ice attribute and attack with a destructive force that could freeze a wound open, preventing it from healing.

Because it was still at the beginner stage, mine lacked the destructive force.

A cold chill enveloped my blade as I slashed downward.

RIPP!!!

I tore open Jaran's upper right hand, ripping off a chunk of flesh.

Blood sprayed out, staining my blade.

"ARGGHHH!!" Jaran let out a visceral, gut-wrenching scream.

Due to technological and magical advancements of this world, there are many ways to heal injuries and recover to full health. Even at the point of death, as long as one has not died.

However, there were still severe restrictions in place.

It was one of the things I had first hated, after discovering that my torment at the Zahara Clan was never-ending.

Soon, I learnt to bear with it after realising that no matter how much my body collapsed from being trained to its limit, I could recover even stronger, and train again the next day.

And I learnt to love it when I realised that I could also inflict injuries without fear on others and they would be able to quickly recover.

Still, Jaran held onto his sword, refusing to let go.

I quickly noticed the light azure glow emitted from his left hand.

He cast a spell.

Instantly, the wind around him swirled and released a shockwave burst.

Boomm!!

I swiftly retreated with measured steps until I was out of the spell's range of attack.

This was one of the spells under Jaran's arsenal.

Gale burst!

An intermediate-level spell that unleashed a shockwave of wind in a 360 area burst, knocking enemies back and disrupting spells.

It had managed to buy him some time to recuperate.

Jaran gritted his teeth in pain as he looked at the injury on his right hand.

His aura fluctuated.

As the spell began to dissipate, I lunged forward using the Drifting Myriad Steps.

Swoossh!!

Jaran turned to me with bloodshot eyes filled with hatred. Atnoishement. Fear, but it was dwarfed by the intensity of his other emotions.

I arrived in front of him.

Our gazes locked. Mine was tranquil.

I thrust my blade forward, directly at his face.

Jaran reacted quickly, ducking his head to the side as he sidestepped.

That is it!

I smiled.

I tilted the blade to the side as though to follow his movements, then, before his astonished gaze, which grew more intense, I transferred the motion to the back of my leg, then slashed my blade from the side downwards.

Jaran attempted to raise his sword to block my attack -

The aura-coated blade's edge tore apart his combat attire, digging into his flesh and ripping it open from his shoulder down to the right side of his waist.

SCRISSHH!! RIPP!!!

"ARRRGGGHHH!!" The melody this time echoed much louder than the previous.

Fire Spark!

I stretched my left hand, placing it in front of his chest.

BOOOMM!! BANNGG!!

The crimson flames exploded into fireworks upon Jaran's chest, launching him backwards.

Jaran crashed and rolled on the stage several times before he came to a stop. This time, he didn't quickly get back up to his feet.

I turned to the Dove Sealing Sword that had dropped beside me.

I picked it up.

Sensing the uniqueness of a magic item, I sheathed my iron sword and channelled my mana into the Dove Sealing Sword.

Instantly, the elegant silver white longsword glowed with an azure glow.

I sensed the abilities of the blade, but I didn't activate them to see what they could do, as doing so would exert my mana.

Jaran's body finally moved as he raised his head.

"Get your hands off MY SWORD... ARGGHH!!" Blood spewed out from the lips before he could complete his sentence.

Without hesitation, I walked towards him.

"If you had taken the time to learn the move that I'd used to render you to this condition, which had been taught in class, rather than stir trouble, perhaps you might have escaped with lighter injuries," I spoke.

If Jaran had used both the Azure Skybind Gale Sacred Art and the Dove Sealing Sword simultaneously, perhaps he might have gained the upper hand. I would have put in more effort, or resort to activating Overlocked Mode, to bring him to this state.

He had been careless and arrogant.

That was why I had been able to secure my victory effortless.

Jaran fliched and struggled to get back up to his feet. However, he could only settle down on his knees.

He gazed was locked on the Dove Sealing Sword in my hand with clenched teeth.

I arrived before him, ensuring not to step on the blood stains on the ground.

The tiny snowflakes around me evaporated into thin air.

I suppressed my aura, drawing it back into my body.

"However, as your sparring partner, I'll ensure to the best of my abilities that this lesson is ingrained into you," I continued.

"Wh..." Jaran attempted to speak, but before he could, I swung the blade downwards.

.....

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