NOVEL NEXT Chapter 135: Shatterpoint
"You possibly can't expect to escape from these predicaments," Zero said, the original Zero, as the tank clone charged toward Lucian.
"Now, this is annoying. My power wasn't built for fighting multiple opponents at once. But I've finally reached S-rank and trained myself to one of the highest levels. I'll show you what I can do," Lucian said, bracing himself as the tank clone came closer.
As it neared him, he joined Iju's Phantom Fiend and used to Blade Storm Ascendance, combining their powers. His body blurred into an afterimage, spinning like a tornado. Every clone attacked him simultaneously. Even though their strikes weren't perfectly accurate, they came from all directions at once, and Lucian defended against them all.
The chaos allowed him to systematically take out the clones one by one. Spinning from side to side, he dodged and countered, gradually eliminating them. The crowd was stunned. Lucian had already defeated five clones, and even Zero didn't expect it to happen so quickly. He continued, defeating the remaining five almost immediately.
Zero, enraged, began running toward him, activating Momentum Amplification to increase his speed. As he approached, he slashed with Divine Overload, weakening Lucian's defense and stamina. Lucian dodged effortlessly.
"Do you think I've fought for the same answer twice?" Lucian said, smirking, ready for the next wave.
"Well, this was unexpected. We never expected Lucian to defeat that attack. This time, the clones weren't just shadows—they had actual bodies and minds of their own. But still, we didn't expect Zero to even attempt such an attack," the emissary said.
"Yeah, but I've never seen him use it before. It's amazing," someone in the crowd added.
"What do you expect? He has earned the title of Paladin Knight. And when he was given that title, he received a holy sword—not quite as powerful as the Hero's, but similar in essence," another spectator said.
"Wow. But that guy, Lucian, is the one I think is truly strong. Zero hasn't managed to corner him anymore. Attack after attack, look at how he shattered and pierced a hole in Zero's armor," one of the crowd members exclaimed.
"Zero's armor? Isn't that adamantium, one of the strongest metals in the world?" another shouted, astonished at Lucian's display.
In the arena, both of them kept staring at each other.
"So tell me, come at me. Come at me. Show me what you can do. You shall see it. You don't? Okay. I won't hold back. I was saving most of my attacks for the Phantom, but you've made me use it. You're pushing me to my limits," Zero said.
"Yes, same," Lucian replied. "I never expected to use Phantom Think, or my Bleed Storm Ascendance technique. Even Lament Slash—I've used it already. But don't worry, I'm not done yet. I have more, Zero. You shall see."
Then, he joined his hands together and removed several swords from his inventory box. They all flew into the air, forming a deadly formation. "Critical Precision. Exploit Weak Points. You shall see," Lucian said as he controlled the swords, sending them toward openings in Zero's armor—his stomach, joints, and visor slits. The blades sought any weak point they could exploit.
Zero slammed his sword to deflect them, but the swords kept returning. He quickly formed a shield, slamming it against the incoming blades. As the assault continued, Zero used Obliterator, removing the shield and wiping away the thin swords with a single touch of his sword. The swords seemed to melt away at his command.
"I'm doing this—Close-Ranged Combat 0-3-0," Zero said as they both ran toward Lucian. Lucian met him head-on, pulling a sword from his inventory.
The two clashed immediately, their swords slashing together in rapid succession. Zero remained cautious, constantly trying to maintain a safe distance while staying prepared to escape if Lucian attempted to freeze him.
What made Zero even more wary was the memory of the large scar Lucian had already left on his stomach—a direct strike through an opening in his armor. In all his years as a Knight, even as a Royal Knight and Paladin Knight, no one had ever executed an attack with such precision or strength. Using just a knife, Lucian had managed a move that seemed impossible to counter. Zero was still shocked by it.
Why? He recalled that strike, and in that moment, he saw Lucian as more than just a skilled opponent—he was facing a master of both strategy and execution.
What should I do? Should I end it now? Should I use my most powerful attack in close contact? Lucian thought as their blades kept clashing. Everyone already knows my skills… his speed keeps increasing. His sword… it's stronger than mine.
Zero's strikes rained down like a storm. With every impact, Lucian's swords began to shatter. But instantly, he pulled out another blade from his inventory box. He had thousands stored within—an endless arsenal at his command.
He's skilled… close range, precise… Zero thought, as his speed surged again, pressing Lucian further and further back. The clash of their swords sent shockwaves through the arena, each impact rattling the ground beneath them.
"I'll use that," Lucian muttered under his breath. Timing it perfectly, he dodged a series of rapid strikes. Then, in one swift motion, he crossed both swords together and slammed them into the side of Zero's chest plate.
The arena shook. A sharp crack echoed through the air as Zero's armor split open at the chest. That single strike carried such force that even Zero—Paladin Knight, wielder of divine power—was thrown backward. He crashed onto the ground, his stance broken, his body jarred by the shockwave.
Lucian didn't hesitate. Sword in hand, he lunged forward, aiming to finish the strike.
What's going on? Zero thought, his vision spinning. How did I lose balance? Every part of my armor… it cracked. It feels like I was struck by something beyond my strength, something powerful enough to tear through adamantium itself. But why… why didn't I see it coming?