Phaethon watched Phainon's imposing aura and eager stance, the last trace of helplessness in his heart transforming into blazing fighting spirit.
If he couldn't avoid it? Then... fight! His eyes turned sharp. He'd fight this arrogant brother of his! He'd fight this so-called 'Deliverer'!
"Phaethon, here I come!" Phainon grinned, revealing white teeth. The warning barely left his lips—
*Whoosh—!*
Phaethon only had time to take half a sharp breath. Commands flashed like lightning in his mind:
*[Agility Blessing]! [Strength Blessing]! [Precision Blessing]! [Spirit Blessing]! [Vigor Blessing]! [Endurance Blessing]! [Berserk Blessing]! [Tranquil Mind Blessing]! [Guardian Blessing]! [Life Blessing]!*
...Layer upon layer of buffing halos instantly flashed across his body before vanishing, forcibly elevating his physical functions to their limit!
*CLANG——!!!*
A deafening, soul-rending crash of metal erupted on the arena!
"So fast!" Phaethon's pupils constricted violently, internal alarms blaring! Nearly a hundred meters covered in less than half a second? What kind of monster was he?!
That golden figure seemed to tear through space!
The nearly hundred-meter distance seemed to shrink beneath his feet. Before the afterimage of his charge had even dissipated, the longsword blazing with golden aura was already cleaving down towards him with mountain-splitting, rock-crushing force!
It was pure instinct! At the critical moment, Phaethon angled his own sword in an extremely tricky, upward slant, just barely managing to parry this thunderous strike!
*BOOM!*
An overwhelming, immense force surged through the blade into his arms! Phaethon felt his arms shudder violently, his mouth going numb. The hard stone tiles of the are a beneath his feet instantly cracked into a spiderweb pattern!
He had no time to dissipate the force. He could only use the impact, his body thrown backward as if hit by a sledgehammer, skidding violently across the ground!
"Tch!" The fighting spirit in Phainon's eyes burned brighter. How could he let go of this perfect chance to press the advantage?
"Too slow, brother!" He barked, his foot stamping hard on the ground, leaving a depression in the solid surface! The golden figure closed the distance like a persistent shadow!
The second strike, even heavier and more forceful than the first, tore through the air with a shriek, descending upon Phaethon before he could steady himself!
*CLANG——!!!*
Another earth-shaking crash! Sparks flew everywhere!
Phaethon blocked again, but this time, he felt his very blood and energy churn!
He could no longer keep his footing. The immense force sent him flying back, only stopping just short of the arena's edge.
"Cough..." A few drops of crimson blood dripped from Phaethon's mouth. But as soon as he felt the slightest discomfort, the healing spells constantly active on him finished their work.
He looked down at the longsword in his hand. Two glaring notches, one shallow, one deep, now marred the blade! Damn it! Can't clash head-on like that anymore, and his sword is far superior to mine!
"Phaethon! Is that all you've got?!" Phainon immediately prepared to pursue, stopping in the center of the arena, his sword pointing diagonally at the ground. The aura of the Golden Descendant rose around him like burning flames, his voice carrying a hint of dissatisfaction and stronger provocation.
"Can you get serious?! Don't make me look down on you!"
Truly... terrifying... Phaethon's heart chilled.
Even with all these blessings and the support of his 'File Folder,' his physical attributes absolutely crushed those of an ordinary Golden Descendant, though he was still far from the threshold of a Demigod... And yet, in those two direct clashes, he was completely outmatched?!
He looked at Phainon, standing opposite him like a war god descended. No wonder he was the 'Perfect Golden Descendant' of prophecy... To grow into such a monster in less than a year...
Phaethon tightened his grip on the sword hilt, his eyes turning razor-sharp. It seems... it's time to get serious!
"Phaethon! Stop spacing out! If you don't come—" Phainon was already charging again. He wouldn't hold back.
"EX——!!!" As Phainon closed in once more, Phaethon let out a low roar—not a True Name release, but a low-power activation!
The longsword in his hand, channeled through the Radiance Oath, suddenly erupted with an intensely blinding, sun-like halo of light!
Pure light energy coiled around the blade, emitting a high-frequency hum!
The notches on the sword seemed temporarily obscured by the radiance. The entire blade exuded a heart-palpitating sense of sharpness and solidity!
Unleash its full power? The arena would probably turn to rubble! Can't afford the compensation! But using it to reinforce and boost output is perfect!
"WAAAH—! My eyes!!"
"It's so bright! Did the sun fall down?!"
"My god! My titanium alloy dog eyes—!"
The stands instantly erupted into wails and howls. Front-row spectators, caught off guard, were flashed into tearful blindness, covering their eyes and screaming.
Even the distant audience had their vision bleached white by the sudden intense light.
Phainon, who had just closed in on Phaethon, bore the brunt of it! All he could see was a vast whiteness!
But his combat instincts made him subconsciously channel his golden aura into his sword, holding it horizontally in front of him in a guard.
*CLANG——!!*
Phainon's feet pushed off violently, retreating rapidly without hesitation!
Only after retreating several dozen meters did his vision recovered. Phainon blinked his sore eyes hard, staring at Phaethon, who was still shrouded in a soft yet painfully bright halo. He couldn't help but curse:
"Phaethon! Looks like you picked up some dirty tricks in Janusopolis! That damn sword of yours nearly blinded me permanently!"
"Dirty tricks?" Phaethon's voice came through the halo, tinged with smug laughter. "Phainon, I have... plenty of 'dirty tricks' up my sleeve!" Before the words faded...
*Skill Library! Multi select! Select All! carpet bombing!*
*Composite - High-Level Spellcasting! Activate!*
*Cleansing Flame!* Pure white flames surged forward in a wide arc, incinerating all impurity!
*Searing Barrage!* Dozens of basketball-sized fireballs wreathed in tails of flame followed closely, screaming towards Phainon's potential evasion paths!
*Incinerate!* Several pillars of dark red, destructive fire erupted from the ground!
*Tempering Embers!* The fire permeating the air was forcibly compressed and condensed into countless tiny, steel-piercing needles of flame!
*Light Degradation!* Gentle yet highly corrosive holy light spread out, attempting to break down the defensive aura around Phainon's body!
*Matter Separation!* An invisible force field enveloped him, trying to forcibly strip the elements composing Phainon's armor, even his body!
*Arcane Suppression!* Powerful undulations surged towards Phainon like tidal waves, attempting to disrupt his movements!
...
In an instant, nearly half the arena transformed into a spellcasting hell! Fire, holy light, and arcane energies intertwined, exploded, and eroded wildly! The dazzling light and violent energy fluctuations made the entire arena tremble!
Phainon: Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ﾉﾉ !!! What the hell?! Is he spamming attacks so freely?!