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The battle intensified, each move faster, sharper, and more destructive, a dance of light, fire, and sheer mastery that made the sky itself feel alive with energy.
Velsun's eyes narrowed, the golden light of incandescence flowing like liquid sun around him. Each shift of the weapon into sword, lance, whip, or bow form seemed to anticipate Reinhart's attacks before they were even fully formed. The grassland around them was reduced to scorched and flattened patches, shockwaves sending soil and debris flying in all directions.
"Good… not bad at all, Reinhart," Velsun muttered, his voice calm over the roar of energy. "But let's see how you handle this."
With a thought, Incandescence elongated into a spear, glowing with concentrated sunlight. Velsun dashed forward, faster than the eye could track, weaving around Reinhart's flurry of sword strikes. Each step left a trail of faint golden fire, the heat rippling through the air as if the very sunlight had descended to fight alongside him.
Reinhart met him mid-charge, swinging his god-grade sword in a horizontal arc, sparks scattering as metal collided with molten sunlight. The force sent them both skidding back, carving deep trenches into the grassland. But the next instant, Velsun twisted Incandescence, morphing it into a bow. Arrows of radiant energy formed almost faster than thought, each one streaking forward with pinpoint accuracy.
Reinhart leapt, slicing the projectiles with precise swings, yet a few slipped past the edges of his blade, leaving smoldering trails across his armor.
"You're fast…" Reinhart admitted, a slight grin tugging at his lips. "But don't think I'll fall behind."
With a flash, he vanished again, appearing behind Velsun in the blink of an eye. His sword came down in a strike meant to break through the radiant bow, only for Incandescence to twist midair, transforming into a shield that absorbed and reflected the blow. The shockwave sent Velsun sliding across the scorched field, golden sparks scattering from the contact.
Mimir's calm voice guided him in his mind: "Flow with it, lad. You are the sun incarnate. Let Incandescence react, adapt, and anticipate. Predict the unpredictable."
Velsun grinned, feeling the weapon's consciousness syncing perfectly with his own. The whip-like form lashed forward, striking Reinhart's sword and knocking him slightly off balance. Before Reinhart could recover, the weapon reshaped into a massive glaive, its tip radiating concentrated sunlight.
"Let's turn up the heat!" Velsun shouted.
He lunged, swinging the glaive in a wide arc that carried both blinding light and searing heat. Reinhart met it with a precise counter, but even he couldn't fully absorb the raw brilliance of the attack. Sparks, shards of light, and shockwaves exploded outward, the battlefield alive with the clash of god-class and genesis-grade power.
Veldora, Karlos, and Zalario watched from the sidelines, their eyes wide. "That's… insane!" Veldora muttered. "Every single strike could level mountains!"
Karlos could barely contain his excitement.
Zalario's expression was unreadable, his eyes completely focused on the battle. "Genesis-grade… and it moves like an extension of its master. Incredible."
Velsun's smirk returned, the hum of Incandescene vibrating through him. Every strike, every block, every morph of the weapon was fluid, instinctual, and unstoppable. He felt limitless—not because of raw strength alone, but because he and the weapon were one, sunlight and will intertwined.
"Incandescence, let's show them what the sun can do." Velsun muttered, eyes glinting
Velsun tightened his grip as Incandescence rippled and condensed back into a radiant sword, its golden edge burning like a fragment of the sun. He leaned forward, his grin sharp.
"Enough dancing around. Let's end this with steel."
In an instant, he launched forward. The ground shattered beneath his feet as he exploded across the field, the blazing light of his weapon leaving a streak in the air.
Reinhart's eyes gleamed. His god-class sword pulsed with divine radiance as he rushed to meet him, silver light flaring like a star's reflection.
And then—
CLASH!
Their blades collided at speeds too fast for mortal eyes to follow. Only radiant streaks of gold and silver shot across the field, carving lines through the sky like lightning bolts. The grassland shook violently with each strike, but to the watchers, it looked as though two beams of light were dueling, intersecting again and again in blinding flashes.
Veldora squinted, shielding his face with an arm. "Oi, oi, oi—! They are moving so fast!"
Karlos's grin widened, his eyes reflecting the brilliant flashes. "Yes…! That speed, that precision—this is the pinnacle of combat!"
Zalario's gaze narrowed, sharp and calculating. "Neither has shown their true limit yet. I am really surprised Velsun is so good with weaponry."
Back on the field, each clash rang like thunder, echoing across the plains. Sparks rained down like falling stars as Velsun and Reinhart's strikes blurred into an endless storm of gold and silver. Their movements were so fast that even afterimages couldn't keep up—only bursts of radiant energy marked where swords had just been.
Through the chaos, Velsun's grin never faded. Incandescence pulsed with his heartbeat, moving not as a weapon but as a part of him—every strike fluid, every parry instinctive. Reinhart met him with equal fire, his divine sword singing with joy at facing such a rival.
And so they clashed, two streaks of living light colliding over and over, turning the empty grassland into a battlefield where even the sky itself seemed to tremble.
Velsun's sword flared as their blades locked once more. He smirked, eyes glowing like the sun itself. Velsun: "Reinhart, I'm still not using my full power. Not even close. You'll have to do better if you want a real fight."
Reinhart gritted his teeth, then let out a small laugh. Reinhart: "Heh. Alright, my lord… Don't say I didn't warn you."
He took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening. A silver glow spread across his body as his voice rang out clear. Reinhart: "Ultimate Skill… Hope King Fortuna activates."
The air shifted instantly. A wave of light spread from Reinhart, wrapping the battlefield in a strange, almost unreal energy.
A system-like voice echoed faintly: Future Sight activated. Destiny Guidance—activated. Hope Aura is activated. Lucky Field—activated.
Veldora blinked, his jaw dropping. "H-Hey! What the hell is this?!"
Karlos leaned forward, his grin wider than ever. "So… he's finally serious."
Zalario narrowed his eyes, watching closely. "Tch… that skill bends chance itself. This won't be a normal fight anymore."
Back in the clash, Reinhart's sword shimmered as he spoke calmly.Reinhart: "As long as I don't lose hope… I can't lose this battle."
Velsun tilted his head, a wide grin spreading across his face. Velsun: "Ohhh… now that's interesting. Alright then, Reinhart. Show me."
They both stepped forward at the same time.
CLAAAANG!
Blinding streaks of gold and silver filled the air again, faster than before. But now… Reinhart's movements felt different. His blade slipped into openings that should've been impossible, and his dodges came a fraction of a second earlier than Velsun's strikes.
Velsun's eyes widened slightly. "Hoh… You saw that coming?"
Reinhart smirked, his sword sparking with silver light. Reinhart: "I told you. With hope on my side… even the impossible becomes possible."
The duel exploded into pure speed once again—two forces clashing so fast the sky itself seemed to crackle with their power.
Reinhart's aura flared brighter, his blade moving faster than ever. He stopped holding back—every strike now was sharp, clean, and relentless.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of steel filled the air as he went full offensive, each swing carrying both speed and precision.
Velsun narrowed his eyes, his sword shifting to meet every blow. His head tilted slightly, eyes darting left and right, following Reinhart's every move.
'Tch… he's reading me,' Velsun thought, his grip tightening. 'Every time I go to attack, he's already there waiting.'
Reinhart's strikes came from all angles, flowing one into the next like he'd already fought this battle before. Sparks shot out with every clash, the air trembling around them.
Velsun slid back a step, his eyes never leaving Reinhart's blade. 'Um… he's two steps ahead of me. Before I even make a move, he's already countering it.'
Reinhart's expression stayed calm and focused, but a small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. Reinhart: "You see it, don't you, my lord? Hope shows me the path. No matter how fast or strong you are… I'll always be one move ahead."
Velsun's smirk slowly returned, excitement flashing in his eyes despite the pressure. Velsun (thinking): 'Heh… this is starting to get fun.'