Stefan’s reaction was also lightning-fast. With a low shout, he twisted his waist and sank his shoulders. Before he could even pull back his flail, he pulled his left elbow in like a shield, slamming it against the sword blade while bolstered by a surge of life energy. Simultaneously, his right foot silently hooked a nearby overturned wooden chair and kicked it hard toward Matthew’s lower body!
“Bang!” “Crack!”
The dull thud of the elbow clashing with the sword and the sound of the wooden chair splintering exploded almost at the same time!
Matthew’s sword strike was obstructed. He tapped his foot lightly on the ground, dodging the flying wood splinters as he drifted back half a step. Stefan also felt a wave of numbness spread through his left arm, and the clothing on his elbow was scorched black. However, the savage light in his eyes grew even more intense—this young man was not only fast, but his shifts in technique were incredibly cunning and ruthless. His combat experience was far beyond what someone of his age should possess!
He couldn’t give him another chance to take the initiative!
With a thought, Stefan swung his flail backward with a roar, using the momentum to charge forward. The counterweight ball whistled through the air with a piercing screech. No longer was he just poking or blocking; he delivered a heavy, powerful horizontal sweep!
This strike covered a massive area, cutting off almost all of Matthew’s avenues for evasion and forcing him to take it head-on!
Matthew’s eyes narrowed, but instead of retreating, he advanced!
He actually took a step toward the whistling flail. At the exact moment the counterweight ball was about to hit him, he dropped low, sliding almost flush against the ground. His longsword shot upward like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, aiming a rapid thrust at Stefan’s right knee, which had been exposed by the wide swing!
This shift in technique was as dangerous as it was brilliant!
Stefan was alarmed. The momentum of his sweep was already spent, and he couldn’t pull it back immediately. He had no choice but to jerk his right leg up while smashing the flail downward, attempting to break the longsword.
“Screech—!”
The sword tip grazed the sole of Stefan’s raised boot, leaving a trail of blood droplets and the scent of scorched leather and flesh. Although it was only a minor wound, the piercing burning pain and chill sent a shiver through Stefan’s heart.
Meanwhile, his flail slammed heavily onto the floor with a thunderous boom, blasting a hole the size of a basin into the wooden planks and sending splinters flying everywhere.
The two separated once more, putting several paces of distance between them as they panted slightly.
In just a few breaths, the danger had surpassed everything that had come before!
Stefan glanced down at the scorched wound on his right boot, then quickly looked back up to lock his gaze onto Matthew. Fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.
This young man was not only powerful, but his combat intuition was terrifyingly sharp. He was always able to seize those fleeting gaps during the transitions between moves.
If they continued to fight like this, even with his seasoned experience and stronger physique, he likely wouldn’t be able to avoid showing a larger opening.
His eyes couldn’t help but flicker toward the floor beneath him... as if he could see directly through the wood to the laboratory below.
A trace of fear began to well up in his heart.
In the next instant, a long-dormant rage suddenly surged from the depths of his soul—a near-instinctive hatred for the noble class.
Who else could this young man be? To possess such strength at such an age, who could he be other than one of those noble scions who had been soaked in resources and secret techniques since childhood?
“Nobles... damn nobles!”
Bloodshot veins appeared in Stefan’s eyes. His original caution and calculations were replaced in this moment by a paranoid resolve. Today, he would personally cut down this so-called genius!
With a thought, he pulled a thumb-sized crystal vial from his robe.
The liquid inside was dark red, nearly black, and as it rippled slightly, it seemed as if something living was moving within.
Without a hint of hesitation, Stefan uncorked the vial and tilted his head back, draining it in one gulp.
“Gulp—”
The moment the potion hit his throat, Stefan’s aura exploded!
His muscles bulged, and veins writhed under his skin like earthworms. His original Silver Rank aura climbed rapidly, eventually emitting a suffocating sense of pressure—
It was a might that approached the half-step Gold Rank!
As Matthew felt the staggering pressure washing over him, his heart sank. This was absolutely not something an ordinary Silver Rank could possess!
Could it be... he’s already reached the Gold Rank?
His gaze swept over the remains of the vial in Stefan’s hand, his shock difficult to suppress. Did this “Blood-Burning Potion” truly have such a heaven-defying effect?
If the opponent had truly stepped into the Gold Rank, today’s situation was already a guaranteed defeat.
Between Silver and Gold, it appeared to be only a single rank’s difference, but it was actually a chasm between life levels and the essence of power—something that could not be bridged by skill or willpower alone.
“If that’s really the case... Aidan, I’m afraid I’ll have to wait until I’ve succeeded in the future to avenge you.”
At this thought, the urge to retreat quietly rose in his heart like a cold mist.
However, just as he focused his senses to perceive the situation, he noticed something strange.
While this aura was indeed terrifying, it was unstable. It fluctuated violently like a tide, lacking that profound and immovable sense of stability that characterized a true Gold Rank.
More importantly, Matthew did not feel that instinctive pressure brought about by a suppression of life levels.
It was like the natural trembling and fear born of the bloodline and soul that an ordinary person felt when facing a Class holder—Stefan’s aura was strong, but it did not give him that feeling.
“I see... He isn’t a true Gold Rank after all. But even if he’s only at the half-step Gold Rank, it’s still incredible. Fortunately, this aura is unstable.”
Matthew’s heart relaxed slightly, but his shock did not diminish.
At the same time.
What shocked him even more was that potion.
The moment Stefan drank it, Matthew’s sharp perception caught an extremely faint, yet unmistakable fluctuation:
Mana!
Since arriving in the county seat, this was the first time he had sensed a trace of true mana!
Amidst his shock, a spark of light flashed through his eyes.
In a split second, several plans flashed through Matthew’s mind like a storm: should he fight or retreat?
Could he win?
In the end, Matthew decided to fight!
First, the opponent’s half-step Gold Rank aura was unstable. While the potion had forcibly pushed Stefan to the threshold of the half-step Gold Rank, his aura was hollow and vibrating. Clearly, it could not last, and he lacked the unified control of a true Gold Rank. This meant that although Stefan’s current strength was great, he might not be able to utilize it fully, and there would surely be a massive flaw and a time limit.
Second, the value behind the potion was worth the risk. A potion that could allow someone to briefly touch the half-step Gold Rank and even contained true “mana” was something that far exceeded the scope of ordinary alchemical potions. It might even lead to major discoveries for Matthew’s path in magic; it was worth a try!
Third, Matthew had a life-saving tool—the Oath Ring! If he poured his deep Spirit into it, it would be enough to ensure his escape from this villa.
Returning to his senses, the powerful enemy was already upon him.
Feeling the pressure of Stefan approaching the half-step Gold Rank, Matthew’s expression became completely calm.
He knew he could no longer hold anything back.
...
...
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