When I stepped on the stage, Louis was staring at me with a focused look.
He stared at me as though he was studying me and trying to see through me. However, no matter how much he stared, he could not see anything beyond what I wanted him to see.
Finally, after almost one minute, he opened his mouth.
"How old are you? Twenty?"
"Close."
"Mm. I thought so. I never thought there would be such a talent like you in the empire. In fact, I did not think there was anyone in my generation that could compare to me."
I could not help but look at this young man with a speechless look.
Man, what arrogance.
I mean, certainly, he is talented. Not many people are able to attain the tenth layer in their lives; however, he did it before turning twenty-five.
Even so, he can at most be considered a genius. He is far from being called a monster.
Just like Raven who attained the ninth layer with just fifteen years of age, or Rose, a seventh-layer practitioner able to kill tenth-layer practitioners due to her talent as a hero.
There is also Alice, who though she usually doesn't show her cultivation, has already reached the eighth layer.
These people are the true monsters. And even then, they are just slightly above average on a universal scale.
They are nothing compared to some powerful irregulars that need less than one hundred years to become as strong as some of the most powerful immortals.
Unfortunately, virtually all those irregulars die quickly, unable to attain Immortality before their lifespan ends. But even then, their talents are worthy of envy.
Compared to them, Louis can at most to be considered a bit outstanding.
I chuckled softly and shook my head.
"Is that everything you want to say?"
Louis frowned when he saw my attitude. "It looks like you don't agree with my words, Clark."
"Let's just fight, okay? This is a loss of time."
"Fight, huh. Actually, I don't want to fight the current you. I don't find pleasure in bullying someone that can barely walk."
"Oh? Really?"
"You should just give up and make it easier for both of us."
I could not help but look at Louis with an expression of amusement.
I then looked towards the emperor. "Can we start already, your majesty?"
"Very well." The emperor nodded, ignoring the frown in Louis's face. "Are both of you ready?"
I nodded slightly and looked at Louis. Louis was staring at me fixedly as though wanting to see through my intentions.
"I'm ready as well, your majesty."
"Very well." The emperor nodded. "Both of you have shown you are outstanding talents of the empire, and no matter the result, I must say that I'm proud of both of you. However, only the winner can marry my daughter.
"Now, if you are ready, then start!"
"Good." Louis nodded. He then unsheathed his sword and walked towards me calmly. "I'll make it quick."
With a step, his body disappeared from his position.
His figure flickered all around the stage and appeared in front of me suddenly!
Then, his longsword cut through the air, aiming towards my neck.
Seeing that, I took a step aside calmly and extended my hand.
The next second–
*Clank!*
My fingers flicked the sword away, deflecting the attack easily.
Louis's eyes narrowed. A powerful feeling of danger assaulted him, forcing him to jump backward.
But when he looked at me, he realized I was still standing in the same position. As though his feeling of before was a lie.
"… What was that?"
"Surprised?" I chuckled softly and started to walk towards him.
Louis's face turned serious. Without hesitation, he released his powerful sword intent and focused it on me.
The sharp sword intent prickled my skin as though countless needles were assaulting me. At the same time, Louis's sword was swung towards me!
It was a normal downward sword slash, with nothing out of the ordinary on it. But when Louis executed it, it was as though all his sword intent was gathered on the edge of his sword to cut my body into two.
"Die!"
Louis did not hold back with this attack. It was so powerful that even the people in the stands could not help but take several steps back.
But–
"Useless," I said with a soft smile, flicking the sword aside once more.
"!!!"
Louis's expression turned to one of surprise. However, he recovered quickly, turning his downward slash into a horizontal slash that aimed to sever my body into two.
Still–
*Clank!*
Once more, his sword was repelled by my fingers.
And just like the times before this, I flicked the blade away as though it was just a toy.
"You…"
Louis looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. In fact, all the people watching the battle were looking at me in disbelief.
Even though some of them were not strong enough to see our movements clearly, they could at least see that I deflected Louis's attacks easily. So easily that it seemed like child's play.
It was completely different from the expected result. I was supposed to be suppressed by Louis, struggling at the edge of defeat until Louis deals the final blow.
But in place of that, I was dealing with Louis's attacks as though they were nothing.
"AAHHH!!!"
Louis bellowed. In an instant, his sword was filled with mana.
Then, countless sword shadows surged out from his sword, charging towards me in a storm of sword intent.
Moreover, Louis's sword was advancing towards me at the same time, cutting through the air with a buzzing sound.
Facing that attack, I waved my hand, creating a storm of mana that swept the sword shadows away. Then, my other hand was extended forward, grabbing Louis's sword easily.
"You… Impossible…! Your body..."
"Do you think I did not notice the poison?" I said with a sarcastic smile in a tone that everybody in the arena could hear. "You underestimate me if you think that I will fall for such an obvious trick."
"You… You were feigning the entire time…"
"Of course. Tell me, how it feels to lose when you thought everything was going according to your plans?" I said with a playful smile.
My words, however, were directed to the crown prince.
And although I could not see him, my enhances senses picked up how he gritted his teeth in rage.
At the same time, the people around the arena looked at each other confused.
"Poison?"
"What does that mean?"
"Louis tried to poison him?"
"How despicable?"
Even the emperor wrinkled his brows. However, he said nothing. After all, there was no proof.
He just decided to investigate it after the battle.
Louis' eyes opened up in a panic. Even though he was against using poison, it was a fact he was related to it.
He hurriedly pulled back his sword and tried to attack me again to stop me from talking.
However–
"It's useless."
I said, avoiding his sword with a gentle step and extending my right hand towards his chest.
*Bam!!!*
With a loud sound, Louis's body was sent flying away.
Blood flowed out of his mouth, and his mana turned messy. His body bounced on the ground several times before finally coming to a stop.
I then looked at the imperial family's booth and focused on Alan with a small smile.
'What are you going to do now?' that was what my eyes seemed to say.
Alan remained indifferent. He probably thought everything was still under his control.
But at that moment, powerful mana erupted from Louis's body.
Louis stood up from the ground and wiped away the blood on his lips. Then, he stared at me with a savage expression.
"I have not lost yet."
Immediately after that, his mana exploded with even more strength than before.
Astonishingly, his aura surged up to the twelfth layer!