HBWnovel Chapter 337 Estimating strength
Chapter 337 Estimating strength
The arena announcer, sensing the electric tension in the air, hastily waved his hand. "And BEGIN!" he yelled, his voice cracking slightly under the pressure.
Prince Alexander, emboldened by a misplaced confidence, lunged forward. "I may not be as strong as you seem," he said, his voice wavering despite his bravado. "Lyra did tell me she defeated you in a single move, and I'll admit, you must be strong. But give up any hope of besting me so easily!"
Before the prince could finish his boastful statment, Akun inhaled sharply. His calm expression changed into a mask of focused intensity. In a blink, he was no longer standing still. Akun launched himself forward with such blinding speed that the air itself seemed to ripple in his wake.
King Nevi, felt a jolt of fear course through him. He could sense the raw power Akun intended to unleash in that single swing of his katana. A primal urge to protect his son surged through him. He opened his mouth to shout a warning, but the words died in his throat. As a massive gust of wind created by Akun's sheer motion caused everyone to instinctively shield their eyes. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire
The entire scene unfolded in a blur. Akun's blade, a streak of black silver against the backdrop of the arena, met the prince's sword with a deafening clang. The force of the impact echoed through the stands, sending shivers down the spines of the spectators.
But it wasn't a fair contest. The prince's weapon, a well-crafted but standard-issue blade, was no match for Akun's black silver katana. The impact shattered the prince's sword into a thousand gleaming shards that rained down onto the arena floor.@@@@
The king, momentarily stunned by the sheer speed and power of the attack, found himself a mixture of relief and awe. Relief that Akun had stopped short of harming his son, and awe at the display of unparalleled skill. Akun, his blade still positioned menacingly close to the prince's throat, spoke in a voice that resonated with quiet authority. "The victor is clear," he stated simply.
"This charade is over."
The arena erupted into a cacophony of cheers and gasps. The abrupt conclusion of the duel left the audience momentarily stunned. Then, the announcer, recovering his voice, sputtered into the microphone, "A-And the winner... by way of disarming his opponent... is the challenger, Master Akun!"
Akun lowered his katana, his expression unreadable. He raised a hand towards the stands, silencing the growing din. "I believe that concludes my participation in this tournament," he declared, his voice a steady echo that carried across the arena. "If there is another opponent who wishes to challenge me, please step forward."
Undoubtedly, Nevi was already formulating plans, assessing Akun's strength and the possibility of subjugation. But the king needed a harsh lesson – the idea of subduing a dragon was laughably naive, not even mentioning one that was a demigod.
As these thoughts swirled within him, the prince, red-faced and undoubtedly shaken, shuffled back to the VIP section, seeking solace beside Lyra. "Thank goodness I'm not... dead," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
Lyra, scoffed. "You were more of a statue than a fighter, Alexander," she chimed. "Honestly, I expected you to do better than me, but you juts froze on the spot. You didn't even attempt a counter. Akun just... zipped past and reduced your sword to scrap metal."
The prince winced, his embarrassment deepening. "You don't have to rub it in, Lyra," he mumbled.
Lyra sighed. "Calm down," she said, a hint of sympathy softening her voice. "At least you weren't flung across the arena like a ragdoll when that... gust of wind hit. Unlike what happened to me."
..
Akun addressed the knight captain, his voice a low rumble that carried an undercurrent of authority. "State your name," he commanded.
Sir Cedric, despite the clear disparity in power, met Akun's gaze with unwavering defiance. "Surely, with your superior capabilities," he retorted, a hint of sarcasm lacing his voice, "you already know who I am."
Akun's expression remained unreadable, though a faint purple glow emanated from his eyes. "I prefer introductions," he stated, his voice even lower. "Would that be a problem, Knight Captain?"
In his thoughts Akun mused, "It's unfortunate, but necessary, I will have to use this knight captain to properly shatter that King's fantasies, else my life out here will get complicated."