General Maxwell. A rare talent of planet Truy, respected and feared by many across the vast cosmos. He was the only dual elemental swordsman on the planet, and indeed the entire Nebula, his name whispered in awe and trepidation.

Aaron stared at the man across from him with genuine intrigue, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the formidable opponent.

His dual swords cast an oppressive visage over General Maxwell, enhancing the stern lines of his face, the weapons humming with raw elemental power that seemed to warp the air around them.

"Do you know how many lives were lost to your assault, you bastard?!" General Maxwell yelled, the anger clearly visible in his piercing eyes, veins bulging on his forehead as his grip tightened on the hilts.

"Before me, life and death hold no meaning. I care not for one over the other," Aaron replied calmly, not morally triggered by General Maxwell's berating, his voice steady like a gentle breeze amid a storm.

"I will make sure to knock you off your high horse and ensure you respect every life before you," General Maxwell declared with cold finality, his words laced with unyielding resolve.

Adding strength to his legs with a surge of inner energy, General Maxwell moved in an instant, appearing in front of Aaron in the blink of an eye, the ground cracking faintly under the force of his launch.

Joining his hands together on the hilts, he stabbed toward Aaron's chest area, deliberately avoiding a vital spot to prolong the confrontation rather than end it swiftly.

Aaron raised his index finger with effortless poise. With casualness that bordered on arrogance, he blocked the sword strike of General Maxwell with just that single digit, the clash sending sparks flying.

"I would love to play with you. But I strongly want to end this quickly," Aaron said, his tone hinting at mild impatience.

Aaron stretched the index finger of his other arm forward, compressed flames gathering at the tip, ready to shoot out in a devastating burst, the air around it shimmering with intense heat.

General Maxwell, sensing the imminent threat of death like a cold shadow creeping over him, quickly tried to pull away, his muscles straining as he hoped he would be fast enough to escape the lethal range.

"Too slow."

Aaron was about to release the attack but stopped midway, his eyes suddenly looking unfocused for some seconds, as if pulled into a distant thought.

That brief pause, though, was all it took for General Maxwell to pull back out of the danger's reach, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he retreated.

Aaron focused on the system prompt hovering in front of him, its ethereal glow demanding his attention.

That was the reason he had lost focus and halted his attack against General Maxwell, the unexpected notification breaking his rhythm.

[New quests has arrived]

[Accept/Reject]

[Gain the loyalty of General Maxwell by General Maxwell's own free will]

[Reward: Unlocking of the third element of General Maxwell]

[Quest 2]

[Defeat the heavenly demon members within this nebula]

[Reward: mythic rank mana-qi conversion technique (growth type)]

"Great. Always having a way of spicing things up," Aaron smiled, cracking his knuckles with a satisfied grin spreading across his face, the sound echoing faintly in the tense air.

Aaron retrieved Black Sphere floating in front of him, pulling it back with a casual gesture.

Black Sphere remained in the form of a sleek sword, its dark surface reflecting the flickering lights of distant flames.

"Let's go again. This time I will make sure we both enjoy the show," Aaron said, his voice carrying a renewed enthusiasm.

Aaron swung Black Sphere in a relaxed form, the blade cutting through the air with a soft whoosh, waiting patiently for General Maxwell to attack once more.

General Maxwell paused for some seconds, recalling the great threat he had felt from Aaron moments ago, his body still tingling from the near-miss.

The action made him brace himself firmly while staring coldly at Aaron, his pale blue eyes narrowing like sharpened blades.

"I will have to go all out from the start," he muttered under his breath.

General Maxwell braced himself for what was to come, deciding to be a bit more serious with his attacks, his stance shifting to one of focused intensity.

"Knight battle form. First form, dance of Lightning."

Lightning from General Maxwell's sword flowed into his body like a living current, heightening his entire senses and reflexes to superhuman levels, electricity crackling along his veins.

The eyes of the general crackled with brilliant lightning as bolts danced from his body, illuminating his armored form in erratic flashes.

Like a speedster unbound, General Maxwell attacked again, his speed quadrupled from his former pace, blurring the boundaries of perception.

He moved like lightning itself, leaving a trail of blue blurs in his wake as he arrived before Aaron in a fraction of a second.

Lifting his right arm that held the lightning sword, he swung it toward Aaron's neck in hopes of cleaving it from his body, the blade trailing sparks that sizzled the air.

Aaron raised Black Sphere casually, blocking the attack with it, the impact resounding like thunder, vibrations traveling up his arm.

But Maxwell had expected that much from Aaron. In an instant, he dropped low to the floor, extending his leg in a sweeping kick to knock Aaron off his feet, the motion fluid and precise.

Aaron jumped over the leg lightly, finding himself suspended in the air for a brief moment, his body twisting with agile grace.

"Knight battle form. Second form, piercing the heaven."

Maxwell followed with the next move, already predicting Aaron's evasion, his mind racing ahead like a master tactician.

He lifted both swords upward, going for a stab at Aaron while he was mid-air, the weapons surging with power.

His sword of lightning and darkness moved together with frightening lethality toward Aaron, the elements intertwining in a deadly harmony.

Black Sphere, reading its master's mind intuitively, transformed into a sturdy shield, its form shifting seamlessly.

Black Sphere flew between Aaron and the swords, blocking the attack with a resounding clang that echoed across the battlefield.

Aaron, seizing the opportunity without hesitation, held Maxwell's extended leg firmly in his grasp.

Not one to let go of an opening, he threw Maxwell to the ground with tremendous force, the general's body hurtling like a ragdoll.

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