Sebastian

This loudmouth ruffian has potential. Discipline beyond his years, his sword arts nears my proficiency despite having decades on him. His mind is flexible, adapting moment to moment in creative ways. Although he seemed to prefer close-quarter combat, he is a jack of all trades with enough mana to spend. Given time, he will be Friedland's greatest champion. But time, he doesn't have enough of it. Not enough to push back the enemies that will come after him. But his talent… is enviable… The Qi that flows off his skin makes my heart tense. Being reminded of old days brought a sweat to my brow. Watching my son-in-law use such rare power with ease uprooted memories of my travels as a youth. Confident in my nine circles, I thought I could take it all, fight anyone that came my way. Battle after battle, duels numbering hundreds. Barely a cup of blood spilt from my veins. Until I met one, a sky treader.

A single slash tore me apart. I kneeled before them, destroyed Body and soul. My feeble confidence broken, shamefully, I pleaded with the cultivator to make me as strong as them. Hope fell apart when told my low dantian couldn't utilise qi. At the peak, yet nowhere near the sky.

I must make him learn as I did. Experience shame as I did. He must know his place.

The young duke admired my armour of blue crystal. His snarky mouth may hurt the ears, but his eyes show youthful inquisitiveness that was lacking in my children. Except one. My biggest regret who became my greatest investment. I wanted to make sure he can protect her in my absence. But with the prince and darker forces approaching, does it matter?

A sword of mana grew and grows as I took a step forward.

"Old man. Are you sure…?" A devilish smile brought me to a halt. He stared intensely. Wide scarlet eyes like a feline on the hunt. A dangerous beast that needs its claws snipped.

With my floating mana swords primed, I aim and-

Crystals shattered above me, raining me in mana glass. Their endurance would be compared to the best swords advanced Blacksmiths could fashion. And they broke with a single qi slice. No… his blade was gone. Sent back to his famous armoury, I figured. Always envied the suspicious favour the mages had for the duke. Bracelets of that size could fit this entire area inside. Even with my vast wealth, the size of a small chest was all I could afford. All the years toiling amongst the worst of mankind, crawling above the filth with all my strength. From farm boy to hero, I beat the odds. But all is nothing against such who are privileged, those who are favoured by the heavens.

"Bring back your sword, fight with everything you have."

With a haunting grin. "I shall if you do the same. But no bullshit theatrics. This is our fight alone. No need to destroy the building to settle this." The young aristocrat spoke like a regular member of a mercenary tavern. Interesting lad…

I found my wife watching us in judgment, like we are silly boys in a squabble. How funny she'd show distaste when this is how we met.

"Fine, lad." I step forward as Greystone did, my mana blade grew giant in my right hand. "No bullshit." Air was expelled from my dash. My mana sword slashed with killing intent.

I regained my senses and found my head bent backwards. I was struck? How!? The world slowed from heightened sense, and my eyes saw the duke's right fist retracting. My eyes darted to a Mana Sword that hadn't finished its swing. I have to strike back! Knuckles of a left fist crack ribs through crystal armour, with gritted teeth, I endured the pain. I sent mana to my arm and swung harder for his neck.

My arm was almost ripped from its shoulder socket from hitting a golden arm.

"You're not giving me your all." The young man teased.

An uppercut turned the world white.

A moment later, I am in the air with a broken jaw. "Stuck in the office, managing another bastard's funds, you forgot the feeling." A hand grabbed my leg, breaking the armour like sugar glasses, and slammed me on the ground like a hammer.

"Don't test me, lad!" Mana blasts from arms and a leg shot at the duke. But only a blur was left as he fled to the air. I fired blast after blast, shooting at the duke with countless mana attacks with exhausted arms. But I hit nothing but afterimages of this speed demon who took to the air better than an eagle.

"Don't waste energy." I spun my head left at the voice, but was gifted a right punch to the gut with so much force I flew to the area wall. But a mana gouged the floor and stopped my momentum. I heard cheers, for whom I have no clue. I could barely understand what just happened.

Bring it out, Old Man. I looked around for whom whispered in my ears and saw the duke smile. Bring out the warrior the Grandi company hid. Here, there is nobody to impress, no upstarts to placate, no kings to grovel to. We came to a fight. To spar earnestly! To have fun!

Fun?

As my body ached, my armour of crystal creaked, and my head pounded, he told me to have fun?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I laughed. As strange as it felt.

After 3 decades, nine circles whirled hard in my chest. Armour healed. Senses improved. Pain dulled. My sword flared bright azure flame. I stand in a fencing position with my sword ready to kill.

"As you wish."

I dashed.

Tarion

The smiling old man pounced, vaulting over a hundred metres in an instant. Lifesight saw a thrust in slow, and I let it go by. I positioned my right foot close to Mr Hodge, catching the blade as it passed with my left hand. With hands of gold, the mana blade was cool in my hand as my other whipping at a ducking head. I lept back from a mana dagger in Hogde's left hand and kicked his wrist up. The same right leg kicked forward, pressuring the businessman to retreat. I kneeled under a giant mana blade slash and a flash step dodged it again, and a slice from above. As if light as air, Hodge sliced fast from my right. I blocked it with a shield of cloudy qi. I spun my lone circle and unleashed a cluster of punches on the armoured fighter's face and body. Sebastian reformed his mana sword and jabbed. Flight took over me, and the attack missed me complete. Stab, stab, stab. Miss, miss, and a right palm parried with a shockwave fist. The large mana blade exploded like pretty confetti, startling my opponent. A left palm struck the wide-eyed swordmaster on the chest, and the crystal armour broke away like a melting glacier. A final shockwave finished the job, shedding all his protection like a burst bubble.

Mr Hodge stood like a naked man. Without his impressive armour, he looked like the feeble man he always pretended to be. But those eyes.

"Greystone… Impressive…" He spat out blood and coughed. "But it's not over. It's NOT OVER!" Veins bugled out of skin as he summoned the last of his qi. And I smell nothing, feeling absolute relief. I found my wife on the stands pretending not to worry about her old man. He's good. I smiled at my wife, who sat back down to relax.

A sliver of mana formed a weak sword. But he stood before me ever the warrior.

In 'The Annoying Prince Loves Me', nothing about Mr Hodge spelt hatred when it came to Vanessa. Moreso shame. Shame for betraying his dutiful wife, who was with him from the muck and also shame for not protecting his daughter from abusive people who made her life hell. When the Kyros took over the Grandi company to gift it to Vanessa, her father made no stink about it. In fact, he was more than willing to give everything to Vanessa.

As long as it was only Vanessa.

He threw away his position and offered to travel with her legion of followers to solve the curse crisis. As battles raged, he exemplified what the perfect warrior was. And in the end became a hero who earned the respect of the daughter he had abandoned.

In that timeline, Hodge must have known of the prince's true personality. And thus was eliminated early. Haru told me they held a closed casket as the body was horrifically mangled by the curse. Vanessa, who still held contempt fo the lazy father, thought it was a possibility he was involved in the dark matters like the Wolfburn. With this good news, can a relationship between father and daughter heal?

"Never let you guard down, Boy!" An ageing hero careened for me with a slim blade of blue light.

For a second. I gave my all.

Air resistance: 0

Flight engulfed me. Reality pulled and pushed.

I disappeared faster than sound can telegraph.

BULLET STYLE: Raining Jab.

A second ends with my opponent suspended in the air by the power of my hundred strikes. Both of us found ground.

One kneeled with harsh breathing, another in a pool of blood.

Two daughters screamed for a father.

120 points in Vitality.

Injuries have already begun to heal. People with perturbed expressions ran past me, walking to my butler, who prepared a towel for the bath.

"Nothing like a good stress reliever, huh, Charles?" I took a towel from him and from his back he surprised me with a cup of water.

"True, your grace. But I'd rather play a card game."

I drank my water in a single gulp. "Because you can use your special friends to win every time."

Charles smiled.

PLONK!

PLONK!

PLONK!

PLONK!

PLONK!

PLONK!

Oh nice.

An hour later.

A knock on the door. "Beiye is here to meet you Wai-" A woman of black hair darker than night forced herself into my room. She looked pissed.

"The dagger fellows have to sniffing up my leg! Try- oh!" The madam shied away from looking at my naked form in my bathtub. For some who as seen a lot of bodies. Mine seems to make her cheeks redden.

I sat up in my bathtub, knowing she could see everything. "Sorry, I like to take time to soak in medicinal water while reading, so I picked the most comfortable place to do it." I showed the book in my hand.

"In your bedroom? Seems a bit…common."

"What does it matter?" I turned a page. "You forced yourself into a Duke's master bedroom. I hope you bring important news."

"Ye-yes! Daggerfellows came to propose a new deal." Beiye cleared her throat. "They will give up on you, but ask that they meet the leader of the Ravens."

"Meaning they want to meet you, Your Grace," Beatrice said from the shadows.

Beiye epped like smoke alarmed, and I couldn't help but snicker. "Bastards! You gave a fright…! Beatrice…Do you always spy on his grace? Everywhere…?" I could hear a jealousy in her chiding tone.

"Yes. Everywhere. We chose to do so. He is worth the protection," my umbra said, still in the shadows.

"Aww, how sweet!" I say sarcastically, "Makes me feel less bad for showing you lot my balls." I jumped from the tub, giving my subject another fright. But luckily, i control water around my nether regions. Still funny to fuck with her. "I will meet with them. I need as many allies as I can get." I stepped out of the bath, drying my body quickly with heat and water resonance. A tether floats a towel to cover me. A few steps across my room, and I opened my walk-in closet where dozens of specially prepared clothes and gowns lie in wait. I put on underwear and breeches, set aside me on the counter, and in the corner of my eye, I saw a princess trying on dresses with her bright-haired best friend.

"But tell them not today. I have a party to attend."

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