Crystal Core 3: A Litrpg Cultivation Adventure by David Burke

Author:David Burke [Burke, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23 - Duel for Freedom

He shifted into a fighting stance, but to throw him off I called out, “Won’t you at least tell me the name of the man I’m dueling?”

He shifted back from his fighting stance as he said, “I am S’maku Sinaku, newest A-rank of my sect and an inner clan member. Since you’ll soon be my brother-in-law, I won’t make you call me Master except during training.”

I grimaced at him. His confidence was founded on solid reasoning, but I couldn't back down. “Don’t worry, I’d be upset if someone had given me a name like that, too.”

He shifted back into a fighting stance, and I followed suit. Standing across from S'maku, I couldn't help but feel a combination of excitement and trepidation. The new A-ranked cultivator's aura was palpable, a swirling vortex of power that filled the arena with a tangible pressure. I knew that I was outclassed in terms of raw stats, but I refused to let that knowledge shake my resolve.

The moment Bas-tuon gave the signal to begin, S'maku moved with a speed that defied belief. One instant he was standing perfectly still in his stance, his body relaxed and his expression calm. The next, he was a blur of motion and his fist hurtled toward my face with the force of a runaway train.

I barely had time to react, my own body moving instinctively as I swept my forearm up to deflect the blow as I slid sideways. I felt the rush of displaced air as S'maku's fist passed only an inch from my cheek, the sheer speed of the blow was enough to make my head spin. The air pressure he caused as he flew past me buffeted my robes.

But S'maku wasn't done. Even as I regained my footing, he was on me. His legs blasted out a torrent of kicks and sweeps that forced me back across the arena floor. I parried and blocked as best I could, my arms and shins aching with the effort of deflecting his blows. This was like trying to fight a hurricane.

The relentless force of S'maku's attacks drove me back step by step. His movements were fluid and graceful, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next with a precision that spoke of countless hours of training. The only reason I was even able to put up the feeble defense that I’d managed, was due to my bloodline ability, Body Equilibrium. My stats had shot up recently and I hadn’t been able to acclimate to them, but this psionic ability meant that I could control my body better than ever before, ensuring I made the most of those gains.

The entire time, I sensed his aura, but not once did he try to shove it at me. I was beginning to think that I’d not be allowed the time to form a technique and that the vast difference in our stats was going to win the day. There had to be something I could do.

I countered when

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