Though Zelda had yet to fully manifest, the invisible sword intent already solidified the surrounding air, as if time itself had come to a halt.
Teegan’s expression changed drastically. He recognized the significance of the awakened sword spirit all too well. It wasn’t just about amplifying the sword’s power; more crucially, it signified the perfect extension of the sword master’s will-an absolute fusion between the blade and its wielder.
Though Teegan possessed a sword spirit of his own, it felt lacking, devoid of the indescribable charm and presence that Zelda emanated.
“Hmph, so what if you have a spiritual sword? Today, I, Teegan, will cut you down here and now!”
Enraged, Teegan let out a furious roar, his entire being radiating with intense spiritual energy. His sword, strapped to his back, erupted into flames, its power crackling with fury. The blade hummed like a deafening dragon’s roar, its inscriptions flickering with a brilliant light. Waves of overwhelming sword intent surged forth like a tidal wave, reaching toward the skies.
A cold smirk tugged at the corners of Jared’s mouth. Without hesitation, he raised his Dragonslayer Sword, the tip of the blade pointing straight at the vast sky, a challenge to Teegan’s power.
A more powerful surge of sword intent erupted from Jared, crashing fiercely against Teegan’s in mid-air. The collision sent a dazzling explosion of sword light across the sky, painting the heavens in brilliant, shifting colors.
“The contest of sword intent isn’t just about whose blade is sharper, but whose resolve is stronger!” Jared’s voice rang out, resonating amid the blinding glow of the swords. The radiance of the Dragonslayer Sword grew even more intense, its light almost blinding in its brilliance.
At last, Zelda’s figure fully materialized, her form coalescing into being, holding her own long sword. She engaged in a fierce battle with Teegan’s Sword Spirit, their clash filling the void with a shimmering, otherworldly force.
The two sword spirits collided with a thunderous force-one radiated an aura of ancient solemnity, while the other exuded a fierce, domineering presence. Each clash was accompanied by a deafening roar, as if the very heavens and earth were being torn asunder.
The sword light flickered, and the sword intent surged with boundless power. Each flash of the blades carried enough force to obliterate the area.
Shock and frustration twisted across Teegan’s face.
Teegan had once believed that his Ultimate Realm Level Five cultivation and the power of his spiritual sword would be more than enough to easily overwhelm Jared. However, reality had delivered a crushing blow.
The strength of Jared’s sword intent and the power of his sword spirit surpassed anything Teegan had anticipated.
“This… This can’t be possible!” Despair seeped into Teegan’s voice, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. As the battle raged on, he could feel his sword intent rapidly depleting, while Jared’s seemed inexhaustible. Each strike from Jared grew more intense, more ferocious, leaving Teegan struggling to keep up.
During his time in the Divine Smithing Sect’s sword-cleansing lake, Jared had absorbed countless sword intents, honing his mastery to an unimaginable degree. In a direct confrontation of swords, Teegan simply couldn’t measure up.
Niel, standing off to the side, was ashen-faced with terror, too stunned to speak. He had once believed his brother would easily avenge him. Yet, what he witnessed now filled him with utter despair. He had never seen a battle so terrifying, nor could he have ever imagined that Jared possessed such overwhelming power.
“Teegan… save me…” Niel’s voice trembled with desperation, a hint of tears breaking through. He called out for help, but amidst the furious clash of swords, Teegan was consumed by the battle, unable to spare him even a glance.
At last, after a brutal exchange of blows, Teegan’s sword spirit was struck down with a single, decisive stroke from Zelda. The once brilliant runes that adorned the blade now lay dim and lifeless.
Teegan’s face drained of color, his expression turning deathly pale. This sword spirit had been his labor of love, nurtured with immense effort over countless years-almost as if it were his own child. Now, slain by Zelda’s might, his once-formidable spiritual sword had been reduced to nothing more than an ordinary long sword, stripped of its essence.
“You destroyed my spiritual sword! I will see you dead for this…” Teegan roared, clutching what had now become a mere, ordinary long sword.
Even without its previous power, Teegan raised the blade high, the sword’s edge gleaming with a cold, deadly light that cast an eerie reflection, impossible to ignore.
A torrent of fiery aura enveloped Teegan, his body beginning to levitate as the flames surged around him. His inner energy surged to its peak, an overwhelming force gathering within him. With a final, determined motion, Teegan released the long sword, sending it hurtling into the air.
Even without the Sword Spirit, Teegan’s long sword suddenly erupted with a brilliant beam of white light, which swiftly multiplied-first into ten, then a hundred, and soon thousands of beams.
