Tension filled the air.


    Strax stood with a ymore in his hand, just an ordinary sword used by some knights—a sword without a soul.


    His eyes were closed, fully concentrating on what he was about to do, how he would fight, how he would use all his strength. He had calmed himself somewhat; rage must be contained and controlled to increase strength, that was what he believed now, so for Strax, he was inplete focus.


    He was waiting for his opponent; he needed to finish this quickly. More important than his revenge was knowing how she was. A feeling beyond exnation, pure concern. He had realized for some time that his emotions were much stronger, not just his love, but everything about his self. He had analyzed thousands of possibilities, but only one existed.


    The System had influenced him.


    Once again, the damned System that was supposed to help him was consuming and manipting him in some way. He didn''t understand its goals, but he had reached a single conclusion.


    "If the System uses me, then I''ll use the System."


    He had fully epted the System. He had been trying to break the restrictions of his own mind regarding the System. If he had received it, there was a reason, a purpose, so he would find a way to use it. If the System always rewarded him for his advances, everything would be possible, and if it became a problem, then Strax would find a solution for that.


    "I gave you ten minutes," Strax said, still with his eyes closed, making the atmosphere even heavier. His swords, Tiamat and Ouroboros, were in Xenovia''s hands, as he had said he wouldn''t use them.


    But it seemed his opponent didn''t want to follow the rules. Darius was entering holding a weapon, not the same one he used to enter the Garden of Swords, but a kind of greatsword, bearing numerous battle marks. It was almost two palms wide and two meters tall. It was truly a colossal sword that even Strax couldn''t understand how he was holding so easily.


    [Three-Star Sword = ck Iron Sword] he read. It seemed that now the System waspletely on his side, while his sword... was just one-star. "Coward," Strax said, seeing that Darius was already prepared from the start. He couldn''t use his Spiritual Weapon, so he would use a weapon forged by apetent cksmith. Judging by the marks, he probably had been using it for a long time.


    "Apparently, you really are a coward," Strax said loudly for him to hear. "Not only do you not want to challenge me with my des, but you also want to use a superior sword against someone who just advanced. Congrattions, Darius, you are a disgrace." Strax said, provoking, but Darius did not respond and remained silent.


    At the same time, his brothers were not at all pleased with how this was unfolding. Not because they were on Strax''s side or any such nonsense, but simply because this was far from being a fair duel.


    Both were at the same cultivation level, but Strax had just advanced with the help of the swords. He wasn''t truly a Master, at least he had the body of a Master Stage. Meanwhile, Darius had been at this stage for years and was clearly about to advance soon.


    "Dirty," Eva said, not pleased with what she saw. "Indeed," Veronica agreed, seeing him all imposing and self-satisfied with his advantage. "The defeat will be even more humiliating," Xenoviamented. Everyone instinctively looked at her. "You really think he''s going to defeat Darius?


    I mean, he doesn''t have the spirit''s power on his side anymore to stop Darius, right?" questioned Hinna while everyone waited for Xenovia to say something, but she just smiled. "Do you really think that?" she said, as if challenging them to something, "Why don''t you join Darius to learn?" she invited them, but this time, however...


    They all grew afraid; her icy smile made them step back. She was clearly too confident to be merely arrogant. And Xenovia, despite her cold demeanor and seeming superiority, never acted arrogantly without the strength to back it up.


    Darius stood before Strax, wielding the ck Iron Sword with thinly veiled confidence. "You''re nothing, Strax. No matter how hard you try, I''ll always be better, bigger, and stronger than you."


    Strax slowly opened his eyes, a dark gleam reflecting in his irises. "You talk too much, Darius, for someone who was nearly wetting himself with fear of Tiamat. Let''s finish this quickly; I have to take care of my wife." He raised the ymore, feeling its weight in his hands.


    Hecked the advantage of a superior weapon, but that didn''t matter. What mattered was the fire burning inside him, a controlled fury he would use to destroy his opponent.


    Darius lunged first, the ck Iron Sword descending in a crushing arc. Strax dodged to the side, his ymore spinning to intercept Darius''s de. The sh of the two swords resonated across the field, sparks flying.


    "You''re still bothering me..." Strax thought, gripping this new sword felt simply terrible,pared to his newly acquired swords, this one looked like pure garbage. "Don''t be foolish, Strax!" Darius roared, breaking Strax''s thoughts, trying to force his sword down. "You can''t defeat me! You''re weak without those spirits!" He roared, pushing the sword down with force over the ymore


    Strax didn''t respond. He focused his strength, blocking Darius''s blow and spinning his ymore in a fluid motion, pushing Darius back. The impact reverberated through Darius''s arms, but he quickly recovered, retreating and advancing again. "What strength is this?" He thought, seeing that Strax waspletely fine, and didn''t even sweat after such effort that he made.


    The duel continued, the two brothers exchanging blows with ferocious intensity. Darius used his brute strength, trying to crush Strax with every blow, but Strax moved with calcted precision, evading and stopping attacks with almost supernatural agility. He was beginning to feel the rhythm of the battle, the cadence of the blows, the weight of the charges. Strax was adapting.


    But then, Darius made an unexpected move. With a fierce cry, he swung his sword in a wide arc, unleashing a wave of dark energy that sliced through the air towards Strax. The power of the ck Iron Sword was impressive, and the energy surged with devastating force.


    Strax barely had time to react. He raised his ymore, trying to block the energy wave, but the impact threw him backwards, his feet dragging on the ground.


    He felt the force of the wave pass through him, tearing through his flesh and burning his muscles.


    "He really is strong, but it seems that''s all... Hisbat ability is much inferior." Strax thought, the blow had really had some effect on him, but it wasn''t enough, his body was much stronger after the Advancement.


    "Is that all you''ve got, Darius?" Strax said, starting to show a bit of arrogance to destabilize Darius. "You''ll need more than that to take me down, much more," he said with a confident smile.


    Dariusughed, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "You''re a fool, Strax. A stubborn fool who doesn''t know when to give up," he said, but Strax didn''t miss the opportunity. "I thought you were more aggressive. What happened? Losing confidence in winning?" he questioned.


    "But it''s true," Strax answered the question he had posed, raising his ymore again. "I''d rather be a fool than a coward who needs so much advantage to defeat a simple challenge like me."


    Darius roared, his face contorting in fury after hearing such mockery. He raised his ck Iron Sword, his body emanating a dark aura, energy pulsing in waves. "You think this is all? I''ll show you true power! I''ll kill you!" He advanced with unexpected speed, his swordunching in a downward arc towards Strax.


    The ground trembled upon impact, but Strax, with agile movement, sidestepped and countered with sharp precision.


    Steel shed with steel, Strax''s ymore blocking Darius''s devastating blow. des screeched and sparks flew, but Strax didn''t yield. His muscles trembled under pressure, but his determination was unshakable. "I''m not here to y games, Darius. This is yourst chance."


    The fight escted, Darius''s strikes growing more desperate, while Strax, calmly, parried each attack with unwavering strength, deflecting, counter-attacking, and shing. He pushed Darius back, each move calcted, each strike aimed at exposing his opponent''s weaknesses.


    "You''re weak, Darius. All brute strength, but no real technique. You rely only on the power of your sword, and that''s all. You''re too weak to be a challenge," Strax dered, his words cutting as deeply as his des. "You don''t understand what true power is."


    Darius screamed in fury, his dark energy exploding around him in a chaotic frenzy. He attacked with wild desperation, his ck Iron Swordshing out in a final assault. But Strax, with lethal precision, sidestepped the blow, spinning his ymore in a perfect arc.


    And with a final, decisive strike, Straxpletely disarmed Darius.