am-books Chapter 288 Trap
Chapter 288 Trap
Charles observed in silence as his summons were ruthlessly annihilated by Anthony's summons.
He watched as Bellion's sword carved through them with merciless precision, their blood pooling beneath him like a crimson river.
Hela was thrown around like a ragdoll by Beru, her struggles futile against his overwhelming power.@@@@
Glug, despite his resilience, teetered on the brink of defeat, unable to match Igris' mastery over Sword Intent.
Yet, Charles remained unmoved.
He did not scream.
He did not charge into battle.
He did not demand answers from Anthony.
He simply sat there, his silence heavier than any words.
He noticed that none of his summons had truly perished, they were left barely clinging to life, as if spared deliberately.
It wasn't an unfamiliar sight.
He and his summons had endured countless battles, witnessing devastation time and time again.
But that didn't mean he saw them as mere tools.
Far from it.
The battle wasn't entirely one sided.
It wasn't just raw strength that set Anthony's summons apart, it was their endurance.
Their stamina seemed limitless, and even when they were struck down, they simply rose again, resurrected by the boundless depths of Anthony's mana.
Charles' summons, however, were different.
They were living beings, creatures with souls.
They could truly live, and they could truly die.
Charles' gaze locked onto Anthony.
The only way to turn the tide in his favor was to engage Anthony directly, himself.
His summons were spent, and there was no one left to send in his place.
Yet... he found himself unwilling.
Too troublesome....he was just too lazy to move.
He exhaled, a weary sigh escaping his lips at the thought of having to personally step in.
He had only seen Anthony fight once before, against Orion.
'Judging by that battle, Orion's mana cultivation was at Sovereign Rank, around level 3... which means Anthony should be at the same rank, but likely at level 8 or 9'
He pondered the thought for a moment, then simply shook his head.
With a slow, deliberate motion, Charles rose from the seat Hela had provided earlier.
A sword materialized in his grasp, drawn from his space ring.
As a summoner himself, he understood one fundamental truth, summons would continue to rise unless their master was stopped.
And in this battle, that master was Anthony.
The moment the sword appeared, the languid aura surrounding Charles vanished.
His posture shifted, muscles coiling, body instinctively adjusting as if preparing for the inevitable clash.
Yet, externally, nothing seemed to change.
No grand movement.
No dramatic display.
Only his aura told the story.
It sharpened, no longer the aura of a mere summoner, but that of a sword master ready to carve his own path.
Anthony, with his All Seeing Eyes, perceived something far beyond the surface.
If before, Charles had the presence of a newborn baby, weak, unimposing, now, he was something entirely different.
A superhuman.
Their duel was a brutal elegance, each strike a fluid stroke upon an invisible canvas of war, each movement a work of art, forged in the heat of combat.
Anthony flowed like a shadow, his sword whispering secrets of death with every cut, a ghostly presence in the whirlwind of battle.
But Charles was always there, unwavering, his blade intercepting every strike from Anthony with an unyielding determination.
No matter how fast or fierce Anthony's attacks came, Charles met them with a response, his sword an unbroken wall against the storm.
Charles' mind raced, analyzing each of Anthony's movements in rapid succession, searching for a gap, a weakness, anything he could exploit.
And then, his dark pupils fixed on a fleeting opening, a momentary flaw in Anthony's attack.
A rare chance.
Without hesitation, Charles struck.
His blade darted forward like a serpent, swift and merciless, aiming to exploit that single weakness.
But in the blink of an eye, Anthony reacted.
He didn't defend.
He didn't parry.
He simply dodged.
'A trap'
The realization hit Charles in an instant, but it was already too late.
Anthony's katana was already in motion.
The blade flashed like a shooting star, quick, unrelenting, and merciless.
Charles' instincts flared, his body reacting before his mind could fully process the danger.
He raised his sword in an attempt to block, but he was slower this time.
His weapon barely managed to close the gap before the strike came crashing down.
With immense force, Anthony's katana tore through Charles' chest.
The impact was devastating.
His clothing and armor, though sturdy, did little to stop the ferocity of the blow.
Charles was blasted backward, sent careening by the sheer force of the strike.
His body rocketed through the air, tearing through walls and shattering glass with each violent collision.
Blood spilled from his mouth as he was flung, the world spinning wildly around him.
But despite the chaos, Charles' reflexes kicked in.
He steadied himself mid air, gathering his strength.
His feet scraped across the asphalt as he landed, grinding to a halt, managing to maintain his footing.
Charles' gaze fixed on Anthony, who stood motionless, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
No matter how vast Charles' battle experience was, it could never reach the level of Anthony's.
Anthony could read Charles like an open book, knowing exactly what he was searching for, the slightest opening to exploit.
And so, Anthony did what only the truly experienced could do.
He offered it.
"You really are surprising, you know"
Charles muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and frustration.
As the words left his lips, his injuries began to heal, immediately, effortlessly.
His wounds closed up with no cost to his mana, as if his body simply refused to be broken.
"I wonder if you can match this as well"
The moment Charles' words fell from his lips, a heavy, familiar presence surged around his sword.
It was a presence unlike any other, a force that those who had encountered it would never forget.
The air seemed to grow still, tense, as if the very atmosphere recognized the weight of what was about to come.
Charles had activated his Sword Intent.