Journey to Become the Zenith

The Third Strike

”Very well, young knight.”

The massive blade rose above Queen Amara’s shoulder.

”Brace yourself.”

The air inside the throne room seemed to tighten.

Even the faint dust floating in the sunlight paused, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

”For this... is the last strike.”

This time the Queen did something different.

Until now she had held the enormous sword with a single hand, swinging the weapon with terrifying ease. But now—

She placed both hands on the handle.

The simple act sent a ripple of unease through everyone watching.

Even the hidden guards in the shadows stiffened.

Two hands.

That meant she was truly serious.

High above her head went the sword, lifted by Amara with quiet slowness. Light from the tall windows struck the blade just right - suddenly it shone, sharp and bright, like a star mid-fall, pausing before the drop.

Across from her, Videl stood silently.

Her hands were already numb.

From the last hits, her fingers shook. Like fire inside, her arms burned with every move. She could barely lift them again.

Her legs Shaking took hold of as if they might give way at any moment.

Still—

She did not move.

Her sword remained raised.

Her breathing was heavy, but her sapphire eyes never left the Queen.

And then—

Her body screamed.

Every instinct she possessed howled the same warning.

Death is coming.

The pressure radiating from Amara felt overwhelming, like a mountain about to fall.

For a fleeting second, fear tried to creep into Videl’s mind.

But another voice appeared instead.

Victor’s voice.

Calm.

Lazy.

Almost teasing.

When facing an opponent stronger than you...

Use their strength against them.

Videl had heard that advice countless times during training.

But she had never truly understood it.

How could someone possibly use the strength of an opponent stronger than them?

It had always sounded like a riddle.

But right now—

She didn’t have the luxury to question it.

If I don’t do something...

I’ll die.

Amara moved.

The third strike descended.

The sword fell like a collapsing mountain.

The sheer force behind the attack distorted the air. The blade screamed as it tore downward, the wind pressure alone forcing Videl’s hair to whip violently around her face.

To anyone watching—

The attack looked capable of cleaving a mountain in half.

Videl’s heart pounded.

Her mind moved faster than ever before.

Use their strength against them...

Use their strength...

The moment Amara’s sword crashed down—

Videl acted.

Instead of gripping her weapon tightly like before...

She loosened her grip.

The sword in her hands shifted slightly.

Just enough.

CLANG!

The Queen’s blade collided with Videl’s sword.

But instead of resisting the full force—

The loosened grip allowed the weapon to slide and redirect the momentum.

The terrifying strike was deflected to the side.

The blade smashed into the marble floor with a thunderous crack.

At the same instant—

Videl twisted her body and stepped away.

The attack missed.

For a brief moment—

Silence filled the throne room.

It worked.

She had survived the strike.

Amara’s eyes widened slightly.

A smile was already beginning to form on her lips.

”Well done—”

But before she could finish the sentence—

Something changed.

She felt it.

A sudden, sharp danger.

A warrior’s instinct screamed inside her mind.

Without thinking—

Amara shifted her body slightly to the left.

At that exact moment—

Videl moved.

She had been standing motionless for a heartbeat after the deflection.

Then—

Her body began to glow faintly.

Mana surged violently around her.

Every last drop she possessed gathered into one final movement.

Her muscles screamed.

Her lungs burned.

But she forced her body to move.

Her sword flashed.

It was not a wide swing.

Not a heavy strike.

Just a single, precise motion.

A technique Victor had once shown her.

A strike meant to end a battle instantly.

Faster than a blink, the blade sliced the sky. It moved sharp and sudden, flashing past sound itself.

Footsteps faded into silence. Stillness settled like dust after rain. A breath held too long finally let go.

Only a whisper.

A sliver of metal cut the air, missing Amara’s skull by inches. The spot she’d occupied seconds before now held only motionless silence.

A split after that moment -

CRACK!

The roof of the throne room exploded.

A chunk of rock split apart when a thin opening tore down from above.

A beam of light cut through the high gap, spilling into the hall’s heart. Gold flooded where the king once sat.

Floating specks rode the slant of morning sun. Light caught each tiny particle midair. Quiet movement filled the still room. A single shaft showed what usually stays unseen.

A hush dropped through the room. Silence took hold, sudden and full.

Amara slowly raised a hand to her face.

Her fingers brushed her right cheek.

When she pulled her hand away—

There was blood.

A thin red line appeared across her skin.

The young knight’s strike had cut her cheek.

For the first time in years—

Someone had managed to land a blow on the Queen of Skyfall Kingdom.

Amara stared at the blood on her fingertips.

Then her gaze slowly shifted back toward Videl.

Her crimson eyes filled with astonishment.

”What... did you—”

She stopped.

Another surprise awaited her.

The young knight who had just pierced the throne room’s roof...

The young woman who had cut the Queen’s cheek...

Was no longer moving.

Videl stood frozen in place.

Her sword still raised slightly.

Her body perfectly still.

Then—

Her knees gave out.

Her sword slipped from her fingers.

And she collapsed forward.

Videl had used her final technique—a desperate move that drained every last fragment of mana inside her body.

The moment the strike finished—

Her consciousness faded.

The young knight who had injured the Queen of Skyfall Kingdom...

Had already fallen unconscious.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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