System vs Rebirth

Chapter 1375: Master

”…” Ophelia narrowed her eyes. She couldnʼt help but recall what happened when Noel entered the stage.

She could feel immeasurable pressure falling on her shoulder. It even made her gasp and breathing gradually became harder.

She resisted with all her might, but it was futile. Fortunately, the pressure disappeared.

At that time, she heard a small laugh beside her.

”Hahahaha. So, this is our lord?” Abel grinned. He was sweating like crazy, but at the same time, the smile contained excitement. ”Heʼs definitely a monster. Itʼs no wonder why people claim him to be one of the strongest in the world. Ten years later, Iʼm afraid, no one will be his opponent. And I… can fight someone like him?”

Ophelia frowned. ”Abel. You… Donʼt disrespect the lord.”

”When did I disrespect him? Iʼm merely speaking the truth.”

Ophelia bit her lips. Although she didnʼt want to admit it, Abel might not like etiquette the most, but his battle instinct surpassed hers.

After recalling that scene, Ophelia couldnʼt help but look at the stage. Abel was going to fight their lord. She wondered what kind of fight it would become.

…

Abel was still a spirit master, so Noel lowered his strength to the spirit master.

”You have a high spiritual energy reserve. I can see that blazing energy of yours, but it might become your own flaw.”

”I apologize, my lord. This spiritual energy has been my strength from the beginning.”

”In that case, I will show you.” Noel squinted his eyes before pulling out Ardagan. ”Come.”

”I come.” Abel took a deep breath and lowered his stance. The spiritual energy erupted from within him. As Noel said, it was blazing… no, it was raging. It was as if his spiritual energy was alive, trying to show its might.

That blazing energy erupted even further, launching him toward Noel. With this kind of speed, even Grandel would have a hard time stopping him.

As if trying to show him the reason, Noel simply raised his sword up before even coming. Then struck Abel with a simple swing. The speed was even slower than Abelʼs speed. It was to the point where even a normal person could see it easily.

Yet the sword reached Abel. Abel was forced to shift his spear up to stop the sword. Still, the momentum and force coming from that charge were so apparent that they sent forth a shock wave past Noel.

Howard had to use his own spiritual energy to block the shock wave.

To everyoneʼs surprise, despite all that power, Abel actually fell down to his knees.

”!!!” Everyone couldnʼt help but widen their eyes in shock.

Even Ophelia dropped her jaw to the ground. ʼImpossible. What kind of strike was that? I have seen Abelʼs charge. Itʼs so powerful that it can bulldoze everything in its path and even create a huge dent on a massive cliff.

ʼBut that single swing from the lord… It looks like a normal swing. I donʼt understand. How can that simple swing overpower Abel? Itʼs to the point where he canʼt even fight back. I donʼt sense much spiritual energy either. Itʼs clear that the lord is using the strength of a spirit master, but…ʼ

Abel was sweating heavily. His face was distorted as if he couldnʼt believe it.

”Whatʼs wrong? Stand up and do it again. We still have time,” said Noel with a calm expression.

Abel lifted up his head. He thought his chance was over in just a single strike. He didnʼt even understand what Noel did.

Yet Noel looked at him with a calm expression. There was no condescending gaze or judging eyes. The only thing that met him was a gaze like that of a teacher wanting his student to learn.

Abel gritted his teeth and released his spiritual energy one more time.

”Haaaa!” The eruption could be felt by everyone in the field. He then mixed swinging and stabbing into the mix, trying to catch Noel off guard.

The power was adjusted continuously, but every single hit was blocked by Noelʼs simple swing. No. It wasnʼt blocked. It was repelled.

Noel kept pushing his spear further than his motion, causing him to keep making unnecessary movements.

ʼWhy? I have used all my strength. Is the lord using all his strength as well? This is not what a spirit master is capable of doing, right?ʼ Abelʼs expression darkened even further as he refused to believe. He had his pride in being one of the strongest spirit masters in the garrison.

And Noel was trampling this pride.

”Whatʼs wrong? Canʼt you see it?” Noel asked.

Abel kept striking Noel while cursing inside his mind. ʼWhat see? Seeing you use strength beyond what you promise?ʼ

As if trying to snap him back and calm him down, Noel struck his spear from below and knocked it up before kicking him in the stomach.

He slid on the ground for several meters.

Noel took a step forward while asking the same question. ”Canʼt you see it?”

ʼSee what? You are just—!ʼ Before he finished his thought, Noel released his own spiritual energy.

This time, his spiritual energy looked similar to Abelʼs. It was blazing, yet there was something different.

And someone who was most familiar with this energy would realize it no matter how dumb they were.

”!!!” Abel widened his eyes in shock. What was different about his energy was the firmness in it. It might have looked like a blazing flame, but it was stable. It was explosive but calm at the same time.

If one took a closer look, the ground around Abelʼs feet cracked upon the burst of his spiritual energy. Meanwhile, Noelʼs eruption was different. Not only did the ground remain intact, but even other people barely felt anything from it.

ʼThis is…ʼ Abelʼs body was shaking.

”Despite many deaths all around the world, no one says spiritual energy is bad. Instead, they all say humans are bad… the people who wield it are bad. Why is that? Because spiritual energy is just a tool… a power. The one who can decide it is its master, you.” Noel gave a sincere smile. ”Why do you let the spiritual energy control you, its master?”

”!!!”