Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 500 The Fear Of Death

Raze strode into the center, drawing one of his swords. Having broken and lost most of his enchanted swords except for the Ghost Blade, heʼd bought a new one.

It wasnʼt anything special; it didnʼt even have an affinity for magic. But with his wealth, heʼd purchased the best blade the market offered, ensuring it could at least handle the Qi he could wield.

When he got the chance, he would have to try and make a few more swords to suit his different magic.

Unsheathing his sword, he held it before him and assumed a stance. No particular feelings arose as he faced his opponent.

In his mind, he was just another member of the Lethal Bite Clan, and all he had to do was impress the assessor until he uttered the word ”pass.”

ʼI wonʼt be able to use techniques like Descending Steps that are obviously used by the Demonic Faction, nor will I be able to use my magic. But my Qi is still at stage six, and Iʼve further refined it as well.ʼ

ʼThat should be enough for me to pass this assessment.ʼ

Little did Raze know, his opponent wasnʼt just anyone; it was the Vice Head of the Moon Shield Clan, one of the top clans in the Dark Faction.

”Start!” Bargo announced.

Raze charged in, performing the classic two-step shift, and struck with his sword from above. He carefully limited the amount of Qi he used, ensuring it was only at the third stage.

ʼThe other Wanderers were around stage two and three, so if I just perform at that level, then I should pass as well.ʼ

Bargo met Razeʼs strike, their swords clashing. When the two made impact, however, an almost invisible force was felt. Bargoʼs sword was pushed back slightly before moving forward again, hitting the sword a second time.

It was only a small movement, like a bounce of the blade. Raze didnʼt dwell on this and continued to strike, using moves he remembered seeing at the academy.

Each time, Bargo would continue to block the attacks, but the odd occurrence was happening with every hit of the sword; his own would bounce back slightly.

Inwardly, while Bargo remained focused, he had a wide smile.

ʼSo it wasnʼt a fluke. This young kid, with each strike, is using a highly condensed amount of Qi. Iʼm matching the amount of Qi heʼs using, but because his is condensed more, itʼs causing an after-strike effect and my sword to bounce.ʼ

ʼNow that Iʼve confirmed youʼre quite the talented one, itʼs time to step it up a notch.ʼ

When blocking the strikes that came from Raze, Bargo was now scraping his sword rather than directly hitting. It was somewhere halfway between a block and a parry.

Not only that, but he increased the amount of Qi he was using, stopping the bouncing effect immediately. Before Raze knew it, his whole body was being pulled forward with each of these blocks.

It felt like a vortex was sucking him in towards his opponent, and then, with a quick step, Bargo used a foot technique and slammed into Razeʼs body with his shoulder.

Raze nearly tumbled but managed to regain his footing and made sure his sword stayed out in front of him.

”You perform your sword techniques perfectly, almost like a textbook. Youʼre talented in many ways, but thatʼs all youʼre doing. Youʼre just performing the techniques from your mind and not really thinking about how to use them to fight,” Bargo explained.

Raze already knew that, because he wasnʼt able to fully fight his way, but he was impressed.

ʼIʼm surprised the Lethal Bite Clan has regular members that are talented like this. How he uses his techniques is impressive.ʼ

Raze continued his strikes, and Bargo continued to block them the same way. He was carefully observing what was happening and trying to figure out a way to attack his opponent.

His thoughts led him back to his fight with Feebie. When going up against her, he had lost as well, and the answer to his defeat was that he needed more strength.

Whether that was learning more techniques from the Dark Edge Sword Arts, gaining more Qi by increasing his stage level, or increasing his magic star level, these were his answers. But there was also another option: for him to become a better fighter as well.

It was the first time, as he went head-to-head, that he felt like he was actually learning.

With each strike of his sword now, rather than fully committing, Raze was scraping his sword rather than fully atttacking and following up with another technique. To everyone watching, it felt like the tempo suddenly increased as the swords continued to clash against each other.

”Very good, very good,” Bargo called out, a hint of amusement in his voice. ”Youʼve learned how to deal with this situation very fast. But this whole time, Iʼve been defending. I guess itʼs time I attack now!”

Bargo blocked Razeʼs next strike, but this time, he poured more Qi into his blade. The force of the impact sent Razeʼs sword flying. Before Raze could react, Bargo followed up with a swift thrust, aiming for Razeʼs center.

ʼThis attack, it has full intent behind it! I have to block it!ʼ

With this thought in mind, Raze instinctively channeled more Qi, empowering his body and allowing him to dodge the strike entirely. Bargo, caught off guard by the unexpected maneuver, stood frozen for a moment, his sword outstretched.

ʼDid he just... use more Qi?ʼ Bargo thought, a hidden smile playing on his lips as he looked at the ground. ʼSo this whole time, I wasnʼt the only one holding back.ʼ

The realization ignited a spark in Bargoʼs eyes. He launched back into the attack, swinging his sword with a wider arc and a significantly increased flow of Qi. Raze, determined not to reveal his full strength, defended himself using the same scraping technique Bargo had employed earlier.

ʼThis guy is powerful,ʼ Raze thought, his muscles straining with each block. ʼBut I canʼt use too much more Qi. If I do, theyʼll know Iʼm a higher stage warrior, and I donʼt want any questions.ʼ

However, the relentless assault was slowly pushing Raze to his limits. Bargo, sensing Razeʼs struggle, wasnʼt aiming to win anymore. He was testing Razeʼs potential, pushing him to reveal his true capabilities. The earlier attack, where Bargo stopped his strike mid-motion, was a test as well. Most wouldnʼt have been able to react and adjust their attack on the fly. But Raze did, proving his adaptability and combat awareness.

As the fight continued, Razeʼs body grew numb from the exertion, the limited Qi he was using offering insufficient support. A sliver of fear crept into his mind. ʼIʼm worried this guy might kill me if I donʼt start fighting back,ʼ he thought.

Suddenly, a soft voice, almost a whisper, echoed in his head. ”Thatʼs not nice,” it spoke. But it wasnʼt a physical voice; it resonated directly within his mind. A shiver was sent down his spine.

”If heʼs trying to kill you, then Iʼll kill him!”

The voice sent a jolt through Raze. He recognized it instantly – the Blooded Hand woman!