Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2884: Long Rival

When the figure appeared across the bridge, Emery felt a surge of emotion rise within his chest.

For a moment he simply stared.

The man standing before him was taller and broader than he remembered, his once youthful frame now tempered by decades of battle and training. His physique carried the refined strength of a seasoned warrior, every movement calm yet filled with restrained power. Faint crimson scales could be seen along the edges of his skin, glimmering beneath the arena light.

There was no mistaking him.

”It’s really you... Zach.”

Zach Talon.

The Dragon Prince of the Zodiac faction.

During their academy days, Zach had been Emery’s greatest rival—the one person who had pushed him to his limits again and again. Their competition had forged both respect and rivalry between them, and although decades had passed since their last encounter at the Celestial expedition.

The memory of that unfinished rivalry had never faded. For years, Emery had wanted another chance to face him.

And now that moment had finally arrived.

The formidable warrior stood calmly on the opposite side of the arena, his aura unmistakably belonging to the two-cosmos realm.

Emery’s lips curled slightly.

”Excellent... you’re exactly as I expected.”

Zach stepped forward slowly, his expression carrying the same excitement Emery felt. His eyes burned with intensity as he spoke.

”I’ve spent the past few decades fighting on the front lines... training, battling, pushing myself to the limit. Yet somehow you still managed to improve faster than I did.”

A smile appeared on his face.

”I’m impressed.”

Emery’s divine sense swept across Zach’s body.

The aura confirmed that Zach was at the first layer of the two-cosmos realm, while Emery—despite still recovering from his injuries—had already reached the second layer.

For the first time in their rivalry, Emery stood at a slightly higher cultivation level.

The realization amused him.

”Alright,” Emery said as he summoned Excalibur, the legendary blade appearing in his hand. ”Let’s settle this properly.”

But before the duel could begin, Zach suddenly raised his hand.

”Wait.”

Emery blinked in surprise as a system notification appeared before his eyes.

[Your opponent Zodiac Prince requests to disable spectator mode. Do you accept?]

Emery couldn’t help but baffle.

If he had known this option existed earlier, he would have turned it off before fighting the previous seventy challengers.

Without hesitation, he accepted.

The arena shifted slightly as the spectator channels were sealed.

Zach nodded with satisfaction.

”Good,” he said. ”Now you can fight without holding back.”

It was clear he had been watching Emery’s earlier duels and had noticed the restraints Emery placed on himself.

Now there would be no reason to hide anything.

Zach reached behind him and drew his weapon.

Just like before, he wielded a greatsword.

It was no ordinary blade, most definitely a tier7 just like Excalibur.

The weapon looked even larger and more intimidating than the one he had used during their academy days. The massive two-meter sword was forged from dark metallic stone, its surface carved with the image of a roaring dragon whose body spiraled across the blade.

As Zach lifted the weapon, crimson flames ignited along its edge.

The arena trembled faintly.

[Duel Begins]

The sixty-second countdown reached zero, and in the same instant both warriors surged forward.

Neither wasted time on testing strikes or cautious probing. Instead, they charged directly toward the center of the bridge, swords already in motion as their first swings collided with explosive force.

BAAAMMMM!!!

The impact thundered across the arena like a collapsing mountain.

Both blades locked together at the center of the bridge as the two warriors leaned into the clash. Their muscles trembled under the strain, the ground beneath their feet cracking from the sheer pressure of their strength. For a moment neither moved, neither yielding even a single step, yet both wore the same expression of exhilaration.

A grin spread across Zach’s face.

”Good!” he shouted. ”Again!”

He suddenly released the pressure of the clash and pivoted his body in a smooth motion, using the momentum of the disengagement to swing his massive greatsword in a wide arc aimed directly at Emery’s flank.

The weapon moved like a great wave.

Emery planted both feet firmly against the bridge and gripped Excalibur with both hands, channeling every ounce of strength into his defense as he raised the blade to block.

BAAAMM!!!

Another thunderous collision erupted.

The shockwave blasted outward across the battlefield, yet once again neither side gained a clear advantage. The clash pushed both of them backward a single step before they immediately moved again, their weapons flashing through the air as the duel escalated.

The following exchanges became a test of technique.

Emery began unleashing the refined movements of his Dao sword style, weaving together slow and fast strikes in unpredictable patterns. Some attacks were heavy and direct, while others flowed softly like water before suddenly turning sharp and lethal. The constant variation quickly placed pressure on his opponent, forcing Zach to adapt to the shifting rhythm.

Yet Zach remained unmoved.

Like a mountain standing against a storm, he endured the barrage of strikes without losing his footing. A few scratches appeared across his arms and legs where Emery’s blade slipped past his guard, but they seemed meaningless to him.

Then suddenly he moved.

His greatsword rose high above his shoulder before descending with terrifying force.

[Execution Fall]

Unlike Emery’s fluid style, Zach’s technique carried the crushing weight of pure willpower. The strike was simple, almost brutal in its directness, yet it contained enough killing intent to break the spirit of entire battlefields.

To block it, Emery had no choice but to call upon deeper power.

The forces of Khaos and Elysian surged simultaneously through his body as his Dao of Heaven and Earth ignited along Excalibur’s blade.

CLANG!!!

The collision exploded like thunder.

Even so—

Emery was forced down onto one knee.

The remaining force from the strike slipped past his guard and tore across his shoulder.

SPLATT!

Blood sprayed across the bridge.

Yet instead of pain, Emery felt excitement surge through his chest.

”This is how it’s supposed to be!” he laughed.

In the next instant, dark tendrils erupted from the ground around him.

Twilight Vines.

The vines shot forward like living spears, forcing Zach to leap backward as he swung his greatsword repeatedly to cut through the incoming tendrils.

Emery did not give him time to recover.

He surged forward immediately, Excalibur flashing as he released three consecutive Dao Edge strikes that tore through the air toward his opponent.

Zach planted his feet once again and roared.

A powerful dragon roar burst from his chest as blazing flames erupted around his body. His greatsword moved again, releasing a heavy flame-infused strike that shattered all three energy blades in a single motion.

The battle continued to escalate.

Steel clashed against steel again and again while sparks and flames scattered across the arena floor. Their movements grew faster, their attacks more violent as both warriors pushed their limits.

Outside the sealed arena, the spectators who had been watching Emery’s earlier duels grew increasingly frustrated.

They knew a legendary fight was unfolding between two halfblood geniuses, yet the arena had been locked from observation. Unable to witness the duel, they could only speculate about the outcome.

Inside the arena, the clash continued.

After more than fifty exchanges, both fighters stepped back at nearly the same moment, retreating to opposite ends of the bridge.

For a brief moment, silence returned.

Their chests rose and fell steadily as they caught their breath.

Then both of them smiled.

They understood each other perfectly.

The warm-up was over.

Now the real battle would begin.