The Villian Who Broke The Story

Zion and Kael reappeared on opposite ends of the shattered battlefield.

The arena had become almost unrecognizable.

Deep trenches carved by swords stretched from one end of the stage to the other. Cracked stone, broken pillars, and scattered debris covered the ground. The barrier surrounding the arena shimmered constantly from the countless shockwaves it had endured.

For nearly a minute...

Neither of them moved.

The entire stadium remained silent.

Everyone stared at the two swordsmen, waiting to see who would make the next move.

At first glance, the outcome appeared obvious.

Zion’s uniform remained mostly intact, save for several shallow cuts scattered across his sleeves and shoulders. A few drops of blood stained his clothes, but his posture remained firm.

Kael, on the other hand, looked far worse.

There were cuts running across his arms, chest, face, and legs. Blood dripped steadily from multiple wounds, staining the already ruined arena beneath him.

His clothes had long since been torn apart during their relentless exchanges.

Anyone looking at the two would naturally assume Zion had the upper hand.

Yet...

Their expressions told a completely different story.

Zion wore a deep scowl.

His brows remained tightly furrowed as though he had encountered an opponent that simply refused to stay down no matter what he did.

Every time he thought he had gained the advantage...

Kael somehow adapted.

Somehow improved.

Somehow came back even faster than before.

It was infuriating.

Kael, meanwhile...

Had an entirely different expression.

A grin stretched across his face.

Not a confident smile.

Not even an excited one.

It was the grin of someone who had completely lost himself in battle.

His crimson eyes shone brightly with excitement.

The more dangerous the fight became...

The happier he looked.

It was enough to send chills down the spectators’ spines.

”...He’s smiling.”

One student swallowed nervously.

”After taking that much damage...”

”...he’s actually smiling.”

Another student slowly nodded.

”I don’t know who’s scarier anymore.”

Kael slowly raised his sword.

Then...

He began walking toward Zion.

Step.

Step.

Step.

His pace remained calm.

Unhurried.

Almost casual.

Then—

His figure glitched.

It happened so suddenly that many students wondered if they had imagined it.

”Fifth Form...”

Kael whispered.

The instant those words left his mouth—

He vanished.

Zion’s eyes sharpened.

Almost instinctively, he raised his blade.

Clang!

Steel collided with steel.

Sparks erupted between them.

The impact alone cracked the ground beneath their feet.

Neither of them stopped there.

Almost simultaneously—

”Sixth Form.”

Celestial Orbit.

Their blades began revolving around their bodies in seamless defensive circles.

Every attempt to strike was immediately met with another blade.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The metallic echoes rang throughout the stadium.

Neither side managed to gain an advantage.

Without warning—

Both abandoned the Sixth Form.

They transitioned into another technique almost effortlessly.

”Second Form.”

Falling Star.

Both swords descended simultaneously.

Boom!

The collision created another violent shockwave that blasted apart more of the already ruined arena.

They separated only for an instant.

Then immediately entered—

”First Form.”

Guiding Light.

Two perfect thrusts shot toward each other.

Their blades met at the exact center.

The force pushed both fighters backward before they immediately launched themselves forward again.

”Seventh Form.”

Polaris Judgment.

Their killing intent exploded.

Both swords carried absolute conviction as they cut through the air.

The instant the attacks met—

CRAAASH!!

A massive trench split the arena apart.

Stone exploded into the sky.

The two figures disappeared within the cloud of dust before reappearing on the opposite side of the battlefield.

The spectators could barely follow what was happening anymore.

”What...”

”What form are they using now?”

”I can’t even tell anymore!”

”They’re switching techniques too quickly!”

Even several instructors watched with widened eyes.

Master Crawford remained unusually quiet.

A faint smile rested on his lips.

”They’re no longer thinking about individual techniques...”

”It’s flowing naturally between them.”

Back inside the arena—

Another clash erupted.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Kael and Zion exchanged dozens of strikes within seconds.

Each transition between forms happened without hesitation.

Guiding light flowed into Falling Star.

Falling Star transitioned into Constellation Dance.

Constellation Dance linked naturally with Celestial Orbit.

Every movement became part of the next.

No wasted motion.

No unnecessary hesitation.

It was swordsmanship refined through countless battles.

As the exchange continued...

Zion slowly noticed something.

Something that made his expression darken.

Kael...

Was becoming faster.

Not by a massive margin.

Not instantly.

But gradually.

Strike after strike.

Exchange after exchange.

His speed kept increasing.

Every clash brought Kael one step closer to matching him.

”...Impossible.”

Zion muttered internally.

”How...”

”How is he still getting faster?”

His blade met Kael’s again.

Clang!

This time—

Kael reached the next position just a fraction of a second sooner than before.

Then another exchange.

Again.

Kael moved slightly faster.

Another clash.

Again.

The difference was tiny.

Almost impossible to notice.

Yet Zion...

Could feel it.

”...He’s adapting.”

”No...”

”He’s evolving during the fight.”

For the first time since their battle began...

A trace of disbelief appeared in Zion’s eyes.

How could someone continue growing stronger while exchanging blows?

Kael wasn’t merely enduring the battle.

He was learning from every single movement.

Every strike.

Every step.

Every mistake.

His body seemed to adjust on its own.

Almost as though combat itself accelerated his growth.

It made absolutely no sense.

Meanwhile...

Kael barely cared about defending anymore.

Every attack Zion landed was answered by two of his own.

Cuts continued appearing across Kael’s body.

Yet he ignored every single one.

His only objective...

Was to injure Zion.

Even when Zion forced him onto the defensive...

Kael always found a way to leave behind another cut.

Another bruise.

Another opening.

His relentless aggression slowly began forcing Zion backward.

Zion frowned.

”What the hell...”

”...is going through your head?”

The Copycat standing before him looked less like a swordsman...

And more like a beast that had completely abandoned the concept of self-preservation.

The only thing that mattered to him...

Was moving forward.

Chapter 94: The Copycat Surpasses the Original (Part 2)

Kael continued advancing without the slightest intention of retreating.

Every cut Zion landed only seemed to fuel the crazed smile spreading across Kael’s face.

Their swords collided again.

Clang!

The impact forced both of them apart before they rushed toward each other once more.

”Third Form!”

Constellation Dance.

A continuous chain of interconnected strikes flowed from Kael’s sword.

Every slash linked naturally into the next, forming an endless sequence that left almost no room to counterattack.

Zion answered immediately.

His own blade danced through the air with the same technique.

The arena echoed with a storm of metallic collisions.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Neither side yielded.

Every strike met another strike.

Every opening disappeared before it could be exploited.

Then—

Kael suddenly altered the rhythm.

He shifted from the Third Form into the Fourth.

Astral Crossing.

His figure disappeared from Zion’s front.

Almost instantly—

He appeared above him.

Zion reacted on instinct.

Clang!

He barely intercepted Kael’s descending slash before spinning around with Falling Star, forcing Kael to retreat.

The two landed several meters apart.

Without giving Zion time to breathe—

Kael vanished again.

Astral Crossing.

He appeared behind Zion.

Zion twisted around just in time.

Their swords collided once more.

Boom!

The force split the ground beneath their feet.

Kael refused to stop.

His movements became smoother.

Cleaner.

Faster.

Every use of Astral Crossing flowed naturally into another form of the Celestial Star Sword Art.

Watching from the VIP lounge...

Master Crawford folded his arms.

”...Interesting.”

”He isn’t simply copying anymore.”

”He is beginning to make the techniques his own.”

Garrick let out a low whistle.

”That brat really doesn’t know when to stop.”

Below...

Another exchange erupted.

Kael and Zion rushed toward one another.

Their blades scraped against each other countless times.

The spectators could no longer distinguish who was attacking and who was defending.

It looked as though two revolving spheres of steel had collided.

”...What is wrong with you?”

Zion muttered while parrying another slash.

Kael simply grinned.

”What?”

”Getting tired already?”

Their blades collided again.

Clang!

Kael immediately shifted his footing.

Instead of following with another sword strike—

He suddenly disappeared.

Astral Crossing.

This time...

Zion completely lost sight of him.

His instincts screamed.

He immediately turned—

Too late.

Slash!

A deep cut opened across Zion’s side.

Blood splashed onto the ruined arena.

Zion quickly distanced himself.

His breathing had become noticeably heavier.

Kael slowly lowered his sword.

Then...

He took a single step forward.

His body blurred.

Zion froze.

”What...”

”When did he...”

Before he could finish the thought—

Kael had already appeared beside him.

Not in front.

Not behind.

Directly beside him.

His sword descended.

Slash!

Blood burst from Zion’s shoulder.

Kael calmly walked past him.

Neither looked back immediately.

For several seconds...

Silence filled the arena.

Then—

Zion’s knees weakened.

Blood dripped steadily onto the broken stone beneath him.

He stumbled forward before collapsing face-first onto the arena floor.

The audience gasped.

Kael slowly turned his head toward Zion.

A grin spread across his face.

”Well...”

”I guess the Copycat has finally become faster than the Original.”

”Or...”

”To put it more clearly...”

”He has finally learned to move better than the Original.”

Believing the battle had finally ended...

Kael turned around and began walking away from Zion.

Chapter 94: The Copycat Surpasses the Original (Part 3)

Kael had only taken a few steps before a voice stopped him.

”I admit it...”

”Kael.”

”You are a genius.”

”A cursed one at that.”

Kael stopped walking.

He slowly turned around.

Behind him...

Zion had pushed himself back onto his feet.

His body swayed slightly as he leaned against his sword for support. Blood continued to drip from the wounds covering his body, yet his eyes remained as sharp as ever.

”What you’re doing...”

Zion continued.

”...is basically uncharted territory.”

Kael’s grin widened.

”I guess you’ve figured out my little trick.”

”But how do you know what I’m doing is creating uncharted territory?”

”You don’t exactly have the authority to make that claim.”

Zion let out a quiet laugh.

”What makes you so sure that you’re sane?”

Kael’s smile disappeared.

For a brief moment, both of them simply stared at one another.

Inside his mind, Kael’s thoughts raced.

”Based on the game’s storyline... Zion should only be capable of using the first seven forms of the Celestial Star Technique. Even using the Seventh Form should almost completely drain his mana reserves so why is he still standing.”

He let out a quiet sigh.

”I guess nothing ever goes according to the story anymore.”

”Not this world.”

”Not this tournament.”

He shook his head.

”Who knows...”

”Maybe a Dragon will suddenly show up to challenge me next.”

”A Combat Dwarf already appeared in the previous round.”

Kael muttered to himself.

Then...

Something felt wrong.

His expression suddenly changed.

He could still see Zion standing before him.

He could hear his breathing.

He could even see the blood dripping from Zion’s wounds.

Yet...

He couldn’t sense Zion’s mana.

Not even a trace.

Kael frowned.

”That’s impossible...”

His eyes widened.

A horrifying possibility flashed through his mind.

”Aura...”

Without thinking—

Kael immediately activated Vanishing Step.

The place where he had been standing split apart.

A sword slash silently carved through empty space.

Only then did Kael realize something.

The Zion standing in front of him...

Had disappeared.

It had merely been an afterimage.

Kael turned sharply.

Several meters away...

The real Zion stood calmly with his sword lowered.

”You’re using Aura...”

Kael muttered.

There was genuine shock in his voice.

Zion slowly raised his blade.

”I wonder...”

”...can you copy Aura too?”

The moment he finished speaking—

He vanished.

Completely.

There was no fluctuation of mana.

No killing intent.

Nothing.

It was as though he had ceased to exist.

Kael’s heartbeat quickened.

”No...”

”No...”

”He isn’t supposed to be able to use Aura during his first year.”

”That’s far too soon.”

His instincts screamed.

Then—

A calm voice echoed through the battlefield.

”Eighth Form...”

Nebula Veil.

Kael froze.

His breathing became uneven.

”The Eighth Form...”

”He can actually use the Eighth Form...”

Without hesitation—

Kael activated Vanishing Step.

He escaped the spot where he had been standing.

Or so he thought.

Slash!

A deep wound opened across his back.

Before he could recover—

Another slash struck his shoulder.

Kael spun instinctively.

Nothing.

No one was there.

Then—

Another strike.

Blood splashed across the shattered arena.

Kael clenched his teeth.

”What...”

”Where...”

Another cut appeared across his side.

Then another across his thigh.

It felt as though he wasn’t fighting a person anymore.

He was fighting an invisible ghost wielding a sword.

Every direction felt dangerous.

Every shadow seemed capable of killing him.

He couldn’t predict Zion’s movements.

He couldn’t detect his mana.

He couldn’t even follow his footsteps.

Nebula Veil concealed everything.

Kael continued retreating while desperately trying to locate even the slightest trace of Zion.

Nothing.

Only more wounds.

Slash.

Slash.

Slash.

His body became covered with deep gashes.

Blood dripped continuously onto the arena floor.

His legs finally gave way.

Kael dropped onto one knee.

His breathing had become ragged.

Only then...

Did Zion finally appear.

He stood directly in front of Kael.

Calm.

Composed.

His blade rested only inches away from Kael’s forehead.

A faint smirk appeared on Zion’s face.

”Tell me...”

His voice echoed throughout the silent arena.

”Can you...”

”...copy someone’s Aura?”