THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

The air in the guild's central arena grew heavy with tension as the receptionist raised his arm and announced the start of the match. "Let the battle begin!" he declared, stepping back swiftly to avoid the clash that was about to unfold.

Litty and Yue exchanged a quick nod, their synchronization evident. Litty stepped forward, her swords gleaming under the light as she unleashed a surge of energy. A brilliant green Aura erupted around her, shimmering like a forest alive with vitality. David's eyes narrowed in surprise. Below the rank of master swordsman, it was almost unheard of to manifest Aura so vividly. Yet, here it was—alive, crackling, and full of power.

"Interesting," David thought, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "Looks like she's as special as me." He dismissed the thought of her being an anomaly, focusing instead on the fight ahead.

Yue, standing a few paces behind Litty, reached into her pouch and began tossing vials into the air with graceful precision. The vials cracked open, releasing bursts of pale blue mist that wrapped around Litty. David felt the pressure increase. Buff spells. A formidable duo indeed. The air around Litty thickened as her green Aura flared even brighter, blending with the supportive energy from Yue's concoctions.

David couldn't help but admire their teamwork. "They're coordinated, I'll give them that," he mused, nodding subtly in respect. He adjusted his stance, his keen eyes tracking Litty's movements as she prepared to strike.

Litty, emboldened by the enhancements, felt an electric surge of confidence course through her. "With Mom's buffs, even if I'm only a third-ranked swordsman, I can win this!" she thought, her resolve hardening. David wasn't refining Mana into Aura, after all. To her, this was an opening, an opportunity to tip the scales.

With a roar of determination, Litty dashed forward, her swords trailing behind her in perfect alignment. Her movements were fluid and calculated, her green Aura leaving faint trails in her wake. The audience held their breath, the clash about to unfold.

David planted his feet firmly on the ground, his muscles tensing as he anticipated her strike. "Let's see what you've got," he muttered under his breath, his eyes gleaming with an excitement that hadn't surfaced in a while.

Litty's approach was swift and precise. Her twin swords carved a wide, lethal arc aimed at David's midsection, the green glow of her Aura enhancing her strikes. The crowd held their collective breath, but David remained unbothered, his expression calm, almost bored. At the last possible moment, he extended his hand and effortlessly deflected the blades' trajectory with the tips of his fingers, the impact creating a sharp metallic clang.

Gasps erupted from the audience. Litty staggered back, her eyes wide with disbelief. "How… How is that even possible?!" she demanded, gripping her swords tightly. "You're not using Aura, are you?"

David chuckled lightly, his voice calm but carrying an edge of authority. "Not at all," he said, his tone as nonchalant as if they were discussing the weather. Before she could react, he pushed her back with a light kick. Litty twisted mid-air, using her other sword to absorb the force of the kick and land gracefully on her feet. She narrowed her eyes, her green Aura flaring angrily as she processed his words.

David glanced at Mariana, who was observing intently from the sidelines. "You see, Mariana," he began, raising his voice so she could hear him clearly, "true mastery comes from refining your battle sense to its peak. It's not just about Aura or raw strength—it's about reading the battlefield, predicting movements, and trusting your instincts." He shot her a confident smirk. "With a refined body and heightened senses, decisions like these become second nature."

Mariana frowned, absorbing his words while Litty clenched her fists, visibly bristling. "You're underestimating me!" she growled. From across the arena, Yue's voice rang out. "Plan B!"

Yue hurled a vial to the ground, shattering it in a burst of vibrant yellow mist. She whispered something under her breath, her words lost to the crowd, and immediately, dark storm clouds began to gather overhead. Electricity crackled ominously, a charged tension filling the air. A bolt of lightning struck Yue, her petite frame absorbing the surge of energy with an unnatural ease. She extended her arm, directing the lightning toward Litty.

The transformation was instantaneous. Litty exhaled sharply, her breath coming out as steam. Her green Aura mixed with the flickering blue of electricity, creating an intense, chaotic glow. She sheathed her swords and took a stance, her movements slower and more deliberate, as though she was preparing for something monumental.

Then, with a blur of motion, Litty vanished.

The crowd blinked in confusion, their eyes struggling to track her movements. David's sharp gaze, however, followed her easily. His battle sense screamed that her presence behind him was imminent, yet it didn't trigger the warning of danger. He didn't move.

That hesitation—or rather, that calculated stillness—was exactly what Litty had been banking on. Another lightning bolt struck her, amplifying her speed and strength even further. With a cry, she unsheathed her swords mid-strike, her blades aimed to pierce through David's seemingly impenetrable defenses.

The clash was deafening. A violent explosion of energy erupted as her swords collided with David's body, sending debris and dust flying into the air. The shockwave rocked the arena, forcing onlookers to shield themselves as the ground beneath their feet trembled. When the dust began to settle, all eyes turned toward the epicenter of the chaos, eager to see who had emerged victorious.

As the dust began to settle, revealing the aftermath of the fierce clash, the crowd's eager anticipation turned to disappointment. Standing amidst the debris, David held Litty by the neck, her feet dangling just slightly above the ground. She struggled against his iron grip, her swords clattering uselessly at his feet. Despite the overwhelming position, David's expression remained calm, even compassionate. He hadn't harmed her, nor did it seem he intended to.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that," David said, his voice steady but tinged with respect. "Your skills are commendable, Litty. That last strike would have taken down even a normal Master-ranked swordsman."

The crowd murmured in awe, their respect for Litty growing despite her apparent defeat. Yet, something in the air shifted. A strange sensation crept up David's spine as his battle sense stirred uneasily. Litty's face twisted into a sly grin, her lips curling upward with a mischievous confidence.

"Normal, you say?" she hissed, her voice laced with triumph. "Who said I was trying to defeat you? I was just the distraction."

David's eyes narrowed. "What?"

Litty's grin widened. "Underestimating my mother was your first mistake."

Before he could process her words, his battle sense erupted into a screaming warning, a cacophony of danger that made his heart race. His grip on Litty loosened as he cursed under his breath, his instincts kicking in.

"The elf…" he muttered, realization dawning like a thunderclap. His focus had been entirely on Litty when it should have been on Yue—the alchemist who had once taught him about the energies of the world. The very knowledge that had eluded him now seemed poised to undo him.

Beneath David's feet, a massive magic circle began to glow, intricate patterns connecting in a web of radiant green light. It pulsed with ominous energy, its complex symbols shifting as if alive. David's eyes darted around the arena, searching for Yue, but she was nowhere to be seen.

His battle sense roared again, and his body tensed instinctively. "Damn it!" he growled, realizing too late the trap he had walked into.

From the center of the circle, an explosion erupted, its green radiance engulfing him entirely. The arena shook violently, the shockwave forcing spectators to shield their eyes from the blinding brilliance. Whispers and gasps echoed among the crowd as they craned their necks to see the aftermath, uncertainty gripping their hearts. Was this the end of the undefeated challenger? Or merely the beginning of something far more dangerous?