Chapter 174.1

Crrrreeeek.

Cedric's rapier lightly scraped the stone floor, sparking and leaving a mark. A sneer spread across his face.

"Yes, I was curious about the prowess of the renowned Holy Grail Knight."

Isaac didn't respond; instead, he immediately employed the technique *Eight Branches*.

The figure of a beast with eight tentacles appeared, seeming to crash through both the floor and the ceiling as it charged. Cedric flinched at the terrifying momentum but quickly swung his rapier.

"Flowers scattered amidst ten thousand blades."

With a whoosh, Cedric's rapier sprouted blades in all directions. The sword attacks that Isaac aimed to envelop Cedric were shattered by the thousands of blades that erupted around him.

Crrrrunch, bang! Cedric's swords also suffered a massive collision with the Eight Branches. It resembled a beast attempting to swallow a porcupine. Isaac recognized this as one of Cedric's advanced sword techniques.

Advanced sword techniques create phenomena that defy physical laws.

When sword energy is added, the swordsman's will is projected forcefully into the world, making the sword strikes visibly manifest. In Isaac's case, it was a somewhat sinister and shadowy form.

The porcupine-like blades Cedric had shown earlier were also likely of the same class of technique.

In the game, this might have been considered merely a buff that ignores defense, but its actual manifestation was much more than that.

Sword energy is a swordsman's will forcibly projected onto the world. If the world were a canvas and the sword a brush, advanced sword techniques would be the style of painting, and sword energy the paint.

But the most crucial aspect is 'what is being painted.'

To cut, carve, break, and slice the world to create something.

To Isaac, the world seemed like a giant canvas. In his newly acquired perspective, he began to question the facts he had previously accepted without much thought.

'Could it be that sword energy is not merely a next-level sword technique, but not a miracle of Elil?'

Only swordmasters among Elil's disciples were thought to wield sword energy, which was considered a miracle of Elil. But how could Isaac, not a disciple of Elil, use sword energy?

However, the situation was too urgent for such revelations.

Cedric also looked quite surprised.

"Aren't you a Holy Grail Knight of the Codex of Light? Using sword energy..."

From Isaac's sword, a sinister flow of sword energy surged, capable of tearing and crushing everything around it, even breaking nearby stone pieces.

Normally, Isaac might have taunted or provoked his opponent, but showing such nonchalance against the figure before him would have been foolish.

Without hesitation, Isaac continued his sword attacks. As Isaac advanced, Cedric maintained distance and swung his rapier.

Despite the considerable distance between them, invisible sword strikes viciously grazed by Isaac.

'He's sending out sword energy.'

It was an expected move.

In the game, Cedric handled a flashy and swift rapier technique. His movements were so fast that catching up was difficult, and he could even shoot sword energy from a distance—a virtually unfair ability for a swordsman that overwhelmed players.

You might think getting close would solve the problem, but that would mean falling into a trap.

'Close combat is much stronger.'

It was a resolve made in anticipation of facing a swordmaster.

However, Isaac hadn't planned this, but in fact, his and Cedric's swordsmanship had a unilateral compatibility.

As Cedric sent out sword energy towards Isaac, he sensed an unexpected anomaly.

'What is this?'

Creating distance and launching controlling attacks didn't mean he could completely avoid them. In the heat of the chase, inevitable clashes occurred. Each time, Isaac closed the gap bizarrely quickly and attacked him.

Each time Isaac's sword clashed or dodged, Cedric experienced a strange sensation of heaviness throughout his body.

'A curse? No, it feels like being entangled...'

Isaac's sword energy seemed sticky and clingy.

Cedric realized he was getting entangled in Isaac's sword energy without knowing it. His sword movements became slower and heavier, and the more he tried to escape, the more entangled he became. This subtle encroachment was hard to detect unless one was a swordmaster.

"Grr..."

At a critical moment, Cedric clashed swords with Isaac.

He tried to deflect and find an opening, but as Isaac twisted his sword, it seemed as though Cedric's rapier was stuck to Isaac's sword, almost slipping from his grasp. He barely held onto the rapier but exposed a vulnerability to Isaac.

"Fleeting petals!"

Just as Isaac aimed a strike at his shoulder, Cedric disappeared.

Thump. Instead, Isaac's jaw turned, wounding him.

Cedric reappeared about ten steps away, sweat dripping from his forehead. A slight cut on

his shoulder looked as if something had bitten into it.

In a split second, as Cedric escaped using advanced sword technique, he aimed for Isaac's neck. However, Isaac narrowly dodged, slicing Cedric's shoulder.

Cedric was incredulous. He was confident in his speed. He was adept at hiding his presence or mixing finesse into his attacks.

But Isaac was countering his moves and pushing him back.

'It wasn't this fast at the beginning, was it?'

It was true. But now, Isaac was definitely fast enough to respond to Cedric's movements.

Cedric shuddered for a moment.

'Could it be he's stealing my sword techniques during the fight?'

***

-TL Notes-