Chương 238

A familiar set of translucent blue windows popped up in Rudra's vision. [Now you and Piaro have entered sparring mode.] [The spar will continue until the health of one person reaches the minimum.] [You won't die in sparring mode.] Rudra didn't even question the blue text. He dismissed the system windows with a quick blink and rolled his shoulders. He gripped his dark metal staff, Extortion. Blue sparks jumped across the black metal. Piaro drew his polished steel sword. He stood tall in the dirt.

His eyes were sharp and focused.

"Don't hold back, Piaro," Rudra said. He smiled.

"I won't, My Lord," Piaro answered. Piaro moved. He crossed the distance between them in a single breath. He swung his sword straight down. The blade hummed as it cut the air. Before his class reset, Rudra would have barely managed a sloppy block against that kind of speed. But now, his [Super Sensitivity] sent a quick warning ping. He felt the attack coming before Piaro even dropped his arm. Rudra didn't try to dodge. He just planted his boots in the dirt. He brought his staff up to meet the steel. Clang!

Sparks flew. The loud noise echoed across the wheat fields. Rudra didn't slide backward. His feet stayed glued to the ground. He absorbed the heavy blow easily. He pushed back, shoving the sword away with a quick thrust of his arms. Piaro took a quick step back. He looked at his blade, then at Rudra.

"Your center of gravity is much lower. You didn't even shift your feet to catch that."

"I spent the last few weeks fighting monsters in the sea," Rudra laughed.

"You get used to holding your ground." Rudra didn't wait for Piaro to reset. He pushed forward. He spun his staff in a tight circle, building momentum. He swung low, aiming for Piaro's knees. Piaro jumped over the sweeping staff. He twisted in the air and thrust his sword toward Rudra's chest. Rudra pulled his staff back. He knocked the sword aside. Then he stepped right into Piaro's guard. He shoved his shoulder hard against Piaro's chest. Piaro grunted. He stumbled backward, his boots dragging in the dirt.

Rudra followed up immediately. He swung the heavy staff over his head. He brought it down fast. Thwack! Piaro threw his sword up just in time. The staff hit the blade. The dirt under Piaro's feet cracked. The farmer dropped to one knee, struggling to hold the heavy staff back. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Piaro looked up. He wasn't angry. A huge, excited grin spread across his scarred face.

"You are pushing me back," Piaro laughed. He pushed the staff away and stood up.

"You have grown so much! This is wonderful!"

"I told you I learned some new tricks," Rudra grinned back. Rudra stepped back and let Piaro catch his breath.

"Let's turn it up," Rudra said. He used [Mumud's Weapon Enchant] to buff his attack and activated the effect of [Harbinger of Divine and Demon]. Instantly, golden Divine Energy and freezing black Demonic Force poured into his hands. He pushed both energies into Extortion, which was magically enhanced, at the same time. The dark metal hissed. A bright golden glow wrapped around the top half, while a pitch-black fog covered the bottom.

The two opposing energies sparked and popped, fighting each other right on the surface of the glowing weapon. Piaro stared at the staff. He frowned and took a cautious step back.

"My Lord," Piaro said, his voice dropping.

"That is Divine Energy. But the other... that is pure demonic force something even those with contracts to normal demons get. Anyone who holds that power is branded an enemy of humanity. The churches will hunt you. Did you make a pact with a Great Demon?"

"Relax, Piaro," Rudra said, resting the sparking staff on his shoulder.

"I didn't sign any evil contracts. I just found a Great Demon sealed in a cave. I kind of beat him up and stole his power. I'm not affiliated with the Great Demons, in fact I could even be said to have a hostile relationship with them." Piaro let out a slow breath. He knew his Lord was strange, but stealing power directly from a Great Demon was wild.

"But mixing it with divine energy? It goes against the beliefs of gods of the world. It doesn't look like it is stable."

"That's the point," Rudra grinned. Rudra dashed forward. He swung the glowing staff. Piaro met the attack with his sword. Boom! The moment the weapons touched, the unstable coating detonated. The blast of light and dark smoke blew Piaro backward. The swordsman rolled across the dirt and dug his blade into the soil to stop himself. Piaro stood up and brushed off his singed shirt.

"You are using the repulsive force of the conflicting energies to create an external explosion on impact. It is a very dangerous way to fight."

"It gets the job done," Rudra said. Piaro tightened his grip on his sword.

"It is an effective method. Let me show you mine." Piaro raised his sword. A bright blue aura wrapped around the steel. He slashed the air. A massive wave of blue sword energy shot through the wheat field. It tore up the ground. It rushed straight toward Rudra. Rudra didn't try to block it with his staff. He instead activated a couple of skills. He activated a spell because of his Deep Sage class. [Pressure Zone].

A heavy dome of high-pressure moisture expanded, slowing down Piaro who was within reach of the domain and also boosting Rudra's stats by 20%. Rudra also activated his [Mumud's Mana Shield] to block the sword's energy. Piaro froze. He stared at the glowing Mana Shield that blocked his attack without any breaking.

"You used magic," Piaro said. He sounded genuinely confused.

"That was Mumud's. I have seen him use it. But you cast it by yourself without the help of any artifacts. You are a Staff Saint who fights physically with a staff. So how did you cast that spell?"

"I learnt it," Rudra said.

"I became a Legendary sage which allows me to understand all things easily. I don't need any artifacts to use the magic or any other skills, as long as I can have learned them and I have the resources to use it.." Piaro stood in the dirt. He lowered his sword. He looked at Rudra. He saw the golden divine light. He saw the black demonic fog. He saw the leftover magic.

"You did not limit yourself," Piaro whispered. Piaro looked down at his own hands. He looked at his sword. Then he looked at the hand plow resting in the dirt near the fence. He looked at the golden wheat waving in the wind around them.