The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: An Intense Battle – 3

Damian had a reason for turning off the effects of all his constitutions.

During the trials, he had subjected his body to extreme conditions by surviving hundreds of intense explosions, absorbing enormous amounts of energy that could have caused him to explode from within, and sitting inside fire essence-filled lava for eleven days straight.

His constitution and talents allowed his body to become incredibly strong by adapting to these extreme conditions.

Even Damian didn’t fully understand how strong his physical body had become.

When the Heavenly Sword Demon attacked him, Damian had deactivated all the effects of the four elemental essences, significantly reducing his durability and endurance.

This left his body highly vulnerable, allowing the Heavenly Sword Demon’s attacks to work effectively.

Despite pretending to defend himself, Damian wasn’t actively resisting.

Yet, his body wasn’t completely disintegrated, demonstrating just how powerful he had become.

Damian wanted to exploit his immense durability and pain tolerance to provoke the Heavenly Sword Demon into using his strongest techniques so he could learn them.

From the moment, When the system notified him of the impending battle against the Heavenly Sword Demon, Damian knew he was up against a formidable opponent with higher-grade techniques.

He also understood the Heavenly Sword Demon wouldn’t willingly share his techniques with him.

Damian had perfect recall.

Seeing something once or twice was enough for him to learn or imitate it completely.

As the Heavenly Sword Demon began performing his techniques, Damian’s talent, [Rumination Clarity], enhanced his information processing and memory.

Combined with his innate ability, [Eyes of Clarity], which allowed him to perceive the truth of everything, including the flow of energy in the world, Damian could analyze everything in slow motion.

His brain rapidly recorded the Demon’s every move, and Damian continued provoking him, knowing that the Demon was close to unleashing his most powerful technique.

Now that the Heavenly Sword Demon had seemingly used his strongest technique, Damian decided it was time to end the battle.

He activated all his abilities, and his presence shifted so dramatically that it felt as if he had become a completely different person.

Damian’s neon-blue eyes locked onto the Heavenly Sword Demon.

“Anyway, I hate talking to you, and I have a lot to do in Solarta… so goodbye.”

He waved his hand, and three dozen flame magic circles suddenly appeared.

From each circle, a three-meter-long flame spear of intensely condensed fire emerged.

[Flame Spear: Spell Activated] x38

“You’re a fucking mage?” The Heavenly Sword Demon’s eyes widened in disbelief.

From the start, he had assumed Damian was a swordsman or martial artist.

Even though Damian hadn’t reached the Grandmaster level, his swordsmanship was likely at the master grade, showcasing an impressive understanding of sword techniques.

Yet, here he was, casting high-intensity spells.

While it wasn’t uncommon for warriors to practice both magic and swordsmanship, most specialized in one area while dabbling in the other.

Damian, however, didn’t appear to specialize solely in swordsmanship.

The intensity of the spells he was casting wasn’t individually threatening, but nearly forty flame spears aimed at the Heavenly Sword Demon posed a serious threat.

The Demon had encountered thousands of mages throughout his life, and compared to them, Damian still seemed like an amateur.

However, with his power reduced to level 50 and facing a relentless opponent conjuring dozens of destructive spells, the Heavenly Sword Demon realized he couldn’t escape.

The trial wouldn’t end until one of them died or admitted defeat, and surrender was never an option for the Heavenly Sword Demon.

There was only one option left.

The flame spears launched themselves at the target, the Heavenly Sword Demon, with rapid speed.

“You bastard, don’t get ahead of yourself!” the Heavenly Sword Demon roared as his aura exploded.

He dashed from place to place, trying to dodge the rain of flame spears crashing down on him.

Every time a flame spear touched the ground, it exploded, creating a chain of explosions all over the arena.

The flame spears were much faster than fireballs and far more accurate in hitting their target.

However, the Heavenly Sword Demon was even faster.

He managed to dodge every single flame spear, even though some came dangerously close as he dashed towards Damian with a furious, contorted expression.

Damian wasn’t even slightly worried.

He continued to spam the [Flame Spear] spell repeatedly.

His massive mana pool allowed him to cast peak 2nd-circle spells for hours without tiring.

At one point, the flame spears became even faster, and Damian began summoning more than fifty at once.

The pressure on the Heavenly Sword Demon increased.

The more spells Damian summoned, the harder it became to dodge.

Eventually, the Heavenly Sword Demon gave up dodging.

“You bastard! Are you trying to kill me?!” the Heavenly Sword Demon roared.

His katana began to glow with intense Qi as he slashed at the incoming flame spears, making them explode midair before they could hit the ground.

“Oh?” Damian raised an eyebrow thoughtfully as a new idea formed in his mind, though he didn’t stop casting spells.

Soon, the Heavenly Sword Demon broke through the rain of flame spears and reached Damian, his katana glowing with raging Qi.

“I’ve got you now, brat!” the Heavenly Sword Demon grinned, but his smile instantly vanished when he saw something he never thought possible.

Damian’s two swords were glowing with intense, raging Qi.

His entire figure was enveloped in Qi, like a thick second skin.

[Heavenly Shadow Step: Movement Technique Activated]

[Heavenly Tyrant’s Body: Body Strengthening Technique Activated]

Damian’s figure blurred as he suddenly appeared beside the Heavenly Sword Demon.

Before the demon could react, Damian vanished again, leaving a deep sword slash on his left arm.

Damian reappeared a few meters away, Qi bursting from his figure in all directions.

“That’s one good movement technique. Thanks for that.” Damian smirked.

Without waiting for a response, he activated another technique he had stolen, while the Heavenly Sword Demon stood frozen, mouth wide open in shock.

You know that feeling when something you’ve dedicated your entire life to, something that makes you special, is suddenly mastered by someone younger and more talented?

Someone who didn’t have to work as hard as you, yet does it even better?

That crushing realization that your life’s work might be meaningless.

That’s exactly how the Heavenly Sword Demon felt at that moment.

“Just how?”

This single question haunted his mind like an inescapable shadow.

Do you know how many years it took the Heavenly Sword Demon to create and master these techniques?

It was called the [Heavenly Sword Art], one of the most dangerous sword techniques in the entire tower realm.

It belonged to a set of Techniques known as the Ultimate Techniques.

Ultimate Techniques are beyond grading.

They evolve with the user, growing stronger as the practitioner becomes stronger.

Once mastered, these techniques eliminate the need for learning new ones.

They are called “Ultimate” for this reason.

Such techniques are created by sword grandmasters.

The Heavenly Sword Demon was one.

Had his level not been regressed to level 50, he could have used his ‘Concept’ to cut through Damian like butter.

But the system was smart; it would never allow him to wield his grandmaster power against a low-level awakener.

He created these techniques through blood and sweat, becoming one of the strongest swordsmen in the Murim, feared and loathed by many.

To a grandmaster, their techniques are like a limb, an extension of themselves.

They would never dream of sharing them.

Yet, Damian was performing these very techniques after seeing them only a few times.

It simply made no sense.

Not to mention, observing a sword’s movement or Qi circulation isn’t enough.

Mastery involves understanding energy flow, internal energy control, muscle strengthening, and footwork.

How could anyone replicate something so complex after only a few glances?

Then, the Heavenly Sword Demon remembered Damian’s unnaturally intense, glowing eyes. “He… he must have some sort of special eyes.”

Damian gripped his swords tightly and circulated his Qi.

[Heavenly Mirage Dance: Sword Technique Activated]

His figure disappeared, leaving behind mirages of himself wielding swords.

These mirages moved in unison with him as if they were his shadows.

The more Damian moved, the more the figures split.

Each split figure rapidly swung their sword, unleashing dozens of sword rays that sliced through the air, raining down upon the Heavenly Sword Demon like a storm of blades.

When the rain of sword rays stopped, the Heavenly Sword Demon’s figure appeared, covered in sword wounds all over.

Yet, he showed no pain.

It was masked beneath the raging fury burning hotter than fire.

His face turned blood red, much like the blood covering it.

“I swear on my name as the Heavenly Sword Demon… today, either I kill you or I die!” he declared.

An incredible aura erupted from him, unleashing immense pressure on Damian, stronger than anything the Heavenly Sword Demon had ever released before.

“That’s it! Release your fury and help me improve my understanding of these techniques,” Damian smiled, watching the Heavenly Sword Demon being pushed to his breaking point as he activated all his techniques.

[Heavenly Shadow Step: Movement Technique Activated]

[Heavenly Tyrant’s Body: Body Strengthening Technique Activated]

[Heavenly Mirage Dance: Sword Technique Activated]

But the Heavenly Sword Demon wasn’t the only one.

Damian also activated the three ultimate techniques, mirroring him, and prepared for the final showdown.

On one side stood Damian, who had flawlessly copied the ultimate techniques from their creator just by observing.

On the other side stood the sword grandmaster, the Heavenly Sword Demon himself, the creator of these ultimate techniques.