Two figures stood 20 meters away, facing each other in a large hall.
On the right side was a white-haired boy donned in a pure white Japanese kimono, a katana at his left waist.
On the left stood a man in a pure black Japanese kimono.
Both kimonos billowed in the air, the tension in the atmosphere palpable.
Atticus stood in front of the enigmatic man, his expression completely resolute. The past two months of training had been intensely challenging.
The second art was significantly more complex and sophisticated than the straight forward first. Even after mastering the art's movements and learning how to control his mana, Atticus still had to bring it all together.
It wasn't easy, but after constant practice, he managed to master the second art to a certain extent.
Now, he was standing in front of the life weapon's Avatar.
This battle was the final challenge before he could return to the real world, and he had to defeat the Avatar to pass.
Cedric stood on the side, observing both of them with rapt attention. He had become accustomed to the astonishing feats of this little white haired monster.
Atticus had consistently shattered every record Cedric knew, as if they were nothing. His rate of progress had exceeded all of his expectations.
What took most people, including Cedric himself, almost six months to learn was achieved by Atticus in half the time, making it appear effortless.
Cedric couldn't help but let out a self deprecating chuckle as he watched Atticus close his eyes, trying to get ready for the impending fight.
Atticus took a deep exhale, attempting to clear his mind entirely for this battle. He knew how strong the man was, and wanted to be fully focused and be in optimal condition for the fight.
After a few seconds, Atticus's eyes snapped open, and his right hand swiftly reached for his katana.
As his hand made contact with the hilt, his entire body suddenly tingled, and a shiver ran down his spine.
Utilizing a quick burst and focusing on his legs, he darted to the left with lightning speed, narrowly evading the deadly azure slashes that cleaved through the air, where he had stood just moments before.
Atticus was finally able to touch his katana and still remain in one piece!
A subtle smile, inhuman and filled with approval, tugged at the man's lips.
Without missing a beat, Atticus retaliated. He released rapid bursts from his mana core, boosting his speed to unimaginable levels.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished and reappeared right in front of the man.
Releasing more bursts from his mana core and focusing them on his hands and blade.
He unleashed an astounding 100 slashes in less than a second. Each blue streak left in its wake an aura of sharpness that felt as though it could cut through the intangible itself.
However, the man remained unmoved, his expression nonchalant as ever.
In a blur, the man's hand moved, and another 100 blue slashes materialized in the air, each possessing no less intensity than Atticus's own.
The strikes met in the air, sending frightening sparks that seemed to make the air shudder.
The man vanished from Atticus's vision at a speed he couldn't fully track. Reacting quickly, Atticus increased the intensity of his perception, and the world that seemed to move slowly before became even slower.
The cacophony of the world faded into oblivion, and Atticus slipped into a realm of absolute concentration.
Suddenly, from the corner of his sight, he saw a gleaming blue razor-sharp katana, threatening to slice his neck. The sheer sharpness of the blade was so intense that the skin on his neck began to split just from its proximity.
With his katana already raised high in the air, Atticus released a rapid burst, giving himself a sudden burst of speed. His blade descended in a powerful arc, meeting the oncoming strike with a resounding clash.
Shinnnnn
The two razor-sharp blades met in the air, sending ripples of fear through the very atmosphere.
In an instant, the two figures blurred, and the air crackled with an incalculable number of blue slashes and fiery sparks.
Releasing rapid bursts in quick succession, Atticus's speed reached surreal levels.
He countered every 100 slashes from the man with another 100 slashes, 200 with 200.
Within the hall, there were only two indistinct figures, their billowing kimonos forming a whirlwind of movement as they flickered across the space in the blink of an eye, leaving sparks formed by the collision of two sharp blades hanging in their wake.
Cedric watched all of this in silence, his expression remaining unchanged. It was as if he didn't care at all about the fight. Only he knew the turmoil that was going through his head as he witnessed how exceptionally Atticus was utilizing the second art in battle.
There was a significant difference between effectively using the art during training and effectively using it during real battles.
Training could provide a controlled environment, and with enough practice, one could eventually master the art. But using it effectively during the chaos of a real battle was a different matter entirely.
The pressure, the fear, and the risks were much much higher, and it took time and experience to hone one's skills for such situations.
Although, with constant practice, one could eventually achieve this; however, the time it took depended on the complexity of the art.
But considering everything he had believed in before, Atticus being able to use the second art this effectively in battle in just 3 months of learning it was mind boggling.
He had his eyes focused on one thing: Atticus.
'Maybe he can do it,' he thought with hope.
His face went through various expressions as if he were battling a dilemma, but it eventually turned resolute. He had already made up his mind.
The battle continued with Atticus and the man suddenly appearing, intense sparks flying, and disappearing again around the hall.