Ryu appeared before the unmoving Valkyrie in a flash. This was the first time he had battled someone using a weapon he was familiar with. He was curious to find out how the spearmanship disciplines of others stacked up to his Tatsuya Clan.
Suddenly, the Valkyrie awoke, a blinding flash of white light emitting from her body.
"The Throne of the Awoken Moon Sect will not be touched." Her voice was cold as her spear moved. The stroke was elegant, carving through the air and holding an air of beauty shrouding a piercing killing intent.
Ryu's pupils seemed to see everything in slow motion. Every detail, every flex of her muscle, every slight tremble of her pointed spear, he saw it all.
"Your spear… Is lacking." Ryu said coldly.
His glaive raised, executing a perfect [Pare]. The Valkyrie might have shown surprise if it wasn't for the fact she was an artificial being. Losing control of her own spear so easily would be a jarring experience for anyone, let alone someone speaking so arrogantly just a moment before.
When next Ryu's glaive fell, the battle was over. A [Slice] descended from the skies, a move that couldn't have been any more basic. But, it was impossible for the Valkyrie to react. With her spear having been sent away from her body, there were too many openings to attack. She was bisected in the next instant.
The elders were stunned.
"I … I know that this is just the first phase, but is it meant to be so easy, Castle Master?"
"No. This Ryu is simply that talented." The Castle Master spoke solemnly. "He acted as if he knew how the Valkyrie would attack before the battle began, it's either he has an extreme amount of battle prowess, or he's incredibly familiar with the spear.
"The battle for the Throne uses the most talented disciples of our Sect's history as a base, but limits their battle prowess to how strong they were at the trial taker's age. Many of our former Ancestors have projections within this trial…"
The elders sucked in a cold breath. It had been so long since anyone had challenged their Sect's Throne that they forgot these details. It was impossible for the Awoken Moon Sect's Throne trial to be simple because…
"Castle Master, doesn't that mean…" One of the Sect's Grand Elders spoke.
Heiress Melody's jaw clenched slightly as the beginning of this elder's inquiry, but she kept her eyes glued to the image above her head, silently supporting Ryu.
"Yes." The Castle Master said softly. "Our Awoken Moon Sect was once a Ninth Order Sect of the Blossom Plane. However, the collapse of the Shrine Plane cut the support we once had from the Ice Phoenix Clan off, resulting in excess pressure from our enemies which eventually led to our downfall. This means that if Little Ryu wants our Throne, he'll have to face Ancestors that stepped into the Cosmic Seed Realm at their peak."
"Castle Master!" The elders froze in shock. Of the collective elders, only their three Grand Elders and Melody as their Sect Inheritor were aware of this truth. But, they were all thinking one thing…
"Shouldn't we have told the boy this before he entered…?"
It wasn't lost on the elders that their Castle Master had suddenly shifted to calling Ryu and affectionate 'Little Ryu'. Though her eyes were gentle, these elders knew well that their Castle Master was a scary woman who was once known as the Ice Ghost of the Battlefield. The fact she was showing any sort of affection toward Ryu meant that she was attaching a small bit of hope in him. Hope to rise their Sect back up to their former glory.
"Little Melody was already aware of this truth and still allowed him to enter. I believe that she knows or at least felt something that we have to trust."
Even though she said this, the pulsing ring, seemingly made of beautiful blue marble, on her forefinger told Castle Master Toria a completely different story. One that would change everything.
At this moment, the second challenger was appearing before Ryu who had a slight smile on his face. Did he know the connection this Awoken Moon Sect had with his Grandmother's Ice Phoenix Clan? Of course he did, that was why he chose it.
In truth, he wasn't absolutely certain before, but after seeing their White Dragon Bone Spear and Armor, he became absolutely certain. They were the Heirlooms only this Sect could have.
Ryu was certain that they no longer had these treasures in their possession. Though they weren't actually made of Dragon bone and scales, they were still too valuable as Mystical Grade Treasures. The only way they'd be allowed to survive until now is if they willingly gave them up. But, this Throne trial was still able to project the abilities of those treasures onto their Ancestors.
To claim their Throne, Ryu would have to defeat every Ancestor the Awoken Moon Sect had had in their long history during their eighteenth year of life. It would likely begin with the weakest and work its way upward, so the enemies he faced now were most likely the more recent Ancestors of the Sect.
He could tell. These Ancestors weren't spearmen. The trial was forcing them to use a spear when they had likely never used one in their lives. It was no wonder the first was full of holes to exploit.
This unfortunate trend continued onward. Due to the fact the Sect had lost their Heirloom, none of the first half dozen Ancestors survived past a single strike. The elders were starting to wonder if this so-called Throne trial would really continue like this while the disciples watching outside the Castle of ice were in absolute shock.
"To use a glaive with one arm in this way… Is he purposely handicapping himself? Or is this a style he is attempting to refine. I feel as though he is trying to hone something, but I can't understand what it is."
The elders nodded faintly at these words. It really did seem that way, but they were too shocked by watching their Ancestors fall with just a single strike again and again. However, the Castle Master's gaze shifted when Ryu entered his seventh battle.
'This is it… This is where it truly begins. The battles before this were from the Ancestors we had as a Fifth Order Sect. But now… They'll be Sixth Order Sect Ancestors… Women that would one day become Immortal Ring cultivators. Can you make it to the Ninth Order?...'
Ryu immediately felt the change and swapped his weapon, revealing a spear that matched his glaive in almost every way. 'Finally, someone who can use a spear. Show me your skill.'