The Grand Duelist

Chapter 192: The Sect Master!

The flexible blade of the Nameless Rapier managed to withstand the force of the broken sword, yet it didn't stop the kinetic energy of the broken sword from sending Joseph flying backward and rolling onto the ground.

[You suffered 22,512 damage!]

Joseph quickly recovered. He stood up and stared at the old man clad with white robes. He couldn't understand how he received damage from the old man's attack when the only weapon that he was using was a mere broken sword. But Joseph's experience in battle made him adapt to the situation.

He rushed at the old man once again.

"Point!"

Brilliant light gathered at the tip of his Rapier as he thrust towards the old man.

"You're too open!" The old man scoffed and took a step sidewards.

The thinness of the Rapier made it so that it was easy to dodge its attacks by just stepping sidewards. But when the old man evaded Joseph's attack, a smirk appeared on Joseph's face as the brilliant light gathered on the tip of his Rapier surged with power.

"To Harmony!"

The attack that should've been suddenly changed into a circular sweeping strike. The old man furrowed his eyebrows and quickly lifted his broken sword in front of him to defend himself. His movements were swift and decisive, without any trace of panic.

Peng!

The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out once again.

Boom!

But it was quickly followed by an explosion that engulfed the old man.

Joseph leaped backward and raised his guard. The explosion that covered the old man raised a cloud of dust that could potentially be used by the old man as a cover to hide his attacks. Joseph didn't believe that a single Harmony was enough to suppress the broken sword-wielding old man. This was the reason why he retreated.

He didn't want to suffer from a surprise attack. 

"Elder Riven!" One of the sect members cried out. 

"Cough... I'm fine... This much is nothing..." 

Elder Riven?

Joseph repeatedly blinked out of astonishment.

'His name is Riven and he has a broken sword?'

'I-I won't get into some copyright trouble with this, right?'

Joseph was so astonished by what he heard that he couldn't even think straight. Fortunately, at this moment, Elder Riven dispersed the cloud of dust that covered his body with a wave of his hand. His bedraggled figure was finally revealed to the eyes of everyone.

"E-Elder Riven... Are you sure that you're really okay?" One of the sect members asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine! Why are you so persistent? Go to the Penance Hall and repent!" Elder Riven barked at the noisy and irritating sect member.

"E-Elder... I was just..." The sect member was dumbstruck. He was just showing his concern towards him, why did he receive punishment instead of gratitude? 

"Go now! Don't make me see you again!" Elder Riven cried out once again.

The sect member could only dejectedly retreat towards the towering mountain of the Divine Sword Sect. His objective was, of course, to go to the Penance Hall and repent for his "sins".

Elder Riven wiped the blood that drenched his lips. He swept his gaze across Joseph, Lily, and Alice as he let out a sigh and said, "With your strength, you could've requested an appointment and we would've entertained you properly. Why did you have to crash the gates of my Divine Sword Sect?"

Joseph's eyes dangerously narrowed. He could see that even though Elder Riven looked somewhat pathetic at this moment, a different kind of dangerous energy was surging from his body towards the broken sword that he was holding. 

If Joseph's theory was right and the Victory development team really did reference that popular MOBA game several decades ago. Then, that broken sword would... 

"Fine, you don't have to answer." Elder Riven sighed once again when he saw that the three didn't have any intentions to answer his question, "I just have to force the answer out of your mouth!" 

He screamed and his energy reached its peak. The broken sword within his hands shone in a greenish runic light and after blinding flash of green light...

The broken sword was nowhere to be seen.

It was replaced by a gigantic greatsword as Elder Riven rushed towards Joseph and attacked.

He leaped into the air and started with a downwards slash.

Joseph deflected the attack.

Peng!

His deflect was successful, yet Elder Riven's smile seemed to deepen when his sword made contact with the Rapier.

"Runic Surge!" Elder Riven whispered into the air and the dormant energy surrounding his sword burst forth.

Bang!

Another explosion occurred.

Joseph was blasted away by the burst of runic energy.

[You suffered 12,521 damage!]

But Elder Riven wasn't done yet.

Before Joseph could recover, he arrived in front of Joseph in a flash and sent another attack.

This time, a sweeping strike similar to Harmony.

"Guard!"

Joseph had just recovered and he had no time to find the weakness of Elder Riven's attack. In other words, deflecting the incoming attack was now impossible so he had no other choice but to use Guard instead.

Peng!

[You received 2,683 damage!]

"You sure are quite good at blocking, but can you block this?" Elder Riven coldly scoffed. Kicking Joseph's rapier, he leaped into the air and sent another slash. 

"Runic Wave!"

Joseph's pupils brightened when he saw the wave of greenish runic energy flying towards him. The runic energy looked untouchable and ethereal. Of course, it was impossible to block such an attack! But this wasn't a problem for Joseph. It was because after all, he had that cheat-like ability...

"Parry!"

Joseph uttered under his breath and when the wave of runic energy landed on his body. It disappeared as if it was a stone dropped into the ocean.

"What?" Elder Riven was visibly shaken when he saw what happened to his attack.

But before he could even think any further, Joseph sent his attack flying back towards him.

"Discharge, Dividing Line!"

Joseph leaped into the air and slashed at Elder Riven's direction.

An indescribable power descended and struck Elder Riven, sending him tumbling backward and coughing several mouthfuls of blood. 

"Elder Riven!"

One of the sect members rushed to help, but as soon as he stepped on the demarcation line that Joseph carved with his Rapier.

He let out a yelp and gasped, "Shit! Don't touch that shining light! It will hurt you!"

The dozens of sect members immediately retreated from the area when they heard his shout. On the battlefield, the scariest thing that one could possibly encounter weren't undying enemies, but the unknown. Facing an attack of an unknown nature, it was obvious that they would panic.

Elder Riven stood up, his white robes stained with blood yet the fighting intent in his heart remained and never dissipated. He seemed to transform into a hero on his prime as he roared out loud and rushed at Joseph once again.

Joseph let out a chuckle and welcomed Elder Riven's attack.

But just as the weapons of the two clashed against each other, a voice suddenly descended.

"Stand down."

"Stop the fight."

As soon as this voice rang out, every disciple of the Divine Sword Sect, including Elder Riven immediately stopped whatever they were doing to kneel on the ground and pay respects to the person who spoke. 

"Sect Master!"

They simultaneously cried out.

Joseph's expression immediately changed. His guard went up as he raised his head and stared at the figure descending from the skies.

It was an old man clad in pure white robes similar to Elder Riven. The only difference was that he had this air of ancientness surrounding him and despite the kind smile on his face. Joseph could feel deep-seated killing intent and anger surging within.

His expression instantly turned ugly.

In this world, the hardest thing to fake was one's aura. The aura of the Sect Master of the Divine Sword Sect wasn't actually that powerful, yet it suffocated everyone that dared to bask on his aura. It made one feel as if they were being swept by the boundless ocean.

What was even scarier was that, while this aura was majestic and boundless. It was not fierce or violent. Instead, it was completely calm. In other words, the aura that the Sect Master was giving off wasn't a deliberate show of force. This was merely the presence that he normally displayed.

Alice's expression instantly turned serious.

Lily's face was pale and she was subconsciously trembling. As a Gunner, her Dignity stat was low so she was easily influenced by the boundless aura that the Sect Master radiated. 

The Sect Master finally landed on the ground and he turned to look at Joseph.

"Are you the one that crashed our ancestral gates?"

His placid voice seemed to carry a persuasive strength that didn't allow any refusal to answer.

[You are in front of an overwhelming presence.] 

[With the effects of your title, "The Sun that Overlooks Everything."]

[You have resisted.]

System notifications floated in front of Joseph, but he didn't even look at them.

His eyes were focused on the Sect Master, while his mind, already spinning as fast as it could to remember the reason why crashed the ancestral gates of the Divine Sword Sect in the first place.

"You are not going to answer me?" The Sect Master asked.

Joseph still kept his silence.

The Sect Master stared at him for a moment before letting out a sigh, "In that case, since you are not answering me."

"Then..."

"Wait!"

The Sect Master was about to unsheathe the sword wrapped around his waist when Alice's voice suddenly rang out.

Her voice attracted the attention of everyone including the Sect Master.

The Sect Master turned to look at Alice and when he saw her image...

His pupils violently constricted.

Alice revealed a smile when she saw the shocked expression on the Sect Master's face.

"So, it's really you..."

"Senior Brother Taric!"