The judge looked at the two before exclaiming, "Ready...start!"
Rean immediately darted in his opponent's direction, as always. However, Luval wasn't any slower as he did the same thing. "I was one of the cultivators fighting for the first position in the speed test. Do you think I will lose to you in speed?!"
With those words, Rean and Luval exchanged their first strikes.
*Clang, clang, clang...!*
Rean narrowed his eyes as he could tell that this guy was faster than anyone he had fought so far. "No wonder, no wonder!"
Luval and Rean ended up separating after the first few attacks. However, Luval didn't want to give Rean time to rest. He believed that with his higher cultivation, his resistance was higher, so he immediately struck at Rean once again!
'Sky Thrust!'
Luval's weapon of choice was a spear, which he used with high proficiency.
'Death Style, Fourth Form, Soaring Dragon!'
Rean, seeing Luval coming at him from the skies, immediately retaliated.
Neither side used a single iota of Divine Energy or Soul Power. Yet, when both spear and sword collided, they still caused a small shockwave.
"Great! Let's go again!" Rean couldn't help but feel excited as he was finally able to use more of his strength.
"Hmph! Come!" Luval wasn't as happy, seeing a Soul Transformation Realm matching his level of prowess. However, he had seen enough of the twins' unbelievable records to not feel surprised anymore. He wouldn't hold back because of Rean's cultivation for sure.
Rean then ran around the sides, trying to attack Luval at his flank when he fell on the ground. However, Luval used the full length of his spear to attack the exact point Rean was going to use, forcing Rean to deal with his spear first.
Rean quickly parried the spear, following the shaft with his Black Star before aiming to cut Luval's fingers that were holding the spear.
Unfortunately for Rean, Luval knew what would be the outcome of his action and moved accordingly. As soon as Rean used his Black Start to parry his spear, he retracted it at the same time, using the counterforce to rotate his body and hit the sword's side with his foot.
*Bang!*
Rean and Luval were once again separated by the force of their own attacks, both failing to deliver a single injury to the opponent. Seeing that, Rean pointed his sword at Luval and said, "Your level is far above anyone I fought so far. As expected of a Middle Stage Saint Realm cultivator."
Luval nodded in response. "You, on the other hand, have far exceeded what I could expect from a Middle Stage Soul Transformation cultivator. It makes me feel slightly ashamed to be at a similar battle level as yours, even when I'm at an advantage."
Rean had to admit he kind of liked Luval. He said whatever came in his head without a care for the world. "Hehe! That's because I don't rely solely on my cultivation to train. Anyway, don't tell me you're not liking it? Where else would you have the chance to exclusively test the power of your body to its limits? In any other situation, you wouldn't be able to tell if the other side would suddenly use their Divine Energy or not."
Luval's expression eased a little after that. "Well, I'll give you that." Soon after, he ended the conversation as he attacked one more.
'Fallen Stars!'
Luval's spear moved as fast as his body could allow without the help of Divine Energy, aiming to pierce Rean's body from everywhere.
Of course, Rean didn't hold back either.
'Death Style, First Defensive Form, Reversive Arcs!'
As much as the arcs created by the Black Star didn't leave behind the light and dark threads, the sword itself still moved in the right patterns to block Luval's furious assault.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang...*
At some point, Luval reached the limit of his continuous attack, which Rean used to counterattack before Luval recovered.
'Life Fire, Third Form, Flaming Blade Arc!'
The arc once again moved like a snake, trying to take one of Luval's arms with it. However, Luval never put himself in a position where he would be completely vulnerable. The moment he finished his last thrust, his legs were already pressed against the ground to pull back.
Both Rean's Flaming Blade Arc and Luval's jump moved at the same speed, which Luval used to recover his spear to a position where he could defend the arc.
*Clang... Puchi!*
However, Luval was still hurt by Rean's Flaming Blade Arc in the end.
"What?!"
Luval didn't lose his arm as his jump to the back disrupted Rean's Flaming Blade Arc. However, he couldn't understand how that injury appeared there since he was sure he had stopped Rean's sword with his spear.
Rean and Luval ended up distancing themselves from each other once again after that last exchange. Luval then looked at his arm and sighed in relief after seeing that the cut wasn't anything serious. Nevertheless, he felt the danger in Rean's assault. He then looked at the judge before asking, "Did he use some Divine Energy ability?"
The judge shook his head, telling him, "I can guarantee it wasn't Divine Energy. As to what it was, that's your problem to find out."
He obviously wouldn't tell what Rean did as it would be akin to giving Luval help.
However, Rean didn't mind saying it himself. "You're the first one I tried to do it on. Simply put..." Rean then held his Black Star on both ends and...slightly bent it!
"So that's how it is..." He would need to be an idiot to not understand that it was the bending ability that injured his arm. "I don't know how your sword can be so sturdy and still bend at the same time. However, are you sure you want to show that to me?"
Rean nodded as he replied, "I am. It would be fun to see you try to figure it out in the heat of the battle, but I'm also curious to see how you'll deal with it as I don't think I can find more opponents at your level later."
Luval took a deep breath after hearing that. "It's a good thing you see me as a worthy opponent. I also feel the same about you even though your cultivation is lower."
The judge began to lose his patience with their conversation, though. "Enough bullshit! If you don't start fighting, I'll disqualify both of you."
Rean and Luval smiled in response to those words as they once again restarted their skirmish.
