The Grand Duelist

Chapter 66: Weakness Behind Deflecting

Like a kindling ignited by fire, a brilliant light engulfed the tip of Joseph's Rapier.

His body moved subconsciously and according to his instincts as he shoved the Rapier, straight into Krid's body.

But...

"Naive!"

Kacha!

... before the weapon could even reach Krid, the attack suddenly crumbled into pieces as a sound similar to that of glasses breaking rang out.

Joseph's eyes widened in shock when he heard the familiar sound.

Staring at Krid, he mumbled...

"Senior... just what did you do?"

Krid stopped what he was doing, and he frowned as he replied: "What are you saying, didn't I do something like this when we fought earlier?"

Memories flashed in Joseph's mind, and after connecting Krid's use of parry earlier that caused his defeat. Joseph finally understood that Krid really had the ability of deflecting an attack, just like what he could do and what the Grand Duelist could do.

"Hahaha..." Joseph chuckled.

"Hm?"

"Nothing, Senior... I just thought that it's really funny for me to think that I am the only one capable of deflecting an attack. I mean, I think anyone that has enough skill with the sword can do a successful deflect."

Krid frowned: "Are you underestimating the Grand Duelist's abilities when it comes to deflecting?"

Joseph was startled and he hurriedly shook his head: "No, I am not underestimating the Grand Duelist's capabilities, Senior. It's just that... I think that it's not something special, or unique..." 

When his words came out, even Ezreal couldn't help but frown and stare intently at Joseph from behind. Krid, who already had a frown on his face stared angrily at Joseph before explaining.

"The greatness of the Grand Duelist is in the fact that everything in this world, no matter what kind of an attack it is can be deflected as long as the timing is right..."

"It doesn't sound that special, but what if I tell you that strength does not matter when it comes to deflecting? Imagine a child who knew about the art of deflecting, perfectly deflecting the attack of a God and sending it right back at that God. Isn't that awesome?"

"A child can deflect a god's attack...? I think you're exaggerating there, Senior..." Joseph looked visibly astonished, but a challenging light could be seen within his eyes as he stared at Krid.

Krid's anger flared up when he heard what Joseph said.

His chest violently heaved, and it took about several dozens of seconds before he managed on calming himself down.

"I am not exaggerating! Let me tell you this! Several thousands of years ago, violence was rampant and every day there was always a slaughter. Such a violent world meant that only those truly strong could survive. In other words, the world back then was a lawless world that preyed on the weak!"

Krid exclaimed as he explained, a zealous light could be seen within his eyes.

"Yes, that's right! Three thousand years ago was an era known as the Era of the Lawless. Back then, the life expectancy of commoners and the weak were so low that you would be lucky if you managed on becoming older than five-years-old!" 

Ezreal suddenly intervened in the conversation between Krid and Joseph.

His words firmly supported what Krid was saying in the same zealous manner as the latter.

"That is indeed the truth, comrade! The emergence of the Rapier signaled the end of the Era of the Lawless..."

"The Era after the Era of the Lawless is considered as the Era of Forgotten Gods since deistic beliefs from the Era of the Lawless were quickly forgotten by everyone due to their rage towards the gods for not helping them in their plight..."

"The world became filled with humanistic people who valued humanism and decorum..."

"The Rapier became the perfect weapon for everyone for it accentuated someone's skills instead of brute force when it comes to fighting. After all, the early versions of Rapiers were very much fragile back then and easily broken in the face of greatswords."

The two suddenly stared at each other with the same worshipping light in their eyes as Krid took a deep breath and further explained.

"However, the art of 'utilizing the enemy's force to incapacitate' invented by the very first Grand Duelist became popular in the Era of Forgotten Gods..."

"At that Era, even children knew how to deflect, and when a skillful man fought against those children in a fair and honest duel. It was impossible to deduce who among the two would win. The child, or the more experienced one?"

Krid reached the end of his sentence, and Ezreal continued what he was saying with a scream.

"In short, hallelujah to the Grand Duelist!"

"HALLELUJAH!"

Krid also cried out after him.

Joseph was left standing alone with system notifications floating in front of him.

[Someone powerful has worshipped you! +10 Divinity]

[Someone extraordinarily powerful has worshipped you! +10 Divinity]

"Uh..."

Staring at these system notifications, Joseph mumbled.

"...Amen?"

But the two looked like they didn't hear what Joseph whispered.

In fact, they looked like they didn't even care at all about what Joseph was saying for they only stared at each other as Krid laughed out loud.

"You really are an excellent man, not only you're a Legend! But you're also a Sword Connoisseur!"

"Hahaha... I also didn't expect that the one whom I had a grudge with was actually someone who is a man of culture as well... I apologize, and I hope that my attitude to you earlier my comrade, will not bother you anymore."

Krid patted Ezreal's shoulders and laughed once again: "You didn't have to apologize to me. I already forgot about your attitude to me earlier, and also. How could I be mad at someone who is also a man of culture such as me? I hope that we could be good friends from now on..."

"Friends? Of course, of course, of course... we are friends from now on."

Ezreal looked somewhat melancholic by the mention of friends. But a small smile spread on his lips as he reassured Krid that they would definitely be friends starting today.

"Anyways, comrade. Can you stand aside for now? I will go and teach this master of yours about how great the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship really is!"

"Of course! Hahaha... I'll go and observe you, and master from behind."

Krid nodded his head, and Ezreal retreated.

"How about it, kid? Do you understand now? The value of the legacy that you have inherited?" Krid stared intently at Joesph and the latter nodded his head.

"If I still couldn't understand the strength of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship then I can say that I really am stupid, Senior."

"It's good to know that you understand..." Krid nodded in a satisfied manner before he once again took a stance and said.

"You can see it, right?"

Joseph looked somewhat confused as he asked: "See what, Senior?"

"You can see the assistance of the laws of causality, right? As someone who has the legacy of the Grand Duelist. Even though, you are still a premature one. I don't believe that you cannot see the assistance of the laws of causality." Krid said and Joseph thought.

'Laws of causality? if I remember correctly, then the laws of causality is the system running this game, right? In other words, the Supercomputer Noah? The assistance of the Supercomputer itself? Do I really have that?' Joseph revealed a frown, but he was interrupted with Krid's sigh.

He then raised his Rapier, and attacked Joseph with a slow-moving attack that was so slow. It looked more like it was in slow-motion.

"Can you see it, right? The mark..." Krid continued.

Joseph hurriedly took his Rapier and stared at the incoming attack. Indeed, on the blade of Krid's rapier. A small circle surrounded with another circle slowly closing-in towards the smaller circle could be seen.

"So that's the assistance of the laws of causality? Yes, I can see it. Senior! But wait, why can I see it right now? I haven't activated [Composure]!" Joseph looked confused and his confusion deepened when he realized that something was strange.

"Composure? That should be a skill within the legacy of the Grand Duelist. I don't know the effects of that skill, but from what you are saying. This is the first time that you are seeing this mark without that state of so-called Composure?"

"Yes, senior. From my experience, if I managed on striking that mark at the exact moment when the second circle fully enclosed the smaller circle. It would be a successful deflect." Joseph explained.

"Hahaha, that is indeed the assistance of the laws of causality!"

"The Grand Duelist can deflect anything, no matter what it is or how strong it is for as long as the timing is right!"

"The perfect timing is attacking that mark at the exact moment that it fully closes on the smaller one. If you missed that timing for even a fourth of a second then that deflect wouldn't be called perfect, and you will fail!"

Krid explained with a serious expression on his face. Emphasizing that timing was necessary with a stern tone of voice.

Seeing that Joseph looked somewhat unconvinced. Krid readied a stance once again before sending that same slow-moving attack towards Joseph.

"Deflect it!" Krid exclaimed and Joseph nodded his head.

He stared intently at the larger circle closing in towards the smaller circle and at the exact moment that it fully enclosed the smaller circle. Joseph swiftly attacked.

Kacha!

The familiar sound similar to glass breaking reverberated, and Krid staggered backward with a light smile on his face.

"Good! That was a perfect deflection! But how about this?"

Krid attacked with the same slow-moving attack once again. 

Sweat formed on Joseph's forehead as he stared intently at the mark, and when it fully enclosed the smaller circle...

He moved!

Ding!

But...

"What?"

... the sound that rang out wasn't the same sound that echoed earlier. Instead, it sounded quite dull and strange. This was the first time that Joseph heard such a sound so he looked quite confused.

But Krid promptly explained.

"That is the weakness of the Graceful Swordsmanship's Art of Deflection. Anything can be deflected for as long as the timing is right. But what if the timing wasn't right? Well, the deflection would simply fail."

Krid raised his head and stared at Joseph. Afterward, he continued in a serious manner: "In other words, if your enemy knew that your deflection can only be successful for as long as you timed it right, they could easily counter your deflection..."

"For example, like what I just did..." A light smile hung on Krid's lips as he continued.

"Purposely slowing the arrival of my attack for a fourth of a second was enough to completely neutralize your deflection, making it useless..."

"That is the greatest weakness of the Grand Duelist's Art of Deflection. Anyone must not know about that weakness of yours, or else. You will definitely suffer!"

Joseph gulped a mouthful of saliva when Krid concluded his explanation. 'He's right! Since the deflection mechanic depended on proper timing. If my enemy disrupted that timing by rapidly changing the rhythm of his attacks in the middle of sending them towards me, I would be doomed!'

'I must not let anyone know that weakness!' 

Joseph swore to himself that he would never tell a soul about this weakness of his.

Although terrified, Joseph was also excited about what was happening. Krid easily bit his bait earlier so, Joseph managed on learning more information about the Grand Duelist.

Now, Joseph planned on baiting Krid once again so that the latter would teach him more specialized techniques for the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship.

But it turned out that he didn't have to do that. It was because right now, Krid was staring at him in the same greedy manner as Ezreal did back when he first found out about Joseph's true identity.

"Now, let's talk about the first form of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship. Point!" Krid exclaimed in excitement.