Jade, trembling and confused, asked, "W-What the hell is this…?"
The entire village stood frozen in shock—everyone except the goblin, who seemed to have been expecting this very moment. Even Ian himself was startled when he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a shattered window. His eyes, now glowing red, were filled with energy, and a faint mist rose from his body.
Suddenly, his mother's voice echoed in his mind:
"My son, our family was known as the Guardians. Our duty was to protect the Gate of Hell, to prevent demons from crossing into the world. We accomplished this using the ancestral power that runs through our bloodline. Normally, to awaken this power, you'd need to go to the Altar of Awakening—but it was destroyed with our clan. So you must follow the old, slower path. For two years, you must strike with your sword ten thousand times every single day. Only then will your body be pushed to its limits and your blood awakened. This is the only way you can restore our family's honor."
Tears welled up in Ian's eyes.
"I did it, Mother," he whispered. "I awakened the blood."
Wiping his tears, Ian dashed toward his sword, picked it up, and launched an attack on Jade. Still shaken, Jade raised his sword to block—but Ian's strike was far faster and stronger than before. The battle dynamic had completely shifted.
Jade was being pushed back with every blow. He tried to gather his strength and fight back, but Ian didn't budge. With a powerful maneuver, Ian disarmed Jade and knocked his sword far away. Caught off guard, Jade lost his balance—just in time for Ian to strike with a devastating downward slash.
Screaming in agony, Jade clutched the stump where his arm had been.
The villagers gasped in horror, staring at Ian's blood-soaked blade. The goblin stepped forward and calmly declared:
"The match is over. Jade is no longer able to continue. The winner is Ian."
Hearing this, Ian dropped to his knees, his eyes slowly returning to normal as he gasped for breath.
The village elder screamed in rage when he saw his grandson's severed arm.
"You bastard orphan! I'll kill you! You'll pay for this!"
He charged at Ian, who, exhausted, tried to raise his sword. But suddenly, the goblin stepped between them. With a single motion, he sent the elder flying backward and turned to the villagers, his voice laced with anger:
"The duel was fair. No one has the right to challenge the result."
Everyone fell silent. Fear of the goblin's power forced even the elder to back down.
Then, the goblin looked back at Ian with a calmer tone.
"Well done, boy. So… you really are the descendant of that clan."
Hearing those words, a faint smile appeared on Ian's lips—right before he finally lost consciousness from exhaustion.
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