Final Regression of The Legendary Swordmaster Chapter 53

Clang. Clang.

The sound rang out again and again, sharp and violent, echoing through the trembling domain.

Edward reached the Duke’s level, landing on the last floating stone block just as the Duke lunged forward. The flame sword swept toward Edward’s neck in a wide arc, trailing blazing heat that warped the air itself. Edward met it head-on. His blade rose, steel striking fire in a clean parry that sent sparks bursting outward like fireworks.

Clang.

The force of the collision pushed both of them back. The Duke slid through the air, boots skimming against nothing, while Edward was forced to step back once on the stone beneath him. The block cracked slightly under his weight but held.

The Duke’s breathing had changed. It was heavier now, sharper, no longer calm. His eyes burned with frustration as he stared at Edward.

"You’re still standing," the Duke growled. "How many times do I have to kill you?"

He swung again, faster this time. The flame sword split into three identical blades mid-swing, each one striking from a different angle. At the same moment, the domain responded to his will. Lava burst upward from below like spears, aiming for Edward’s legs and torso.

Edward moved.

He twisted his body just enough to avoid the first blade, ducked under the second, and raised his sword to block the third. His feet shifted as he stepped onto another floating stone cube, narrowly avoiding the lava spears as they tore through the space where he had been a moment earlier.

Clang.

Edward’s sword met the Duke’s blade again, stopping it inches from his shoulder. Heat washed over him, scorching his cloak, but his grip never wavered.

"You talk too much," Edward said calmly.

The Duke snarled and kicked forward, releasing a burst of flame from his leg. Edward leapt backward, the fire passing beneath him as he landed on another cube. Before he could fully recover, the Duke raised his free hand.

The sky inside the domain darkened.

A rain of molten rocks began to fall, each one burning white-hot, smashing into the floating cubes and shattering several of them instantly. Edward jumped again and again, moving constantly, never staying in one place for more than a heartbeat.

"Run all you want!" the Duke shouted, laughter creeping back into his voice. "You’re inside my domain! Every step you take costs you more!"

A massive wave of lava surged up behind Edward, chasing him like a living wall. The heat pressed down on his back, threatening to swallow him whole. Edward turned mid-air and slashed.

The sword cut split the wave cleanly in half, molten rock spraying outward in both directions. Edward passed through the gap unharmed and landed on another stone block.

The Duke’s eyes twitched.

"You keep dodging," he said, his voice sharp with irritation.

He raised both hands this time.

The domain answered.

The air screamed as dozens of lava pillars erupted from every direction. The floor reformed beneath Edward’s feet, only to twist and rise violently, trying to trap him. Chains of molten rock shot up from below, wrapping around his legs and arms.

Edward reacted instantly.

He twisted his body, slicing through the chains before they could fully bind him. He rolled across the ground as a pillar slammed down where he had been standing, sending shockwaves through the domain.

Clang.

The Duke appeared above him, flame sword descending in a brutal overhead strike. Edward raised his blade and blocked it, the impact driving him down to one knee. The ground cracked beneath him, spreading spiderweb fractures outward.

The Duke leaned forward, pressing down harder, his face twisted into a grin.

"You feel it now, don’t you?" the Duke said. "The pressure. The weight. This is the difference between us."

Edward looked up at him.

"You’re right," Edward said quietly.

The Duke’s grin widened.

"Good. At least you understand before you die."

Edward’s grip tightened.

"The difference," Edward continued calmly, jerking his head to indicate the domain around them, "is that you rely on this, and I don’t," and the Duke could only frown as the weight of those words sank in.

Edward then twisted his blade sharply. The sudden change in angle knocked the flame sword aside. Edward surged to his feet and struck.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Their swords collided repeatedly in rapid succession. The Duke attacked wildly now, his swings heavy and aggressive, flames flaring with each strike. Edward met every attack with clean, efficient movements. He parried, redirected, and dodged with minimal effort, conserving every ounce of strength.

The Duke stepped back, breathing hard.

"Why won’t you break?" he demanded. "Why won’t you die?"

He thrust his hand forward.

A massive circle of lava formed around Edward, closing in rapidly. The heat spiked instantly, turning the air into a suffocating furnace. Edward stood at the center, his cloak catching fire at the edges.

The Duke laughed again, though it sounded strained.

"Let’s see you parry this!"

Edward did not move.

Instead, he raised his sword slowly, pointing it toward the Duke.

"Seven-star sword art," Edward said.

The Duke froze.

"Form Nine."

The space around Edward shifted.

The heat, the light, the very air seemed to bend inward toward his blade. The edge of the sword shimmered with distortion, as if reality itself was being pulled thin.

"Dimensional Lash."

Edward swung.

The slash did not travel in a straight line.

It vanished.

The Duke’s eyes widened as a sudden tearing sensation ripped through his chest. He looked down just in time to see space itself split open in front of him. A warped line appeared across his body, bypassing his mana barrier entirely.

Pain exploded through his core as the slash struck directly at his mana core, tearing through his control and forcing a scream from the Duke’s throat.

His connection to the domain shattered instantly. The overwhelming control he had held slipped from his grasp like sand through his fingers. The flames flickered. The lava froze mid-motion.

Cracks spread rapidly across the sky, and in the next instant, the entire domain shattered like fragile glass.

Pieces of distorted space broke apart and dissolved into nothingness. The oppressive heat vanished, replaced by the cold night air of the real world.

The Duke fell, as he slammed into the ground hard, coughing violently as blood spilled from his mouth. His flame sword dissipated into sparks, his body trembling as the remnants of his power scattered.

The shattered remains of the domain faded completely.

The Duke then gasped and forced his eyes open, only to see Edward hovering high above him.

Mana surged around Edward’s body in violent waves now that the domain was gone. Lightning crackled faintly around his limbs, his presence heavy and overwhelming. He held his sword pointed downward, aimed directly at the Duke’s chest.

Edward’s expression was calm.

Cold.

The Duke stared up at him, horror finally settling into his eyes as he realized the truth.

The fight was over.