The Wyvern carrying the Three Beasts landed on a large tree not far away.
After Uesugi Ryu's earlier battle, most of the surrounding trees had already collapsed.
The forest was a complete mess, with fallen trunks scattered everywhere, leaving the area relatively open.
"Ah, how impressive. He actually dared to provoke General Esdeath."
Nyau sighed, cupping his cheeks.
Daidara's face showed a hint of disdain.
"He'll be licking General Esdeath's boots soon enough."
That so-called Northern Warrior had once looked just as proud and confident. In the end, Esdeath had turned him into a well-trained puppy.
Liver studied Uesugi Ryu's face, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"That should be Uesugi Ryu, shouldn't it?"
"I remember he had some connections with Gozuki, one of the Prime Minister's military officials. But why would a mere merchant possess such strength?"
Daidara looked surprised.
"A merchant? This guy is suspicious. Is he a Teigu user too?"
.........
After a brief standoff, Esdeath was the first to move, unable to suppress her battle lust any longer.
Her slender rapier brushed past Uesugi Ryu's ear, the fierce thrust generating a violent gust.
Uesugi Ryu twisted his body and swung upward, gripping Elegy with both hands as he slashed straight toward Esdeath's abdomen.
"So fast!"
A flash of surprise crossed Esdeath's eyes.
Her earlier strike had only been meant to test him. She had not used her full strength.
Uesugi Ryu, however, showed no such courtesy. He opened with full force.
Massive sheets of solid ice spread instantly from Esdeath's body.
The blade collided with the ice, producing a crisp metallic crack.
The red-and-white edge shattered the surface and sank deeply into it.
Sensing danger, Esdeath immediately slid to the side.
The block of ice exploded into countless glittering fragments the next instant.
Feeling the power behind that strike, Esdeath's expression turned serious for a moment before transforming into pure excitement.
Esdeath's ice was even harder than he had imagined.
Even with Blood Frenzy enhancing its sharpness, Elegy struggled to cut through it.
In this world, Elegy still felt somewhat lacking. A blade famed for sharpness, yet unable to cleave even Esdeath's ice.
Esdeath casually flicked her rapier.
"The boring testing phase is over. You're even stronger than I expected."
Before her words had fully fallen, Uesugi Ryu's greatsword was already descending again.
Esdeath's lips curled upward slightly as she raised her rapier horizontally.
The massive greatsword collided with the slender blade.
The ground beneath Esdeath shattered instantly.
An invisible shockwave burst outward from her position.
Brilliant sparks scattered in every direction.
Uesugi Ryu pressed his left hand against the hilt and forced Elegy downward.
Esdeath's rapier bent slightly.
She braced it with both hands, matching his strength head-on.
A thin blade was hardly ideal for defense.
A trace of regret flashed across Esdeath's face as she suddenly shoved upward.
A shrill metallic screech rang out.
An overwhelming force surged through Elegy.
Though Uesugi Ryu held the better leverage, Esdeath effortlessly deflected the crushing strike.
"Her strength is incredible. By system standards, it definitely exceeds 20 points."
A grave expression crossed Uesugi Ryu's face as he rapidly assessed Esdeath's combat ability.
He retreated smoothly.
Esdeath casually waved her left hand.
Three razor-sharp ice pillars erupted from the ground behind him.
Their gleaming tips shot straight toward his abdomen.
Uesugi Ryu twisted Elegy in his grip, instantly shattering the ice spikes, though his retreat slowed slightly.
Esdeath was already upon him.
Her heel, coated in razor-edged ice crystals, slammed toward him.
Boom!
Spiderweb cracks spread across the ice.
Esdeath's kick struck only empty air.
A hint of confusion flashed through her eyes.
"An afterimage?"
Confused or not, she immediately raised two walls of ice around herself.
But Uesugi Ryu was even faster than she had anticipated.
Before the ice walls could fully form, the hem of his coat had already swept past them.
He swung with all his might.
The blade tore through the air with a mournful howl.
Esdeath ducked instantly.
Several strands of ice-blue hair floated away.
She counterattacked at once, thigh muscles tightening as she drove a powerful kick toward his abdomen.
Uesugi Ryu raised his arm to block.
His body slid leftward and smashed heavily into a thick wall of ice.
Numbness and stiffness spread through his arms and back.
He had no time to think.
A bone-chilling cold surged from behind him.
Esdeath's rapier had already struck.
Hilt and blade collided with a strained metallic cry.
Sharp, densely packed ice spikes burst from the wall behind him.
But Uesugi Ryu had already vanished.
Esdeath's battlefield control was simply too overwhelming.
Anywhere her ice covered became part of her attack range.
Continuing to fight within her frozen domain would be extremely disadvantageous.
He activated Instant Step.
In the blink of an eye, his incredible speed carried him out of the battlefield.
Esdeath's blade sliced through empty air.
She instantly realized his intention.
A trace of panic crossed her face as she chased after him with rapier in hand.
After retreating over ten meters, Uesugi Ryu abruptly stopped.
Using his speed advantage, he launched a relentless barrage.
Greatsword and rapier clashed several times in a single instant.
Sparks flashed ceaselessly across the battlefield.
In mere moments, both Esdeath and Uesugi Ryu became blurs too fast for the naked eye to follow.
Shards of ice filled the sky.
Her freezing aura collided constantly with the heat radiating from his body.
Every muscle in Esdeath's body tensed.
A suffocating pressure descended from behind her.
She turned and blocked.
A crystal-clear ice shield once again intercepted Elegy's slash.
This was an ice shield Esdeath had deliberately reinforced.
Its hardness far surpassed steel.
Elegy hummed violently.
A crack appeared on the shield.
Uesugi Ryu withdrew his blade.
If one strike would not break it, then ten would.
Relying on his terrifying speed, he struck the exact same point dozens of times.
White arcs of sword light wove together like a brilliant tapestry.
Esdeath's military boots sank half a foot into solid rock.
Spiderweb cracks spread madly through the frozen earth.
Each collision sent circular shockwaves exploding outward.
Uesugi Ryu's deltoids bulged like forged bronze.
The veins beneath his skin twisted like coiling dragons.
"Now this is more like it!"
Esdeath's eyes burned with excitement.
His speed was excellent.
But speed alone was not enough.
A wide grin spread across her face.
The fingers of her left hand clenched, shattering the air.
Six ice spikes formed beside her, instantly shooting toward Uesugi Ryu's limbs.
With a roar, Uesugi Ryu pressed forward.
After enduring dozens of strikes, the shield could finally take no more.
It let out a pitiful crack before exploding apart.
Countless shards struck his face.
Breaking through the barrier, he launched a powerful front kick straight at Esdeath.
Esdeath calmly coated her left hand in ice and caught the kick head-on.
She bent her knees to absorb the force, her entire lower leg sinking into the ground.
Her long ice-blue hair streamed behind her like a waterfall.
Triumph flashed across her eyes as she shouted,
"It's over!"