The Moonlight Swordsman

Amidst the barren and lifeless land, two magnificent tents stood tall and proud at a considerable distance from each other.

The tents belong to the Rosewell and Gilles families.

Despite the desolate surroundings, the tents seemed to exude an aura of grandeur and importance, almost as if they were the only bastions of life and hope in the midst of death and despair.

Inside the Rosewell tent,

Leah and Yelena reclined on a plush couch; their eyes closed.

Her grandfather sat on a throne, and a maid sat on his lap, delicately feeding him berries.

The air was thick with anticipation as they waited for the event to begin.

*Honkkkkkkkkkk*

A horn resonated across the land, ruffling the still air.

The old guy rose slowly, his actions slow and deliberate, before reaching out to grab the maid's waist. He drew her closer and laid a lingering kiss on her lips before leaving the campsite.

Leah and Yelena followed, flying away from the camp and toward the ruined castle.

The other maids hurried out into the distance as they fled, their speed accelerating with each passing instant.

Leah's grandfather floated calmly through the remnants of a fallen monster in the middle of the desolate wasteland.

Harold Gilles was poised and ready, dressed in a stunning set of brown metal armor. Intricate woodwork embroidery was visibly engraved onto its surface, lending an air of grandeur to his intimidating visage.

Despite his chubby frame and bald head, Harold exuded an aura of menacing intensity. His gaze bore into Leah's grandfather, indicating his readiness to engage in a fierce battle of magic and might.

Leah's grandfather wore a flowing blue wizard robe with beautiful golden embroidery that glinted in the sunlight. Two handguards with ornate gold embroidery were affixed to his forearms, acting as both protection and a symbol of his rank as a formidable Grade V mage.

In his right hand, he carried a mage staff that matched the color of his robe, its surface shimmering with otherworldly energy that seemed to emanate from within.

The silence between them was palpable, as was the anticipation of an epic showdown between two powerful Grade V mages.

"I, Harold Gilles, the head of the Gilles family, am ready to lay my life down for the family."

"I, Alexander Rosewell, the head of the Rosewell family, am ready to lay my life down for the family."

In a sudden burst of awareness, Aizel's gaze landed on the white-haired man who had accompanied the queen and prince.

Suddenly the figure vanished from view, only to reappear a moment later directly between Leah's grandfather and Harold Gilles, as though he had teleported there in an instant.

"The Duel of Vows will be concluded when one of you dies.

"If you make any deliberate attack towards the castle, I will cut your head off before you can even blink your eyes.

"Good luck." With that said, the man vanished again, only to reappear behind the queen again.

Aizel leaned in toward Seraphine, his voice hushed as he whispered softly, "Who is he?"

"Sword Emperor," she whispered.

Then this guy must be really strong," he thought.

"Are you prepared to die today, old man?" Harold spoke, showing a cruel smile on his face.

"Not really; I was thinking of traveling somewhere after this duel," Alexander replied.

"FUCKER! Don't worry; after getting rid of you, I will make your daughter and granddaughter my personal slaves. I will make sure they don't get a proper rest from now on hehe…"

"If you are trying to make me mad, it won't work, Harold. You aren't capable enough,"

"Enough, old man; you have been stuck in Grade V for so many years now when I have already reached your level.

"Come, let's fight."

As the tension between the mages mounted, thick roots began to emerge from the ground on Harold's right side.

With slow deliberation, he reached out and grasped one of the gnarled roots, giving it a firm tug.

An axe emerged from the tangle of roots; its trunk-like handle was carved from the thickest of the roots.

"Nice trick," Alexander replied.

The ground trembled and the air thickened with anticipation. Harold's muscles bulged as he tightened his grip on the axe.

YAAAAA…..

With a ferocious battle scream, he hoisted the axe high above his head and hurled it at Alexander.

However, to everyone's surprise, there was no effect. The ground where the axe landed was untouched, with not a single break or imprint.

Suddenly Alexander's eyes widened, and he vanished from his location in an instant, leaving behind a trail of bright, golden light as he resurfaced high in the sky.

*BOOOM*

Suddenly, a loud crack split through the air as a deep trench appeared in the earth where Alexander had been standing.

It looked as if someone had ripped the ground apart with enormous force, and the unexpected spectacle stunned and awed everyone.

With a flick of his wrist, Harold summoned a massive earth spike from the crack in the ground.

The spike struck Alexander like a bolt of lightning, resembling a spear from some ancient creature.

Alexander vanished in a burst of golden light, appearing unharmed to one side.

Aizel couldn't help but be fascinated and stunned as he saw the initial exchange between the two Grade V mages.

The sheer magnitude of their power was unlike anything he had ever seen before, and it made him feel small in comparison.

Regardless, he remained intently focused on the fight, hoping to learn from their techniques and strategies.

Suddenly, the giant spike trembled for a second and then vanished. It reappeared as earthen metal spikes multiplying in numbers and covering the entire sky.

The metallic glint of the spikes seemed menacing, like a swarm of poisonous insects poised to attack their prey.

The sky was filled with small earthen metal spikes, and they were all shooting towards Alexander.

There were so many that escaping felt impossible. The spikes were coming from all angles, and it appeared as though there was no safe spot for Alexander to take cover.