As the Royal Army's forces battered against my Qi-infused assault, the elite among them fell one by one. Yet, amidst the shattered formations of Royal Guards and the dissipating spells of the Royal Mages, the prince stood alone, His eyes burned with a cold, unyielding light, and his weapon, a sword forged of seeming rare material, danced with deadly grace. His every movement radiated of a poised champion blessed by fate, and his aura pulsed with potent energy that seemed menacing.
Our eyes locked across the field of carnage, and in that frozen moment, I could sense the his rage —the love for the fallen and determination for vengeance. His aura was formidable, and every swing of his enchanted blade carved out divine patterns in the night air.
Without preamble, he charged. His steps were measured, his strikes a blend of elegance and unyielding power. I braced against the rush of his aura, summoning the strength of my Qi.
The clash was titanic. His aura-blade clashed against my Qi sword in an eruption of sparks and roaring energy. Each parry of his offense forced me to dig deeper into my reservoir of power. I twisted and turned in midair, executing a series of fluid, Taichi-inspired maneuvers that had become my trademark. The battlefield erupted in a symphony of grunts, clashing metals, and the distant hum of dissipating magical energy.
The prince moved like a force of nature—a relentless torrent of golden light and heavy strikes. He parried my blows with near-precognitive ease, forcing me into a defensive rhythm I had never before encountered. His every maneuver was a study in perfect form, striking with precision, for the first time, I truly felt the extent of the challenge I faced—a challenge that made me enjoy this even more.
I could feel my Qi surging, transformed by countless battles and tempered with the rich combat knowledge I had absorbed from this world's foes. Still, to overcome a foe endowed with the divine Providence Aura was no small feat. I pleaded silently with every fiber of my being to transcend my limits. The system's notifications flickered in my vision—a reminder that every blow traded in this battle further refined my martial acumen. Yet, as the prince's strikes grew swifter and his aura blazed brighter, I realized with a sinking heart that my previous methods, however potent, were nearing their limits.
The battle escalated into a whirlwind of desperate parries and defiant counterattacks. The prince unleashed a devastating combo—a series of rapid, circular slashes that carved through the space between us. I barely managed to deflect the hail of blows, feeling the ripple of his divine energy colliding with my Qi. The impact drove shockwaves through my arms, each one a searing reminder of the gulf that separated our mastery. For one crushing heartbeat, I staggered, vulnerable, as his aura pressed in like an inexorable tide.
It was then that I found the spark to rise above despair. Summoning every bit of determination and raw power within me, I centered my Qi. I recalled the vast reservoir of magic-weaved techniques I'd absorbed—Aura Blade, Elemental Arts, Barrier Formation, and the refined, lethal artistry of Celestial Blade moves like Starfall Slash and Crescent Moon Slash. My heart pounded as my consciousness narrowed to a single, blazing point: to defy fate, I must end this struggle by shattering the divine arrogance of the supposed prince.
In a split-second decision, I clenched my sword with renewed ferocity. I began a rapidly flowing series of movements —each strike was carried the intent of killing my enemy. I unleashed a hidden move, a devastating fusion of my Thousand Winds Barrage with the ferocity of a Storm Piercing Spear. My entire body became a conduit for surging Qi as I carved through the prince's aura like a celestial comet.
His eyes flickered in momentary shock as my relentless assault drove him back. But the prince was far from defeated—his aura flared like a celestial fireball as he rallied his strength. With a desperate cry that resonated over the din of battle, he countered with a move of such speed that time itself appeared to slow. Our blades met again in a collision of destiny versus defiant will. The shock of our impact sent tremors into the earth, dislodging ancient stones beneath our feet.
In that fleeting moment, my vision narrowed to focus entirely on his heart—a radiant, vulnerable spot that pulsed beneath layers of armour. I sensed the life force that sustained him, the very essence of his. I pivoted, channeling a blazing surge of Qi into one final, desperate strike. My sword arced in a graceful yet lethal trajectory, aimed directly at his chest.
For a heartbeat, our world paused—the cacophony of battle dimming as if nature itself held its breath. Then, with a resounding impact, my blade pierced his chest. I could feel the blast of raw aura energy erupt from the wound as the prince staggered, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief. The golden radiance around him flickered violently, as if the divine providence that had once marked him indomitable was now unraveling before my eyes.
The system's notification flashed in my mind:
> World Protagonist Slain. Combat Knowledge Absorbed. Energy Transfer Complete.
Time resumed its relentless pace as the prince crumpled to the bloodstained ground, the luminous aura that had once heralded his supremacy extinguishing into fading sparks. The air was thick with the acrid tang of blood and the ozone of dissipated energy. His once-mighty form lay still—a fallen icon, his legend shattered by a cultivator who refused to be bound by destiny.
For a long, profound moment, silence reigned over the battlefield. The Royal Army halted in their tracks as if witnessing the collapse of an era. I stood there, breath ragged and heart pounding, my sword still embedded in his chest.
The tumult of battle slowly resumed its chaotic rhythm, yet the fall of the world protagonist echoed through the ranks of the Royal Army. Like a clarion call, it signaled that even those destined for divine glory could be humbled by the inexorable will of a cultivator who had overcome unimaginable hardship.
With his last breath, the prince's eyes met mine—a mixture of sorrow, astonishment, and a grudging acknowledgement of my strength.
As I withdrew my sword and allowed the crimson flow to mingle with the dust of the battlefield, I knew that this victory, as challenging and grueling as it had been, would be a turning point in my journey.
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