The Shadow Serpent Descends

After a loud bang, the sword energy and saber energy offset each other. This collision was actually evenly matched.

Violent winds swept across the battlefield.

The collision had created waves of destruction that spread outward like ripples across a lake. Dust rose from the shattered ground while fragmented sword and saber intent still floated in the air like tiny stars refusing to disappear.

High above the Martial Emperor Tomb, the sky seemed divided into two halves.

One side carried cold blue sword intent.

The other carried dark saber aura.

For a few moments, silence strangely descended.

Everyone stared blankly at the two figures standing opposite one another in the air.

Harry Taylor’s eyes widened so much they almost looked ready to pop out.

"Blocked... blocked it?"

His voice trembled with disbelief.

Selena’s Moonlight Flicker Strike had left everyone stunned before, yet Lavish had managed to receive it directly.

Harry swallowed hard.

Lavish truly deserved his reputation.

One of the most terrifying geniuses of the younger generation.

His title was not obtained through luck.

Below, Rias quietly clenched both hands together.

Her red eyes remained fixed on Selena.

"Senior Sister... all the best..."

She softly whispered those words.

No one heard her except herself.

She understood very clearly what this battle meant.

Selena wasn’t merely fighting for herself.

Behind her stood Amethyst Summit Division.

Behind Amethyst Summit Division stood Leon.

And behind Leon stood everything they carried with pride.

Victory or defeat would affect the reputation of Purple Sword Monarch Leon and Amethyst Summit Division.

Rias bit her lip.

For the first time, she felt frustrated by her own weakness.

If only...

If only she could help.

Above the battlefield, Selena remained calm.

Her expression did not change at all.

Because she had already expected it.

Someone like Lavish would never fall from a single strike.

The wind gently moved her silver hair.

Her blue eyes quietly observed him.

Meanwhile—

Lavish slowly rolled his shoulders.

Crack.

Crack.

Several bones released low sounds.

A smile slowly spread across his face.

"Little girl, do you have any other tricks?"

His voice carried calm confidence now. Not arrogance born from empty pride—but certainty forged through countless battles.

"If not..."

He slowly raised the black saber onto his shoulder.

"...then it’s my turn."

Before Selena could even respond—

Boom!

The air beneath his feet exploded apart.

Cracks instantly spread across the arena floor as Lavish vanished from sight.

Fast.

Too fast.

Several spectators instinctively widened their eyes.

A black streak tore through the battlefield like a meteor.

Then—

Clang!

Selena’s instincts screamed.

The Amethyst Mist Sword instantly rose.

The black saber crashed down against it with monstrous force.

Sparks exploded across the sky.

Boom!

The shockwave alone shattered nearby stone platforms.

Selena’s silver-blue hair violently fluttered as her pupils narrowed slightly.

Heavy.

The pressure behind that strike was absurd.

But Lavish didn’t stop.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The two instantly entered close combat.

Sword and saber continuously collided at terrifying speed.

Lavish attacked like violent ocean waves smashing endlessly against a cliffside—relentless, oppressive, overwhelming.

Meanwhile Selena moved like flowing moonlit water.

Elegant.

Precise.

Every movement carried unnatural grace.

She redirected force instead of meeting it directly, weaving through attacks while countering with razor-sharp sword strikes aimed at vital points.

Black and blue lights flashed across the arena nonstop.

The battlefield trembled with every collision.

The spectators had gradually fallen silent.

Because this was no longer a normal duel.

This was a battle where one mistake meant death.

Many disciples couldn’t even properly follow their movements anymore.

They only saw explosions.

Flashes.

Afterimages.

Then another collision shaking the heavens.

Clang!

Lavish’s saber slid against Selena’s blade before instantly twisting toward her neck.

Selena leaned backward by mere inches.

The black blade passed directly in front of her throat.

Her hair fluttered from the saber wind alone.

Without hesitation, she spun gracefully and thrust her sword toward his ribs.

Sharp.

Clean.

Fatal.

But Lavish reacted instantly.

Clang!

He blocked the attack with the side of his saber while his elbow suddenly shot toward her stomach.

Boom!

Selena crossed her arm in time.

A heavy impact exploded against her body, forcing her backward through the air.

She flipped once before stabilizing herself.

The moment her feet touched the ground—

Lavish was already in front of her again.

Boom!

The arena floor shattered beneath him.

Another slash descended.

Another collision erupted.

The pressure kept increasing.

Meanwhile Selena gradually frowned.

The more she fought—

The more shocked she became.

Lavish was far stronger than expected.

Not only was his cultivation terrifying—

His combat instincts were monstrous.

Every movement flowed naturally.

No wasted strength.

No unnecessary attacks.

No hesitation.

It was the fighting style of someone who had survived countless life-and-death battles.

Selena’s beautiful eyes quietly observed him while defending.

Her sword moved continuously, but her mind remained calm.

Searching.

Analyzing.

There had to be something.

Everyone had weaknesses.

Even Leon once told her—

"No matter how perfect an enemy appears, they always reveal flaws in panic or overconfidence."

She remembered those words clearly.

Because Leon himself always fought while looking for that single decisive opening.

Suddenly—

Boom!

Lavish’s saber erupted with violent black energy.

A terrifying force exploded forward.

Selena’s eyes narrowed.

Clang!

The impact slammed directly into her sword.

Boom!!

A massive shockwave erupted outward.

Selena was instantly forced backward.

She slid dozens of meters through the air before finally stopping herself.

The ground beneath her feet cracked apart from the pressure.

The arena became silent again.

Lavish slowly lowered his saber.

Then he looked at her and shook his head.

Disappointment appeared in his eyes.

"Sigh..."

"The head student of a Sword Monarch seems to be..."

He smiled faintly.

"...just like that."

He sighed dramatically.

"I’m disappointed."

"Everyone says Leon’s swordsmanship is godly."

"I don’t see anything special."

Instantly—

Selena’s eyes became cold.

She did not care when others insulted her.

But Leon—

No.

That line could never be crossed.

Lavish smiled.

"Let’s stop here."

"I don’t have time to play with you."

"If you can withstand my final strike..."

"I’ll admit your strength."

Boom!

The black saber suddenly trembled.

Dark aura erupted.

A terrifying murderous pressure exploded outward.

"Hiss..."

Many people inhaled cold air.

"Why does this saber have such astonishing murderous aura?"

Someone immediately explained:

"Nonsense, this is Prison Holy Sect’s famous spirit weapon—the Fiend Saber."

"The First Elder once used this blade to kill countless enemies."

"Too much blood stained it."

"That’s why its murderous aura became this terrifying."

Lavish slowly lifted his blade.

Suddenly—

The sky darkened.

A gigantic phantom formed overhead.

A massive black serpent slowly coiled across the sky.

Its crimson eyes overlooked everything below.

Its body twisted among dark clouds.

It carried suffocating pressure.

"Shadow Serpent Heaven Cleaver?"

Someone shouted in shock.

"It’s actually Prison Holy Sect’s Earth-grade Sacred Art!"

"I didn’t expect Lavish to master this technique!"

"Judging from this pressure... he’s already mastered it perfectly!"

The atmosphere froze once more.

Everyone stared at Selena.

How would she answer this attack?

Not far away, Rex Vine crossed his arms and smiled.

"Interesting."

"If it were someone else, this attack would be troublesome."

"But unfortunately..."

He stopped speaking.

Because he knew something others did not.

Above the sky—

Selena looked at the gigantic serpent overhead.

Then—

She smiled.

"So the so-called genius’s strongest Sacred Art is only Earth-grade..."