Chapter 156: Declaration

Declaration

The reason Xander sounded unsure when it was his turn to show off his kills wasn’t because he believed what he killed was inadequate.

No, rather, when he saw what Dorian presented and how people reacted, sounding genuinely impressed with what the other guy had done, Xander sounded unsure because he felt like showing off everything he killed would have been massively overkill.

Forget humiliating Dorian, he still had to think about the implications and fallout if he decided to show off like that. But then he remembered Falael’s words when she agreed to the bet on his behalf, and how he needed to be more proactive if he wanted any chance to plant the seed of doubt and show off that his swordsmanship was indeed a viable path.

’Most of them already see me as an extreme threat because of my conversation with the princess anyway. At this point, trying to remain low-key for the sake of avoiding too much trouble isn’t really realistic anymore. After all, the worst possible scenario—and Archmage being my enemy—has already happened. So rather than playing defensively, might as well go all in.’ Xander decided in the end as he gradually revealed his haul.

And all in he went.

When he stood near the corpse of the wyvern, the onlookers were completely unable to speak, both because of the pressure the body exuded and because of the fact that the implication of Xander being the one to kill such a thing... it was...

"W-Wait..." Someone from the Mage Tower spoke, and it was another familiar figure.

The monocled face of Elder Zeref stepped forward as he tried to look unimpressed, but the way he was sweating betrayed his true feelings.

"I apologize, but I find it hard to believe that that boy was able to kill those things by himself. That wyvern alone, the forces needed to take care of it are hard to imagine. So unless it had already been on the brink of death, allowing him to get an easy kill, I simply find it hard to believe." He shook his head vehemently, and many nodded in agreement. And in some ways, you couldn’t blame them.

After all, what they were seeing was quite literally the same as someone using a method that was deemed a dead end for how long to do something their more established, more recorded method, was unable to do at the same level.

It was astounding. It was impossible!

And yet.

"Yet that is exactly the truth, Elder Zeref." Aubrey stepped behind Xander with a pleasant smile, the others following behind her.

Elder Zeref frowned.

"And we are just supposed to take your word for it? Are you truly implying that all of this was done with a sword? No outside assistance? No special items? Just... with a sword?" The sheer disbelief and condescension in his tone was palpable.

’Yeah... yeah, that has to be it. There’s simply no way, it’s impossible. It makes no sense. He wouldn’t— no, SHOULDN’T be capable of that with just a sword. That would undo everything we believe in!’ Dorian repeated constantly in his mind as Elder Zeref spoke. Because what else could he do? Acknowledge it? No, that... that was absurd!

And yet...

"Maybe not my word for it... but how about visual evidence?" Aubrey hummed and turned towards the King and the Archmages.

She gave a quick bow before asking.

"Your Excellency Irene, I’m aware that you have eyes all over your dimension. Could I request for a recording of Xander’s fight with the wyvern? If there is one?" Her tone was perfectly polite, and suddenly, everyone was looking at Irene.

Because if there was one thing everyone here couldn’t deny, it was the words of an Archmage. If she said it was true, then it was true. If she said it was false, then it was false.

Irene just looked done with the whole situation, then she waved her hand and spoke.

"Interpret this however you will." A large screen was projected above them, and everyone watched.

Dorian watched with wide eyes, his teeth chattering as he repeated over and over in his mind like a broken clock.

’Let it be a lie. Let it be a lie. Let it be a lie. Let it be...’ His mind buzzed as they all looked at the screen. At the fight between Xander and the wyvern.

And yet, as their disastrous battle took place, there was no outside influence. There was no mysterious artifact that came to help Xander in the last moment. None of his teammates came to assist him at some key moment.

No, from start to finish, the fight had been him, and only him.

Even Abscinde which looked like a method to undermine his ability ended up getting countered shortly into the fight, so no one could claim that he was carried by his weapon.

The scene ended with Xander somehow evading the wyvern’s final attack and stabbing it in the heart, inflicting the same wound that was visible for all to see on its body.

When the screen vanished, Dorian’s legs became weak, and he fell to his knees, his pupils trembling as he looked down at the ground.

"Impossible... It’s impossible... He’s just a brute with a sword... There’s no way... It can’t be..." He mumbled constantly, his kind evidently a mess.

He wasn’t the only one, as many looked at Xander with pale faces, those from the Mage Tower showing the most reactions as Elder Zeref gritted his teeth, yet he said nothing.

Because what could he say? That the recording was fake? Fabricated? That would be the same as saying that an Archmage was lying, which was a deathwish.

He looked towards Archmage Bellion. He was the only one who was qualified enough to step in. The stop this madness. And yet, the man said nothing.

He stared at Xander with a dark expression. Yet he said nothing.

’Ah... No.’ Zeref took a few steps back. He couldn’t believe it.

"Phew." Xander took a breath and exhaled. Then he spoke.

"Two things." His voice was calm, drawing everyone’s attention from where the screen was.

"First, I believe that concludes our wager. I’ll be expecting my cloak from sir Dorian soon enough." His tone was calm, but Dorian flinched when he heard his name, not bothering to look up.

"Second." He looked at everyone, then at those from the Mage Tower, then finally, Archmage Bellion himself.

"I have the feeling that many of you are going to assume that everything I did was a fluke. In the sense that I am an anomaly that cannot be replicated and am one of a kind. I apologize, but I’ll need to break noble decorum for a moment so I can get my point across, and leave no room for misinterpretation." He drew Abscinde and stabbed the sword into the ground, his hands on the hilt.

"While my exact skills are certainly unique. The process to get here is not. So let me clear up something. This is not a one time thing. Swordsmanship can be learned. Swordsmanship can be spread. And Swordsmanship has no issues keeping up with traditional spell casting. The footage you all saw is proof of that. My specific skillset is unique, but they are based on fundamentals all can learn and develop however they want. So contrary to popular belief." He maintained eye contact with Archmage Bellion.

"Swordsmanship—and martial arts in general—is not a dead path. It never was. Everyone just assumes so because no one actually bothered to attempt it properly."

Boom

A metaphorical explosion followed Xander’s words as everyone stared at him in unbridled shock, his words and actions like a lightning bolt that struck everyone’s core.

Xander... he hadn’t made this declaration silently. Not behind his father. Not subtly.

No, he said it plainly. Directly. In front of some of the most influential people in the kingdom. In front of THE most influential person in the Kingdom, the King. And in front of Archmage Bellion, the person who had pronounced Martial Paths as dead paths!

This wasn’t just him talking, this was no different from him spitting in his face and denouncing his most widespread work.

It was a declaration of war!

And the terrifying thing was that... none of them could dismiss it.

Because he’d shown them, hadn’t he?

Other than those very strong people here, how many of them could say with confidence that they could take care of a wyvern on the verge of becoming a true dragon?

How many?

Xander wasn’t just talking. He had well and truly backed up his words!

"Y-You... How dare you talk to his Excellenc—" One of the Mage Tower Elders began to speak, but Bellion held up a hand, shutting him up.

Bellion met Xander’s gaze calmly. Then he spoke, his voice showing no signs of anger as he asked.

"Is that your decision, boy?" Xander didn’t back down. He just nodded.

"Always has been." Bellion also nodded.

"Alright, then. You’d better not regret it, then." He snapped his fingers, and a dark cloak appeared above Xander, similar to the one Dorian had set as a wager, but also a little different.

Xander caught it and gave it a questioning look, but Bellion said nothing. He simply turned around and walked away, using his staff like a walking stick.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds with varying reactions.

Falael and Curtis was all smiles, and Aubrey just smirked slightly. Mary looked thoroughly satisfied, and Mia just nodded to herself. Keir hadn’t returned yet, but his own reaction was easy to guess.

The King seemed almost amused by the whole situation, never stepping in to rebut Xander once. Irene just shook her head and sighed, like she was just over the whole thing. Finn... well, no one could see his face so no one knew what he looked like.

Xavier also didn’t bother to hide his smile as he glanced at Bellion’s retreating figure. Everyone else saw him simply accept Xander’s blatant challenge calmly. But he knew, and the other Archmages knew.

Bellion was seething.

Xavier exhaled through his nose and looked up again, his gaze locked on Xander and co as they all spoke near the corpse of the wyvern.

’Well, that’s phase one resolved well enough. Let’s proceed to phase two, shall we?’