Chapter 269: v3 - 30: the challengers IV

Chapter 269: v3 Chapter 30: the challengers IV

Robert entered the Arena to a wave of cheers.

He acknowledged them with a brief lift of his hand.

Then his attention shifted to the weapons table.

The swords were there.

So were the heavier weapons.

Robert barely looked at them.

He picked up two short blades instead.

The crowd reacted immediately.

Cassian watched from the opposite side.

Robert tested the weight of one blade.

Then the other.

He had already made his decision.

He had watched the first two fights.

Alex had nearly lost his fight against a trained swordsman before his opponent underestimated him.

Gary had fought one who hadn’t made that mistake.

Both had been forced into prolonged exchanges.

Robert knew what would happen if he tried the same thing.

He wouldn’t beat these men at their own game.

So he wouldn’t play it.

The challenger stepped into the Arena.

He carried a single sword.

He looked at the weapons in Robert’s hands.

Then back at Robert.

Even from a distance, Cassian could sense the shift in his attention.

He was taking Robert seriously.

The signal sounded.

Robert moved first.

He didn’t charge.

He darted sideways.

The challenger turned.

Robert was already somewhere else.

A short blade flashed toward the man’s ribs.

The challenger blocked.

Robert’s second blade came immediately after.

The challenger caught that one too.

Robert retreated before the counterattack could come.

Fast.

Almost impossibly fast.

The challenger followed.

Robert changed direction.

The sword cut through empty air.

Robert slipped past the man’s shoulder and struck.

The challenger twisted.

The blade grazed his coat.

The crowd erupted.

Robert smiled.

There.

That was what he had wanted.

A real test.

The challenger attacked.

Robert moved backward, both blades raised.

The sword came down.

Robert caught it with one blade.

The second swept toward the man’s wrist.

The challenger pulled away.

Robert spun out of range.

The exchange had lasted only seconds.

But the difference was already clear.

The challenger had better technique.

Robert had better mobility.

Neither could simply overwhelm the other.

The challenger advanced.

Robert retreated.

Then suddenly stopped.

The challenger struck.

Robert stepped inside the sword’s reach.

His left blade caught the man’s forearm.

The challenger twisted away.

Robert’s other blade followed.

The man blocked.

Robert was already moving again.

He never stayed in one place.

He circled.

Darted in.

Struck.

Disappeared.

The challenger turned repeatedly to keep him in front of him.

The crowd loved it.

Robert was giving them a spectacle.

But Cassian knew that wasn’t why Robert was smiling.

He was enjoying himself.

For once, he wasn’t fighting someone who simply wanted to kill him.

He was fighting someone whose skill could actually challenge his own.

The challenger changed tactics.

Instead of chasing Robert, he waited.

Robert approached.

The moment he entered range, the sword came forward.

Robert twisted aside.

Too slow.

The blade cut across his upper arm.

He hissed.

Then grinned.

"Better."

The challenger attacked again.

Robert moved.

A cut.

He avoided it.

Another.

He ducked.

A thrust.

He knocked it aside.

Then drove both blades toward the man’s center.

The challenger stepped back.

Robert followed.

Their weapons collided repeatedly.

The challenger remained composed.

Robert’s breathing became heavier.

His movements were still fast, but the margin for error was shrinking.

The challenger had begun to understand his rhythm.

Robert noticed.

So he changed it.

He threw one of his blades.

The challenger instinctively moved his sword to intercept.

Robert was already inside his guard.

His remaining blade came up.

The challenger twisted.

Robert’s blade stopped against his side.

But the challenger’s sword was already against Robert’s throat.

Both men froze.

The crowd went silent.

Robert looked at the blade.

Then at the challenger.

A slow smile appeared.

"That was close."

The challenger shoved him away.

The fight continued.

Robert retrieved his fallen blade.

He was more cautious now.

The challenger had figured him out.

Robert attacked again.

The challenger blocked.

Robert shifted.

The sword followed.

Robert struck from the other side.

The challenger parried.

Again.

Robert’s speed was still there.

But now every movement cost him more.

The challenger caught one of his blades.

Robert pulled.

The man’s sword slid down the blade.

Robert twisted his wrist.

The challenger released.

Robert struck.

The challenger stepped aside.

Then countered.

The sword caught Robert across the ribs.

He staggered.

The crowd gasped.

Robert looked down at the blood.

His breathing slowed.

Then he raised his blades again.

The challenger watched him.

Robert charged.

They collided.

Blade against blade.

Short weapon against long.

Speed against precision.

Robert attacked relentlessly.

The challenger defended.

Then waited.

Robert lunged.

The challenger moved.

His sword struck Robert’s wrist.

One blade fell.

Robert spun.

The challenger struck again.

Robert ducked.

He drove forward with his remaining blade.

The challenger caught his wrist.

Robert twisted.

Tried to break free.

The challenger turned with him.

Robert’s feet slipped.

He fell to one knee.

The sword stopped against his chest.

Robert froze.

He could still move.

Still fight.

But the position was lost.

He looked at the blade.

Then at the challenger.

The man waited.

Robert exhaled.

A small laugh escaped him.

"All right."

He lowered his remaining weapon.

"I’ve had enough."

The challenger withdrew his sword.

The crowd erupted.

Robert remained on one knee for a moment before rising.

He was bleeding.

Bruised.

Exhausted.

But he was smiling.

The challenger offered him a hand.

Robert looked at it.

Then took it.

They stood.

The challenger gave him a brief nod.

Robert returned it.

There was no humiliation in the gesture.

He had lost.

But he had forced an exceptionally trained fighter to adapt to him.

And he had learned something too.

The challenger was better.

Not invincible.

But better.

Then the crowd erupted again.

"Robert!"

"Come on, Three-Two-Seven!"

"That was a good fight!"

The cheers rolled through the Arena.

Robert looked toward the stands.

For once, he didn’t perform.

He simply stood there, breathing hard, listening to them.

He had lost.

Everyone knew it.

But no one was booing him.

They had watched him fight a man who was clearly his superior in formal swordsmanship and still refuse to make the match easy.

They had enjoyed every second of it.

Robert finally raised his remaining blade.

The crowd answered with another roar.

A grin returned to his face.

Then he turned and walked back toward his side of the Arena.

--

Tbc