Chapter 249 - 247: Charles vs. Charles, Part Two

Words : 1283 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

In truth, when Ed-Charles began introducing his abilities, Charles already had a strange feeling. Why did it feel like the Lancer who didn't want to be "Luck E" switched classes to Saber? Though there were differences, Ed-Charles's setup really resembled that certain knight. Charles quickly snapped out of the tangent. Facing an opponent like this, there was no room for distraction. "Four Symbols Fist—Azure Dragon: Flowing Water!" Charles's body turned into a blur, weaving through layers upon layers of sword light. Despite the density of the strikes, not a single one landed on him. Ed-Charles showed a hint of surprise—clearly he hadn't expected Charles to wield such a technique. Ed-Charles loosened his grip slightly on the hilts, and suddenly the sword light grew even faster, its patterns more unpredictable. Charles came to a halt, then retreated. The Azure Dragon form of the Four Symbols Fist was brilliant, but not without limits. Ed-Charles's strength was undoubtedly worthy of the title "strongest in the world," and his swordsmanship rivaled that of Edelweiss. Charles had a hunch that if he kept pressing forward, even the Azure Dragon form wouldn't be able to dodge those blades. As Ed-Charles charged at him, Charles released a wave of searing fire. The roaring flames demolished palace structures, but Ed-Charles had already leapt clear. Staring at the face identical to his own, Charles now understood more about his opponent's abilities. Ed-Charles's sword could cut through all tangible things. Tangible referred to physical substances and magical constructs—but not intangible magic, especially anything with a flowing nature. That meant his flames would be his main means of offense in the coming battle. Ed-Charles had also learned more about Charles—he wasn't just using Fire Dragon Slayer Magic; he also had martial arts skills. Licking his lips, Ed-Charles revealed a savage grin. Charles made a disgusted face. "Seeing my own face making that expression is seriously disturbing. So if you could just—" Before he even finished, Charles closed the distance in a flash, throwing a fire-wreathed punch straight at Ed-Charles. "Do me a favor and just go down already!" His voice rang out alongside the sound of metal striking metal. Ed-Charles looked at the faint dragon-scale pattern on Charles's face. He didn't know what Charles had just activated, but he could tell he was getting serious. Excited, Ed-Charles crossed his blades and blocked the punch, then swung to counterattack. After entering Dragon Blood mode, Charles's speed and power had risen dramatically, yet he still couldn't gain the upper hand. The two of them exchanged blow after blow atop the rubble Gray had left behind. Each clash sent out shockwaves like hurricanes, leveling the surroundings. A thin cut on Charles's face steamed and healed rapidly, but a cursed energy still clung to his nerves, gnawing at his pain receptors. Only the dragon power flowing through his blood managed to slowly purge it. That was the effect of Ed-Charles's Hell Sword—an ability that was causing Charles considerable trouble. But what gave Charles the most grief was the other blade: the Sword of Conquest. His otherwise indestructible inherent spirit gear had been heavily damaged. The scaled armor of the Evil Dragon was shattered in several places, and the Dragon Slayer Gauntlet was covered in gashes. If not for the fact that inherent spirit gear was a manifestation of the soul, offering some resistance to the Sword of Conquest's power, both weapons would've already been destroyed. Pressure—Charles rarely felt pressure like this. Even after crossing through several worlds, only a handful of opponents had truly pushed him: Edelweiss, Joseph, Nidhogg... but none of them were quite like Ed-Charles. In the heat of battle, Charles felt his very soul screaming to defeat the one in front of him. His fighting spirit burned even brighter, and he was sure Ed-Charles felt the same. What was the biggest difference between the two Charleses? Was it their abilities? No—it was their beliefs, forged by different experiences. Both believed the other was walking the wrong path, and it was now impossible to talk each other down. Palm and blade clashed again—first an eruption of flame, then flashes of sword light split the fire apart. Charles realized he had underestimated Ed-Charles's swordsmanship. The flame hadn't been cut by magic—it was pure sword technique. Forced back by the blade's light, Charles saw Ed-Charles also thrown away by the blast. They locked eyes again—and moved. "Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" The flames from both of Charles's hands merged into one, forming a ball like a miniature sun. Without hesitation, he hurled it toward Ed-Charles. Though Ed-Charles's swordsmanship was top-tier, the world had its limits—he couldn't possibly cleave a fireball of that scale in half. Ed-Charles crouched, holding his swords one in front and one behind, assuming a bizarre stance. "If one slash isn't enough—then ten, a hundred!" If someone like Knightwalker were present—someone who had fought both beside and against Ed-Charles—they would've recognized the technique instantly. In Edolas, there were people like Sugarboy who relied too heavily on magic tools. But there were also those like Knightwalker and Ed-Charles, who honed themselves. Ed-Charles, unlike Knightwalker, had gone further—creating his own unique sword techniques during his training. "Secret Sword: Juro!" Sword light wove itself into a giant net that shredded the incoming fireball into fragments. "Secret Sword: Swift Thunder!" Ed-Charles vanished in an instant, slicing through the scattered flames to strike at Charles from behind. A massive sword scar tore across the ground—but Charles wasn't there. Ed-Charles looked up—Charles was airborne. Raising his leg like a battle axe, Charles brought it crashing down. Ed-Charles wisely chose to dodge instead of taking the blow head-on. In terms of physical strength, Ed-Charles was at a disadvantage—even if he had double the magic power of ordinary Edolasians. Charles was different. Dragon Slayer mages were physically strong to begin with, and Charles's immense magic power made him even more fearsome. And now, he had Dragon Blood mode activated. A crater several meters wide appeared where he landed, followed by a thunderous rumble like the collapse of a mountain. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" Charles didn't let up. A column of flame burst out. Ed-Charles was completely engulfed, his figure swallowed by the inferno. Charles didn't let his guard down—he knew Ed-Charles wasn't finished. Sure enough, Ed-Charles reappeared at Charles's side. "Secret Sword: Mirror Shadow!" Charles raised his arm and blocked the black-and-red Hell Sword, but was forced back by the indomitable Sword of Conquest. Charles had revealed his Dragon Blood mode, and Ed-Charles had unveiled his own sword arts. "So let's see who's got more trump cards left!" Charles declared. Finally, the New Year stuff is over. Back to three chapters a day starting tomorrow. ------------------ Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n! Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15. Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256) I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336) Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542) Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924) Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284) Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289) American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316) American TV Writer (Chapter 1402) I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570) Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660) [+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]

Chapter 249 - 247: Charles vs. Charles, Part Two

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