The Grand Duelist

Chapter 67: The Truth Behind the Doubts

"The First Form of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship is Point. It is an attack that has every power concentrated at the tip of one's weapon. It deals tremendous damage, but it has a clear weakness for it needs to be prepared for a short while before being unleashed."

Krid took a deep breath before taking a stance. He held the Rapier in front of his chest and a brilliant light filled with energy gathered at the tip of the Rapier. When the brightness of the dazzling light reached the peak. He stabbed forward and an audible whistling sound could be heard as the air itself was torn by the force contained at the tip of the Rapier.

The dazzling light soon dimmed and Krid withdrew his Rapier before saying...

"Although the preparation is not that long. In the middle of a fierce battle, that short moment could possibly be the border between life and death." 

Krid lightly smiled.

The astonished Joseph mechanically opened his Skill Tree and for the first time ever.

He tapped on the icon of [Point].

[Point]

A single concentrated thrust.

Deals 500% of your Attack Damage in a single devastating attack. 

* Can go through objects and units.

* Takes a moment to prepare.

* This skill is not affected by Attack Speed.

* Can critically strike.

* When not using a class-specific weapon. This skill deals 50% reduced damage and cannot critically strike.

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist, Sword Type Weapon Equipped

Skill Cost: 45 Stamina

Skill Cooldown: 30 seconds.]

When Krid saw that Joseph looked convinced...

He continued. 

"The Second Form of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship is Harmony. This form expresses the harmony of heaven and earth. It is a circular strike that sunders everything in its path." 

[Harmony]

A slash that expresses the harmony of heaven and earth. 

Deals 550% of your Attack Damage in a circular sweeping attack. 

* Can go through objects and units.

* Can critically strike.

* When not using a class-specific weapon. This skill deals 50% reduced damage and cannot critically strike.

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist, Sword Type Weapon Equipped

Skill Cost: 45 Stamina

Skill Cooldown: 30 seconds.]

Krid held the Rapier in front of his chest.

He stretched his hand that held the Rapier, and then suddenly...

A brief flash of light occurred and Krid moved as fast as lightning as he leaped in the air and swung the Rapier around him. The force of his attack that struck nothingness tore even the air itself as the Rapier continuously hummed due to the vibrations contained within its blade. 

Joseph was left shaken...

But before he could ask anything. Krid continued on speaking.

"The Third Form of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship is Grace. It is a beautiful and elegant sword strike that perfectly depicts the beauty of the universe. Not only it is an eye-candy. It also features speed that cannot possibly be seen by the eyes of mere mortals."

When Krid reached the end of his sentence.

Admiration flashed in his eyes and he couldn't help but sigh...

"I do not have the complete legacy of the Grand Duelist so, my limit is only the second form. Although I know about the Third Form of the Grand Duelist's Swordsmanship. That is the limit of my knowledge. I do not know how it looks like, or how really strong it is. But..."

Krid raised his head and stared in a somewhat pleading manner to Joseph which astonished the latter.

"You are someone that has the legacy of the Grand Duelist. I hope that you'll show me the elegance of Grace and strength of Grace."

Joseph stared wide-eyed at Krid.

His expression complicated.

Although he did have the complete legacy of the Grand Duelist.

He wasn't confident if he could succeed in displaying the Forms of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship. After all, even though Joseph knew how strong and the description of those forms...

He didn't know how they were performed so, he wasn't so sure if he could properly activate it.

Any skill within the world of Victory needed a starting form. Say, for example. You want to execute a downwards slash towards your enemy. To activate that skill, you must place your sword overhead and move according to the description of that skill.

But the descriptions of the Sword Forms contained within the Graceful Swordsmanship of the Grand Duelist were vague at best. So, Joseph wasn't sure if he could properly execute those skills without seeing it being used by a third-party.

"I see, so you're conflicted about showing me the last two forms of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship since you aren't so sure if you will manage on making them work, right?" 

Joseph was startled when he heard what Krid said: 'Does this old man know how to read minds? How did he predict what I was thinking?'

"I cannot read minds, but I do know how to take a hint." Krid lightly chuckled, and Joseph stared speechlessly at him.

"Do you really not know how to perform the last two Sword Forms of the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship?"

Krid asked him once again and Joseph lightly sighed.

He opened his Skill Tree and was astonished when he realized that the Icons dedicated for [Grace] and [Rage] were greyed out. They couldn't be opened up. Joseph couldn't tap those icons so that he could read the description of the skill.

As astonishment flashed on Joseph's face, Krid suddenly asked.

"Say... When you acquired the legacy of the Grand Duelist. Have you seen her?" 

Joseph frowned: "Seen? Seen who?"

Krid was surprised: "Judging from that tone of yours... When you acquired the legacy of the Grand Duelist. You didn't see her? Like in a vision, or in a dream?"

Joseph hurriedly shook his head and Krid was astonished to the extent that he couldn't say anything, even his mouth was left open and hanging.

"So that's the case... Hahaha, no wonder I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you the first time." Krid suddenly laughed out loud, and he stared at Ezreal who observed them from afar.

"Come here for a moment, comrade. I have something to ask from you."

Ezreal complied and he approached the two without saying anything.

Joseph had a frown on his face as Krid proceeded on asking Ezreal.

"Tell me honestly. When you first met this brat, did you also had doubts about his identity? You are someone from that long lost kingdom so I am pretty sure that you have some relic of the past when it comes to the myths. Just answer me honestly."

Ezreal was taken aback by the question.

He glanced at Joseph in a somewhat apologetic manner before he nodded his head and said: "That indeed happened back when I first met master. The reason is that although I can feel the incomparably pure and divine aura of the Grand Duelist on master's body..."

"It was too diluted..."

"And paired with master's weak body, I suspected that he was a swindler that wanted to capitalize on my love for the Grand Duelist so we had a pretty huge misunderstanding..." A bitter smile emerged on Ezreal's lips as he said these words

He looked like he was still blaming himself for the sacrilege that he committed against the current Grand Duelist.

"Hahaha! You do not have to blame yourself for that! Now that I heard from this brat that he didn't receive any visions from the Grand Duelist when he acquired the legacy. I now know for sure about why the two of us suspected his identity when we first met him!"

Krid laughed once again.

Ezreal and Joseph looked at him with curiosity.

"Back when I received the Grand Duelist's grace and mercy. I received a vision and contained within that vision was knowledge about the Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship. I think that it is safe to say that legacies of myths are passed on to their successors through the use of visions..."

"Since this brat here didn't receive any vision from the Grand Duelist herself. I can say that although he truly has the seed and the legacy of the Grand Duelist. I can say for sure that he is still not a mature Grand Duelist. In other words, he is still a premature Grand Duelist!"

Krid loudly declared and Joseph subconsciously took a step backward from the information that he heard.

Ezreal also looked like he got shot down by a lightning bolt from the skies as he barely squeezed these words out.

"But... Master really is the Grand Duelist. I am certain... Why are you saying something like that? He's a premature Grand Duelist? What nonsense!" Ezreal expressed his doubts.

Even though Krid was quite a reliable source since he was a Legend.

Ezreal was confident that when it came to knowledge, nothing could surpass the National Library of his hometown.

"Since you do not want to believe me. Then, let's have this brat himself prove what I am saying." Krid shrugged before turning to look at Joseph.

"Hey, brat! From what I have seen from our previous battle earlier. It seems like you can still use the main techniques of Mercenaries, right?"

"Y-y-yes..."

The nervous Joseph answered in a barely audible voice.

"See! I'm right! He may be a myth, but in his current state. He still cannot unleash the true power of the Grand Duelist!" 

Ezreal frowned when he heard what Krid said and he cried out: "On what basis are you saying something as blasphemous as that to master?!"

"I have browsed through the contents of every book that our National Library had and I had never found any information about a Premature Grand Duelist!"

"Are you deliberately toying with us?!"

Joseph awakened from his trance when he heard what Ezreal said. But before he could even say anything.

Krid repeatedly clicked his tongue before replying in a somewhat mocking manner.

"Tssk, tssk, tssk... Do you really think that something such as common sense would be recorded by your ancestors within those books?" He stared in a challenging manner at Ezreal.

"Common sense... you say?" Ezreal's eyebrow raised up, and he looked quite angered by what Krid had said.

"Let me explain to you... The reason why something like that hasn't been recorded in the ancient books within your Kingdom's National Library is because this is the first time that a premature Grand Duelist has appeared!" 

"Every generation of Grand Duelist has always been a bonafide and true Grand Duelist from the start!" 

Krid's explanation made sense and Ezreal couldn't help but stagger backward when he heard what Krid said. Even Joseph looked somewhat pale for a series of system notifications appeared in front of his eyes.

[You heard valuable information from a trusted source.]

[Information contained within your Player Profile has been updated.]

He opened his [Player Profile] and indeed. His class changed from The Grand Duelist into Premature Grand Duelist. 

Taking a deep breath, Joseph momentarily suppressed his shock as he asked in a barely audible voice.

"But... Senior..."

"Prematurity does not mean that I am not qualified on being the Grand Duelist, right? It only means that there is still a process that I need to go through before I could become the true Grand Duelist..."

"Am I right. Senior?" 

Krid turned to look at Joseph who had a bitter expression on his face. Likewise, Krid's expression also changed into bitterness as he said in a somewhat hesitant manner.

"Yes, that's right. You will undergo a process before becoming the true Grand Duelist. I am sure that you will be rewarded greatly once you have done that process. But the only problem is..."

"Wh-what is it, Senior?" Joseph nervously asked.

"I do not know what process you should undergo before becoming the true Grand Duelist."

"Ah..."

A small cry came out of Joseph's mouth as his expression turned into something indescribable. His eyes turned blank, and he looked like he had lost his soul.

Silence reigned within the sealed room, but it didn't last for too long.

Ezreal broke the silence with his slightly hesitant voice.

"Master, I think I know the process that you need to complete before you can become the true Grand Duelist." 

His voice rang clearly within the sealed silent room and his message gave strength to Joseph.

"What is it?!" Joseph hurriedly asked.