Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 265: Final Spar [1]

It had been nearly 13 days since Yato and Lucas set foot on the western mountain range.

At present, Yato sat leisurely on a stool inside of the cave near the hot spring, munching on a chicken lollipop.

As he continued to enjoy his snack, from his vantage point, he spotted a figure running uphill in his direction.

It was a young boy, approximately 16 or 17 years old. He had golden hair, resembling the sun and striking forest-green eyes.

His attire consisted of tattered black slacks, evidence of the hard training he had endured in the past few days.

On his upper body, the marks of healed bruises and scars were visible.

Despite consuming high-grade mana potions almost daily and resting his body inside of hot springs, concealing the aftermath of the abuse he had suffered proved impossible.

As the young boy reached in front of Yato, the silver-haired young man gazed into his hollow eyes and flashed with a satisfied, yet warm smile.

"I believe the time has come," Yato declared, standing up from his stool. "But before we proceed, let us spar once again. You can use magic, weapon arts, your unique abilities, and nearly everything in your arsenal. Come at me to kill."

The young boy's weary eyes flickered with a mix of determination and exhaustion as he nodded in response to Yato's challenge.

"Very well, Master Yato," he replied, his voice carrying a newfound strength.

Without a moment's hesitation, the boy stepped back, creating a bit of distance between them. He took a deep breath, centring himself for the upcoming spar.

As he summoned the energy within, the air around him shimmered with a faint azure glow. His golden hair seemed to dance with a hint of mana, a stark contrast to the worn-out appearance he bore just moments ago.

In a swift motion, he unsheathed the Sin of Sword, his chosen weapon, and held it aloft, the blade gleaming in the cave's dim light.

With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, a whirlwind of sword strikes and mana-infused slashes. Each movement was fluid, a testament to the relentless training endured on the unforgiving mountain.

Yato met the assault head-on, his silver eyes focused, spear in hand. Their blades clashed, sending sparks through the air. The intensity of their sparring echoed within the cave, a symphony of metal meeting metal.

As the clash continued, Yato observed the young boy's techniques, noting the improvements made during the gruelling days of training.

"You've grown stronger, Lucas," Yato acknowledged, his voice cutting through the sounds of their clash. "But the real battle lies ahead."

With those words, Yato unleashed a surge of mana, coating his spear in a radiant silver glow. The sparring intensified as the two combatants pushed their limits.

The young boy, fueled by a newfound determination, pressed on with relentless attacks. His strikes became more refined, each swing calculated to exploit any opening Yato might leave.

Yet, Yato, ever the seasoned warrior, countered with a blend of precision and agility.

-Crack!, -Crack!, -Crack!

Cracks started to appear on the cave walls as sparing matches continued, noticing Yato jumped towards the entrance of the cave as Lucas followed him out.

Yato did this because he didn't want to destroy his favourite resting spot.

Once they were outside of the cave, Yato said, " Now you can go all out Lucas."

"I'm planning to do that master," Lucas muttered as he activated his [Mana Eyes] Skil and at the same time he enveloped his whole body in mana coating.

Lucas then glances at his shadow who nods his head back at him "Come now, Shadow." Lucas said as Lucas's shadow covered his entire body.

His clothes turned black, and everything in his body turned black colour leaving only its head.

Noticing this unexpected development, Yato raised one of his eyebrows in surprise

"What is that look? You look changed somehow."

"It's nothing, master but I can tell you one thing for sure. I'm strong way stronger than before." Lucas said as he gripped his sword tighter.

Since coming here, Lucas always tried to practice with his shadow, since his shadow can anyone he can also bind Lucas.

...And yesterday Lucas tried to bind himself with his shadows, when shadows started binding Lucas's body instead of feeling the pain he felt stronger, a lot stronger than he ever was.

Then he started to use Mana Coating on top of that, the result was doing this was something he would never expected.

His current strength was of [E+] rank but after combining shadow and Mana Coating his strength rose up to [D] rank.

It was something unexpected but Lucas didn't hate this development, In fact, he liked it.

"Here I come, Master," Lucas shouted and started running towards the Yato. His speed was much faster than before.

As he was running toward Yato, Lucas knew that he needed more speed, Lucas then focused on his movement art and sword art.

In an instant, a surge of mana emanated from Lucas's body, flowing outward in a brilliant azure hue.

"[Celestial Parry] sword art-->[Starry Deflection]."

"[Stellar Stride] movement art--> [Astral Dash]

Lucas yelled, his voice resolute.

Lucas disappeared from Yato's eyesight within a second.

In a sudden burst of speed, Lucas appeared right before Yato in the blink of an eye, his sword raised in the air as he used [Starry Deflection].

Yato, surprised by the sudden burst of speed, swiftly shifted his spear into a defensive position. However, Lucas's [Starry Deflection] proved to be a formidable technique. The sword strikes seemed to ripple through the air, creating an almost celestial display of slashes.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The echoing clashes resonated through the mountain range, and Yato found himself on the defensive. Lucas's movements were a blur, a combination of speed and precision that pushed Yato to react with all his skill.

As Lucas unleashed a series of strikes, Yato parried and countered, the dance of their blades intensifying. The air around them crackled with mana, and even the surrounding elements seemed to respond to the energy of their clash.

However, Yato's experience and mastery of combat arts allowed him to adapt. In a fluid motion, he disengaged, creating a momentary distance between them. His silver hair flowed as he observed Lucas, his expression a mix of satisfaction and contemplation.

"Now it's time for me to get serious. Lucas prepare yourself." Lucas clenched his teeth and gripped his teeth.

When Lucas was using mana coating and his shadow, the amount of mana to maintain those two was immense.

For now, his current limit was 5 minutes before he ran out of mana.

Yato, sensing the change in Lucas's demeanour, knew that the upcoming moments would be crucial. The mountain air seemed to thicken with anticipation as both combatants readied themselves for the escalating confrontation.

Lucas, though aware of his limited mana reserves, pressed on with unwavering determination. He understood that every strike, every moment in this spar, carried weight in his journey toward mastery.

With a swift motion, Lucas propelled himself forward, sword gleaming with an intensified azure glow. His movements became a dance of calculated precision, blending the prowess of [Starry Deflection] with the enhanced speed from [Astral Dash].

As the two clashed once more, the echoes of their battle resonated through the mountain range. Lucas's attacks became more fervent, a testament to his commitment to push beyond his limits.

Yato, recognizing Lucas's resolve, met each strike with equal determination. His spear danced through the air in response, an intricate interplay of offence and defence.

As the battle raged on, Lucas's mana coating and shadow techniques continued to drain his energy. Yet, the 16 or 17-year-old boy fought valiantly, showcasing the strength he had gained during their intense training.

Yato, seizing the opportunity to impart a crucial lesson, called out to Lucas amid the clash of their blades. "Strength alone won't carry you through. It's the mastery of your abilities and strategic thinking that defines a true warrior!"

With those words, Yato unleashed a surge of mana, and his movements took on a newfound intensity. The silver-haired warrior seemed to move effortlessly, his spear becoming an extension of his will.

Lucas, feeling the surge of energy from Yato, gritted his teeth. He knew he had to make every moment count before his mana reserves depleted.

In a burst of speed, Lucas executed a series of acrobatic manoeuvres, avoiding Yato's strikes while launching his relentless assault. The azure glow of his sword illuminated the battlefield as if the very essence of the sky had descended upon it.

But time was running out. Lucas felt the strain in every swing, the toll of pushing his limits evident in his movements.

As Yato prepared for a decisive strike, Lucas summoned the last reserves of his energy. "I won't falter," he muttered under his breath, determination flashing in his forest-green eyes.

Their blades collided with each other again sending shockwaves to the entire area.t