The Transmigrated Author
Chapter 237: The Sunlit King (3)

[Mireksan Mountain - The Sunlit King Boss Room]

"You... remind me of someone familiar..."

His tone carried a trace of sadness as the King's voice echoed.

Despite being stunned by the King's presence, Jan stood firm and refused to give in to the pressure.

"I do?" he responded, his voice steady.

Jan felt the weight of the Sunlit King's gaze, his golden eyes cutting through the boundaries of reality.

He saw a mirage of a person overlapping with Jan's form.

"Son..." he whispered, a wave of longing washing over him.

"Though it was a price to pay... I will ensure that he remains safe."

His eyes glowed brighter, a resolute determination burning within them.

Resting on the ground, in front of his throne, was an enormous blade, with its sharp edge spanning the entire floor.

Clack!

"Edgeless Blade of Sunlit Sovereignty, Awaken..."

IIEEEEEEE...

The King lifted the blade, and a surge of golden energy blasted through the room, engulfing everything in a blinding light.

Jan shielded his eyes, and when the light subsided, the King's entire body had transformed.

"...!"

Huuu...

"Much better..." The King sighed, the chamber now restored to its former glory.

The pillars gleamed with fresh white paint, green vines twined gracefully around them, and the cobblestone floor had become polished stone.

Even the chandeliers sparkled with a new brilliance.

"..."

"Is this a elemental zone?" Jan looked around the room but felt as if there was no change in the property of an element.

But although his thoughts were running wild, what he was focused on was the King's transformed appearance.

The chest piece of his armor bore golden plating, with the symbol of the sun and cross embellished at its center.

A golden lion mask, with a flowing mane, concealed his face.

"For many long centuries, I remained... unbeaten," the King declared, his voice resonating with power.

"Yet, I have waited long for someone to arrive."

CHING...

He removed the mask, revealing a face scarred with a long, jagged line that stretched from the corner of his left eye to the edge of his lip.

His left eye devoid of life, stood as a powerful reminder of the battles fought and sacrifices made.

"Now, a successor has appeared. I will no longer show restraint... To you, who are honored, carved by a path of destruction. Let it be that now comes the last bout."

Drop...

CLACK...CLACK...CLACK...

The mask fell to the floor, consumed by golden flames that erupted from the King's hand.

"Tell me, young knight..." the King's voice boomed, reverberating through the chamber.

Step... WHOOOOOSH!

In a blink of an eye, the King vanished from his throne, reappearing mere inches from Jan.

His speed was blinding, leaving Jan barely a moment to react.

"What?!" Jan exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

The King's blade descended, an arc of golden light aimed directly at Jan's head.

CLASH!

Jan desperately infused his own blade with aura, but the clash of steel against steel sent a shockwave through his body.

ACKK!

The King's strength was overwhelming...

"Prove it to me... that you're not him," The King spoke as if to provoke Jan.

CREAK..

As the kings blade pushed Jan further down to his chest he could only grit his teeth, straining against the immense pressure.

He tried to push back, to break free from the deadlock, but the King didn't budge an inch.

He was trapped, and his strength and agility were no match for the ancient warrior before him.

"I-I need to let go..."

Jan realized that if this deadlock continued, he might actually die on the spot.

Though he hesitated, the King showed no sign of further attack, only slight, subtle movements.

Just as the point of Jan's blade pressed against his chest, he released his grip and The King's blade plummeted towards the floor creating a full force explosion on impact.

BOOM!

"My, my... Impressive, you dodged."

The King's voice cut through the haze and his gaze was fixed on Jan, who had deftly shifted a few meters away from the attack.

Jan, covered in a cold sweat, felt every fiber of his being scream at him to flee.

This opponent was far beyond anything he could handle alone.

Yet, the King hadn't even gone all out.

Huuu...

Jan's chest heaved with a heavy sigh, his breath quivered as he tried to steady his emotions.

Waiting was all he could do as his heart felt heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

But instead of attacking, the King simply stood there, his body still as a statue, his relaxed stance and loose grip on the blade revealed a lack of concern for his opponent.

Jan felt a surge of anxiety. The King wasn't moving at all because, in reality, Jan couldn't even see a single opening within the King's guard.

Everywhere around him was covered...

If it wasn't obvious for him just a few moments ago, everything felt clear for him now.

The king is on a level of grandmaster swordsmanship.

"You're not going to charge?" The King's voice was filled with a calm confidence.

"There's no reason to charge blindly into a wall of bricks," Jan replied, keeping his guard high.

"Cunning, to say the least," the King mused. "But perhaps one thing you lack at your age is the understanding of your opponent, boy."

Without any further warning, the Sunlit King swung his sword sideways.

A gust of wind blasted towards Jan, catching him off guard.

"...!"

WHOM!

Then, as the King gripped his weapon tightly, the blade's color changed, turning into a mix of black and gold as sparks of lightning erupted ferociously around it.

TREMBLE...TREMBLE...TREMBLE...

As he raised his sword into the air, everything around him trembled under the immense pressure of his power.

Jan almost fell to his knees, but managed to stay upright by infusing his body with aura.

The sheer intensity of the aura he had exerted was terrifying, something he had never witnessed before.

"What was that just now?"

Jan's voice trembled, realizing the vast difference in not just power, but also technique and aura control.

"You are strong indeed..."

A smile graced the King's face, his voice remaining calm despite the display of power.

"In my world, that technique is called 'Qi release,' an exertion and emission of one's Qi."

________

Authors notes:

- Qi release is the same as Aura Emission or aura release. They're still the same principal, regardless.