Chương 45: Breaking the Illusion

Oscar turned toward one of the soldiers.

"Give this woman a sword". A soldier drew his weapon and handed it to Leah. She took it: it was heavy, cold and far too large for her hands.

"She's not a swordswoman", Felicity said.

"This duel is unfair. Fight me, coward". Oscar looked at her with the faintest smile.

"She's not a swordswoman? Really?" He then pointed at Leah.

"Then what is she doing by your side?" Leah raised the sword with difficulty, took a deep breath, and gritted her teeth.

"I'm trying to become one", she replied firmly. Oscar smiled, amused. Leah charged forward with a frontal slash. Oscar dodged it with the slightest step and in the same motion, cut into her leg. Pain shot through her body like an electric shock. Leah groaned, but she did not fall. She straightened herself, jaw clenched. She attacked again. Oscar parried effortlessly and struck her in the face with a violent headbutt. Blood immediately streamed from her nose. Oscar turned to Felicity.

"You were right. She isn't a swordswoman". He paused.

"She's weak. A weak and insignificant woman".

"Leah, keep control", Felicity said, her voice tense but steady.

"Don't let him provoke you". This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Leah breathed slowly, tightened her grip on the hilt and advanced once more. She feinted a strike toward his stomach, then attempted a direct thrust. Oscar caught the blade with one hand. Then he struck. A deep cut slashed across her abdomen. Leah fell to her knees, clutching her stomach, her breath shattered by pain. In the desert of the illusion, Xia trudged forward with difficulty.

A sandstorm lashed her face and the wind tore the breath from her lungs. She staggered.

"No, this won't do", she muttered.

"If I die here, I'll be trapped forever". Inside the shop, the man with the large white mustache sipped wine while watching Xia's motionless body lying on the floor. His wife approached him, annoyed.

"How much longer is this going to take? I'm tired of seeing that woman lying there".

"A few more days", he replied calmly.

"Then she'll become a vegetable forever". Back in the throne room, Leah was trembling, but she still refused to let go of her sword. Felicity tried to move toward her, but the soldiers forced her to her knees.

"Not attacking anymore?" Oscar said in a bored tone.

"Then I'll do it". He lunged forward. Leah barely managed to parry, her arms shaking from the impact. A second slash struck her across the face, opening her right cheek.

"I ruined your pretty face, didn't I?" Oscar said. Leah gave a faint smile.

"You talk a lot, you know that?" she said between ragged breaths.

"And that's coming from someone who talks a lot". In the desert, Xia collapsed to her knees. Her breathing was shallow, her body exhausted. Then her eyes widened.

"Of course…" she whispered.

"How did I not realize it sooner?" She quickly formed a series of hand seals. Before her appeared the legendary swords: the one that controlled the dead and the one of fire. Xia seized both of them and raised them toward the sky, activating them at the same instant. The world trembled. The desert cracked apart. The illusion shattered like glass. Xia awoke inside the shop. The mustached man's eyes widened and he threw himself toward the sword but an invisible slash severed his arm.

His wife did not even have time to scream, a clean cut separated her head from her body. Blood splattered across the floor. Xia slowly rose to her feet.

"This sword truly surprised me", she said with icy calm.

"You almost defeated me".

"H-how…how the hell did you break free?!" the man shouted, staring at his wife's lifeless body.

"The illusion was perfect", Xia explained.

"I tried every spell I knew. Then I remembered something: legendary swords cannot be used together. So I summoned mine, activated them and shattered the illusion". The man turned pale.

"You had…two legendary swords?"

"Exactly", Xia smiled.

"With yours, that makes three". An instant later, the man was decapitated. Xia picked up the legendary sword, examined it for a moment, then calmly walked out of the shop.