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A powerful shield of divine light protected Jonathan from the explosion, Artorias rushed amidst the eruption of stone and light, rushing towards Jonathan, aiming to pierce his shield.
"Your shield… I'll slice it."
SLAAASH!
A powerful slash was unleashed, as Artorias spun in midair, golden and crimson flas erged as he attacked Jonathan, another slicing explosion reached him.
BOOOM!
And yet…
The shield gained cracks, rapidly dissipating, but that's because Jonathan decided to make it disappear, facing Artorias again.
"He reminds of the many apprentices I've had in my life…" Jonathan smiled. "That incredible potential and amazing skills, but also an incredible level of impatience. He desires victory against an ancient foe that defeated him, he's too prideful. He's using his strength for the wrong cause. Personal satisfaction like this… Will never bring him anything good at the end, only the hatred of everyone, and despair at the end of the road."
Jonathan recalled his many apprentices, including even the other Heroes that he had created a new team with those sa heroes he had to slay after they turned against him once he decided to protect Maria instead of killing her.
Just because they were impatient, just because they thought they were better than the rest, and just because they ended being full of themselves, trying to compensate for their shortcomings by overinflating their own egos.
"This is not the right path, Artorias."
"What?"
"The path to power is a tortuous one, not the one you believe it is. Your power is incredible, but it won't bring you anywhere you want."
"What do you know? You've only known victory your entire life…!"
Artorias rushed forward, swinging his blade several tis, both vertically and horizontally, his aura transforming into a gigantic golden and crimson lion made of his armor's flas!
"{Lion King's Furious Blazing Claws}"
"ROOOAARRR!"
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
The might lion roared, attacking Jonathan incessantly, several attacks at once reached him as explosions of flas erupted one after another.
Jonathan used his shield to defend against several of them, while at the sa ti, parrying the rest with his blade.
"{Divine Sunlight Blade Arts}: {Flashing Parry}"
FLAAASH!
"Ungh?!"
In that mont, Artorias saw it, the true power of Jonathan, a flashing attack so fast it reached his chest instantly, piercing through his lion's technique and imdiately striking his armor several tis in a row.
Not only did Jonathan parried his blows, but counterattacked at an incredible level of speed, a short burst, but enough to generate a powerful impact, sending the young lion away!
CLAAASH!
"Dammit."
Artorias quickly readjusted his position midair as he kicked the air, rushing back to Jonathan, aiming to surprise him once he lowered his guard.
However, Jonathan never lowered his guard, he was already rushing towards him to strike him as he fell from the sky!
"Wha…?!"
"So we thought the sa."
FLASH!
Jonathan's blade overflowed with the radiance of sunlight!
"{Divine Sunlight Blade Arts}: {Lightning Slash}"
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
A storm of lightning slashes engulfed Artorias from every angle, cutting through his defenses once more. His armor held on miraculously, but he couldn't move his sword properly.
And then… Jonathan continued!
"Echo."
"Ngh?!"
"{Lightning Dragon Storm}"
RUMBLE!
Turns out, Jonathan wasn't just heavy swings, he had learned from everything he had seen, all the fighters across his life.
And he had begun to create sothing beyond his current abilities, beyond his swordsmanship.
He was creating his personal arsenal of unique techniques, not the ones he learned from the Paladins that wielded the sa Divine Sunlight Blade Arts.
His own power!
"ROOOAARR!"
A lightning dragon manifested from his aura, the light he wielded easily turned into electricity, the photon within its energy was simply twisted differently, transford into it.
CRAAASH!
And with a thunderous blow, the dragon descended, impacting Artorias with imnse power, sending him flying down.
"Uagh!"
Artorias felt his entire body shaking, his arms were about to snap, as he fell from the skies once more, hitting the ground.
BAAAM!
However, he twisted his body midair, spinning around and then rushing back towards Jonathan out of the sheer power burst of his own armor.
"Oh?!"
Jonathan was shocked as Artorias was back, his chanical lion-like armor overflowing with energy giving him superhuman strength.
"{Rampaging Lion King Inferno}!"
"ROOOAARRR!"
A three-headed lion surged from his aura, unleashing a massive barrage of powerful attacks, clashing against Jonathan and pushing him away, destroying his armor and shield as it gained countless cracks.
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
"He's still growing and improving as we fight?!"
Jonathan was flabbergasted, Artorias held even more potential than he thought…
But it did not matter.
He strengthened his body with his Divine Aura, pushing forward and then…
"{Titan Shield Bash}"
BAAAM!
He slamd his shield against Artorias, pushing him down.
"Ugh…!"
And then, cracks.
Cracks appeared across the chanical armor.
It didn't have infinite durability as believed.
"Y-You…! JONATHAAAAANN!"
Artorias scread, his blade swinging up, aiming at Jonathan's neck.
Yet…
The Hero of Light wasn't done!
"Echo."
"Huh?!"
"{Sun Titan's Grasp}!"
His shield absorbed his Aura, transforming into a massive, titanic hand made of pure light, grasping Artorias tightly and stopping his sword entirely.
CRAAASH!
"Graarrggh…!"
Artorias vomited blood as he felt his insides being crushed, his armor shattered into countless pieces as he hit the ground, dealing even more damage.
BAAAM!
Jonathan slowly stood up, glancing at Artorias on the floor.
"It's over… Give up."
Yet his rival slowly stood back up, gnashing his teeth even as most of his armor was destroyed.
He held his huge sword tightly.
"No… It's not over… You don't know how long I've been waiting… for this mont, Jonathan!" Artorias scread. "RAAAHHH!"
He swung his blade against him, yet Jonathan easily evaded the swing, and then quickly punched Artorias in the face.
BAAM!
"Ugh?!"
Artorias fell to the ground again.
Jonathan glared down at him from above, his eyes shining brightly with golden light.
This man… he wasn't the sa rival he once was.
No, it was as if a completely different person had overtaken his body and mind.
Soone much older, and much more experienced.
He wasn't facing a childhood rival.
He was facing a seasoned knight.
"This is my last warning. Give up. Now."
For the first ti, Jonathan showed his true self.
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