Chapter 236: Chapter: 236 One strike!

Duke Sant rushed after the creature with a fierce look on his face.

His eyes were sharp.

His jaw was tight. He would not let it escape again.

Behind him, Elena’s copy had just managed to recover from the kick.

She steadied herself in the air, wiped the corner of her lips, and rushed after him without delay.

“Fuck it!!” the creature cursed.

It grabbed its left arm stump with its right arm, trying to slow the bleeding. Blood still dripped down, falling like red rain.

“Earlier… I was lucky,” it muttered to itself while flying at full speed. “If I had not moved my hand at that last moment…”

It did not finish the sentence. It did not need to.

It knew very well that if it had not created that tiny breath of time with its hand, Duke Sant’s sword would have cut off its head.

Everything would have ended there.

The creature pushed itself harder.

Faster. Faster.

Wind screamed past its ears as it turned its head and locked eyes with Duke Sant.

Duke Sant was not far.

Just a few breaths.

That was all it would take for him to catch up.

Even so—

The creature’s face was oddly calm.

It was close to death just moments ago, yet its eyes did not show panic now.

It kept moving, trying to create as much distance as possible.

Behind Duke Sant—

Elena’s copy caught up.

She raised her sword and threw a strike at his back.

A wide arc of Mana rushed toward him.

Duke Sant let out a snort.

“Hmph. You think you are still strong?”

There was a hint of mockery in his voice.

“Yes, you have my abilities.”

“Yes, you have my strength.”

“Yes, you have my speed.”

But—

“You are only a memory.”

His eyes grew colder.

“You are the me from before.”

The copy could fight like him.

But it was the him from some time ago.

It could not grow. It could not adapt.

And Duke Sant right now—

Was stronger than he was even an hour ago.

Battle made him sharper.

Every second made him better.

“Come here,” he said as he clenched his fist.

“I will get rid of you first.”

Duke Sant rushed forward. His feet barely touched the ground anymore. He flew straight at Elena’s copy.

His face was hard like stone. His eyes burned with anger. His teeth were pressed together so tight it hurt.

Elena’s copy flew at him too. Her sword was raised high. Her lips curled into a small, cold smile.

Her eyes looked exactly like Elena’s eyes, bright, full of life.

But Duke Sant knew the truth. This was not his daughter. This was just a fake thing wearing her face.

They met in the middle.

Clang!

Their swords hit each other hard. Sparks flew like tiny stars. The force pushed both of them back a little.

Duke Sant did not wait. He pulled his sword back fast and swung again. This time lower.

Aiming for her side.

Elena’s copy blocked it.

Clang!

She pushed forward with her sword. She tried to push him down.

Duke Sant twisted his body. He stepped to the side.

Then he kicked out with his right leg.

His boot hit her ribs.

Thud!

She made a short sound of pain. Her body bent a little. But she did not fall.

She swung her sword back at him.

Fast.

Sharp.

Duke Sant leaned back. The blade passed close to his chest. So close he felt the heat from it.

He answered with his own swing. His sword came down like a hammer.

She raised her sword to meet it.

Clang!

Again.

The sound rang loud in the air.

Both of them pushed hard. Their swords

stayed locked together.

Faces close. Eyes locked.

“You look like my daughter,” Duke Sant said in a low voice.

“But you are far from her level.”

The copy laughed. A soft, sweet laugh.

The same laugh Elena used to make when she was small.

“Father… are you tired already?” she asked. Her voice was gentle.

Almost kind.

Duke Sant’s hand shook for one second.

Just one second. Then his eyes turned cold again.

“Stop talking with her voice,” he said. His words came out sharp.

He pushed hard with both arms. The swords broke apart.

He jumped back. Then he charged again.

Faster this time.

Elena’s copy met him head-on. Their swords clashed again and again.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Each hit sent waves of power through the air.

The ground below cracked. Small rocks flew up.

Duke Sant’s breathing got heavier. Sweat ran down his face. But he did not slow down.

He swung from the left. She blocked.

He swung from the right. She blocked again.

Then he changed. He pulled his sword back. He made a quick step forward.

And he punched with his left fist.

The punch hit her jaw.

Crack!

Her head snapped to the side. Blood came out from the corner of her mouth.

She looked surprised.

Duke Sant did not stop. He grabbed her wrist with his free hand. He twisted it hard.

Her sword almost fell.

But she used her other hand. She pushed spiritual energy out from her palm.

A blast of hot wind hit Duke Sant in the chest.

He flew back.

He hit the ground and rolled once.

Then he stood up fast.

His cloak was torn now. Blood ran from a small cut on his cheek.

Elena’s copy wiped the blood from her lip.

She smiled again.

“You hit harder than before,” she said.

“Father is getting stronger.”

Duke Sant spit on the ground.

“I told you,” he said. “Stop calling me that!!”

He looked past her for a second.The creature was still flying away.

It was far now. But not too far.

’I need to finish this fast,’ he thought.

He took one deep breath. Then he raised his sword high.

“I did not think I would need to use this in this battle,” Duke Sant murmured as he looked at Elena’s copy.

His voice was low. This fight was harder than he expected.

At first, he thought it would be simple. He would raise his sword.

He would cut the creature down. That would be the end.

But that thing had a troublesome intuition.

Perfect Copy.

And now he was forced to fight a face he never wished to strike.

“Haah…”

He let out a slow breath.

“It is fortunate it did not use this against Vined,” he thought. Even he was having a hard time.

If Vined had faced this—

The result could have been very bad.

His eyes changed.

The softness was gone. Only steel remained.

“But this ends here.”

He raised his sword slowly. The blade burned with heat and power.

He locked eyes with the copy.

“This is the last time you wear my daughter’s face.”

“Hmph!” the copy snorted. “We will see whose last time it is.”

She kicked the air.

Boom!!

The air exploded under her foot. She rushed toward him at full speed.

Spiritual energy wrapped around her blade again. The pressure around them grew heavy.

But Duke Sant did not move. He stood still.

Calm.

“I did not want to use this on you,” he muttered softly.

“I was saving it for that clown.”

His eyes flicked toward the creature far away for a split second.

“But you left me no choice.”

He closed his eyes. For a brief moment, the world went quiet.

No wind. No fire. No sound.

Only darkness.

Then—

He opened them. His gaze was sharp and clear.

No anger. No pain. Only focus.

“Intuition,” he said calmly.

“One Strike.”

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