Sword God in a World of Magic

Shang was stuck between three choices.

Charge at Astor with his Ice Blast.

Try to evade the strike and counter.

Try to evade with his Ice Blast.

All of them had different advantages and disadvantages.

In the end, Shang went with the second option.

Why?

Because he needed his Ice Blast to end the fight.

He couldn't reliably end the fight by charging in now.

If he evaded with his Ice Blast, he would be on the safe side, but he would lose his best shot at winning against Astor.

Astor's defense was incredible, and without a severe speed advantage, Shang couldn't break through it.

So, Shang ran into the distance.

Astor had already built up his momentum, and he would soon jump forward with his sword.

It was essentially the same situation as when Shang had first fought Astor.

But this time, Shang's instincts had been honed a lot more. On top of that, he had seen that attack before, and he knew of a good way to evade it.

By widening the distance between them, Astor's momentum would weaken on his way to Shang.

And then, Astor unleashed his strike.

BOOM!

The earth cracked beneath him as his body was thrown forward with his sword.

Shang saw Astor approach, and he was sure that Astor was even faster than back then.

Obviously, Astor hadn't unleashed his full power in their first fight.

Shang jumped to the side.

At that moment, water appeared beneath Astor's feet, and he slid to the side while keeping hold of his sword.

Astor had slid more to the side than Shang due to his higher momentum.

Shang could only jump to the ground to let the sword pass above him.

Astor's strike missed, and Shang quickly slashed at where Astor should be.

Yet, Astor had already passed by Shang.

More water appeared beneath him as his body rotated.

Then, the water vanished.

of

Shang's eyes widened.

stop Astor before he charged at Shang

water, Astor had been able to completely conserve

Water Affinity was

jumped to the

appeared beneath Astor's

then, Shang's eyes

he

arm at Astor and

BANG!

Ice Mana washed over Astor's entire body,

CRK!

horror as the water beneath him hardened, and in just a

control over his water, and his feet hit the

as he

definitely wasn't powerful enough to freeze that much

why had it suddenly

he had learned in teacher

the Empress Cobra Zone had a partial Water

Why?

Mana into Ice Mana as long as

wasn't natural

it with a lot of

meant that he wouldn't be able to control

And it had worked!

ice,

Shang charged forward.

slid forward. He was trying to

Shang closed in.

for Astor to regain control of

and he threw his sword

the rotating hilt came between him and

BANG!

his

But he missed!

instinct, and he

released his fist

hadn't expected this

one to throw his weapon away. He

moment, Shang's mind shut

instincts honed over years of training

Shang dropped his

wasn't even thinking about his

arm away by the elbow

Astor's eyes widened.

His attack had missed?!

habit,

went to Astor's back as Shang pulled his arm to the

again, and he

BANG!

while clinging closely to his arm with both of his