Reborn as the Last van Ambrose
Chapter 247: Friendly Bout

Chapter 247: Friendly Bout

The comment was clearly intended to suggest that relying on weapons indicated weakness or lack of skill.

Grim answered his provocation angering him and drew his sword, testing its balance while considering his strategy.

The assembled fox spirits formed a loose circle around the designated combat area. Word had apparently spread quickly, because more spectators continued arriving as they prepared for the duel.

"Ready when you are, Lord Ambrose," Xùyán said, settling into a relaxed stance that suggested complete confidence.

Grim began cautiously, using a basic sword form to gauge his opponent’s capabilities. Xùyán responded by seeming to split into three identical figures, each moving independently around Grim’s position.

Unlike the training exercises, these illusions felt completely solid and real. Grim struck at the nearest figure and his blade passed through empty air, while one of the other versions launched a counterattack that forced him to dodge quickly.

"Impressive," Xùyán’s voice seemed to come from all three figures simultaneously. "Though I notice you’re still thinking like a human—trying to determine which target is ’real’ rather than adapting to the situation."

Grim circulated mana through his body, enhancing his speed and reflexes while trying to identify patterns in the illusions.

The three Xùyáns moved with perfect coordination, making it impossible to distinguish the original through movement analysis. _{free\we\bnov(e)(l).com}

A blast of fire erupted from one of the figures, forcing Grim to roll aside. The flames were definitely real, which meant at least one of the illusions could actually harm him.

"Better," Xùyán observed as Grim narrowly avoided another fire attack. "Though you’re still reactive rather than proactive."

Grim decided to test his opponent’s defenses. He charged the leftmost figure while simultaneously preparing a water technique. The moment his sword connected—passing through another illusion—he released the water in a wide arc that encompassed all three figures.

For a brief moment, the illusions flickered and Grim glimpsed Xùyán’s actual position. He pressed the advantage, launching a series of rapid strikes that forced his opponent to abandon the multiple-figure deception in favor of direct defense.

Xùyán proved to be an excellent fighter even without illusions. His movements flowed like liquid fire, combining martial arts with integrated magic in ways that created constant surprises.

Fire would erupt from his hands to supplement strikes, while brief illusions created openings for attacks from unexpected angles.

"Not bad," Xùyán admitted as they broke apart after a particularly intense exchange. "You adapt more quickly than most humans."

"Thank you for the compliment," Grim replied, though he was already breathing harder than his opponent.

"Don’t let it go to your head," Xùyán said with a predatory smile. "We’re just getting started."

The next phase of the fight saw Xùyán escalate significantly. The fire attacks grew more intense, while the illusions became increasingly sophisticated.

Grim found himself fighting what appeared to be a small army of Xùyáns, each wielding different weapons and attacking from different angles.

Grim knew he was being tested—not just his combat skills, but his temperament and adaptability.

Xùyán was clearly holding back his most dangerous techniques, but he was also evaluating how Grim responded to increasing pressure.

Rather than matching his opponent’s escalation, Grim chose a different approach. He began to incorporate the lessons he’d learned during the morning’s training, using misdirection and positioning rather than raw force to counter the illusions.

When Xùyán launched a coordinated attack from multiple directions, Grim used water techniques to create his own visual obstructions, then struck from an unexpected angle while his opponent’s vision was compromised.

The hit connected—the first solid blow either fighter had landed—and Grim saw surprise flicker across Xùyán’s face.

"Interesting," Xùyán murmured, touching the spot where Grim’s sword had grazed his arm. "You’re learning."

"Your people are excellent teachers," Grim replied.

"Indeed they are," Xùyán agreed. "Though I wonder how well you’ll handle this."

The illusions that followed were unlike anything Grim had experienced. The entire training ground seemed to shift and change around him, with phantom walls appearing and disappearing while the ground itself seemed to move beneath his feet.

Grim realized that Xùyán was using advanced techniques that went far beyond simple combat applications.

This was magic powerful enough to disorient even experienced warriors, and it required considerable skill to maintain while continuing to fight.

Rather than fighting the illusions, Grim chose to embrace the uncertainty. He closed his eyes and relied on his other senses, using the sound of Xùyán’s breathing and the subtle air movements created by his attacks to track his position.

The strategy worked. Grim managed several more successful strikes while avoiding the worst of his opponent’s counters. His clothes had small cuts on them from the few strikes that landed.

More importantly, he could sense Xùyán’s growing frustration as his psychological advantages proved less effective than expected.

"Enough," Xùyán said suddenly, the illusions dissolving as he stepped back with obvious respect. "You fight with honor and intelligence, Lord Ambrose. I concede the match as a draw."

The declaration surprised everyone present, including Grim. He had expected the duel to continue until one of them could no longer fight.

"A draw?" he asked.

Grim sheathed his sword and looked thoughtfully at Xùyán.

"Interesting how your illusions created weapons for you to wield. I thought you said you typically fight without such accessories?"

The comment hit its mark. Several of the younger fox spirits chuckled, and Xùyán’s expression darkened as he realized his own words were being used against him.

"Illusion weapons are different from—" Xùyán began.

"Are they?" Grim interrupted with false innocence. "Because from where I stood, you seemed quite dependent on them. Multiple weapons, actually, wielded by multiple versions of yourself. Quite impressive for someone who claimed not to need such tools."

Xùyán’s tails lashed with barely controlled anger. "Those were tactical applications of advanced magic, not crutches for inadequate skill."

"Of course," Grim agreed with a slight smile. "Though I notice you didn’t manage to land a single hit until you started using them. Perhaps the issue wasn’t the weapons themselves, but the one wielding them?"

The insult was delivered with such polite civility that it took a moment for its full impact to register.

When it did, Xùyán’s composure cracked visibly."You—" he started, stepping forward aggressively.

"Xùyán," Commander Liú intervened firmly. "The match is concluded. Lord Ambrose fought honorably and earned his result fairly."The rebuke from a respected military officer carried weight that even Xùyán couldn’t ignore.

He forced himself to bow stiffly."Indeed," he said through gritted teeth.

"You’ve demonstrated sufficient skill and ability to earn respect," Xùyán replied, though his tone suggested the words came reluctantly. "Well fought, Lord Ambrose. I look forward to our next cultural exchange."

The assembled fox spirits began to disperse, many offering respectful nods to Grim as they departed. He had clearly passed some sort of test, though the exact criteria remained unclear.

"That was well fought," Commander Liú said as Grim cleaned his sword. "You showed excellent adaptation to unfamiliar techniques."

"Thank you," Grim replied. "Though I suspect I have much more to learn."

"We all do," Liú agreed. "That’s what makes martial training worthwhile."

As Grim prepared to leave the training ground, he noticed a figure watching from the edge of the trees—a fox spirit whose face seemed somehow familiar despite their obvious age and power.

When their eyes met, the figure nodded once before disappearing into the forest.

[Did you see that?] Caius asked.

"Yes," Grim replied silently. "Though I’m not certain what to make of it."

[Someone was evaluating your performance very carefully,] Caius observed. [Someone with significant power.]

"Indeed," Grim agreed. "Though whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen."