Chapter 78 : The first showdown

Sakura looked straight into his eyes and said, "Join TCO."

Arthur didn’t hesitate. "I will."

She smiled.

A confident, assured smile.

Arthur paused for a moment, then added calmly, "But first... promise me something."

The smile on Sakura’s face widened. "Whatever you want... we are ready to provide it. Money, power, luxury... anything you desire."

Arthur looked at her.

Unblinking.

"I want you."

For a brief second—

Sakura’s eyes widened slightly.

Then—

A smug smirk formed on her lips.

"Looks like you’re just like any other man after all... but I can work with that, especially with that handsome face of yours."

She stepped a little closer.

"So... how do you want to start? Should we go somewhere private? It’s my first time, you know."

Arthur’s mouth twitched.

"Looks like you’re misunderstanding something."

He leaned slightly forward.

"By ’you’... I meant I want to take you back to that dear father of yours... the one you love so much."

A pause.

"And I also want you to release that mother of yours."

His tone turned blunt.

"And honestly... you’re a bit of a crazy bitch."

He shrugged lightly.

"And I have a policy of staying away from those kinds of people."

A faint smirk appeared.

"Also... you’re just not my type."

Sakura’s expression didn’t change.

But—

From the slight twitch near her eye—

Arthur could tell.

She was furious.

"You really have quite the mouth on you... don’t you?"

Arthur shrugged. "What... you didn’t see that coming?"

He raised a finger slightly.

"Oh, and I have one more request."

Sakura didn’t respond this time.

Her silence was enough.

Arthur continued anyway. "If I’m going to join... then you guys will have to make me the leader of the organization."

Sakura scoffed. "Now I understand why the future with you in it looked so horrifying."

Her aura flared.

Dark blue energy surged around her.

"It seems negotiations have broken down... and you, Mr. Arthur, are now a threat to our cause... and to the world we seek."

Her voice turned cold.

"This world doesn’t need someone like you."

The moment those words left her mouth—

Arthur felt it.

A presence.

Right behind him.

His eyes widened slightly.

A humming blade sliced through the air—

Heading straight for his neck.

Just inches away.

The attacker smirked internally.

’Clean hit... he won’t react in time.’

He already imagined it—

Arthur’s head separating cleanly from his body.

But then—

Something impossible happened.

Arthur’s breathing shifted.

Calm.

Precise.

In the very last instant—

He raised his hand—

And caught the blade.

Between two fingers.

The metallic sound echoed faintly.

The attacker’s eyes widened in disbelief.

’...What?’

Arthur slowly turned his head.

The sword still trapped effortlessly between his fingers.

He looked behind him.

A man stood there—

In his forties.

Auburn hair.

Dark eyes.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

Even Sakura looked surprised.

Arthur smirked slightly as he looked back at her. "What did you think... only you could pull off tricks like that?"

He tilted his head.

"Or did you not see this coming either?"

The man quickly jumped back, creating distance.

He stared at Arthur intensely. "You... you’re good. What’s your name?"

Arthur answered calmly. "Arthur Celestian."

The man straightened his stance.

"My name is Jericho Ellsworth."

His grip tightened on his sword.

"Until now... no one has ever matched my speed with the blade... except our grand leader."

His eyes narrowed.

"And now... you."

A pause.

"And that... hurts my pride."

The tension in the air thickened.

Then—

Suddenly—

Three more figures emerged from the shadows behind the walls.

A teenage boy with dark hair stepped forward, his gaze cold.

Beside him, a girl of the same age, with similar dark hair, watched silently.

And behind them—

A woman in her thirties appeared, holding a wand, an incantation already forming on her lips.

The tension in the air thickened.

It felt like the others were about to move—

To attack Arthur all at once.

But suddenly—

Jericho stepped forward.

"No one moves."

His voice was firm.

Sharp.

"I will handle this."

The others paused.

Jericho’s eyes were locked onto Arthur.

"This is the first man... I truly want to fight one-on-one... and defeat."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"And you all know... ever since I obtained my system... no one has been able to defeat me."

He turned his head slightly.

Looking toward Sakura.

"My lady... please grant me permission."

Sakura watched him silently for a moment.

"You are a valuable member of our faction... you know that, right?"

Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Faction...?’

’So TCO isn’t completely united... interesting.’

Jericho spoke again, pulling her attention back. "Don’t you have faith in me?"

Sakura sighed.

"Do whatever you want."

Her tone turned cold.

"But if you lose... there will be consequences. Remember that."

Jericho smiled.

Confident.

"I won’t disappoint you... I’ll prove your fears are unnecessary."

Arthur stepped forward slightly, a grin forming on his face. "So... it’s a fight to the death, huh?"

Jericho nodded. "Indeed it is."

Then—

A system window appeared before Jericho.

[KARMA SYSTEM: DUAL CHANNEL SYSTEM ACTIVATED]

[GOOD KARMA: 74%]

[BAD KARMA: 28%]

Jericho glanced at it and muttered under his breath, "That should be enough to finish him."

He exhaled lightly.

"Let’s start with good karma."

Another window materialized.

[ ✦ FIRST RELEASE: GOOD KARMA ✦ ]

A golden pulse burst from his chest—

Flowing through his arm—

Into his blade.

[GOOD KARMA CONVERSION INITIATED]

[+15% SPEED AND POWER OUTPUT]

[GOOD KARMA: 74% → 72%]

Jericho’s body trembled slightly—

Not from weakness—

But from the sudden surge of power.

A narrative unfolded within the moment.

His system allowed him to accumulate both good and bad karma—

And convert it into whatever he desired.

Stats.

Skills.

Artifacts.

Even temporary buffs.

That flexibility made him extremely dangerous.

Almost impossible to defeat.

But—

There was a downside.

Everything he gained through karma was temporary.

The effects would fade after a certain period.

Still—

In a battle like this—

It was more than enough.

Jericho looked toward Arthur.

Only to find him smiling.

"Are you going to fight barehanded?"

Arthur tilted his head slightly. "Well... I do have a weapon."

Suddenly—

A black, liquid-like substance began spreading across his arms.

It crawled over his skin—

Alive.

Moving.

Within seconds—

It fully covered both of his arms.

His fists clenched.

Sharp claws formed—

Then retracted.

Then formed again.

Arthur smirked. "It’s cool... isn’t it?"

Jericho’s eyes lit up. "Damn... it really is."

A grin appeared on his face.

"I’m definitely taking that from you after I kill you... I’ve taken a liking to it."

He tightened his grip on his sword.

"And just so you know... I don’t care if you’re D-rank, F-rank, or even S-rank."

His voice turned sharp.

"We system users aren’t bound by those limitations."

A pause.

"So don’t cry later and use rank as an excuse."

Arthur chuckled. "Don’t worry... I won’t."

He glanced at the sword in Jericho’s hand.

"And I like swords too."

His smile deepened.

"I’ve taken a liking to yours... don’t worry, I’ll cherish it."

Jericho smirked. "You’ll only take it over my dead body."

Arthur shrugged lightly. "Don’t worry... your friends standing there will collect it for you soon."

Silence fell.

Both of them moved at the same time.

A blur.

Their figures vanished—

Then clashed.

Steel met flesh—

And shockwaves rippled through the air.

Jericho’s blade cut forward with terrifying speed, each strike precise, lethal, aimed to kill.

But—

Arthur didn’t step back.

He raised his hands—

And blocked.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

Each strike was stopped.

Within seconds—

Dozens of exchanges happened.

Too fast for the eye to follow.

Jericho’s attacks grew sharper, faster, more aggressive.

But Arthur—

Matched everything.

Perfectly.

Their movements overlapped in a deadly rhythm.

Then—

Arthur suddenly shifted.

A slight opening appeared.

Jericho’s eyes flashed.

’Got you.’

He lunged forward—

Blade aimed straight for Arthur’s neck.

But at the last moment—

Arthur’s body twisted.

Unnaturally.

As if his bones didn’t exist.

As if he were made of rubber.

The blade struck—

But Arthur caught it on his arm.

The impact echoed—

Yet he didn’t flinch.

Instead—

His fingers moved.

Fast.

Precise.

A blur of five precise strikes—each landing cleanly against specific pressure points.

One after another.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Then—

He stepped back.

Jericho immediately jumped away, creating distance.

"What are you doing...? You missed your chance."

Arthur smirked slightly. "Just wait for it."

A second passed.

Then—

Jericho’s expression changed.

His body—

Froze.

’...What the hell is happening?’

He tried to move—

Nothing.

His muscles refused to respond.

His breathing staggered.

Before he could process it—

Arthur inhaled deeply.

His breathing changed.

Sharp.

Focused.

"Lightning Breathing..."

His figure vanished.

Then appeared—

Right in front of Jericho.

Too fast.

Jericho’s eyes widened.

’...I can’t—’

Before he could think—

The world flipped.

’...Why is everything... upside down?’

A dull sound echoed.

Thud.

Something hit the ground.

Jericho’s body.

Collapsed.

Lifeless.

His vision faded as his body rolled—

Stopping right at Arthur’s feet.

Arthur stood there calmly.

"Fifty-five seconds... that’s all it took, huh."

His claws—

Still extended—

Were stained with blood.

Without hesitation—

He bent down.

Picked up Jericho’s sword.

Then—

With a casual motion—

He kicked the head—

Sending it rolling toward Sakura.

Arthur looked up.

A smile on his face.

"Who’s next?"