Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 626: Pre- and Post-Cognition I

CH626 Pre- and Post-Cognition I

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Clang!

Dalton somehow lifted his greatsword just in time, seizing it tightly with both hands to withstand the striking force.

The edge nicked his palm lightly on impact, spilling a slender trail of blood—yet a subtle aura layer over his hand stopped it from slicing further.

Suddenly, Dalton tilted his sword, letting Alex’s forward drive—from the plunging chop—continue onward, forcing him lower.

Leveraging the earth like a weightlifter on a bench press, Dalton steadied himself and thrust his arms out powerfully—hurling Alex back with sheer might.

Alex flew through the air, somersaulting rearward before touching down steadily on his feet.

Yet rather than charging ahead, he halted briefly to regulate his breath—allowing Dalton room to stand up once more.

Dalton held back too. He watched his youthful rival with awe and admiration mixed in, while catching his own breath.

"You’re something else. I really thought I had you there," Alex said with a light chuckle.

"You’ll need more than that to take me down," Dalton answered, laughing.

His face then grew stern.

"I owe you an apology for underestimating you. You are not an opponent beneath me... but one who stands at my level." He offered a small bow.

Immediately after, he lifted his head again.

"Allow me to correct that mistake."

He assumed a solid posture, clasping his greatsword in a two-handed grip, its tip aimed straight at Alex.

"I will now come at you with my full strength."

Alex’s smile broadened, his red eyes gleaming with a hint of wildness.

"I wouldn’t have it any other way."

He dropped into a battle ready position, war axe held poised for action.

"Come."

The two warriors exploded forward at the same instant once more.

Aura Coating! Weapon Coating!

Fighting energy erupted from Dalton’s frame, enveloping his body and blade with such precise mastery that it barely showed to the eye.

The intense thickness of that packed power made the surrounding air quiver softly.

Dalton’s pace surged wildly as he charged, stabbing his greatsword with deadly purpose—seeking to impale Alex on the spot.

Right then, the golden edges of Alex’s eyes flickered with an uncanny light.

He dodged the piercing lunge—

—yet at once, Dalton adapted in mid-stride, swinging his blade laterally in a smooth curve to carve through Alex’s torso.

But as though he foresaw it, Alex’s war axe rose from the flank in a sweeping curve.

Next, like a lash, the axe’s hooked tip snagged Dalton’s greatsword—yanking it upward and across before swinging to Alex’s other side.

Through this maneuver, Alex tried to strip Dalton of his weapon.

Still, the battle-hardened mercenary wouldn’t be tricked so simply.

Dalton jumped, tracking the altered path of his sword. With his body’s mass, he spun with the flow and yanked the blade loose from Alex’s grasp.

Exploiting the short airborne phase of Dalton, Alex struck forth—chopping at his belly as he came down.

But right then, Dalton’s aura coating blazed brighter.

His weight seemed to double instantly, pulling him earthward quicker than anticipated.

The instant his boots hit the ground, he propelled off his planted leg, rolling sideways in a powerful tumble.

This whirl achieved two goals—sidestepping Alex’s blow while boosting the force of his riposte.

Clang!

Dalton’s sword hammered down, fueled by the spin’s momentum.

But Alex parried it—

—using his sword.

As if he predicted the riposte, Alex’s sword sliced into the greatsword’s trajectory, stopping the blow short of its peak power.

’Hmph—!’

Nevertheless, parrying a whirling greatsword assault one-handed in reverse grip proved no easy task.

A grunt of effort slipped from Alex as the clash shoved him into a half-kneel.

Dalton grabbed the opening instantly.

Redirecting his drop, he poured his downward mass into the lock, adding both hands to his weapon to crush Alex and smash him flat.

Boom!

Alex crashed hard into the arena surface.

The collision hit with such violence that his form bounced up a bit, briefly weakening Dalton’s hold.

[Dragon Kumite: Dragon Roar]!

Before Dalton could regain dominance, Alex parted his lips and unleashed a roar laced with mana.

The blast wave hurled Dalton rearward, making him stumble back multiple paces.

Using the gained separation, Alex cartwheeled backward and leaped upright, pulling back dozens of steps to restore their spacing.

He glanced at Dalton with a crooked grin.

’As expected of a Class 4,’ he mused inwardly.

Though it might not have looked that way to the spectators, Alex was fully aware that he'd just tread a razor-thin path.

Despite the stacked enhancement spells from OmniRune, with Dalton now fully committed—channeling mana to fortify his physique—Alex felt outmatched in both velocity and power.

He'd only endured that furious barrage because he'd shifted position prior to Dalton's strikes landing.

Had Dalton launched his assault first, before Alex could react—defeat would have been inevitable for him.

His life might have been forfeit as well.

Dalton creased his brow faintly.

He had also grasped the reason Alex dodged his blows so effectively—yet remained baffled by the youth's method.

‘Can he... see the future?’ Dalton pondered.

His stare fixed upon Alex’s crimson eyes.

The subtle golden edges inside flickered sporadically, igniting profound disquiet in his core.

Instinct warned him those eyes hid greater secrets—far beyond the illusion power he'd already observed.

Dalton was unaware, but his hunch veered close to the actual truth.

Alex gave his head a gentle shake, as if dispelling stubborn mental fog.

He peered at his own form, realizing his buffs were hurtling toward expiration.

He shook his head once more.

To the bystanders, it seemed he was still reeling from that brutal collision with the earth.

Yet that wasn't true.

The actual cause hid elsewhere.

Phantom Sight Level 2.

Just like Spirit Sight earlier, following the repair and upgrade of his Truth-Seeker Eyes, Alex learned Phantom Sight had ascended to a superior ability tier.

Merely after accessing this elevated stage did he finally comprehend Phantom Sight's essence.

Fundamentally, Phantom Sight embodied the Truth-Seeker Eyes' push toward cognitive enhancement.

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