Journey to Planar World

The first to move was Charlie. Without further warning, he stomped the ground, his figure shooting forward like an arrow, his sword slashing at his opponent with deadly speed.

*CLANG!*

The deafening clash of metal echoed loudly as sword met shield.

(So heavy! This guy is incredibly strong! If I hadn’t used my GM authority to enhance myself, I’d have lost in a single strike.)

Heathcliff was shocked. Charlie’s physical strength exceeded his expectations. His shield trembled, barely withstanding the impact of an attack that could have split a five-story building.

On the other side, Charlie frowned slightly as his attack failed to breach his opponent’s defense.

(I have to admit, I underestimated Kayaba. With max level, the best equipment, and multiple buffs from his GM authority, he’s not an opponent to take lightly. This will be a more serious fight than I expected.)

Both sides had their own thoughts, but it didn’t affect the flow of the battle.

The fight resumed, and this time, its intensity soared to an entirely different level.

Realizing Heathcliff’s enhanced strength, Charlie no longer held back. He moved—not just dashing, but vanishing and reappearing in a series of flashes. His sword became a storm of infinite slashes.

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

Every second, dozens of slashes were unleashed. The sound of clashing metal rang out incessantly, as if dozens of swordsmen were fighting simultaneously.

Charlie attacked from every angle: above, below, left, right, front, and even tried to pierce Heathcliff’s shield defense with high-precision thrusts targeting the smallest gaps. His speed surpassed what the normal eye could follow, leaving blurred afterimages in the air.

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

On the other side, with his GM authority, Heathcliff displayed extraordinary defense. The massive shield in his left hand moved nimbly, deflecting every one of Charlie’s slashes that came like a barrage of bullets. The steel wall reflected flashes of energy, rumbling with each impact.

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

*SWOOSH!*

His sword-wielding hand wasn’t idle either. With each deflection, Heathcliff looked for openings to counterattack. His sword responded with heavy vertical slashes, deep thrusts targeting vital points, or wide horizontal swings, aiming to disrupt Charlie’s focus.

He was a moving fortress capable of striking back!

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

At one moment, after parrying a flurry of rapid slashes, Heathcliff stepped forward aggressively. His sturdy shield slammed toward Charlie, intending to knock him back with raw force. With its weight and GM buffs, the shield was like a giant hammer ready to crush.

Unfortunately for Heathcliff, Charlie had Six Eyes. As the shield charged forward, he effortlessly sidestepped the fatal impact with a slight shift of his body.

*SWOOSH!*

While dodging a sword swing aimed at his head, Charlie stepped back a few inches as a thrust came, then spun lightly to avoid a wide slash.

(Tch. It’s a stalemate, huh… Relying on swordsmanship alone isn’t enough against a cheating opponent.) Charlie clicked his tongue inwardly.

He knew he hadn’t used his full power yet. This fight was merely a warm-up for him.

”I need to get serious.”

As he said that, the aura around Charlie shifted slightly. The sword in his hand glowed brighter. He slashed forward decisively.

*SWOOSH!*

A crescent-shaped energy wave shot from his sword, slicing through the air at incredible speed, heading straight for Heathcliff.

*DANG!*

Heathcliff raised his massive shield to block. An explosion of energy erupted on impact. Though he successfully blocked, the force behind the attack far exceeded his expectations. He was pushed back two meters, his feet scraping the ground, showing the immense impact he endured.

”Hmph!”

Without a word, Heathcliff charged back at Charlie, launching his own attack.

His Unique Skill, Holy Sword, allowed him to seamlessly switch between offense and defense. This enabled a near-impenetrable defense while also using his shield for sharp tackles to attack his opponent.

Under normal conditions, Heathcliff was the strongest player, even without cheats. But his opponent wasn’t a player—he was a seasoned warrior who had faced true life-and-death battles.

That was a fundamental difference that system buffs alone couldn’t overcome!

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

The Prodigy Swordsman skill showcased its brilliance. In a short time, Charlie had fully adapted to the rhythm and style of Heathcliff’s fighting. His movements became smoother, more unpredictable, and deadlier.

Charlie began to find microscopic gaps in the supposedly impenetrable shield defense. He darted between slashes and shield tackles, his blade flashing.

*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*

*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*

Each time Charlie broke through, he didn’t just attack. He left multiple slash and thrust wounds on Heathcliff.

(How much HP does this guy have? It can’t be infinite, right?)

Since he wasn’t a player, Charlie couldn’t see Heathcliff’s HP bar. So, he could only keep attacking until his opponent fell.

Meanwhile, though Heathcliff maintained a calm facade, his mind was in turmoil.

(The Immortal Objects buff is useless, maybe because he’s not bound by SAO’s system? The most troublesome thing is, my HP keeps draining every second, and the loss grows with each hit. It seems this guy has an ability like an HP-draining debuff. Even my passive Auto Recovery skill can barely keep up with the rate of HP loss.)

Heathcliff’s assumption wasn’t wrong.

The reason his HP drained every second was Charlie’s Aithra Athanatos magic, which left a cursed wound with every strike that couldn’t be healed. The curse slowly sapped the target’s vitality, ensuring an inevitable death.

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*

*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*

The fierce battle between the two continued…

Despite being hindered by the mysterious HP drain, Heathcliff fought with remarkable skill, his shield and sword moving in perfect harmony.

*WHOOSH!*

Leaping back to avoid a powerful shield tackle from Heathcliff, Charlie raised his free left hand. Energy gathered in his palm.

”Arcs Ray.”

*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*

Dozens of white light masses shot from Charlie’s hand, speeding like projectiles straight toward Heathcliff.

”Useless.”

Heathcliff swiftly moved his shield, preparing to deflect all the light projectiles in one sweeping motion. But something unexpected happened.

Just before the light masses hit the shield, they suddenly changed trajectory, curving and veering sharply, bypassing the shield’s edge. Heathcliff’s eyes widened in disbelief.

”What?”

*BOOM!*

The light masses exploded simultaneously around Heathcliff’s body, creating a spectacular display.

The blast of light and energy shook the area, sending smoke and dust scattering.