Brand’s heart was in turmoil; this was his greatest secret in this world. Although he and Brand were now one, it was difficult to explain the origin of his memories from two lifetimes. While he had made himself accept all this, it was inevitable that there would be a knot in his heart.
He hadn’t expected that this secret, buried deep in his heart, would be torn open by the Golden Magic Tree so quickly. No, but he shook his head immediately. The Golden Magic Tree’s mind infiltration couldn’t have penetrated his innermost thoughts so swiftly; that monster was exploiting his train of thought—if Brand’s Grandfather were to say such a thing.
Brand suddenly realized that this must be a phrase he believed the old man would say. Only a person themselves could understand what they were truly afraid of, and here, his enemy was himself.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Once he realized his mental defense line hadn’t fallen, the feeling of being exposed completely vanished, and Brand quickly calmed down. The first offensive of the Golden Magic Tree was resolved by the stroke of luck using his past life’s experience, and his mental state became even more stable, causing him to secretly exclaim his good fortune.
He pulled out the Azure Light Piercing and replied, "Whether I’m qualified or not, we’ll find out with a test."
The old man nodded, "Good, now that resembles a man of the Damon Family. But in this world, there are too many people who boast. I don’t want my descendants to be such incompetent people."
Brand’s heart stirred; this wasn’t a test. His Grandfather’s response was a manifestation of Brand’s inner self-affirmation. This meant that his confidence was gradually returning, a sign that his psyche was nearing a peak of stability.
This was a good omen.
Brand signaled his Grandfather to strike first. Even in a dream, facing his elder, he ought to show deference out of respect and confidence.
In the realm of the Golden Magic Tree’s dream, rushing in recklessly wasn’t a sign of one’s strength but possibly a well-hidden trap set by this malevolent being. Only by guarding every human weakness could one ensure there were no gaps to exploit.
The old man nodded again, taking a step forward with his left foot, his sword placed behind his left arm. This initial stance was one of the most seasoned in military swordsmanship. Just seeing it made Brand’s scalp tingle; even in his own prime, he hadn’t mastered military swordsmanship to this level. Compared to this, the swordsmanship of Breson and Frey was nothing— Brand, who on earth is your Grandfather?
This thought flashed through his mind, and Brand felt the sword in his hand grow heavier. He couldn’t help but curse; even a momentary flicker of fear was seized upon by the Golden Magic Tree. Wasn’t this too much?
He assumed a defensive posture, as he hadn’t mastered other swordsmanship skills, so he chose a well-practiced defensive stance from military swordsmanship. Against such a seasoned swordsman, putting on a show of advanced swordsmanship he had once used was meaningless. Without accumulated experience, just posing would make him full of flaws in front of his Grandfather.
As an old warrior, Brand understood this deeply.
The old man showed no expression; his sword flashed as he struck. Brand found that his Grandfather’s sword wasn’t particularly fast, but it was precise—frighteningly so. Using warrior’s terminology, it appeared to have no flaws from the front. The seemingly ordinary strike covered all angles, making every potential gap within the sword’s range of retaliation.
He gasped; was this really the swordsmanship of his Grandfather he remembered? No wonder he earned the Candlelight Medal, with such monstrous swordsmanship. It was no surprise Brand’s swordsmanship talent was so exceptional, it was clearly inherited—he couldn’t help but think that if this old man had been born under better circumstances, he might have been directly knighted.
Brand found no opportunity to counterattack, so he could only first block further attacks. With a clash, their swords crossed—such great force, Brand thought in surprise. But before he could recover, he felt the opponent’s sword grow even heavier.
Damn you, Golden Magic Tree!
Brand knew exactly what was happening; this was seamless. Compared to the Golden Magic Tree in the game, this seemed like a toy. This was what mastering manipulation truly looked like, but at this moment, Brand felt no fear, only a surge of battle intent.