Withering in the Mortal World: Men vs. Boys

Men go through two stages before entering old age.

The first stage is called "adolescence," and the second stage is called "manhood."

What exactly distinguishes a boy from a man?

Age? Experience?

Life experience?

Is he a virgin or not?

Is it mentally mature?

Is it a responsibility I bear?

Or is it—strength?

But compared to the man in front of her... she'd probably fall short in every aspect.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? You're moving slower, kid!!!"

"Stop arguing!!!"

On one side, a blinding, sharp sword light; on the other, a thick, swirling darkness of pink and purple. These two starkly different forces clashed, engaging in a fierce, ever-changing battle on the ravaged land! Under Nid's control, the Greatsword, longsword, broadsword, cleaver, and goose-feather blade seemed to possess their own will, launching attacks on Yu Jie like ferocious dragons! The slashing waves, spreading through the trembling atmosphere, sometimes gathered, sometimes dispersed, completely enveloping the surrounding space, transforming into dazzling blade lights that struck with devastating force in sync with Nid's movements! With each swing of the sword, the ground became even more ravaged; with each swing, buildings hundreds of meters away were affected—no blind spots, no gaps, no weaknesses!

But why is it that we just can't gain the upper hand?

In stark contrast to the five divine weapons he wields, Yu Jie's left hand is an assimilated lamppost, and his right hand is an assimilated roadside bench—yes, the kind commonly seen in parks. He grips one leg of the bench, holding it like a giant blunt weapon. Anyone seeing this surreal combination would probably chuckle, but after witnessing Yu Jie's fighting stance, no one would entertain the idea of a joke.

Despite being mere roadside debris, these objects, amplified by Nid's swords! Stabbing, stabs, slashes, and hacks—lampposts and benches, in Yu Jie's hands, were far more agile than Nid's blades! Without any fancy techniques or fixed moves, every strike from Yu Jie was a pure, unadulterated blow, imbued with primal violence! Despite wielding his weapons with sweeping, powerful strokes, Nid couldn't find a single opening; instead, he was constantly suppressed! Each clash unleashed a burst of pinkish-purple light and a transparent gust of wind. Swords and blades were repeatedly deflected, and while Yu Jie's weapons wore down with each conflict, he could always replace them! After all, even a willow branch in his hands could be imbued with the terrifying power of a Saint Artifact!

The Dark Blue Longsword that had been thrown out was violently deflected, and the rusty red broadsword was also blocked. The man, whose body was surging with black energy, was launching increasingly fierce attacks, forcing Nid to switch to defense!

"This little thing of yours is mine now~~ Hey?"

Yu Jie tried to assimilate the cleaver, but found that his darkness could only penetrate halfway before it could go no further, as if he had encountered a wall. When Nid's Greatsword slashed past, he had to create distance to dodge.

"These swords are weapons that have served the successive Grand Masters, they are the inheritance of their will, they won't be assimilated by you like this... Huff... Huff..."

"Your breathing is getting more and more erratic, young man. Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"

"You don't need to say anything more, you wretched Templar Knight... tsk..."

Nid steadied his breathing, straightened up, and with a wave of his hand, all five swords returned to his side, stuck in the ground awaiting their fate.

Yu Jie squinted, looking at Nid with a helpless expression.

"But you've realized it too, haven't you... you're not as strong as me."

"..."

This was the only statement Nid could not refute.

There is no excuse.

Putting aside superpowers and equipment, there was a clear gap between him and the Chief Templar Knight in terms of combat experience and skills. It wasn't a qualitative difference, but it was enough to determine who was superior.

I should retreat and recuperate while the main force takes over, then I can rejoin the battle and capture them in one fell swoop. That way, even if Yu Jie doesn't die, he will be forced to be captured. This is currently the best way to defeat Yu Jie.

It would only require sacrificing a few thousand or tens of thousands more Revolutionary Army to take the Chief Templar Knight and the Papacy's second-strongest fighting force—it was like a windfall.

But--

If I can think of this, then Yu Jie must be able to think of it too.

After all, tens of thousands of the Revolutionary Army were stationed far away, and the situation was absolutely unfavorable for him. It was impossible for him not to recognize the situation.

Nid and Yu Jie looked at each other, but he didn't see any thought of "wanting to escape" in the man's eyes.

"He looks completely at ease, Chief Templar Knight..."

"I'm not so cowardly as to be scared off by a little kid like you, okay? Besides, we've already fought, and you know I'm a bit stronger than you. At this point, do you really think it's okay not to call in the army for a group fight?"

This was a provocation, a blatant provocation, but even knowing it was a provocation, Nid still felt a sense of resistance.

"... I was the one who initially decided to challenge you to a one-on-one duel!"

"Ha, a one-on-one fight... huh?" Yu Jie idly fiddled with the lamppost in his hand. "But do you really understand what a one-on-one fight means?"

"I'll beat you to a pulp in a one-on-one fight."

"Is it really only 'one-on-one'? In my opinion, only when two people of similar strength and level clash under undisturbed conditions can it be called a duel. Otherwise, it's just playing house or bullying, okay?"

"Playing house... is this bullying?"

In an instant, Nid drew his Greatsword and swung it through the air, unleashing a powerful shockwave that swept across the land, grazing past Yu Jie's clothes! However, Yu Jie, who narrowly escaped this terrifying attack, remained calm and showed no sign of panic.

Are you sure you're playing house?

"Oh my, how scary, how scary! But you misunderstood me. I wasn't talking about combat power—no, rather, discussing combat power is meaningless given that premise, isn't it?"

"What exactly do you mean?!"

"It's that one, you see, even though I'm a bit of a slacker, I'm still a man, right? And you're just a teenager, a little boy. From the very beginning, it's been me bullying the younger one or taking advantage of my age."

"... ha?"

Nid was completely baffled by him.

Man? Boy?

What does it matter?

Isn't strength the only thing that matters in a fight? What is this guy talking about?

"What does it matter if someone is a man or a woman, young or old? Nobody cares about that in a fight! As long as you have the strength, that's enough!"

"--So, who truly holds the power—'you' or 'the leader of the Revolutionary Army '?"

"--!!!"

Before they knew it, Yu Jie was right in front of them, their faces almost touching.

The lamppost in his hand came crashing down like a baseball bat.

"Depend on--!!!"

Ding!!!!

With his greatsword held horizontally, Nid was sent flying backward by the heavy blow he took head-on! Yu Jie's attack was too sudden! Nid endured the excruciating pain in his arms, and with a flick of his finger, the four swords still stuck in the ground flew towards him! However, Yu Jie, who was chasing after him, crushed the assimilated bench in his hand, and countless pieces of wood and iron gathered on his body, clinging to his clothes, like a black suit of armor!

"How pathetic, how laughable, boy!!!"

The armor withstood the four enormous blades flying towards him. The violent impact caused a trickle of blood to escape from the corner of Yu Jie's mouth, but this minor injury had no effect on him! The lamppost was radiant with light, and the area of the glowing pinkish-purple patterns even exceeded that of the black parts!

"You are strong, indeed very strong! I can feel the revolutionary will emanating from your sword, the expectations of countless people for you—but!!!"

The lamppost, whipping up a black storm, swung up and sent Nid flying dozens of meters into the air! In mid-air, Nid adjusted his stance with lightning speed, unleashing a barrage of slashes from all five weapons simultaneously, a rain of blows transmitted through the air crashing down on Yu Jie! However, Yu Jie neither dodged nor blocked; instead, he used the assimilated air beneath his feet to ascend like a staircase, using his black armor to withstand the onslaught of slashes! The long lamppost pierced through the last bit of distance, Nid swung his broadsword, clashing fiercely with it! The attacks shifted rapidly, and within seconds, the two had exchanged dozens of point-blank collisions in mid-air! Yu Jie's stamina seemed inexhaustible, each strike more ferocious than the last, while Nid's openings grew ever wider!

"--But, the one thing I can't sense is your own will!!!!"

Nid's fighting stance finally collapsed, and Yu Jie's sweeping attack sent him flying like a cannonball towards the cathedral in the center of Central Park! His fighting instincts prompted him to surround himself with five weapons to protect him from the damage, but even so, when he crashed heavily into the cathedral's spire, he was still dizzy and disoriented, and his internal organs were violently shaken!

Another loud bang, and Yu Jie landed on the top of the church, right below the Molten Spirit Crystal cross.

"Cough cough... uh..."

Watching Nid use his sword to support himself as he stood up, Yu Jie wiped the blood from his face. He hadn't been without fault in the fierce fight, but Nid's injuries were clearly more severe than his.

Do you understand what I mean, young man?

Yu Jie casually tossed aside the rotten lamppost, spat out the blood clots in his mouth, and the lamppost, now gone, immediately lost its darkness and pinkish-purple light patterns, turning back into a pile of scrap metal that fell to the ground.

"You... I don't understand... what are you talking about..."

"No, you couldn't possibly not understand, because you've already sensed it, haven't you? I'll say it again—I can't sense 'your own' will from your sword."

"..."

"That's why I said you're both laughable and pathetic. Looking at you... you're not even 18 yet. You must have received an elite education since you were little, right?"

"You..."

"Being instilled with all sorts of knowledge, trained in various abilities, and honed in physical and martial arts skills—all of this ultimately transformed you into a charismatic and popular revolutionary leader... But, strip away this glamorous and powerful facade, what are you left with?"

"Shut up..."

"It may be a bit rude to say this, but from the very beginning you were like a sacrifice, using indoctrinated ideas as your own will, using fragile strength to mask your immature inner self, having no choice but to bear an unbearably heavy responsibility with your young arms..."

"Shut up..."

"Grand Master of the Blood Blade Knights, your strength is undeniable, but behind that facade stands not a towering man, but a... young boy who is forcing himself to shoulder the revolutionary cause with his youthful body."

"Shut up! What do you even know?!"

"I understand far more than you do. You possess so much, yet you lack so much. At heart, you're still just a teenager. Although I don't know what or who has been supporting the 'real you,' if this continues... you'll eventually collapse."

Clang!!!

The sound of the sword pierced the eardrums, and the sharp wind sliced off several strands of Yu Jie's hair.

Nid glared at him fiercely, his eyes wide with fury.

This was an expression of fury he had never shown before as a leader.

"... There's really no other way. It seems I have to completely defeat you. Luckily, I have a handy tool here."

Yu Jie extended his hand.

They seized the enormous cross, a symbol of Sadington, crafted from Molten Spirit Crystal found only deep within magma veins.

"This offensive will be even more intense, so grit your teeth and prove you're a man!"

Ding!!!!!!!!!!!!

The sudden, deafening roar stopped them both in their tracks.

""... well?""

Both of them were stunned and looked in the direction from which the loud noise came.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on here...?"

For the first time, Yu Jie's voice betrayed a hint of panic.

"Why, that--"