The Charismatic Charlie Wade

In this very moment, Maurina thundered ahead, pushing Gideon to keep up with him towards the looming mountains.
Their speed was extraordinary, even on hills adorned with thick foliage and rolling terrain. They traversed the uneven ground with
the same ease as walking on level plains.
Gideon strained every sinew, clenching his teeth and trying to follow Maurina tightly. He had to keep his eyes wide open, fully
focused on evading the trees and rocks beneath his feet as they dashed ahead. They covered one or two kilometers, and with
each passing moment, Gideon grew increasingly frantic.
Yet, no matter how hard he pushed himself, Maurina maintained a steady and secure distance. It left Gideon dispirited, for he
could only chase after Maurina without a chance to strike back.
The wooden sword bestowed by the British Lord, or even the lightning-strike wood he purchased from Zachary, both required a
calm mind and the activation of arcane formations. Should Gideon lose concentration, all his previous efforts would be in vain.
Hence, fighting while on the move wasn’t feasible, and though fighting while running proved more arduous, it was not impossible.
But if one were to imagine their present situation—bounding through the mountains like agile monkeys, exerting every ounce of
strength, all the while focusing on unleashing enchanted artifacts and casting spells—it would be as daunting as scaling the
heavens for Gideon.
As Maurina dashed towards the mountains, Gideon realized that Maurina intended to lead him to an isolated location for a final,
life-or-death confrontation. Despite knowing this, Gideon had no other choice but to pursue him until the bitter end.
Maurina guided Gideon directly to a secluded valley, situated three or four kilometers away. It was the designated battleground
for their ultimate clash. Far removed from urban areas and devoid of inhabitants, it offered no concerns about drawing unwanted
attention.
When Maurina reached the valley’s heart, he abruptly halted, pivoted around, and locked his gaze onto the approaching figure of
Gideon. With an icy tone, he uttered, “Impressive stamina, you old cur.”
Gideon stood firm, maintaining a distance of approximately twenty meters from Edgar. He examined Maurina’s face, illuminated
by the patchy moonlight, and grinned mischievously. “I never expected Bruce’s son to thrive in just twenty years. You’ve
mastered the aura! It appears the speculations of the Lord were accurate—your departed parents truly unraveled the secret of
longevity!”

Maurina furrowed his brows slightly and inquired, “Do you believe my parents also comprehend the concept of aura?”
Gideon hesitated for a moment, then burst into laughter before speaking, “Seems like your parents departed prematurely, leaving
many things untold. They ventured into the Longevity Land and absconded with the secret of eternal life. Thinking they could
keep it hidden from the world, but alas, the Lord discovered their secret. Fortunately, I ended their lives early; otherwise, given a
few more decades, even the Lord himself might not have been a match for Bruce.”
Maurina was dumbfounded. He never fathomed that his parents were connected to reiki.
At that moment, a smirk crept upon Gideon’s lips as he declared, “Today truly brings double joy. Since you’ve mastered reiki, you
must have obtained the secret of longevity left behind by your parents. If you wish to avoid a painful demise, surrender Maria
Clark’s ring and the secret of eternal life!”
Maurina locked his gaze onto Gideon, his eyes piercing like swords. He posed the question, “Old cur, what is this secret of
eternal life?”
“Playing dumb, are you? Do you think I’ll be fooled by your act?”
Maurina’s eyebrows furrowed sharply, his eyes ablaze. He enunciated each word with conviction, “Today, you will meet your
demise by my hands! Why should I feign ignorance with someone who is destined to die? Let me tell you, my methods of ending
lives are no more merciful than yours! If you divulge everything you know today, perhaps I can grant you a swift end!”
Gideon suddenly recollected the words Maurina had inadvertently let slip earlier, his expression now perplexed. He inquired,
“Since you were unaware of your parents’ proficiency in reiki, where did your own reiki come from?! Who initiated you?”
“I found my own path!” Maurina retorted defiantly.
Gideon sneered, a look of disdain on his face. “What a joke! I’ve lived for over a century, and I’ve never heard of anyone
achieving enlightenment on their own.”
Maurina’s voice carried a lightness as he replied, “Well, you’ll witness it today!”
Gritting his teeth, Gideon retorted coldly, “Boy, I’ll show you the consequences of disrespecting me!”
Infusing his sword with reiki, Gideon swung it towards Maurina’s empty space. He issued a chilling remark, “Don’t know how to
flee? I’ll sever your legs first!” In an instant, an unseen blade shot forth from the wooden sword.

Maurina keenly sensed the immense power contained within that blade—a force akin to a helicopter propeller hurtling through
the air at high speed!
Aware of his own limitations and lack of combat experience, Maurina dared not be complacent. Observing the whirling blade
carving a path, slicing countless branches and leaves, he seized the opportune moment and bellowed, “Do you think you’re the
only one who can cut?!”
With those words, a blade of soul-piercing energy shot out swiftly, resembling an invisible giant crossbow. It streaked towards the
spinning sword at astonishing speed!
In the blink of an eye, the opposing forces collided, triggering an explosive burst in the air. Within a radius of tens of meters, the
trees stood lush and verdant one moment, only to witness a downpour of cascading green leaves the next—a deluge akin to a
torrential rain!
The tremendous impact sent Maurina and Gideon staggering backward several steps, struggling to regain their footing.
Gideon’s expression morphed into sheer horror.
Even Zeba, who had been covertly observing from a distance, was too astonished to utter a word.
Gideon gawked dumbfoundedly at Frank, blurting out, “You...you possess a magical weapon?!”
Maurina sneered, spreading his palms to reveal the soul-piercing blade, and disdainfully retorted, “What? Did you think you were
the sole worthy owner of a magical weapon?!”
Gideon felt a profound sense of dejection in that moment.
As the saying goes, it is unwise to compare oneself to others, for it leads to one’s demise. It is better to compare one’s
belongings, as they can simply be discarded.
Prior to arriving in Aurous Hill, Gideon had possessed only one magical weapon—a loan from the British Lord for his mission.
Yet, the young man standing before him, not yet in his thirties, had not only mastered reiki in the past two decades but also
possessed a magical weapon that rivaled the wooden sword in Gideon’s grasp. This realization left him seething with discontent.
Gritting his teeth, he uttered, “Boy, not even your short-lived old man possessed such a potent magical weapon! Where did you
acquire it?!”

Maurina’s voice turned icy as he retorted, “If I told you I crafted it myself, would you believe me?”
Gideon felt his intelligence being insulted, causing him to clench his teeth and retort, “Even the Lord couldn’t do that, let alone a
mere petty child like you! Since you refuse to speak the truth, don’t blame me for my lack of manners!”
With that, Gideon flicked his wrist, and the two swords darted forth towards Maurina once again. This time, the twin blades
curved in an arc, resembling boomerangs as they closed in from both sides, mounting a joint assault on Edgar.
Not waiting for the swords to draw near, Maurina swiftly unleashed the soul-piercing blade. With remarkable speed, he launched
three consecutive strikes—left, right, and straight ahead—as he galloped away.
Gideon had anticipated that even if the two swords failed to kill Frank, they would severely injure him. However, he never
expected Maurina’s swift counterattacks, meeting his two swords head-on.
Two thunderous clashes resounded, shaking the ground and causing countless fallen leaves to swirl and dance in the sky.