Oran gripped a katana in each hand, both blades raised to block Eratin's incoming strikes. Ivankov and the others hadn't expected Oran to have such a trick up his sleeve.
In truth, Oran was hiding far more than just one card.
Building the Hextech Teleportation Gate was necessary for their escape, and distributing weapons and setting traps was part of the plan. Beyond that, Oran had no reason to lay out everything he was capable of, as if reciting a resume.
If even his allies didn't know the full extent of his abilities, there was no way the Celestial Dragons, who knew nothing of this place, could.
However, seeing his attack blocked, Eratin grew slightly intrigued.
Compared to Glingo's Knights of God, there was a fundamental gap. After all, they were the elite fighting force of the Celestial Dragons, and Eratin didn't even qualify as a reserve.
While he might talk back to Glingo, he fell short in every other aspect.
But he wasn't like those bubble-helmeted, useless Celestial Dragons either. At the very least, he was a solid member of the Celestial Dragons' middle tier, developed normally.
If the prey could fight back, it only made the hunt more thrilling for him as the hunter.
"I didn't expect to find a peasant in a backwater like the West Blue who could entertain me. No, I should say a rebel.
If those incompetent fools had come after you, you might've actually succeeded. That would've been a real disgrace."
Celestial Dragons weren't mute. They spoke normally, using words to instill fear in their targets before reaping them—a common tactic.
"You should feel honored. I'm in a hurry, so I won't torture you for long."
But today, he was destined to miscalculate.
"Heh, your kind really knows how to refresh my understanding. What makes you think you've got this in the bag, even in a situation like this?"
"Of course, it's because of strength! Mere scum, the moment you dared to defy the majesty of a god, your fate was sealed!"
Eratin began to apply more force with his arms. The lowest tier of Celestial Dragons might be foolish, but the higher-ups still had basic logic intact. They wouldn't release high-bounty pirate slaves as prey.
The Grand Line and the Red Line separated the Four Seas, creating vast disparities in combat strength. Pirates who could thrive in the New World would likely dominate the Four Seas with ease.
Thus, Eratin never considered anyone on the Valley of the Gods to be a serious threat. Initially, he hadn't used much force, but as he increased the pressure in his arms, he didn't achieve the results he expected.
"As expected, anything and everything dares to call itself a god these days."
With a thought, Oran activated the core of his armor, and blue energy began to flow through his exoskeleton.
Output power: 100%.
While some regions of Valoran were relatively peaceful, the continent as a whole wasn't exactly safe. Unsealed Darkin roamed, demons hid among the populace, the Void lurked, and Star Spirits watched from the peaks of Mount Targon.
Though a researcher, Oran lived in the relatively orderly Piltover. But personal strength was still crucial, and fortunately, Oran's abilities had granted him a few "teachers" he was quite familiar with.
"If trash like you can be considered gods, then today, I'll play the role of a godslayer."
Due to the mask, Oran couldn't see Eratin's expression, but he didn't care about such things.
With the assistance of his exoskeleton, Oran unleashed a surge of strength, deflecting Eratin's weapons while swinging both katanas diagonally upward.
Rinshin Slash!
Two slashes tore through the air, the surrounding airflow seemingly pulled by Oran's blades, forming an invisible barrier that disrupted Eratin's movements.
A few strands of hair floated down, and Eratin's mask was sliced, splitting in two and revealing his ashen face.
"You made me breathe this filthy air!"
Swish!
A blade whizzed past his ear. Oran didn't continue talking. While Eratin was still fuming, Oran had already closed the distance, his right katana slashing down while his left stabbed forward.
Eratin managed to dodge Oran's slash in time, but his counterattack was deflected by Oran's blade.
After several clashes, Oran slightly retracted his katanas, then charged forward with them, unleashing a flurry of wind blades that cut down two trees behind Eratin and left deep marks on the canyon wall.
Sakugetsu Slash!
"Flying slashes?! No, flying slashes wouldn't be this weak. How could someone like this be an ordinary runaway?"
"Honestly, meeting a Celestial Dragon like you is a bit of a silver lining.
You're definitely trickier, but at least I don't have to worry about whether you scum can understand the insults I'm throwing at you."
The airflow around the katanas gradually dissipated. This was a unique swordsmanship.
Oran's swordsmanship teacher was exceptional—strictly speaking, not even a living person, but a "spirit" from the spiritual realm: Yasuo's older brother, Yone.
The man whose brother was known for recklessly charging into the rift and never returning.
This spiritual realm was where Oran's dreams most often took him. When he met Yone, Oran traded a mystery about Yasuo for swordsmanship lessons.
Yone didn't practice Yasuo's exclusive Wind Technique, and since he was already "dead," he agreed to the deal.
Seeing Eratin's current position, Oran decided not to prolong the fight, as the placement was just about right.
Bang! Bang!
Two muffled shots rang out from the side. Tough rope nets shot out, catching Eratin off guard. He and Oran had been fighting at close range, leaving little room for others to intervene. Now that they'd finally separated, Ivankov and the others, who had been idle nearby, weren't about to sit still.
"Just petty tricks. With absolute strength—damn it, you're supposed to be a swordsman!"
To Eratin, the rope nets moved slowly. Aside from Oran's blades, which posed some threat, he didn't care if the others ganged up on him.
As he raised his hand to cut the incoming nets, an inexplicable force prevented him from lifting his arm.
His entire body was pinned in place by this sudden force, and the nets wrapped him tightly, causing him to lose balance and collapse, stuck firmly to the ground.
Only then did several metal claws rise around him, revealing he was lying within a metallic disc.
This device emitted a gravitational field, a prototype based on Viktor's research, capable of restricting movement and inducing dizziness in those caught within it.
"Swordsman? I just happen to know a bit of swordsmanship for self-defense. Why would you think I'd fight you scum fairly? Isn't this your game? Except today, you're the prey."