Lord: I can see loyalty.

After several rounds of drinks and as the food wore off, the atmosphere of the bonfire dinner reached its peak amidst cheers.

The Cooper warriors beat their leather drums and sang upbeat war songs full of wild, mountain spirit. The soldiers from the southern border, though they couldn't understand the songs, clapped their hands and joined in the rhythm.

Albright's cheeks were slightly flushed, clearly indicating she had drunk quite a bit, but her eyes remained clear.

He raised his glass again, this time still towards Vio, his voice booming: "Count Vio! I saw you practicing alone during the day, your aura so calm and powerful... it really tantalized my curiosity! We Coopers express respect and curiosity in a simple way: through martial arts!"

"I wonder if the Earl would be interested in having our warriors gather around this campfire and have some more fun?"

Upon hearing this, the entire audience fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even louder cheers and whistles!

Whether it was the Cooper warriors eager to see their leader display his power, or the Blue-topped knights and militiamen full of confidence in their lord, the proposal ignited their enthusiasm.

"Alright, Chief!"

"Let the Earl show us his skills!"

Jimmy grinned and nudged Xavier beside him: "I bet a silver coin that the Earl will win."

Xavier slowly took a sip of his drink: "I bet it's a tie. That Albright leader is breathing very steadily; he doesn't seem like someone who's drunk and impulsive."

Gina looked at Vio quietly, her gaze calm yet containing a hint of expectation.

She noticed Vio's change earlier than anyone else, and was most eager to see what this change had brought about.

Vio looked at the pure fighting spirit and goodwill in Albright's eyes and knew that this was not a provocation, but a unique way of communicating between warriors.

He smiled slightly, put down his wine glass, and stood up: "Since everyone is so enthusiastic, it's a good opportunity for us to stretch our muscles."

The two walked to a clearing around the campfire and stood facing each other.

The surrounding noise quickly subsided, leaving only the crackling of the campfire and countless focused gazes.

Albright removed his outer robe, revealing his strong upper body, and took a long, hardwood spear used for practice from his tribesman. The spearhead was wrapped in thick linen.

He stood casually, his figure as steady as a mountain, yet the poised and ready nature of a hunter was naturally revealed.

Vio's status was quickly displayed on his panel: [Forest Shelter], [High Spirits], [Perfect Condition].

It seems that after Ronan's death, he also received the "Forest's Protection".

Vio then removed the Southern Will and handed it to the guard beside him, exchanging it for an unsharpened practice longsword.

He took a deep breath, and the feeling of his breathing and swordsmanship blending together during his daytime training instantly returned, and his body relaxed slightly.

Looking at Albright again, a strange feeling suddenly arose. The other party's poised and ready posture seemed, in my eyes, to be... a little slow?

No, it wasn't that Albright was actually slow, but rather that her perception and reaction speed seemed to have increased under the change in breathing technique.

"Come on!" Albright shouted, no longer holding back. With a stomp of his foot, the ground trembled slightly, and a dull gust of wind pierced Vio's throat!

Concise and swift, this is precisely the kind of thrust that Cooper Hunter excels at.

Vio didn't take the hit head-on, nor did he move much.

He simply turned slightly to the side, and with the rhythm of his breathing, he lightly flicked his longsword from bottom to top, the spine of the sword precisely resting on the spear shaft. At the same time, his feet slid, and he was already at Albright's side.

"So fast!" came a whisper from the crowd.

To many, Vio's movements were minimal, yet he skillfully deflected the attack and closed the distance with his opponent.

Albright's eyes sharpened, and he reacted with lightning speed, changing his spear from a thrust to a sweep, striking horizontally at the waist!

This sweeping motion is powerful and heavy; if it hits, the longsword will likely be knocked out of the hand.

Vio didn't even turn his head, as if he had expected it, and dodged the spear tip by a hair's breadth. At the same time, he used the force of the spear to point his longsword at the opening that Albright had revealed when he swung it.

Albright snorted and, without dodging or evading, slammed his other free hand against the incoming sword. At the same time, he used the momentum to spin around and lash out at Vio's groin with the end of his spear!

Vio instantly withdrew his sword strike, transforming it into a parry. With a "snap," he deflected the spear's tail, and the two men each took a half-step back, their eyes locked on each other.

The whole process took less than ten seconds, and they had already exchanged several blows.

Vio relied on the heightened senses brought about by his breathing technique, while Albright relied on her combat instincts and her newly acquired "Forest Shelter".

"Impressive!" Albright laughed. "Warm-up complete! Earl, be careful now!"

His aura changed, and the faint forest protection around him seemed to become more active, making his movements several degrees faster.

The wooden spear in his hand transformed into a blur, enveloping Vio and making it difficult for anyone to dodge.

This attack put Vio under immense pressure. His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his breathing involuntarily deepened as he fully activated his sand breathing technique.

In his perception, the countless spear shadows seemed to be disassembled, and he could vaguely see the spear tips.

Vio's body moved naturally with his breathing, his longsword drawing precise arcs, blocking the enemy's attacks one by one.

Clang! Bang! Sizzle!

The sounds of clashing wooden tools and footsteps echoed rapidly as the two figures, illuminated by the campfire, quickly crossed paths, separated, and crossed again.

Vio's sword moved faster and faster, more and more fluidly, as if it had truly transformed into grains of sand flowing in the wind, penetrating every crevice.

Albright's spear, on the other hand, was like a wildly growing ancient tree, domineering yet possessing the agility of a hunter.

The onlookers watched with bated breath, their eyes dazzled. Jimmy's eyes widened in disbelief. Had the Earl become this strong in such a short time?

Suddenly, after parrying a heavy slash, Vio keenly spotted a momentary opening created by Albright's excessive force.

Without hesitation, he kicked up dust and sand beneath his feet, his figure instantly advancing, his longsword aimed directly at Albright's throat, which he had failed to fully protect due to his forward charge!

This combination of the speed change brought about by the breathing technique and the dune swordsmanship made it almost impossible to dodge!

Almost at the same moment, Albright also displayed amazing combat talent.

As if he had anticipated Vio's chance to counterattack, the spear, which seemed unable to turn, unexpectedly spun around and precisely aimed at Vio's exposed side abdomen!

The two people froze in their movements simultaneously.

Vio's practice sword rested steadily in front of Albright's Adam's apple.

Albright's hardwood spear lightly touched Vio's ribs.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

"good!"

"pretty!"

"A draw! It's a draw!"

A deafening roar of cheers and applause suddenly erupted, instantly drowning out the bonfire dinner!

Both the Coopers and the warriors of the Southern Border cheered excitedly.

This exchange was devoid of any fancy moves, showcasing only solid skills and reflexes, and its brilliance far exceeded their expectations.

Vio and Albright exchanged a smile and slowly sheathed their weapons.

Vio could feel his heart beating slightly faster, but his breathing remained long and deep... The burst of energy just now was not his current limit.

Albright shook his slightly numb arm, laughed loudly, and patted Vio's shoulder forcefully: "That was great! Count Vio, your last strike was terrifyingly fast! Without the forest's protection, I really wouldn't have been able to react!"

"The leader's foresight is truly terrifying," Vio added, offering a round of mutual flattery. "I really didn't expect that surprise attack."

"Hahaha! Likewise!" Albright put his arm around Vio's shoulder and walked back to the campfire, raising his glass. "To our evenly matched contest, to our unbreakable alliance, let's drink again!"

"Cheers!"

The banquet continued for a while in this climax before gradually dispersing as the night deepened.

The soldiers returned to their respective tents or treehouses, arm in arm, excitedly discussing the details of their recent sparring session and filled with even greater confidence for the upcoming joint operation.

Vio returned to his treehouse, washed up briefly, and lay down.

The moonlight outside the window was like water, and the wind howled.

The feeling of clearly controlling the battle and smoothly wielding power during my sparring with Albright still replays in my mind.

After this battle, he gained a more tangible understanding of the combination of breathing techniques and swordsmanship, as well as his own increased speed.

"Almost there..." Vio closed his eyes. He could clearly feel that his breathing technique was about to break through!