I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

ADAM POV

What was the saying again? "If you know yourself and know thy enemy, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles. If you know yourself but not your enemy, for every victory gained there is a defeat to be suffered. But if you know neither yourself nor your enemy, YOU WILL SUCCUMB IN EVERY BATTLE." I'm sure the gods made this statement the minute I stepped into this situation, because why else?

Why else would I need to face such an absurd situation?

It felt like the world had stopped in these few seconds as I stared in awe at this monster in human clothing. How else could I describe it? It felt like he deflected everything I threw at him. Was I no match for him? Was a dragon no match for him?

His sword began to descend as a dragon head shot out from it, in one of the most comical ways ever. It felt like it was over. Was I finally losing? I thought to myself countless times. 'Forget it. It's over, why should I care?

It's just a dumb family match our adult parents play with each other to determine ranks.' I thought to myself. I was never interested in this battle in the first place. I had accepted it. If I were to lose here, I wouldn't give a damn. That's how I've lived my life so far, and how I'll continue to live it.

"Adam!" The voice rang sweetly in my head. It was familiar, with a comforting aura. "Adam!" the voice said again, louder and clearer. I could instantly tell who the voice belonged to. 'Mother…' I thought to myself, as a familiar scene from my childhood played in my head.

"What is it, mother?" the young me, about 10 years old, replied back then. It's not a scene I recall often, but it certainly isn't one I would think about. All memories before her death were wiped away. It was my last attempt at making peace with myself. Now that I think about it, our family was a crazy bunch.

I know this isn't something I should be thinking at this moment, but I would rather not have a flashback that reminds me of the goals I had already promised myself and to my mum. I don't need a flimsy memory for that. I am fully aware that I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT GIVE UP!

I raised my arm seconds before he could land a direct hit on me. "BALAQ! Help me!" I screamed out as the dragon quickly twirled its tail at him in an attempt to slam him away, but before it could, Raph had turned his trajectory from me to Balaq, the dragon, within a second. 'He wasn't aiming for me?' I thought to myself as I forced my body forward, stretching out my hand in an attempt to grab him.

My face twisted with mixed emotions as I cursed under my breath. "Why are you so much trouble!" I screamed out without even realizing it, but I wasn't able to make it. Raph's attack had sliced off Balaq's tail, and the force of the attack had caused a large opening in the ground. He took a step forward, causing an outburst of aura. The force pushed me away before I could reach him.

It seemed like he was fixated on Balaq now, and I didn't want him to cause any more damage than he already had.

Balaq was frozen to the ground. He attempted to move, but I could clearly make out the ice that held his leg to the ground, and the effect of the previous attack most likely prevented him from trying to force his way up. "Balaq! FLY!!!!" I cried out with all my strength. I couldn't afford to let him die here! This was my dragon!

Balaq belonged to me. He was my companion in all of my troubles. He remained by my side even when my family turned their backs on me. He was my friend. "Raffaello Jun! Please!" I screamed out, noticing Balaq's inability to fly.

His wings were gradually freezing up due to the cold air that had begun to form around him.

NORMAL POV

"How dare you, Human!" Balaq screamed out in annoyance, his voice echoing in the arena and causing the ground to shake. The audience froze in fear; some sought cover from the brunt of the wind attack, while the family patriarchs watched in anticipation and excitement, especially the king.

Lightning struck down from the sky as a black cloud formed overhead. "I am the mighty Lightning Dragon Balaq! How dare you, insignificant human!" he cried out, sending lightning shooting down from the sky to the ground in an attempt to intimidate him.

Raph wasn't fazed; he seemed fixated on whatever he was planning next. "I was about to stop just now when Adam pleaded, but this stupid lesser dragon seems to have forgotten its place…" He exhaled a crisp, cold air, causing the wind to swirl around him. "Chapter 9…" His words felt like a death knell to Adam when he heard them. It felt like time had truly stopped.

"I… I have to do something…" Adam muttered, struggling to get up against the ice that froze him to the ground. "Balaq! Disappear now! You must escape!" he cried out in fear, striving to reach him. "Do not fear, Adam! I shall teach this human to fear dragons!" Balaq cried out, sending lightning directly at Raph.

Five lightning bolts struck Raph, causing a crispy sound as they ravaged his body. It was a gruesome sight, and the sound was cruel. It was an attack that should have ended him there, but it didn't. The lightning seemed to have no effect on his concentration, catching the attention of the patriarchs. What allowed him to withstand such a brutal attack?

Could it be the Jun Physique, a body said to be built with each stage of the Jun swordsmanship, or was it something else entirely? They couldn't be sure, but they saw the result.

The air grew cold, the temperature dropping to well below freezing. Everyone could feel it; the normal humans trembled, the mages and knights shivered slightly, while the patriarchs could withstand the cold by circulating their mana or aura around them.

"Father? What is going on?" the prince asked, shivering from the cold, only to see his father shivering as well. "Your Highnesses," the knights quickly led the King and the prince away from the arena.

"The temperature?" Kira Merlin, the patriarch of the Elemental Family, muttered in confusion. "…what is going on?" she wondered aloud.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Oh… seems like Michaelo has raised a monster yet again," Mirabel Lucia, the head of the Divine Family, commented, her gaze fixed on Raffaelo. "…what now, boy…" she muttered.

The air continued to freeze, and the temperature kept dropping. By now, Balaq's wings were frozen, and he lay helplessly on the ground due to the force of Raph's sword.

"Raffaelo Jun!" Adam screamed out again. Breathing became difficult, feeling like he inhaled frozen blocks lodged in his throat. His insides were losing warmth; it felt like he was going to die, but his plea fell on deaf ears.

"Arrogant Surge! Cold Zero." With a single swing of his blade, everything went silent.

MICHAELO POV

The Arrogant Surge. It may seem like every surge follows the next in the Jun Swordsmanship chapters, but in actuality, they do not. Each chapter has its beginning and its end, its own story to teach. Each move has its peculiarity, arranged not by rhythmicity, but by power.

But the Arrogant Surge was something else. I always felt like it was misplaced in the series because the effect of its abilities is just as the name suggests: arrogant. It warps reality and gravity in a single swing, putting matter to a halt and then, almost like a commander in the army, commands every bit of matter to its will, in any direction of the caster.

I should be surprised he was even able to get it this far. My son is truly a monster.

"But this Cold Zero… is truly astonishing," I didn't realize when my lips curved into a smile as I stared at the beauty of my son's creation. Snowflakes began to fall from the sky as the clouds obscured the sun's face. Some of the children in the adult section were amazed by the sight, but they all shivered from the cold. I suspected the temperature had dropped to about -20 to -40 degrees Celsius.

It was an unbelievable sight. The arena was covered in ice, and the dragon had turned into an ice sculpture frozen to the ground. No, It was frozen to what was left of the ground.

His sword had split the ground into two, stopping right in front of the Audience section. It was a very deep and broad crack. Almost as wide as a crater much deeper but certainly longer.

The Teras boy was shivering from the cold and seemed very upset as he glared at my son. He was on the right side. The blast must have pushed him there while the mature audience was left in astounding shock

I turned around to take a look at the other patriarchs, and their complex expressions did nothing to quell the excitement that grew in me. Then, finally, I took a peek at the king out of the corner of my eye, and my smile only grew wilder.

'This is it, son. This is the power we grasp as the Jun Household'.