The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy

Chapter 577: Arcadia, The First Planet In All Creation (LV)

"Fuuh..."

Aestrea exhaled once, then advanced directly into the charging horde.

The first cluster of creatures lunged at him from the front, three twisted, multi-limbed beasts closing the distance with outstretched claws.

"RAAAAAAAARGHH!"

Aestrea pivoted on his left foot, rotating his hips to generate torque as he brought the Midnight Sword across in a precise horizontal arc aimed at the midsections of all three.

Spluuurt!

The blade connected cleanly, shearing through the first creature’s torso and continuing its path to cleave the second and third in the same motion.

Without pausing, he reversed the swing into a rising diagonal cut with the same sword, targeting the upper bodies of the next two creatures that had flanked from the left.

Fwip, splurghh!

The strikes flowed seamlessly, one motion feeding into the next as he stepped forward again, using the momentum of each cut to reposition his body.

A fourth creature, larger and bulkier, charged straight at him with a heavy overhead strike.

Swish!

Aestrea sidestepped to the right, letting the attack pass over his shoulder, then thrust the Heaven Swallowing Sword forward in a straight linear pierce aimed at the creature’s exposed side.

Splurgh!

The blade sank in, and he twisted his wrist slightly to maximize the contact before pulling back in a short, controlled retraction that drew out a portion of the creature’s vitality.

The beast staggered, its movements slowing noticeably as its strength began to drain.

Aestrea followed up immediately by spinning on his right heel, bringing the Midnight Sword down in a vertical overhead chop that split the creature from shoulder to hip.

More creatures pressed in from the sides and rear, attempting to surround him.

Aestrea shifted his stance again, widening his base and lowering his center of gravity further.

He executed a tight circular rotation, using the Midnight Sword for a sweeping low-to-high cut that cleared a path through the nearest cluster on his left while simultaneously thrusting the Heaven Swallowing Sword backward in a precise reverse thrust to impale a creature trying to close from behind.

Swoop!

He retracted the left sword quickly, using the forward momentum of the spin to transition into a series of rapid, short-range thrusts with both blades in alternation, targeting vital points on the surrounding enemies.

He made sure that his thrusts were properly designed to penetrate his enemies and withdraw without overextending his arms or leaving him open.

Spluuuurttt!

As the horde thickened, Aestrea began incorporating footwork patterns that allowed him to maintain constant forward progress toward the distant castle while minimizing the number of enemies that could engage him at once.

He used small, quick steps and pivots to angle his body, always keeping at least one side relatively clear.

When a group of smaller, swarm-like creatures rushed him in a dense pack, he responded with a wide, arcing slash from the Midnight Sword that cut through multiple targets in a single sweeping motion, followed immediately by a series of precise, stabbing follow-ups with the Heaven Swallowing Sword to finish off any that survived the initial cut.

The devouring property of the left blade activated with each successful strike, steadily replenishing his stamina and preventing the fatigue from building too rapidly despite the overwhelming numbers.

"GURAAAAAAGHHH!"

A larger, heavily armored creature broke through the smaller ones and swung a massive club-like limb at Aestrea’s head.

Swoosh!

He ducked under the attack by bending his knees sharply and tilting his upper body forward, then countered with an upward rising slash from the Midnight Sword that targeted the joint where the limb met the creature’s torso.

Splurgh!

The blade bit deep, and he followed through by stepping inside the creature’s guard, using the Heaven Swallowing Sword in a close-range thrust to the center mass.

As the vitality drained, the larger beast slowed, allowing Aestrea to deliver a final spinning slash with the Midnight Sword that severed the head cleanly.

He continued carving a narrow corridor through the endless waves, his dual swords moving in constant, fluid harmony.

When enemies attempted to flank him from both sides simultaneously, Aestrea performed a quick cross-step maneuver, advancing with his left foot while pivoting on the right, to reorient his body and bring both blades to bear in opposing directions.

The Midnight Sword handled the right-side threats with fast, cutting arcs, while the Heaven Swallowing Sword dealt with the left by combining thrusts and short draws that maximized its draining effect.

He never remained stationary for more than a second, always adjusting his position with small weight shifts and micro-adjustments in foot placement to keep the flow of combat in his favor.

Soon enough, the view of the castle grew bigger and bigger, and Aestrea began encountering mixed groups, where some creatures were fast and agile, others were slow yet powerful.

Against the agile ones, he relied on the superior reach and cutting power of the Midnight Sword to intercept their movements with intercepting cuts and counters.

Against the bulkier threats, he used the Heaven Swallowing Sword more aggressively, allowing it to sap their strength over multiple exchanges until they became vulnerable to finishing strikes from the right blade.

He occasionally combined the two in compound attacks, such as using the Midnight Sword to create an opening with a feint or parry, then following through with a draining thrust from the left.

And after a while...

SPLUUUURT!

"Haaah... ugh..."

Aestrea sat atop a massive, grotesque mountain of corpses that stretched across the battlefield like a grotesque monument to slaughter.

The pile was so high that his boots barely touched the ground beneath the tangled mass of twisted limbs and broken bodies.

Black blood soaked through the lower layers, turning the ground into a slick, foul mire that stretched for hundreds of meters in every direction.

The few creatures that remained alive were pitiful remnants, weaklings that had somehow survived the onslaught.

Their arms had been cleanly severed at the shoulders, leaving nothing but ragged stumps that still leaked dark fluid.

They crawled or dragged themselves across the blood-soaked earth, trembling violently. None of them dared to raise their heads or meet Aestrea’s gaze.

They kept their eyes fixed on the ground, bodies shaking with pure fear as they slowly backed away or tried to hide behind the corpses of their fallen comrades.

"Fuuuu..." Aestrea exhaled slowly, wiping a streak of blood from his cheek with the back of his hand.

He rose from the grotesque mountain of corpses and began walking forward.

The path ahead had been cleared enough for him to move without interference.

The remaining broken creatures scattered or froze in place as he passed, too terrified to even breathe in his direction.

The massive castle loomed larger with every step.

Its dark stone walls towered into the stormy sky, ancient and imposing, with jagged spires that seemed to claw at the clouds.

Aestrea approached the enormous front gates, thick, reinforced doors of black iron and wood, easily three times his height.

He placed both hands on the gates and pushed.

Creeack...

They groaned heavily but swung open with a deep, resonant creak, revealing the interior of the fortress.

Aestrea stepped inside and walked through the long, dimly lit corridor. Torches flickered along the walls, casting long shadows that danced across the stone.

The air inside was colder, heavier, carrying the faint metallic scent of blood and something older.

He slowly moved through the castle, taking his time to recover his stamina.

Eventually, he reached another set of massive doors at the end of the corridor, surprisingly larger than the entrance gates, carved with intricate runes that glowed faintly red.

Without hesitation, Aestrea raised his right leg and kicked them open with a powerful strike.

BANG!

The doors flew inward, slamming against the inner walls with a thunderous crash.

Inside the vast chamber stood a grotesque demon-like creature.

It had a huge, muscular body covered in dark, scaled skin.

Six powerful arms extended from its torso, each one gripping a different weapon: a massive axe, a curved blade, a spiked mace, a long spear, a jagged sword, and a heavy war hammer.

Six glowing red eyes stared down at Aestrea from its horned head, all of them burning with murderous intent.

And behind the demon, locked inside a large iron cage suspended from the ceiling, was a familiar figure.

"Yennefer?"

She looked a bit different from the last time Aestrea had seen her, but well... she looked even better than before.

Long, silky black hair cascaded down her back and shoulders, with striking pink streaks framing her face and a large, elegant purple-black rose accessory pinned near her temple.

Her eyes glowed a vivid, ominous crimson red, sharp and intense, giving her an otherworldly, almost predatory allure.

Her skin was flawless and pale, contrasting beautifully with the dark tones of her outfit and the broad purple accents of her wings.

Her figure was voluptuous and extremely busty, her large, full breasts were prominently displayed and pushed up by the tight, glossy black corset-like top of her dress, creating deep, eye-catching cleavage.

The shiny, latex-like material of the dress hugged every curve of her body tightly, emphasizing her slim waist and wide hips before flaring slightly at the bottom.

The dress had a high slit on one side, revealing smooth, pale thighs and the top of black lace stockings.

Gold ornate patterns decorated the edges of her sleeves and the hem, adding a stunning, gothic touch.

Massive, elegant wings extended from her back, large, bat-like structures in deep black and vibrant purple, with delicate gold veins running through them.

They were partially spread, framing her silhouette dramatically against the glowing moon.

A small red gem glowed at the center of her chest, right above her cleavage, like a dark heart.

And right now...

She was sleeping.