Chapter 169: Chapter 169: True Essence of Battle
"Huh... this..." Artorias mumbled, surprised glints flashing across his eyes as he watched the youth’s power increase by an astounding tenfold.
Even he froze momentarily. Across the realm of Arcadia, he knew countless secret arts that could, to an extent, replicate the feat the youth had just unleashed. But they always came with adverse consequences.
A technique that allowed one to double or triple their strength was considered godly, capable of acting as a trump card in life-and-death battles.
But those that increased power more than threefold were usually fueled by life force, utilized like berserk skills where the user lost all hope and intended to take their opponent down with them.
It just didn’t make sense as he stared at the figure before him, now glowing in a golden, splendiferous light.
From the brief moment he had observed Ulric, the youth hadn’t struck him as suicidal. So why utilize such a skill right now? With the monstrous talent and potential he had displayed, not even Artorias could predict where his future would lead. It was limitless.
Why then would he throw it all away?
The thoughts gnawed at the back of his mind as a confused expression covered his face.
And as time slowly passed, it only deepened. The effects of utilizing such a technique should have already been kicking in by now. Gradual aging at a rapid pace or bleeding from his seven orifices. But the youth before him displayed none of those signs.
If anything, his physical condition seemed far better than before.
The thought that the youth could naturally boost his strength tenfold without any repercussions had never crossed his mind. It was just too absurd. Or perhaps he didn’t want to entertain it, to protect the last shred of sanity within him.
The youth was already far beyond any genius he had ever laid eyes on. Any more and his head might explode from the mind-boggling feats the youth executed so easily, as if they meant nothing.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Artorias let out a slow breath. The youth was probably already beyond saving. With this technique deployed, it wouldn’t be long before the excess energy burned through him, leaving nothing behind.
At the thought, he shook his head slightly as a wry smile formed across his face. It seemed he had underestimated the youth’s desire for battle. If he truly wished for one last battle, then so be it.
The only pity was that he didn’t have a weapon to complement the strength surging within him.
***
Unaware of the thoughts circling in Artorias’ mind, Ulric extended his arm outward into the empty space before him.
Instantly, darkness bloomed outward, coalescing into a blade of darkness. Very similar to the one he had conjured when killing his first batch of monsters.
But he wasn’t done. He wanted to try something new.
Over his path to mastery as the Monarch of Darkness, Ulric had discovered and formed new skills, some very formidable, like his blade skills.
Each was distinct from the rest, but they all shared a similar purpose: destruction for all those who would stand against him.
Which was why he tried to assimilate all of them into a single skill.
Merge them into one.
To others, the concept would be next to impossible, if not outright courting death.
Merging skills could make them unstable, causing the user’s energy to explode and kill anyone who attempted it. Besides, the energy cost would be too great. Far too many limitations and risks to justify even trying.
But Ulric wasn’t concerned about any of that. He knew something about merging, he thought amusedly, recalling his Transcendent Art.
Besides, none of those limitations applied to him. His attacks weren’t powered by energy unless he chose to channel aether.
As for energy cost?
His darkness had transcended that.
With this in mind, myriads of thoughts circled at the back of his mind as calculations flashed within his eyes.
Before he slowly clenched his fingers.
Instantly after, all his dark blade variations sprang into existence before converging into one.
His primary Dark Blades, Phantom Blades, Entropy Blades, and so much more...
All of it happened within the span of a few seconds, thanks to his terrifying mental prowess that grew daily.
A few breaths later, the converged weapon came into sight.
Magnificent in all its glory.
It hadn’t formed an ultimate skill as he had assumed. It was more of a rough amalgamation of all the blades. Their properties, he could sense, had dulled slightly in this state.
But in this form, it was far more powerful than any of them individually.
As he stared at the blade, a giddy chuckle slipped from his throat as he charged forward.
Waves of exhilaration coursed through his body.
This was why he loved facing truly strong beings. On the precipice of life-and-death moments, he gained insights that pushed his power to levels he couldn’t have imagined before.
Staring at the abominable blade now clasped in the youth’s grasp, Artorias gulped audibly as his breath grew heavy.
For the first time since the battle began, he felt an extreme sense of danger, and it all emanated from the blade.
His eyes narrowing dangerously, he charged forward as well. He surmised it wouldn’t end well for him if the blade pierced through him.
When Artorias closed within ten meters of the youth, his feet crashed into the ground below.
A small crater formed as he used the force generated to propel himself upward.
Mid-air, the mana around him churned violently before spilling forth in an ethereal sheen.
When the glow died out, a staff was now clutched in his arms.
A mana construct.
To an ordinary person, the staff seemed simple enough. But a trained gaze saw so much more. After all, as one’s control over mana grew, they could form constructs even stronger than regular ranked artifacts.
A single glance at the staff was enough to tell Ulric this was one of them.
Artorias gripped one end of the staff tightly as he brought it crashing down with impeccable force.
The air screamed violently.
Ulric clutched the blade tightly in his hand before slashing upward as he got close enough.
A deafening screech echoed.
When the two weapons clashed, a massive shockwave erupted, spreading for thousands of meters as dust and rubble flew everywhere, obscuring the scene for a few moments as the tension in the air thickened.
When it all cleared, everything was exposed, revealing a shocking sight.
Massive fissures had spread for thousands of meters as far as the eye could see.
All from the result of a single clash.
At the side, an even more shocked expression rested across Artorias’ face.
Both of them had been sent back by the force generated. But given the distance each was forced back, it was already clear who held the upper hand.
He had been forced about a hundred meters back, while the youth had barely been pushed a few dozen meters.
As if that wasn’t enough, his gaze dropped to stare at his staff, which had been chipped from the clash.
Adding it all together, his pupils constricted violently as he stared at the dark-robed youth.
His raw power had finally stepped into B-rank.
He even had a feeling that if the youth faced off against a newly advanced B-rank being, they would be equally matched.
The thought alone was beyond absurd, but the sight before him was undeniable.
The youth had already surpassed the two-fifths of the power he had been limited to.
As the scene replayed in the back of his mind repeatedly, his face grew more solemn.
Since the beginning, his motive had been simple: neutralize the youth and bring him back to the academy.
But now...
The threat had spiraled far out of control as a harsh glint flashed across his eyes.
If the threat couldn’t be controlled, then it had to be eliminated.
The youth before him was no doubt a supreme genius. His power at this level was already monstrous.
At this point, having already deduced that his power-enhancing ability wasn’t fatal, he couldn’t imagine the future when the youth bloomed into a fully fledged monster.
He was destined to come for revenge.
He couldn’t leave any loose ends behind.
While Artorias secretly plotted, Ulric went over the exchange in the back of his mind.
His gaze falling onto the staff in Artorias’ hands.
Weight manipulation, huh?
He mused, uncovering its secrets. It seemed he could change its weight on a whim, whether light as a feather or exceedingly heavy, with the crushing might of multiple tonnes.
When used right, it was a powerful weapon in its own right.
Which made Ulric even more excited as he charged forward.
Despite possessing slightly greater raw strength, the vast gulf in combat experience between them neutralized much of Ulric’s advantage.
As a result, injuries accumulated rapidly across his body.
Bruises, cuts, and internal strains appeared with each exchange.
Yet Ulric seemed entirely indifferent.
Pain was merely another variable to be analyzed. A sharp glint flickered within his eyes.
With every clash, his Limitless Force Refinement grew more effective. The technique continuously dissected the battle, refining his movements, timing, and force application at a rate most would consider monstrous.
Something Artorias quickly noticed. And it unsettled him.
Because Ulric wasn’t merely fighting. He was learning.
Every mistake was corrected after a single occurrence. Every inefficient movement was identified and removed. Every opening was catalogued and exploited.
As the battle continued, the number of blows he received plummeted. His attacks became cleaner. Sharper. More precise.
His combat ability was evolving in real time.
What had begun as a crude exchange of force gradually transformed into a complex dance of calculations, adaptation, and violence.
***
At the side, a figure observed everything in silence, mumbling faintly beneath his breath.
"Reduced wasted movement... synchronized mind and body... instantaneous recalibration..."
Alaric’s eyes widened. Then he could no longer contain himself and burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"Are you seeing this, Mira?"
"This... this is the true essence of battle. Every exchange makes him stronger than the last."
