The exchanges of blows continued for some time. They were still only using normal attacks. Arther couldn't believe this outworlder whom he considered weak could trade blows with him even after he used Holy Incarnation.
Arther's Holy Incarnation did not just boost his power. The silver flame on his body also delivered light-element damage to all opponents within melee range. But Jack's Gold Scale Armor reduced much of the damage. The Divine Might Potion also reduced all the damage he received by half and boosted his HP recovery. Thus, the silver flame damage was not a problem.
Although Arther was still stronger, Jack's swordplay was much better. His claws deflected Arther's huge greatsword and stole hits with uncanny dexterity. He also added some mana manipulation-powered kicks in between.
The soldiers on the wall couldn't believe the spectacle. Their venerated lord marshall couldn't land a hit on the outworlder, but the outworlder instead kept on landing hits.
Arther finally couldn't stand the shame. His greatsword delivered a powerful radial swing. Jack's mana sense detected the wide attack. He backflipped to dodge the swing. When he dashed back, a second radial swing came. It was Double Whirlwind Slash. Jack couldn't dodge this unexpected second whirlwind slash, he used Magic Shield to block.
His Magic Shield was shattered and he was knocked away.
Arther didn't stop. He lifted his greatsword high and brought it down with Silver Wings Slash. The image of a gigantic silver greatsword came down at Jack.
Jack cast Magic Wall. The collision between the two skills produced blinding light. The magic wall was destroyed but it managed to stop Arther's skill.
When the light dissipated, ten golden wolves rushed to Arther. It was Jack's newly evolved skill, Call Golden Wolf Pack. After the skill was evolved, the wolves now sported bright golden furs. Their defenses were greatly increased. They also had high resistance to light and earth elements.
"You dare call helpers?" Arther bellowed.
"They are my skill. Are you saying I'm not allowed to use summon skill?" Jack quipped back.
"Hmph! No matter," Arther uttered.
Arther used Ki Outburst. The incoming wolves were knocked back by the force.
Jack, who was firing ranged attacks to aid his wolves, sensed danger from above. He jumped to the side just as a giant fist made of light struck the ground he was standing. He recognized that fist as Crusader's Heaven Fist.
Before Jack could stand back up, Arther was already above him using Jump Assault.
Jack's body burst into twenty shadows when Arther's greatsword came cleaving. The shadows came at Arther from different angles.
But before the shadows hit, Arther's body turned into light. It then zipped around at high speed, striking all of Jack's shadow and also the golden wolves that came running.
Jack's Hundred Shadow Strikes was nullified without delivering damage. He noticed Arther's skill was similar to Arlcard's Shadow Flash Strikes except Arther's was of the light-element version.
When Arther's skill stopped a distance away, Jack sensed danger from behind. He ducked just in time from a slash. Another Arther was behind him.
"Assassin's Combat Clone?" Jack uttered.
"You were the one who said that skill is okay, weren't you?" Arther said. He continued smacking the golden wolves that came at him. Luckily, these wolves' defense had been strengthened by the gold seed. Otherwise, they would have been easily killed by Arther's slashes.
"I'm not complaining," Jack returned.
Therras suddenly burst out from the ground where the combat clone was. Jack used Ultimate Beast, turning Therras into its sovereign mode. Therras was not buffed by the Divine Might Potion, so it was much weaker than Arther's combat clone. Fortunately, a combat clone couldn't use skills, so Therras in sovereign mode should be able to handle it.
Jack also summoned his spirit weapon and sent it to aid Therras.
Jack then cast Time Domain and Acceleration on himself, Therras, his spirit weapon, and two of his wolves. He followed with Asura and Dances of the Braves. Two pairs of arms sprout from his back and ten golden swords came swirling around him.
Arther, who was suddenly slowed and his opponents significantly sped up, was unable to react. Jack's six claws and ten swords came slashing with Formless Flowing Sword Style.
Within the thirty seconds of Acceleration's duration, Arther suffered countless slashes. Even the golden wolves stole some bites. The combo multiplier stacked up and caused huge damage to the lord marshall.
Out of humiliation and unexpected fear, Arther's body exploded with pure energy. A white fiery sphere surrounded his body. It was his Sphere of Aegis skill.
'This is it!' Jack thought.
This Sphere of Aegis was the skill Arther used when he clashed with the water serpent during the civil war. It not only protected him but also enhanced his offensive capabilities. Jack had read the report about this skill.
The wolves that tried to bite Arther couldn't get past the protective sphere. They even received high light damage when they touched the sphere. Jack's ten golden swords similarly couldn't break through.
Within the sphere, Arther's greatsword was enveloped by energy.
"Ki Weapon," Jack recognized the skill.
Arther then made a wide slash. The Ki Weapon increased his greatsword's already long reach, hitting the wolves outside his sphere. Several of the already injured wolves died from that slash.
He then performed the double whirlwind slash again, killing the remaining golden wolves, and knocking all ten golden swords aside.
Jack retreated. But Arther chased after him with Charge. The Sphere of Aegis boosted his speed, allowing him to catch up to Jack.
Jack jumped and flew upward to dodge. Arther spread his transparent silver wings and chased after Jack in the air.
Jack shot his ranged skills and spells at the incoming Arther, but the white fiery sphere blocked them all. Arther's flying speed when his Sphere of Aegis was active was frightening. Jack could finally not run anymore.
Jack used Devouring Cross when Arther came swinging, but his two claws were knocked aside by Arther's enhanced greatsword. He activated Lightning God Suit just as the greatsword struck his body.
The Lightning God Suit and the effect of Divine Might Potion greatly reduced the damage he received, but Jack still felt the pain. His body shot down uncontrollably and slammed into the ground. He sensed another attack coming from above.
He quickly used roll and escaped the danger zone, just as Arther slammed into the ground he was at before.
Arther came charging again. In that critical moment, Jack's mind cleared up. He focused his thought on his right claw and channeled the mana as he performed Brave Slash.
He had practiced using mana manipulation on this skill many times. He was still not at the stage where he could use it at will. But at this moment, he felt his connection with mana was very clear. He even sensed as if they were actively communicating with him.
He guided the mana in a way he had practiced. The mana followed his guidance as if it was the natural thing to do. The golden light that was the signature of Brave Slash suddenly intensified. The light also extended longer than normal.
Jack's Brave Slash collided with Arther's Ki-enhanced greatsword.
To everyone's surprise, it was Arther's greatsword that was smashed aside. Jack's Brave Slash continued and collided with the Sphere of Aegis.
After a wild explosion of energy, the sphere shattered into particles of light.
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