Chapter 129: Total War With Proxia (5)
Ugh. Monster-like strength
Zik felt a tingling sensation in his hand as he blocked the middle-aged mans sword.
Had he not let it glide off and instead tried to stop it, he would have lost his sword to the recoil.
His battle-honed senses had warned him not to stop the blow, thus averting disaster from the outset.
A cold sweat trickled down his back.
That encounter made it clear his opponent was in a different league.
As it was a duel between Sword Masters, a no-go zone formed around them.
The aura of killing intent was so sharp it seemed it could slice through their skin.
Neither Duke Harold, the knight commanders, nor the other aura users dared approach.
Beris trembled, muttering to himself.
This, this is a Sword Masters battle
Celes and Greyan shared the sentiment.
Even at a safe distance from the absolute zone, the killing intent pierced their skin.
The mere spillover was enough to make them shudder; what must Zik, facing it head-on, have felt?
Zik, the continents youngest Sword Master, had shown exceptional talent among renowned geniuses, growing stronger with every battle.
But this battle seemed hopeless.
The middle-aged man before him appeared too at ease, having realized his advantage from their first clash.
Zik, on the other hand, was fraught with anxiety.
They were also outnumbered.
Continuing to exchange blows with the middle-aged man would only lead to his allies downfall.
Facing four Sword Masters, Zik saw no way out.
In the midst of this, Griaia raised her fist into the air.
Suddenly, numerous flames erupted in the sky.
These fireballs plummeted towards Proxias army.
With hundreds of fireballs descending, Proxias forces were thrown into chaos.
Argh!
Its magic! Everyone, take cover!
They scrambled to escape, but evading all the fireballs was futile.
The fireballs rained down upon them.
Boom! Bang!
Small craters formed, and the area quickly turned into a sea of fire.
Griaia called out to Zik.
Zik, just focus on your opponent!
She drew her sword and began cutting down the enemy. As she commanded the troops while fighting, she proved herself a top-notch commander.
Seeing her, Zik gripped his sword tighter.
The middle-aged man before him was not someone he could defeat while distracted.
He must have lost his mind for a moment, even considering letting his guard down against such a formidable opponent.
Aura Blade burst forth from Ziks sword.
The middle-aged man released his aura as well.
It felt as though it could slice through anything, cutting through the surrounding air.
Aura Blade was a trademark of Sword Masters.
Even just standing with their swords, it seemed as if the space around them was being sliced.
Without a moments delay, they began clashing swords.
The middle-aged mans aura aimed for Ziks left foot.
Zik deflected it smoothly and naturally aimed a strike at the mans neck.
The harmony of offense and defense was evident.
Watching Zik, who had mastered this difficult technique at such a young age, the middle-aged man couldnt help but admire him.
Clang!
Truly impressive. When I was your age, I was just an advanced aura user. Neither in skills, mana, nor in actual combat could I surpass you as you are now. You truly deserve my recognition.
As he attacked, the weight of his sword strikes became significantly heavier.
The immense pressure made it daunting to even think about blocking them.
Ugh
While releasing his aura, Zik made a graceful move to dodge, causing the middle-aged man to look dazed.
Excellent! That move was quite beautiful!
You perverted bastard!
Despite his words, Zik was busy trying to evade. Even with the Saintesss blessing, it was this tough
The other three Sword Masters, watching their battle, turned their attention to Griaia and Celes, who were fighting at the front line.
Compared to Zik, who was an exceptional figure, they were still inexperienced, but with proper growth, they might reach the status of a Sword Master or even a 6th Circle Great Mage.
The short old man chuckled.
Those kids will become a real headache if we leave them be.
Their innate power and the excellent strategies they had employed, despite being significantly outnumbered, showcased a boldness and tactical acumen beyond that of ordinary people.
It was surprising that the Holy Kingdom had such talents.
Well, they wouldnt survive after today, anyway.
The shortest old man among the three approached Griaia and Celes, moving with ease among the fighting soldiers.
Keke. Let me have a look at you for a moment?
Surprised by the sudden appearance of someone before them, they were taken aback.
I didnt sense any presence
Truly a Sword Master.
Celes and Griaia moved simultaneously, as if they had planned it.
Griaia protected Celes front, while Celes covered Griaias back.
A decent position, indeed.
But against a Sword Master, it was futile.
Individual combat, individual tactics.
The power a Sword Master wields is terrifyingly formidable.
Griaia swung her sword toward the old man reaching out to them.
Simultaneously, Celes joined in.
Bind the movement! Entangle!
The old man, attempting to grab them, suddenly stiffened.
Immediately, Griaias sword descended toward the old mans head.
All her senses told her this attack would connect!
The Sword Masters head should have split open with a crack.
But the sound that followed was different from what they expected.
Thud
Like a sword hitting water-soaked cotton, Griaias sword was deflected.
The old man caught Griaias sword in his hand and moved his foot.
There was no chance for her to dodge the incoming kick at such speed.
Inevitably, Griaia received a kick to the abdomen.
Kyaaak!
Whack!
With just one hit, Griaia was incapacitated, and Celes gritted her teeth.
As a mage, close combat isnt my forte.
Even if it wasnt close combat, the opponent was still a Sword Master.
There was no chance of winning, let alone a way to escape.
Without giving her time to think, the old mans fist was already heading towards her.
Seris instinctively closed her eyes, bracing for the imminent burning pain.
However, the expected pain never came. The old man withdrew his punch midway.
Swoosh!
An icy shard, accompanied by a sharp sound, flew towards the spot where the old man had stood.
Thud! Thud!
Looking at the sharp fragments embedded deeply in the ground, the old man frowned.
A voice, devoid of high or low tones but beautiful, reached him.
Please step back.
With dark blue hair and bright red eyes, maintaining an unwavering expressionless face, she quietly looked at the old man.
The old man spoke first.
How dare you interfere Do you wish to die?
I cannot condone an invasion of the homeland. Please surrender peacefully.
Surrender? Kekeke. Funny child. Do you even realize your situation?
Seris grew anxious at the old mans words.
The woman who had saved her with ice magic, obviously a mage, would normally have an advantage continuing to cast spells from behind.
Why, then, would she abandon that advantage and face a Sword Master head-on?
Euclid shook her head at the old man.
If you wont surrender, then there is no other choice.
Mana swirled around her, cold and intense, as if becoming one with her.
Euclid parted her lips.
Frozen Field.
Crackling-
The ground around her began to freeze.
Panic ensued.
Field magic! Who is it?
A great mage!
Everything trees, bodies froze, but interestingly, it selectively targeted only those wearing Proxias armor.
Such extreme mana control was undeniable.
Even after casting the field magic, she still had mana to spare, looking at the Sword Master emotionlessly.
You better not think of returning alive.
Interesting.
The old man drew his sword for the first time and created an Aura Blade.
The air seemed to flow towards him, and Seris felt the significant pressure.
Whats happening?
Euclid stepped in front of her, speaking as she passed.
Ill take care of this side; take the fallen one with you.
Following her instructions, Seris quickly picked up Griaia.
While doing so, she kept an eye on the old man, who focused solely on Euclid, not sparing a glance elsewhere.
Seris observed the small woman who didnt tremble even in front of a Sword Master.
A field mage A 6th Circle great mage?
A 6th Circle mage in the Holy Kingdom? She hadnt known.
One thing was certain: in a one-on-one situation, a mage couldnt beat a swordsman of equal skill.
Yet, she faced the old man, and he didnt rashly attack, suggesting there was something between them.
The remaining two Sword Masters found the scene amusing.
Hohoho. This is getting interesting.
Kekeke. Fun to watch but we should probably start chasing the Saintess.
Indeed.
With that, the gracefully aged woman and the witty old man disappeared.
Their mana activation was astounding as they dashed in the direction the Saintess had vanished.
They moved so swiftly through the forest that it seemed they would soon catch up to Iriel.
Zik, watching this, couldnt intercept them. He was too preoccupied with the fierce sword strikes before him.
Two Sword Masters chasing the Saintess signified potential doom for the Holy Kingdom.
Zik frowned and deflected the middle-aged mans sword.
I need to finish this quickly and go to the Saintess.
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