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Chapter 352: Magic Sword Technique? I Can Do That Too!
🕑 Added 2024-10-27 11:57:50 +0000 UTCWithin the Royal Guard, Julius basically had no suitable sparring partners. Reinhard, the Sword Saint, was far too monstrous. His overwhelming strength placed him on a completely different level compared to others, making his abilities almost unattainable for any ordinary knight.
As for the rest of the members, their abilities were nowhere near Julius's level, leaving him without a worthy opponent to hone his skills.
Felix was strong when it came to magic, but his specialty lay in water-based healing spells. He served more as a support character, excelling in providing healing and assistance, which made him better than most knights, but not a match for Julius in combat.
Now, however, standing across from Wood, Julius faced an opponent like none he had ever encountered. Both of them were skilled in swordsmanship and magic, which sparked a rare excitement in Julius. For the first time, he found himself matched against someone who could match his unique combination of abilities.
With his longsword in hand, Julius began his elegant dance, aided by the spirits of wind that answered his call. Blades of wind shot out from his sword, slicing through the air as they rushed towards Wood.
From their previous exchanges, Julius had already gleaned an understanding of Wood—his basic physical abilities, such as speed and strength, appeared to surpass his own. It was clear that trying to go head-to-head physically would be a foolish strategy.
Julius needed to rely on his skill to win. Thanks to his Divine Blessing of the Spirits, the micro spirits in the atmosphere favored him, augmenting his magic use and making it more effective while consuming less mana. Though Wood could also use magic, Julius, with the spirits’ favor, could amplify the power of his spells and reduce mana expenditure.
Five wind blades converged in the air, taking on the form of a claw as they tore towards Wood. Yet Wood had no intention of dodging; instead, he took on a stance to draw his sword, clearly intent on intercepting the attack head-on.
"Is he planning to counter Julius's attack by using a magic-imbued sword strike of his own?"
"But that would play directly into Julius's plan, wouldn't it? Considering Julius's affinity with spirits, the mana he consumes while casting is far less than anyone else."
The members of the Royal Guard watching from the stands were, for the most part, untrained in the ways of magic—including Marcos and Reinhard. However, as an adept user of water magic, Felix could immediately see what Julius intended.
It was clear—Julius aimed to take advantage of his low mana consumption and draw the battle into a war of attrition, hoping to deplete Wood's mana entirely, thus gaining an edge over his opponent's superior physical abilities.
"Hyakki Yagyō Style: One-Sword Technique—Kamaitachi!"
The air surrounding Wood seemed to be guided by an invisible hand, gathering around his feet and forming a swirling vortex. The moment his sword left its sheath, the wind circling him responded instantly, launching itself forward.
A massive wind blade, almost ten meters wide and crescent-shaped, flew out from Wood's sword and collided with the five wind blades released by Julius.
The collision of the claw-like wind blades and the crescent wind blade created a powerful gust of wind that raged through the entire field, forming a towering wind vortex at the point of impact.
The fierce sword energy and wind blades whipped about like countless flying daggers, leaving deep gouges across the ground.
"That wind magic is incredibly powerful. Even with the spirits' aid, Julius only managed to match it..."
Watching the whirling cyclone of blades on the field, Marcos was astounded. Wood not only knew how to use magic, but was proficient in multiple elements. He had already blocked Julius's water-based magic earlier, and now he wielded wind magic as well.
"No... that man didn't use magic just now. There isn't a trace of mana lingering in the air," Felix interjected, his expression one of disbelief. "That fierce strike just now—it wasn't magic. It was pure sword energy!"
"Are you telling me the sword energy he released had the power equivalent to magic? You can't be serious." Marcos knew powerful knights could release sword energy, and even he could do so himself. But sword energy was usually enough to break through weaker armor or cut skin—nothing more. To create something of Wood's scale seemed like an impossible dream.
"Felix is telling the truth. Wood's swordsmanship is powerful. When I fought him, he used a similar move, but thanks to my Divine Blessing of Evasion, it had no effect on me," Reinhard said. "And I think Julius's strategy is flawed. Trying to exhaust Wood's mana might sound like a good idea, but Wood's mana supply..."
While Reinhard, Felix, and Marcos were busy analyzing Wood's abilities, Wood himself faced Julius, saying calmly, "Here's some advice—you'd better use your full strength right from the start if you want any chance against me."
"It seems you possess some kind of special blessing, and you're planning to deplete my mana in a prolonged fight," Wood continued. "But I'm warning you, if we drag this out, you won't have even the slightest chance of winning.
"Though it may sound boastful, my mana capacity—the 'gate' within my body—is likely far beyond what you can imagine."
As if to prove he wasn't just bluffing, Wood let go of the magic that suppressed his mana output. The ground beneath his feet began to quake violently as a terrifying amount of mana surged from his body, like a flood bursting through a dam.
The sheer volume of mana formed a visible pillar of energy, reaching skyward, distorting the air around it and disrupting the magic of the "Knight's Simulation Battle" area. The ground beneath Wood shattered, and spiderweb-like cracks spread across the field as his mana stabilized at its peak.
Everyone watching felt their eyes widen in shock. Even those without any magical talent could tell that Wood's mana reserves were on a whole other level.
They weren't blind—just the release of his mana alone had shaken the entire area, causing the earth itself to tremble. If Wood were to truly fight, what would happen then?
"This isn't just some guy from the countryside. He's in the same league as Reinhard—a real monster!"
"Do you understand now? If you're planning on exhausting my mana, with the scale of this fight, I could keep going for three days straight without rest. My mana recovery rate also exceeds the norm. So, if you want to defeat me, you'll have to land a decisive blow and take me down completely."
"So let's keep fighting. Pick up your sword and use your strongest move. Don't worry about killing me—though I don't have an ability like 'Resurrection,' my healing power is formidable. Even if I lose a limb, it wouldn't be a fatal wound to me."
Wood's words left the entire audience at a loss for words. Not only did he possess such a ridiculous amount of mana, but he also had absurd regenerative abilities. He was no different from a certain overpowered cheat character.
"Since you've made me this excited, I'll share something else with you. My magic affinity extends to all elements, and my blessing makes me even stronger when night falls. The sun should be setting soon..."
Listening to Wood nonchalantly divulge his own information, Julius could only smile bitterly. He had no reason to think Wood was lying—the moment Wood unleashed his mana, Julius knew his chances of victory were slim.
Physically, Wood had the upper hand. In terms of swordsmanship, Wood could unleash sword energy with the power of magic. Julius had hoped to tip the balance using magic enhanced by the spirits, but it was Wood's sheer mana reserves that crushed any hope of victory.
"To be honest, you are the second person I've ever met who made me feel utterly hopeless," Julius admitted. "Still, I want to test my limits, so allow me to show you my strongest move."
Having realized that further struggle was futile, Julius accepted Wood's advice and resolved to use his most powerful technique to end the battle.
Around him, the magic elements began to stir, and six differently colored lights emerged from the air, gradually merging into Julius's longsword. The influx of various elements caused his sword to shimmer brilliantly.
Though it was still a sword, it now looked more like a rainbow.
"Kurarista—Rainbow Sword!"
With a swift leap forward, Julius closed the distance between himself and Wood in an instant. His longsword shone brilliantly as he swung it, and a radiant arc of rainbow light burst forth.
The Rainbow Sword was a technique that combined Julius's swordsmanship with magic, his original magic sword technique. The slash infused with six types of magic not only possessed immense power but could even cut through any magic.
Originally, Julius had intended to keep this move in reserve—a trump card to use when he challenged Reinhard one day. However, now, faced with yet another overpowered opponent, he was forced to use it.
"A magic sword technique, huh? And judging by the effects, it looks quite powerful. But, speaking of magic sword techniques, I happen to have a bit of expertise as well," Wood said, eyes gleaming with battle spirit as he watched the resplendent rainbow slash.
As he spoke, cracks began to form on his sword as he channeled an immense amount of mana into it. A layer of frost spread from his arm down the blade, and the temperature in the area began to plummet.
"Hyakki Yagyō Style: Ice Attribute One-Sword Technique—Yuki-Onna!"
As Wood swung his sword, a wave of frigid air erupted from it, creating jagged ice spikes across the ground. At that moment, Julius saw what seemed like a beautiful woman pass him by, and the next thing he knew, his entire right side lost all sensation.
The audience, watching from the sidelines, rose to their feet, witnessing the snowflakes that gently fell across the battlefield. Most of them hadn’t even registered what had just happened.
A massive wall of ice stood in the center of the battlefield, dividing it in two. The "Finest Knight," vice-captain of the Royal Guard and its second-strongest member, was now frozen—half his body, along with his sword, encased in the ice wall.
"That last strike from Wood shattered Julius's magic sword technique in an instant, though it seems like he held back at the very end," Reinhard observed, explaining the scene before him.
Many people might not have understood what had happened, but Reinhard, the Sword Saint, could clearly see every detail of the preceding events.
"I lost this match. Welcome to the Royal Guard," Julius declared, accepting his defeat without any complaints. He knew that had Wood not held back at the very end, he would likely be dead.
The difference in their abilities was simply too vast. In fact, it wouldn't even be right to say they were on the same level.
The last time Julius had felt so powerless was when he faced Reinhard. And now, yet another monster had appeared among their ranks.
Hearing Julius concede, Wood reached out, and the ice wall towering over the battlefield melted away instantly.
Julius's surrender signified that Wood had passed the test and earned the right to join the Royal Guard. No—the moment Wood demonstrated his abilities, Marcos had already changed his mind. There was no way he would let someone like Wood leave.
The Royal Guard's strength was directly tied to the prosperity of the Dragon Kingdom. Previously, Marcos had dismissed Wood, thinking of him as nothing more than a lowly thug. But after seeing him fight Julius and hearing Reinhard's words, Marcos knew he had been wrong.
Priscilla, who had been watching the entire battle, now looked at Wood with an even more intense gaze. She finally understood why her instincts had been so strong when she first saw him.
