Chapter 54 Ch. 54: Rallying [2]
Aside from Elementals, there was another force called Aura; a power that originated from our souls. Despite the fact that most living beings have souls, not many could use them.
However, in the past, a Swordsman managed to wield the power of Aura and due to how formidable he was on the battlefield, people named him a Sword Master.
As time passed by, to be able to exert Aura was now a mandatory requirement to attaining the highest title of Swordsman, a Sword Master.
It was never easy to manifest Aura, a lot harder than becoming an Elementalist since it requires high feats of harmony between willpower, mental strength, and Mana.
Commensurate with the difficulty level to be able to utilize Aura, users of this power were granted other abilities such as increased awareness, speed, and strength.
Although it seemed no different from the Enhancement method, coating yourself with Aura was much stronger than covering your body with Mana.
Overall, Aura can be used for offense and defense. Nevertheless, that was only for a certain period of time, and unlike Mana which could be filled whenever we wanted, Aura could only be replenished on its own. Its power supply would be refreshed after a long rest.
Human parts were strewn on the ground with red and thick liquid painted on the soil. Wails of pain filled the space when they realized that their limbs were gone; hands, fingers, legs. Blood flowed from their severed organs and wounds.
The enemy's faces paled after they saw how the incomplete corpses of their comrades lay beside their feet. It was only one swing, yet the attack managed to decapitate dozens of soldiers in a split second.
They raised their heads and a baby-blue-haired man came into view. The eerie atmosphere around him brought horror to their bodies; from head to toe, they couldn't stop trembling and they had no idea why.
"Sir Ulrich?"
Alexander furrowed his eyebrows.
'Why is he here? Shouldn't he be protecting the refugees?'
Hearing the boy's confused tone, Ulrich turned his head and peered over his shoulder without moving his body, he answered.
"Your Highness, rest assured. Sir Wyatt and the other Knight Lieutenants exchanged me to protect the refugees."
Alexander nodded. As long as the refugees were protected, that was enough for him.
"I understand."
Not long after, the rattling armors were heard and Chrono Knights approached them. They encircled Alexander and Damian to prevent the enemy from coming closer.
Ulrich returned his gaze to the front and the enemy drew their weapons. His light green eyes followed how they moved step by step and ultimately surrounded him, leaving him with no room to escape.
His face was devoid of any expression as he stared at them indifferently. Soon, the blade in Ulrich's grasp shone brightly in the darkness; he funneled his Aura into it.
Without wasting any time, the man dashed forward and swung his sword. Several crescent moons in blue light formed in the air the moment he slashed his weapon left and right vertically.
Sensing the enemy behind him getting nigher, Ulrich spun his body, and before they could land their attack, he drew a cut through the air; his sword was followed by a beautiful glowing blue arc.
Though they didn't receive Ulrich's blow, they were sliced in half and their blood splattered on him. When facing Aura Wielder, not only must you pay attention to his sword, but you must watch out for its Aura range too.
Aura Blade and Elemental Sword might look similar, but they were totally different. Contrary to the Elemental Sword which contained the power of Elementals, Aura was a void and formless force.
The Elemental Sword may win in terms of range but when it came to prowess, Aura Blade was more powerful.
--Gulp
A knight before Alexander swallowed his saliva while witnessing how Ulrich butchered the soldiers mercilessly. Every time he made a cut, dozens of soldiers fell with their limbs severed, and their blood raining down the floor.
This was the first time they saw the greatness of the so-called Knight who served directly under the King on the battlefield; it was indeed unequivocally a marvelous sight.
Groans from the dying men filled the space and corpses started piling up on the ground. Although Ulrich was bathed with blood, he seemed still fully vigorous as he passionately charged at the enemies around him without stopping.
Normally, when seeing one versus many, the one man would end in no time, however, this one was different. In his eyes, it looked more like a massacre rather than a war. Ulrich slaughtered the enemy effortlessly like chopping tofu.
'If Sir Ulrich, who is a King's Escort Knight, is this strong, then how strong is an Imperial Paladin?'
Just thinking about it made the Knight grimace in horror.
'Imagine, when you are just an ordinary knight and then you encounter someone like Sir Ulrich…'
He shivered and immediately shook his head. For the first time in his life, he had never been this happy that he was part of the Empire.
"Haa…"
Alexander breathed out a sigh of relief. He thought that he would really die this time. He lifted his head and watched how Ulrich danced with his blade.
All of his steps were beneficial and his attack struck the enemy effectively. He didn't make any unnecessary moves, everything was on point and Alexander loved how Ulrich just sliced off the enemy that got in his way.
Even after watching him perform Aura Blade many times in the past, he never disappointed him. His sword style was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the Empire.
Alexander's golden eyes rolled when he glimpsed Fedel hopping into the enemy rearguard among the shadows; he was infiltrating.
One by one the soldiers slumped down with their necks spurting blood without being able to put up a fight. Seeing a man next to him abruptly sink, he shouted.
"Wh-what happened to–!"
But before he finished his words, Fedel slit his throat while moving, and he dropped down. As numerous soldiers suddenly fell with blood spewing from their necks without knowing the cause, panic broke out and their formation began to alter.
No wonder that old man rejected his request, and it turned out that he aimed to distort their rear defenses. Well, it was understandable, he was an assassin after all.
–Drop!
Alexander was startled when something fell on his head. He involuntarily looked at the sky and…
–Drop!
It landed on his forehead once, twice, and drizzle poured down from the clouds hanging above. Soon, the rain became heavy and soaked his body, Alexander murmured.
"It's… raining."
Now he understands what that brat planned. He intended to stop the fire so the chance of refugees burned into crisps lessened.
The battle was halted once more. They were confused, they couldn't comprehend why it was suddenly raining. Ulrich stretched out his hands and watched how the water filled and mixed with blood in his palm.
The earthy scent filled the atmosphere as it drenched the soil and washed away the blood. Fedel hid behind a tent while studying the area and little by little the flames started to diminish.
'Prince Damian…'
Only.
"Cough, cough!"
Damian suddenly knelt and used his hands to support his body, preventing his body from kissing the dirt.
"Cough, cough!"
Blood spurted out from his mouth as he coughed.
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