Chapter 60: Escape (3)

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my mana, enveloping myself in its protective energy. I steadied my nerves and focused on the task ahead, knowing that perfect timing was crucial.

'NOW!'

And then, with a burst of speed, I dashed forward, crossing the invisible barrier of the wards.

As expected, the formations activated immediately, their lines flaring with energy. An electric current surged through my body, painful and jarring, making me limp for a split second.

"Gah!" I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to push through the pain.

The mana coating my body absorbed most of the shock, allowing me to recover quickly.

'As expected, the formations can only affect the Awakened of Second-Stage.'

That was the reason why I had dared to take the risk. And just as I had expected, it came in handy at this moment.

I could hear the shouts of the patrol behind me, their voices rising in alarm.

"Someone's escaping!"

"Over there! Stop him!"

Ignoring their cries, I shut forward, my legs pumping as I sprinted away from the border of the camp. There were no open fields; instead, I rushed through the dense forest, the trees blurring past me as I moved. The underbrush whipped against my legs, but I barely felt it, my focus entirely on escape.

The patrols shouted behind me, their voices growing fainter as I increased my speed. They were first-stage Awakened, and their prowess was significantly lower than mine. They couldn't match my pace.

Even I was surprised at my speed. I knew I wasn't this fast before. The breakthrough and the absorption of the mana from the vein had enhanced my abilities beyond what I had expected.

'This is incredible,' I thought, my feet barely touching the ground as I moved through the forest with newfound agility. 'I can feel the power coursing through me.'

The forest was thick, but I navigated it with ease, my body responding with precision and grace. The shouts of the patrols grew more distant, their frustration evident in their voices as they failed to keep up.

"Keep going! Don't let him get away!" one of them yelled, but their words were lost in the wind as I surged ahead.

Branches and leaves whipped past me, but I dodged and weaved through them effortlessly. My breathing was steady, my heart pounding with exhilaration rather than fear. The adrenaline pushed me forward, every step carrying me further from the camp and closer to freedom.

I glanced back once, seeing the faint glow of the campfires far behind me, the figures of the patrols barely visible in the distance. They were falling behind, unable to match my speed and stamina.

'They're not catching me,' I realized, a sense of triumph welling up inside me. 'I'm truly free.'

But as if I had jinxed it, I felt a presence.

The presence of something that was approaching me at a rapid speed.

'That is!'

There was no need for me to think as to what it was. The moment I sensed the presence, I also sensed the intent behind the strike.

It was the killing intent.

SWOOSH!

Without hesitation, I dropped into a defensive stance, my instincts taking over. The figure appeared before me in a blur, clad in a dark robe, their weapon gleaming with mana. The strike was swift and lethal, aimed directly at my heart.

My hand moved on its own, grabbing my estoc from its sheath and bringing it up to deflect the incoming blade.

Mana surged through me, coating my weapon in a protective layer. The clash of metal rang through the forest, the force of the blow reverberating up my arm.

CLANG!

The impact sent a shockwave through my body, but I held my ground, gritting my teeth as I pushed back against the attack. The robed figure's eyes glinted with malice, their face obscured by the shadow of their hood.

'Who is this?' I wondered, my mind racing even as I focused on the immediate threat. 'Another enemy, or someone sent to stop me?'

The person under the robe looked at me with cold eyes and said, "You blocked it?"

His cold eyes observed me from top to bottom, the intent behind his gaze sending shivers down my spine. He raised his weapon. It was a sword.

"With your measly strength, you dared to escape, huh? Did you really think the army was a fool? Out of all the personnel, they would let only third-rate soldiers protect the camp?"

The sheer malice and disdain in his voice made my blood run cold, but I couldn't let fear paralyze me.

"….But, from how it looks, you are not that harmed. I see…."

The robed figure's eyes seemed to pierce through me, calculating and ruthless.

"You have an artifact on you, don't you? In that small pouch of yours."

He moved with the confidence of someone who had faced countless battles, and I realized I was facing a truly formidable opponent.

'I see….That was just as I had expected. There was a hidden expert that was waiting for soldiers to escape.'

It was within my expectations.

'But, did he say, my measly strength?'

I thought. The fact that he said that indicated he might not be aware of my true strength.

I speculated that because of my unique condition, they couldn't easily confirm my strength. My abilities had always been a bit of an enigma, even to myself. It made sense that they would misjudge me, especially considering that not even the colonel had realized my true capabilities until now.

'He thinks my protection came from an artifact,' I realized. 'That means he doesn't know I've reached the third stage.'

The robed figure took a step closer, his sword gleaming with menacing energy. "Hand over the artifact, and I might let you live."

"Artifact?" I echoed, playing along to buy myself some time. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb," he snapped, his eyes narrowing. "You think you can fool me?"

'Good.'

I confirmed that he was indeed unable to sense my energy. But looking at him and his presence, I could guess his strength.

'He is a third-stage warrior as well.'

I did not know where he came from, but it was fortunate. Because in a normal clash, I was not confident with myself, as I had just recently broken through.

'He underestimates me,' I thought, a plan forming in my mind. 'I can use that to my advantage.'

"I won't ask again," the figure said, his voice a low growl. "Hand over the artifact, or die."

I feigned hesitation, my eyes darting to the pouch at my side. "Alright," I said slowly, reaching for the pouch. "But you'll regret this."

In a flash, I moved, my estoc slicing through the air with deadly precision. The robed figure's eyes widened in surprise, but he was quick, parrying my strike with a deft movement of his sword.

CLANG!

The force of the clash sent sparks flying, the mana around us crackling with energy.

He rushed at me once again, his blade shining with an intense glow. I deflected his sword, but his strikes were relentless. His sword danced through the air, each movement fluid and precise, a testament to his skill.

CLANK!

The blade was coated with a strong energy, and with each strike, it sent ripples through my body. The impact was jarring, my muscles straining with the effort to keep up.

The man in his attacks resonated with a fierce power, making it clear that he was far beyond an ordinary opponent.

SWOOSH!

His sword came at me from the left, and I barely managed to parry it, my estoc vibrating from the force.

「 Black Blade of Ironclad. Iron Coating.」

I used the energy of my second core, coating my body all across, as I knew his strikes would be impossible to endure. And for another reason a swell.

He followed up with a swift strike from the right, and I twisted my body to avoid the blade. The robed figure's movements were a blur, his attacks unrelenting.

CLANG!

Another clash of our weapons, and I felt the energy from his blade surge through me, making my arms tremble. He pressed his advantage, each strike pushing me further back, each blow sapping my strength.

"You're weak," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You don't stand a chance against me."

I gritted my teeth as if to show that I was in pain. And in fact, I was, but not because of the reason he was thinking of.

Since I had been using [Black Blade of Ironclad], the mana levels he was seeing were only of stage one.

Though that would deceive him, it also did not help me that much as I could only reinforce myself that much.

And at the same time, it was not like I was not enjoying this.

'Clash of swords. A duel one by one.'

In fact, I loved it.

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