Chapter 114

Chapter 114Usually, Leonard wouldn’t have much trouble dealing with Sword Manipulation Arts, but his current situation was extremely dangerous. Both of his swords were stuck in a deadlock with his opponent’s cutlasses, so he didn’t have the option of blocking, dodging, or anything else. At this rate, Herman’s third cutlass would pierce right through his defenseless self.

Should he protect himself with an augmented energy shield? No, that would be a bad idea. If he siphoned his augmented sword energy while they were still in a deadlock, his body would be cut in two. It would be like losing two pieces to take one.

He clicked his tongue at the dilemma. Tsk. I might have to push myself a bit.

As the cutlass inched closer and closer, Leonard decided to use one of his hidden cards. However, he hadn’t perfected the move yet. He hadn’t been planning to use it until he could nullify the rebound.

But Herman’s new technique was too dangerous.

Five Elements and Six Divinities Art

Crimson Crown Sun

He secretly made his move, and tendrils of energy resembling black flames flared out from beneath his feet and dug into the ground. This was an advanced application of the fundamental principle of “flaring up” in movement arts.

Light Burning Heat Stride: Illusion

Sky-Piercing Flames

There was a small boom! at Leonard’s heels as he launched forward. His momentum was so powerful that the deadlocked blades flung toward Herman.

Taken by surprise, Herman instinctively reinforced his Aura. It was the obvious response, but that was also part of Leonard’s plan.

“What?!” The fierce tension at the ends of his blades was no longer there.

Since he used Sword Manipulation spontaneously without having time to prepare, it won’t be that fast. If I break out of the deadlock and retreat back, I’ll still be able to dodge it in time. Searᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

There was a bigger blast than earlier as Vermillion Bird Qi burst from his feet. Just as Herman was about to throw him off, Leonard leaped back a few meters, creating distance between them. His opponent’s cutlass pierced through his afterimage, which shimmered like a mirage before it disappeared. If the boy had moved just a moment too late, the blade would have impaled his heart with perfect aim.

Even though he successfully escaped, Leonard gritted his teeth. Maybe this move is too risky after all. I like the way it uses the Vermillion Bird Qi’s explosive power, but changing directions too fast can damage my acupoints.

Leonard wasn’t seriously injured, but his wounds weren’t light either. If it weren’t for the talent and physique afforded to him by the Cardenas bloodline and the Five Elements True Dragon Ring’s ability to regulate internal energy, he would have immediately thrown up blood.

Even at regular speeds, shifting too fast could cause nausea, but the two of them were currently in a world moving hundreds of times faster than normal. If he used this outrageous technique in his previous body, over half of his eight extraordinary meridians would have ruptured.

“Three cutlasses at once? I suppose you don’t carry four swords around for nothing,” Leonard said casually, swords lowering. Despite everything, he didn’t show any signs that he was in pain or bleeding internally and maintained a cool face. His voice didn’t shake in the slightest.

Herman didn’t see through him. “Wow, you dodged with perfect timing. I can’t believe I still missed even after drawing a third cutlass. You’re embarrassing the hell out of me,” he said in a voice mixed with admiration.

“You were a little slow to the draw. As if you haven’t used it in a long time.”

“Actually, you’re right. I’ve barely fought with anyone who deserves to see two cutlasses, let alone three, so I’ve lost my touch. Though, if I’m fighting you, it shouldn’t take long for it to come back.”

The third cutlass had returned to Herman at some point after missing its target and was now floating above his head. It had the same platinum aura as the ones in Herman’s hands, and the sight of it intimidated Leonard greatly.

He might be better trained in Sword Manipulation than even me.

In his past life, the Sword Emperor had only wielded swords by hand until he was toppled by the Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-Jin. Though he had been in the midst of training in Flying Sword techniques and Sword Manipulation, he hadn’t been proficient enough to use it while fighting the Supreme Ten Venerables and the Seven Absolutes.

However, while Herman Melville’s Sword Manipulation technique seemed rough around the edges, he’d already spent over a decade wielding four swords.

“From now on, it’ll be three against two. I don’t suppose you’ll say it’s unfair?”

“Of course not.”

“Ha! I knew you’d say that.”

Since Leonard had beaten Herman to the punch in their clash, the man took one step forward while Leonard stood face-to-face with him. Leonard changed the element of his augmented sword energy. It cycled back to Black Tortoise Qi, giving off a black glow.

Herman stared for a moment, in awe that Leonard could change the color of his Aura on command. Then he charged without another word. The force behind his three cutlasses was incredible.

Though the Black Tortoise Forms focused on defense, they weren’t entirely without offensive capabilities. Most laypersons didn’t know that soldiers’ attack frequency and combativeness increased significantly when they were equipped with shields. Psychologically, having a shield made one feel safer, and on top of that, charging with an upright shield could easily turn into an offensive move.

Black Tortoise Twenty-Sixth Form

Burning Metal Fortress: Peak

Leonard’s black swords crossed, creating a shield as durable as a castle wall. The destructive power of augmented energy was also capable of quickly becoming defensive. Its duality made it like a metal fortress surrounded by a moat of boiling lava. Making a single misstep could lead to death.

Leonard faced Herman’s three cutlasses.

“Ahahaha! God, I’m getting chills!”

In martial arts, attacking was always slightly more disadvantageous than defending. Even though Herman knew this, he didn’t stop his advance.

Blade Dancing

Trio

His swords danced flamboyantly, intensifying his movements. Even though his number of blades had only increased by one, his destructive potential had more than doubled.

Leonard sensed that his opponent was trying to break through Burning Metal Fortress head-on. As he stood against the enormous force, he quietly used another trick he had up his sleeve.

But Leonard suddenly sensed a serious intent to kill from his opponent for the first time as Herman conjured a ghastly apparition.

Book of Mythology

Cerberus

Three heads. Six eyes. And even a deep blue mane made of flames that flickered like hellfire.

The boy felt a chill go down his spine as his sixth sense screamed that Herman’s attack was not something he could meet with just Burning Metal Fortress. The reinforced shield he’d made with the Black Tortoise Form could withstand a barrage of lightning bolts without breaking, but it wasn’t strong enough to handle a lethal move from Herman.

“Hey! Don’t die like a wimp, okay?” the man called, seeming assured of his victory. His cutlasses flew toward Leonard’s Fortress.

Herman’s ultimate skill replicated the mythological guard dog of the underworld and also mimicked its power and movements. His cutlasses swung forward like giant paws and dug into the black shield.

Claaaaang—!!

As Leonard’s augmented energy qi technique bore the attack from a mythological age, the Burning Metal Fortress began to crack here and there. Leonard was shocked by Herman’s destructive power, while Herman was shocked by Leonard’s defensive capabilities.

Both of them realized that their opponent still had more tricks up their sleeve.

“Your power is ridiculous! But I’ll still get through!”

Then, Herman made three or four more hits and destroyed the shield. He swiftly charged forward.

But by the time he was done, Leonard had already finished preparing his defenses.

From now on, we can’t clash head-on.

He had to avoid straight, frontal attacks as much as possible. He couldn’t be caught in a deadlock again. Since he only had two swords while his opponent had three, if he lost the option to block or dodge again, it would instantly be over.

However, Leonard was on the defensive, which gave him a small edge. He was also slightly better at swordplay. These two things gave him a tiny advantage, which was why he could pull off fighting three swords with two.

Clang!

Their blades met tens, no, hundreds of times, but only made one noise. Their clashes were so fast and sharp that the human ear could only pick up on that singular sound.

“...”

“...”

At some point, the two fell into a trance, their movements refined to achieve the peak of swordplay.

Stab. Horizontal cut. Vertical cut. Downward swing. Upward swing. Long thrust. Short thrust. Carve.

They used the Eight Principles of Yong, which were only supposed to be basic moves. But they broke through its limits and brought it to a level of deep understanding. As five swords cut and stabbed, they even shred sound itself. The space between the two opponents went silent, full of ferocity.

Swoosh!

Herman’s attack was the slightest bit off, but he still penetrated Leonard’s energy shield and cut his flesh. He smoothly sliced through his shoulder, spilling fresh blood, while Leonard dug his own sword deep into Herman’s right side, reaching all the way to his intestines.

Their wounds were so severe that if they didn’t instinctively use mana to stop the bleeding and close their wounds, they could have collapsed within seconds.

Regardless, they started moving even more ferociously.

Clang!

Dozens of exchanges occurred in the time it took to blink once.

The three-headed guard dog and the tortoise with a snake for a tail ripped into each other, neither backing down.

But it gradually became more clear who was winning.

“Kuh!” Leonard took another step back as his hand started bleeding. The blood dripped all the way down to his elbow.

He was losing.

Though Herman was slightly inferior as a swordsman, he was becoming more used to Leonard’s fighting style the longer the battle went on, and Leonard didn’t even have the leeway to regain his footing when he was already fighting three swords with two. When there was a fight between two equally matched masters, once one started falling behind, it was hard for them to catch up.

Claaaaang!

And this was one such situation. It wouldn’t be easy for Leonard to escape his predicament.

“It’s over!” Herman bellowed fiercely as he broke out of his trance. He locked his two cutlasses into Leonard’s two swords while the third flew through the air, aiming for the boy’s neck.

It wasn’t possible for Leonard to escape using the same method he’d used earlier. Using the same move twice when fighting a Transcendence Tier master was practically begging for death.

So, if Leonard wanted to prevail, he had no other choice but to use something Herman would never see coming.

Now.

He finally laid down the card he’d been saving.

Five Elements Style, One Sword Style

Black Tortoise Extra Form: Dragontail Sword

A sword lying down on the ground responded to his call. He’d secretly placed it when Herman had been preparing Cerberus.

Fortunately, the sword was right behind his opponent.

Leonard activated a mind art using his upper dantian, filling the sword to the brim with Black Tortoise Qi and dying it black. It shot out violently.

“What?!” Herman whipped around, utterly shocked. He pulled away the cutlasses he’d been using to push back Leonard and switched to a defensive stance.

Lucky for him, the sword came from quite a distance, so if he blocked immediately, all it would do was push him back a few steps.

Five Elements Style, One Sword Style

White Tiger Extra Form: Mountain Deity Strike

A fourth sword shot out from Leonard’s subspace pouch.

Fwoooo—!

The blade, pulsing with a white augmented sword energy, flew toward Herman, who was now defenseless.

Leonard had set this trap from the very beginning. He’d been waiting for this moment.

He wasn’t prolific enough yet at wielding five swords at once, and he was far less trained in wielding even four compared to his opponent.

But if he aimed for Herman’s weak spot, he could make up for the difference.

Blade Dancing

Quartet

Book of Storms

Just as the man had been about to put an end to the battle, the tides turned against him, and he frantically drew his fourth cutlass to block the attack.

But the force behind the blow damaged his organs.

“Cough!”

As his Aura was disturbed, blood spilled from his mouth and his injuries.

Despite the fact that the intensity of the pain and bleeding could cause even someone in the Transcendence Tier to pass out, Herman’s defense did not waver. He had the talent to be a Sword Demon within him, so much so that Leonard was willing to acknowledge that they were of the same kind.

“...So you can use four swords too! Amazing!” Even as his body swayed, he laughed uproariously, showing no signs of retreating or flinching.

Herman was having a lot of fun fighting a boy who was in the External Force Tier. The boy was even using techniques very similar to his own. If this was his reward for spending all those boring years under Pablo, perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all.

The swordsmen, even after injuring each other no small number of times, looked at each other and grinned as they performed an opening display in unison.

“Unfortunately for you, there’s more.” A fifth sword floated up from behind Leonard. And at last, he assumed a stance that could be called the ultimate form of the Five Elements Style.

Even though he couldn’t extract even half the power of its full potential, if he poured everything he had into just one short bout, he could make up for the lack of experience.

Both Herman and Leonard were reaching their limits.

The next round would determine the winner.

“Five against four. I don’t suppose you’ll say it’s unfair?” Leonard said, returning Herman’s words against him.

His opponent was stunned for a second, but then he burst into laughter and bared his teeth. “Ha! Of course not. Hey, if you have anything else up your sleeve, bring it on!”

“Do you really think I’d hold anything back at this point? Five swords is my maximum.”

“Really? I suppose that means both of us are almost out of juice.”

Leonard readied his five swords.

Herman prepared his four cutlasses.

Both of them were almost out of stamina and mana. They were so exhausted that even if they simply stood still, they would stop being able to use Sword Manipulation in a matter of minutes. The swordsmen knew this and summoned every last drop of energy and poured it into their weapons.

Radiant augmented energy emanated from nine blades.

“Let’s begin.”

Having the tiniest edge, Leonard made the first move. His swords, which had fallen into the Five Elements Sword Formation, responded to his command and flew into the air.

Five Elements Style

Yellow Dragon First Form: Cloud Dragon Momentum Shift

After only being able to use the Yellow Dragon Form in his Mindscape, it finally unfolded in reality.