Chapter 129: Total War With Proxia (5)

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.nove(l)bi(n.)com

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.

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.