Chapter 16 - Legend of Demigod

Krist had assembled exactly 200 Cavalrymen in addition to his friends and was marching on horseback. Most of them were the original 7th Reserve Division of Lukedonia which is now under Knight Krist. You and that Aura Squad had been killed in the past. Those Demonic Creatures were stopped thanks to your ultimate sacrifice. Barristan Selmy, and the 6 Aura Soldiers that would have been further commisioned to the Lord Emir’s Royal Guard, were swooped by the recruitment under Krist Ceringer, the Lord Disciple.

“Not only did you learn to ride horseback, but to have mastered it? Outstanding!” Krist was genuinely praising his friend and was not trying to sound sarcastic.

“It’s because of you, Krist. Your insatiable thirst for improvement is what drives me further to my ‘inner self.’ Maybe one day I’ll become half as talented as you.” Loutch was far more mature and poised for things as opposed to the original lifetime.

You more than make up the half with your magical (Elvhen) origins. Krist took a look at his friend and saw a longbow strapped onto the horse's satchel while Loutch had a magical bow strapped to his back. A Magick Archer is one of the best Job Classes in the world.

“Squad! Halt!” Krist issued the command. “Guard this area!”

“Ay aye, sir!” Ser Barristan Selmy was the leader outside of Krist and his friends. With his rank as a Sergeant Major, the highest rank in the enlisted class, Krist had plans to elevate Barristan in due time. It would be part of his grand scheme.

Ser Barristan Selmy was an upcoming star in Lukedonia’s military at the age of 26, that is, until I, the Medical Sage was able to usurp “The Painter’s” elegant swordsmanship. Still, his future was serving as the Captain of the Royal Imperial Knighthood. And, he was on the verge of entering the Transcendence Realm.

Krist was reminiscing about his former life idol, the senior (older) brother-in-arms he looked up to. Your sacrifice was the ultimate pain. I’ll make sure you guys get your reward in this life. Internally, Krist was satisfied with himself to have someone with the talents of a Swordmaster.

Medical Sage and… Spear King? Barristan Selmy pondered as he looked to the back of his newfound Master. All of the 200 Cavalrymen including “The Painter” and the 6 Aura Soldiers had unofficially sworn themselves to Knight Krist Ceringer.

Barristan was a young man, 26 years old, and the youngest Master recorded in history. Capable of controlling Aura at a (fine) degree and emitting Aura Waves with no loss of efficiency. Therefore, he was at the level of fully deducing whether someone was superior or inferior to him.

“I can fight by his side rather than fighting against him! Kehe!” The Painter expressed himself after waiting for Krist’s call.

“I wonder how much more powerful he’s become?” One of the Aura Soldiers commented.

I can feel it. He’s been a Master for some time! Barristan Selmy was right in his deduction. His confidence skyrocketed, and had found new meaning in serving under such a young man.

Krist and the party trekked the terrain uphill and came to a cliff. The river is in front of us. “Those” guys will arrive there in a bit.

“Enemy spotted,” right on queue, Loutch verbally notified Krist. “How in the hell could you predict such things?” His childhood friend knew that Krist was clever, but to be able to tell future events was something unthinkable. “Reporting exactly 400 Carcerons riding on horseback, specifically, Sleipnirs.” Such horses were a breed that was born for combat and could maneuver in rough and rugged terrain. They can trek the terrain as if it were flat land.

That jet-black mane, Shadowmere, the best horse in the world will be mine! “Well done. Roll out.” After confirming the movements of the enemy soldiers, Krist returned to his group and left for a route that would inevitably collide with the enemy soldiers.

“My soldiers! This is where you get to unleash all your evil!” Krist began his first battle speech as an Aristocrat.

“Where will you be going, Knight Krist?” Ser Barristan Selmy, the next Commander in line asked.

“We shall ‘Blitzkrieg’ the incoming forces from the rear and hit them hard. When you see us, rally the troops and push forward.” The instructions were clear and precise. “Loutch, proceed with the great plan.”

“You got it,” Loutch replied.

Moving along, Krist and the party made haste to the route that would lead to a Carceron Encampment. Neigh! Neigh! The Sleipnirs sensed the cold killing intent that only animals could acutely detect.

“Damn horses! What’s the use if they’re a hassle to take care of?!”

“Who the hell is tha-!” Before the enemy soldier that was eating food, a long arrow had pierced his head. Thwack! The bowmanship was a sight of satisfaction.

“Commander!” From within the enemy camp, a soldier reported to his superior who had gotten out of bed. “Enemies?! Archers?!”

“And a Direwolf is causing a ruckus! The horses are about to stampede!”

“Incompetent buffoon. What the hell’s wrong with you? Can’t you kill a mutt?”

“It can blast magic!”

“What?!”

Carbuncle had grown to the size of a full-grown horse and is nearly blooming into adolescence. The Demonic Stone in the middle of the Direwolf's forehead was a crux, the mediator for mana to manifest into this world. As such, Carbuncle could fully blast a narrow mana laser.

“A magical Direwolf! Holy… it also breathes black fire!” The Carcerons were not able to stop Carbuncle from burning and killing the soldiers and their property.

“The Direwolf’s running! Kill it before it escapes!” From this point, the Carcerons hastily donned their armor and arms and mounted upon the Sleipnirs.

Peddle. Peddle. They were dancing on the palm of Krist’s hand. After peddling for some time, a soldier noticed the group of Cavalrymen from a high altitude, “Black and gold colors…?”

“A Sergeant Major,” one of the Carcerons noticed the uniform donned by the Lukedonians.

“Fools! This route is our means of escape!”

“To hell with the wolf and assemble all forces! We’ll hit them without them knowing!”

The Carcerons rerouted their pedaling and continued to the only escape route for them to retreat and the tremblings of the pedaling could be heard.

!!

“The enemy approaches!” Ser Barristan Selmy, the Sergeant Major and highest ranked on the enlisted side, spoke with the accent of a poet. While the two were fighting, Krist and company would ambush the Carcerons from the rear.

“There are 40 of them. Are you going by yourself?” Saix deduced the enemy numbers.

“You would doubt yourself now? Of course, you guys will be joining in on the party,” Krist replied and relieved his comrades. “Don’t doubt your ‘internal strength,’ it's what you're born with after all.” With such assurance, Saix went into battle with the belief of handling things on his end as if he were fighting alone, the way that Krist had shown to them, that they too must walk their unique paths.

“WHAAA!” Saix performed his Skill, Deathblow, a technique that was developed during cavalry and horseback riding lessons at Hollow Bastion’s Imperial Cavalry Academy. It was a technique devised early on and symbolized the simple fighting style of strength.

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“KAHH!!” And just like that, a Carceron Solider was cut horizontally without resistance.

“Damn! Almost twisted my back! Gotta control my strength!” Saix was genuinely surprised at how much damage a technique could do without infusing Aura.

“What?! Where did that brute come from?!” The Carcerons were wary of the giant soldier.

However, they could do nothing as Saix continued to swing the poleaxe with great strength and precision, “KUKKK!” Multiple bodes were sliced smoothly and instantly decapitated.

On a different part of the battlefield, “ARGH!” Reddas was skillfully decapitating the heads of the enemy soldiers with two double-bladed axes. Considering the short reach of such weapons while mounted on a horse, dexterity, which is the greatest attribute of Reddas, did not do justice as such an unorthodox fighting style is inefficient while on horseback. However, such things were mitigated by experience, which is also one of the specialties of the former slave.

At the forefront, Krist handled the enemies by himself, overpowering and majestic, “Watch out! A Force Master!” Carceron recognized that when a soldier could move at the speed of sound meant that a Master Knight was present.

“It’s the Medical Sage! The rumors were true, he’s a Master!” Carceron could see the mana emanating from Krist.

I can’t show too much. Now that Krist was a Master, he could no longer lower his level at a certain point. Whenever Krist would move his spear, each movement was after-images displayed too fast for the enemy to comprehend.

“None of you will make it to tell the tale,” Krist assured the Carcerons that was something that could not be denied. Twiddling the spear as if it were a sharp extension of the body. It was as if a rapid hurricane was unleashed every time Krist spun the spear in a deadly fashion.

40 Carceron Soldiers were nothing in the face of a Transcendent and four Peak Realm Martial Masters. In reality, it did not take a long time, less than an hour.

“That didn’t take long at all,” Saix had made known his newfound power.

“Indeed,” Krist affirmed the tall Knight. “We have all become exponentially stronger.”

***

As the battle raged on from the rear, the frontline troops were holding most of the enemy troops pretty well as 400 Cavalrymen from Carceron kept coming in wave after wave. Barristan Selmy led the 200 Calvarymen from Lukedonia in a spectacular fashion befitting a Sergeant Major. His fame as The Painter grew more in this battle.

There’s no end to them… Aura Soldier, Henry Chirdinj (Hal), gutted the enemy soldier, “GAH!” The 6 Aura Soldiers began as a group directly under Ser Barristan Selmy as they belonged to the same Division. Hal, specifically, was the very first to have sworn his fealty to Barristan Selmy. Unlike most orthodox soldiers around the world, Hal had a trade and was a Master Blacksmith, capable of forging steel.

The squad is made up of the former 7th Reserve Division who eventually became the official 7th Division. Rumors went about saying that each soldier was capable of manifesting Sword Ki, the lesser form of Blade Energy. However, for some of them to fully emit Sword Energy?! We could take on a thousand enemy soldiers!

Henry Chirdinj had a bright mind. He was a noble-born who signed a commissioned contract to join The Imperial Army. Born from the House Chirdinj, a mixed breed between the Western and Eastern people, one ethnicity was blessed with martial prowess, whereas, the other half had a mind for governing. This was Hal, gifted like Barristan, but younger, around 20 years of age after serving 6 years in The Imperial Army.

Still, this is a battle of attrition. Their horses are superior in terms of maneuverability. At the end of the day, the ones with the most poise and experience wins the day! Hal witnessed the power of just 200 Cavalrymen who had been with Krist since the beginning.

Just when Hal was stuck in thought, a long arrow passed by in front and pierced the enemy soldier who was about to kill Hal, “THWACK!”

“Archers?!” The group that was surrounding Hal began to communicate.

“Identify his position at once!” The Carcerons were slowly losing ground in the skirmish, but, were gradually losing morale that they could win.

A long arrow? It must be… Hal remembered the people who were close to Krist. Loutch! The ‘Demon Bow,’ also known as ‘Hawkeye.’ His reputation was growing like fire beyond what Krist had anticipated. Loutch Lawliet was just one level below that of a Bow King. This was the level that Krist had wanted for Loutch to enter at the climax of the war.

From above the terrain, Loutch was sniping enemies one by one with perfect precision. If he had wanted to, he could close his eyes and see with mana and would be perfect with an even better accuracy. This was the level that Loutch was currently at with bowmanship.

“Slow progress, you say?” Loutch was reminiscing about his time with the Trick Lord and undergoing the hellish training regiment. At this juncture of the story, Loutch was about to unlock Enlightenment.

“It’s frustrating to say, but yes.” Loutch was straightforward. “Progress has always been slow for those who fight using a bow, and it is the same with mana as well. Compared to the others, I sometimes felt the growth was becoming much slower.”

“Very well. Follow me,” Triquell picked up the bow and a quiver of arrows, “Don’t forget yours as well.”

The Trick Lord guided Loutch to the long-range training ground for Rangers, “People who use the longbow like you are uncommon. Most archers use the shortbow for quicker release but shorter aiming distance.” Triquell looked at the target and looked at Loutch. Release arrow. Without even looking at the target, the long arrow hit the middle of the target.

“Bullseye,” Loutch was impressed. The Trick Lord had merely glanced at the target and was able to perfectly hit the center target in one attempt.

“Your quick release and draw time is the same as if you were using a shortbow. Not only that, you could hunt a target from a great distance. What you're lacking will soon present itself to you and when it does… power was within you all along.” The Trick Lord proceeded to fire numerous arrows from a single draw and hit the target without a second glance. “I have learned that belief in oneself is the greatest strength to overcome all obstacles.” Triquell handed a long arrow to Loutch and ended the lesson. “Never forget that, Loutch.”

Returning to the present time, Loutch had completed his Enlightenment amidst the battlefield. Trick Lord, you have my gratitude… Loutch Lawliet had fully entered the realm of a Force Master, but, had yet to undergo a Body Reformation. Nonetheless, having a Master on the battlefield would surely tilt the scales.

“There he is! Kill him!!” The Carcerons were numerous and hated the enemy that had killed their brothers.

By gathering 10 long arrows, Loutch released the bowstring and perfectly pierced the heads of the enemy soldiers. A truly prodigious display of a longbow and fighting from a long distance.

“THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!” “THWACK!”

“They’re barely getting close.” Loutch was surprised at how effective he had become without using Aura. He had gotten the Title of “Demon Bow” when sniping enemies from stealth and infusing Aura into the arrows. The act of killing whilst in stealth and using a highly technical skill like imbuing Aura was a prolific accomplishment. Such people were destined to become a Master.

Returning to the frontlines, Ser Barristan Selmy and Hal were beginning to wane, though, they had effectively killed off most of the enemy soldiers. Even for them, 400 Cavalrymen who used the tactic of assaulting wave after wave was quite the cutthroat approach.

Inhale. Exhale.

Barristan Selmy objectively entered the Transcendence some time ago but has yet to undergo Body Reformation much like Loutch Lawliet. This was crucial and Barristan could take on a hundred by himself if such a thing had occurred. Nonetheless, Krist had swooped in right on time before the scales would tilt to Carceron’s side.

“Make way! We’ll handle the frontline!!” Krist came in by twiddling the spear that produced whirlwinds solely by strength alone.

“The remaining enemy’s rear is destroyed! Erase the remaining forces!” Loutch was following behind Krist and alerted the allying troops.

“You know what needs to be done. Kill them,” Krist spoke loudly but with a subtle intonation. The command to kill was something that Krist spoke softly and never with a heightened voice.

Shortly after, Krist was witnessed killing the Carcerons in a way that was “godly.” None of his skills, techniques, or even the winds that were produced could accurately be tracked in real-time. Krist was far too fast as evidenced by the after-images produced with each movement. “AHHHH!” Some enemy soldiers were unfortunate enough to feel pain, whereas, most died instantly. Such cries made the atmosphere seem as if a torture chamber was being played in an open field.

Saix continued his slaughter by cutting down the enemy forces with one swing. No one was his equal in strength. Reddas portrayed an astute and experienced fighter. Very nimble for a dual axe-wielder. Loutch sniped the enemies while keeping track of the entire battlefield. And lastly, Laciel was also like Barristan Selmy, a Swordmaster. But the only thing that sets the two apart is that Laciel is optimized to be a “Killing Blade,” instead of a “Knightly Blade.” Laciel is considered to be the most efficient user of Aura due to his hidden bloodline as an Aristocrat. It is common knowledge that Noble-born people are innately talented with mana.

Krist has grown this much?!! It’s like I’m watching a “Demigod” on horseback!” Ser Barristan Selmy was astonished at the sight of Krist and the party.

“You’ve done well, The Painter,” Krist greeted his senior with satisfaction that such a character was able to be recruited under his authority as an Aristocrat.

“They’re preparing another charge! Let’s rally the remaining troops!” Loutch took command of the battlefield as he was the next in line after Krist.

“Beware, their horses are better on rugged terrain! Form two lines and seal this passage!” Loutch was excellent in giving out orders as the training during Ranger School was adept at instilling leadership skills.

“You can take a break if you want, Barristan,” Krist held a devilish grin. It was as if the statement was half-joking, but, was understood that this situation meant nothing to the person who said such a thing.

Absurd…

With those thoughts, the Swordmaster who was on the path to becoming a legend himself, thought Krist to be someone on the level of a Demigod (Grandmaster).