Chapter 21 - Duel of the Ages III, Fenrir Clan’s Honor
Krist lunged toward Rastul at extreme speed. KACHING!! Afterimages constantly displayed a movement art that was refined beyond perfection. Even Rastul could comprehend such a feat.
Such perfect footwork! It’s almost like he’s flying! Rastul could barely keep up facing an overpowered enemy.
“HEUP!” By the skin of his teeth, Rastul had evaded the fatal lunge.
Those reflexes are astonishing! Krist was surprised that Rastul had evaded such an attack, although, there was no intent to kill.
Not letting up, Krist proceeded to slash upward with the knife: “Is defending your best ploy?” Displaying the difference between skill and sophistry in speech, Krist undeniably made all witnesses believe in the Demigod. In sequence with the slash, Krist performed the Aerial Axe Kick from a diagonal direction which dented the steel armor Rastul had equipped.
He’s making him struggle that much! Loutch could see through his friend. Still… Rastul is one level above in terms of swordsmanship. Comparing his sword skills with Rastul, Loutch understood that he may lose. It should only be “I” who is second to none with Krist! Loutch was fired up, his worldview had expanded thanks to these series of duels.
The pillar of our kingdom is having such a hard time?! General Otto could not conceive what was being shown.
“TCH!” Rastul made an approach that seemed like his last. I won’t make this out alive! There’s a living “monster” in Lukedonia! Resolved to get one hit in, Rastul made his final ploy.
It was a combination of five moves called, “Duplieren: Doubling.” Practiced by true masters of the sword, these series of movements lead to performing a fatal last blow.
Several sword strikes from left to right, turning the short edge to slash the unguarded face. Such a technique is taught mostly to active Knights in the nobility. Many countries have their respective swordmasters who have fully mastered this skill.
However, the Limitless Sword Formation has perfectly parried all the attacks. Krist did nothing but stand still and grinning at Rastul’s last play.
Not only did mastering Duplieren take a thousand duels, but reacting against it would take ten thousand battles! Rastul could instinctively feel it. Krist not only comprehended the skill but could fully respond to the pinnacle of swordsmanship techniques.
Drip. Drip.
From the side of Rastul, a considerable slash was made and blood was slowly gushing out. Fortunately, the recovery rate of Aura Knights at the 4-Star, regeneration would be close to a superhuman.
“Very well. It’s about time I stopped toying with you. Kuku!” Krist made sure to not sully the battle by overpowering the enemy, but, to honor Rastul as he and the whole of the Carceron Kingdom would one day fall to the hands of Krist.
?!
That’s! Rastul had witnessed many things in his life, but, never at the level that Krist had shown. Void Step! Those who have fully mastered the footwork or Qinggong Arts could walk on space rather than any material known. To reach such a level, one must already be capable of seamlessly walking on air with no difficulty.
Ascending gracefully to the sky, afterimages made their way to Rastul as if darkness was about to enshroud him whole. The technique that Krist was going to perform was called “Army of Shadows,” an Ultimate Technique originated from the Divine Art of the Lionturtle Breath; Requiem.
What looked like illusions of shadows that perfectly resembled the Demigod, Rastul had been deceived and was struck by a brilliant light that looked like a slash from a knife.
“K-Krist!!!” First Sergeant Bolsir exclaimed. His face was of surprise and relief that things had gone in a dominating favor for Lukedonia. A strategic man, through and through.
On bended knees and clasping the wound that was gushing out blood, Rastul spoke, “What is the name of that skill?”
“Requiem,” Krist spoke plainly that sounded indifferent. The name was poetic itself and was meant to teach the young swordsman the very pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Requiem is a learned skill that is achieved through fully mastering the Divine Art of Lionturtle Breath. Any practitioner that reaches such a level could perform a brilliant and dark onslaught of attacks with Shadow Doppelgangers. Such an attack displayed those who understand and fully comprehend light and darkness. Currently, Krist and Laciel are the only ones to have fully mastered the Mana Breathing Method, the Divine Art of Lionturtle Breath.
“Rastul!” General Otto hurriedly entered the battlefield.
“The enemy has broken the parley! All forces advance! Protect the Demigod!” Sergeant Bolsir instantly reacted to the actions of the Carceron Kingdom in this parley.
“Now that would look like you’re breaking the rules,” Formless Sword Formation had surrounded the General.
“I beg of you, allow me to take Rastul!” General Otto pleaded to the victor and kneeled. “He is to be of the next leading generation. I beseech you, Demigod!”
?!
The people of the battlefield witnessed something astonishing. Internally, Krist knew that Otto would do anything to keep Rastul alive, after all, their youngest Swordmaster would have been a grave depletion of talent in the Carceron Kingdom.
“To think that the Fenrir Clan would show such honor?!” Although Krist’s words may be harsh, he was merely playing the natural progression of things. Therefore, the right words needed to be said for things to go smoothly. Of course, this would be all done through the Demigod’s hands.
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“You dare to kneel before the enemy for a single soldier? Does the Fenrir Clan know such a thing as ‘honor?!’” Krist had struck the heart of the enemy’s General. “Go on.” Krist nodded and was a symbol for the enemy General to take Rastul away.
Dare to forget what happened on this day! Krist telepathically sent a message to Otto.
“That was!” Reddas was awestruck.
“Impressive!” Loutch strutted toward Krist and the rest of the party.
“Sir Krist! We are prepared to charge!” The cavalrymen sent by Sergeant Bolsir had also arrived.
Stampede! Stampede!
From the adjacent side of the battlefield and the other adjacent end, Ser Barristan Selmy and Hal Chirdinj led 350 Aura Soldiers respectively, and were going for a charge.
Halt.
In the midst of what could be the destruction of the soldiers of Carceron Kingdom, a single telepathic message was sent to everyone on the battlefield. The Demigod spoke.
Escort the Fenrir Clan away from the battlefield and show them what “honor” looks like.
Listening to the declaration from the one who is hailed as, Demigod, Lukedonia followed the order under full submission. General Otto carried Rastul and retreated alongside the rest of the enemy troops.
“I surmise you have a scheme in play?” Ser Barristan Selmy posed a question for his liege lord.
I’ve shown the example in which that young man could achieve “Sainthood” with the sword. The rest is up to him. Krist had masterfully played the series of duels with perfection and could not have imagined a better scene. Grow and become a “Sword King” the next we meet!
“We’re joining Count Van Solidor! Rally the troops!” Krist replied.
***
Count Ludwig Van Solidor comes from the long line of bodyguards that protected the founding Emir of Lukedonia. From then on, the Van Solidor House had been elevated to Countand was tasked to guard the borders.
Count Ludwig has achieved the Master ranking of being a 5-Star Knight, although, an old Swordmaster with a terminal illness. Such a disease was from a past wound that was seared with a poison that slowly kills the affected over time. Such a poison was the first of its kind to be unable to be detected due to its microscopic size and the effect it has on the affected. Eventually, it was too late and the cancer was bound to kill Count Ludwig.
However, such things were meaningless in the face of the Swordmaster who easily charged forward on horseback and killed tens of enemy soldiers. “AARGHH!” One by one, regiment after regiment, Count Ludwig was gaining ground, however, at a cost.
“Ugh!” Count Ludwig had coughed out blood. Spat! While dealing with an unexpected blunder that could lead to anyone’s death in battle, a stray arrow was about to hit the Count’s head.
Slash!
That is before Forris Zecht entered the scene. He had fully caught up with the Count before slaying hundreds of enemy soldiers. With that, Brigadier General Forris Zecht could fully entrust Count Ludwig’s army to finish the rest and join His Excellency.
“Don’t strain yourself!” Zecht beseeched his lord father.
“Enemy at the rear!” Lukedonia had announced an unforeseen variable amidst the chaos. “The Fenrir Clan approaches!”
“I will intercept them,” General Zecht knew where he was needed.
“Live,” This may have been the kindest sentiment that Count Ludwig was able to express in his old and wizened age. The Swordmaster knew that Forris Zecht was the obvious choice to pass down the status of Count to him, however, due to being born a bastard such things were impossible in the eyes of nobility. Still, Count Ludwig thought it a shame and advised Forris to submit to Axel as liege lord. It was a shortsighted suggestion emanating from a man whose days were numbered.
“...” Zecht perfectly understood his lord father's sentiment, even though a single word was spoken. It was the silence and the intonation of the word that had resonated with the heart. “I bid you farewell, father.”
“At long last.” An enemy soldier with a scar on the cheek stepped forward. “You say your final goodbyes?” General Heinrich of House Fenrir was among the few leading executives of the esteemed warrior clan. A considerable scar on the General’s face connected to the sides of the lips.
“You’ve grown,” Count Ludwig had recognized that the young man who was close to his 30s was on the level of a Swordmaster. The two have had chance encounters in the past and Count Ludwig had always been the victor. However, this day would be different.
Before the commencement of the war, Count Ludwig had sent a private letter to his old adversary, Ludis Von Heinrich, Count of the Carceron Kingdom and General of the Fenrir Clan. The reason was a request for a duel of death. Of course, this was a warrior’s way of ending things. Count Ludwig had no intentions of succumbing to an old injury and fully resolved to end things through the blade.
While the Count from their respective countries were clashing, the rest of Lukedonia struggled to keep up against the Talbot Elite from Carceron.
“Spare me..!”
“Kuhhk..!”
“Watch out! Assemble a defensive formation!” Out of the disarray and chaos ensuing on the battlefield, an Officer of Lukedonia desperately issued an order.
A worthy soldier followed the Officer’s order and led the platoon. “Clack!” Shields blocked the enemy’s strike and repelled the damage.
“Kuhh..!” Unfortunately, an enemy soldier was able to stab the soldier’s calves.
“This fucker!” Immediately, the enemy soldier was cleanly stabbed in the throat. “Kuuh..”
Dear God... It ends like this… The soldier's entire life flashed before him and a Carceron soldier was about to go for the kill.
KACHING!!
That is until Krist had arrived and smoothly decapitated the enemy soldier. From the eyes of the soldier who had thought to meet his end, the sight of Saix cleaving a man in half and Reddas slicing the enemy with an axe had stampeded the battlefield and caused a major shift.
Knight Krist and his cavalrymen?! Instantly the group was recognized as the Demigod’s assemblage of men who have sworn allegiance. How are they so powerful? The group had shown an overwhelming difference in all attributes as each member of the force had completely learned the Divine Art of Lionturtle Breath for certain members and the Great Art of Lionturtle Breath for the rest. This fundamental difference is what separates them from the rest of the world as a fully realized individual with a Neidan and a Dantian can perform supernatural feats thanks to the reinforcement and foundation of the Mana Breathing Method. Moreover, the manipulation of mana is considered second to none as opposed the rest of the world.
Gallop! Gallop!
Krist hurried to where the energy location of Count Ludwig was at. The final moments.. I’ve always wondered why you intended to end things this way… Krist was thinking internally as to why Count Ludwig.
Affirming the precise location of the person of interest, Krist had seen General Heinrich slash the Count’s neck.
Slit!
It was a fatal slash and the wound was deep. There would be no way of recovering from such an attack.