The other members of the renovation team looked blankly at the dead bodies on the ground, and then at Kairos.
Everything happened in an instant. So quickly that it is likely none of the dead realised they were killed before passing on to the next life.
The foreman stammered, “Young master, surely you are not planning to wage a war?”
The others reeled back at his words. They again looked at the direction Kairos was staring and realised it is in the direction of the gnomes embassy.
Surely not?
Kairos laughed, as if a great burden had been lifted from him and said, “Why stay my hand?”
At that moment, there was a blinding flash of purple light covering the room as Kairos briefly released his mana. When sight returned his clothes changed into the white robes that he like to wear on Gaia.
The robes fluttered without wind aroused by the frightening magic released from him. Holy and Life magic entwined the fabrics and seemed to make him glow.
Kairos slowly tied up his long black hair for the coming battle which sparkled like the stars of the night sky in the dim crystal lights.
A long shimmering sword with a tinge of blue on its steel appeared on the lad’s hand. This is the weapon Kairos forged to gain Edgar’s approval.
Then, the he took a step forward. Instantly the wall in front of him broke apart to reveal a hole tall enough for a human to walk through.
A frightening Sword Aura swept around him.
Kairos is not an established swordsman like Jones and do not have his Sword Mastery, but nevertheless, his presence now is no weaker.
He continued towards the gnomes’ embassy, taking each step forward slowly like a regular person instead of a cultivator, yet the pressure emitted is enough to suffocate those in his path.
Like a sharp blade is cutting through, the sparingly few drunks and partygoers in the street scrambled away, pissing their pants and whimpering.
Those dealing with shady businesses in the alley went deathly pale as he passed, in that moment they felt as though the sword of judgement hanged above their head.
That was the moment in their lives that each of them sincerely repented and prayed to be given a second chance.
At this hour, most of the gnomes in the city had gathered in the embassy, with the exception of those who are still working on baiting Kairos out. Those uninvolved had already travelled back to the Royal Garden City – none of them are willing to live with the dwarves which they secretly despises.
It isn’t wrong to say that there are no gnomes in the city that is innocent.
In the gnomes’ embassy, the leaders of this operation are having a meeting, still oblivious to the approaching danger.
Because of the special status that gnomes enjoy within the dwarven city, the humans and elves came over believing that this is the safest place they could find.
Never did they expect someone would be crazy enough to do a full frontal assault on the embassy.
Unfortunately, they do not know the opponent they face this time.
With a single slash, Kairos cut through both magical and physical barriers guarding the building. The tall iron fence crash down with a din and the protection ward had a large crack. In front of his eyes, the weaknesses of any defences are glaring.
“Intruder!”
“Everyone gather!”
Guards shouted and there was a frantic rush of feet as they encircled the intruder that had boldly strolled in.
Calmly watching them outnumber him, Kairos had a smile on his face. His Sword Aura extended outwards without reserve. This combat technique does not require any form of Ki, Origin Energy, Mana or even stamina, but purely dependant on the force of will.
With an ironclad spirit, Kairos’ Sword Aura became the absolute presence in the immediate area around him. The sword users amongst the soldiers felt a tremendous pressure like a helpless recruit facing a strict instructor or a new soldier meeting a powerful great general.
They lost their fighting spirit scorning their own ineptness with the sword and dare not face Kairos.
Those who do not hold a sword were supressed even harder. No other weapons can face this Sword Aura without trembling. Their strikes turn feeble and their defences weak.
Facing Kairos, only those with the strongest mind could attack, but none of the guards here are that courageous and they parted like receding waves for him.
Without a single person stopping him, Kairos walked towards the lobby and waited there patiently. It was large and elegant courtyard, suitable to host high-ranking officials.
As expected, the shouting aroused those still within the embassy. On the second floor, a meeting room’s door opened, and a few more daring individuals hurried out. They argued amongst themselves loudly as they exited.
“Who have the audacity to make this ruckus during the meeting of three race?”
A powerful voice resounded in the building even before anyone saw the speaker.
Then, a man with thick black beard came to the railing overlooking the patio and squinted at Kairos.
The young man was wearing a strange outfit with a warm smile on his face. If not for the frightening presence he is unleashing, one may mistake him as a traveller who barged into the wrong place.
The nobleman that set his eyes upon Kairos immediately felt as though he had been looking into the abyss. A strange paranoia seized him, but years of lording over commoners gave him enough self-control to not piss in his pants.
Moments behind him, two more people arrived; a Royal Elf and a Gnome Lord.
They were aloof as they took in the view of the courtyard below, but cold sweat immediately beaded on their foreheads when they saw the lad.
Kairos continued waiting quietly, knowing that not everyone have arrive.
He could see the panic on their faces, a result of facing something vast yet unknown. They are clearly people who are used to the sweet fruit of power, and disliked the helplessness they now felt.
On the three leaders, a permanent sneer developed from years of viewing their contemporaries with disdain seemed etched on their lips despite their obvious fright.
Kairos didn’t have to wait long and others quickly joined in. The three visibly brightened as they found courage in numbers.
A total of fifteen had gathered. Kairos looked up at them. Each of the three representatives brought along one attendant and three bodyguards.
Unlike the soldiers protecting the embassy, these followers are all the top elites of the three races.
Part of the reason why the three leaders are no longer as fearful as before is the presence of these strong individuals cancelling out Kairos’ aura. Just like there are advantages in Aura Arts having no need to use energy, there is the downside of those having a strong will or presence being unaffected.
Of course, Aura Arts is more than just having a strong presence. It’s about freely directing one’s Aura, shaping it and using its distinctive features. When properly mastered, one’s aura is supposed to physically manifest and affect the surrounding. At that time, even if the opponent is particularly strong-willed or an emperor with suffocating presence, Aura Knights can still cut him down.
The reason for this is explained in the first few lines of the trainee book: Natural Aura seeps outwards uncontrolled in all direction like undulating waves, while Aura Masters shape it into a weapon to cut through that.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Kairos is still a complete newbie despite having top tier Aura type and potency. That is why the enemy felt alleviated of fear the moment strong people came to back them up.
However, slowly by slowly, the pressure he is giving off intensified.
The fifteen on the second floor and the numerous soldiers that surround Kairos paled. A few of them looked at him in complete shock.
Those who understands what is Aura Art knows how terrifying that power is in the hands of a master.
Although Kairos’ Sword Aura is powerful, it falls short of being terrifying. But, that is if he only amounted to that much.
The amateurs were merely frightened by the sudden spike in pressure while the veterans are dripping cold sweat from the realisation that Kairos had yet to bare his teeth.
Despite Kairos’ all-around lack of talent, he had improvements in two area: changing the type of aura and directing it.
That powerful Sword Aura which took the combined fighting spirit of fifteen people to fight off was merely Kairos releasing his presence wildly. But now, he focused his attention on those around him and they naturally felt far more pressure than before.
It became suffocating as if they faced numerous blades that will cut them down the moment they move.
Seeing the expressions he wanted to receive, Kairos had a wide smile on his face, “That bearded old man over there. You were looking for the one disrupting your important meeting? Well, I’m right here waiting for your lecture.”
The older nobleman was immediately irked at the provocation. A frown appeared when facing such impudence from a young child such as this.
Even if the lad is a powerful Aura Master, but at most he is at the top of 7th Class. The other guys can still handle this kind of opponent. They are shaken but it doesn’t mean that they are weaker.
The nobleman was about to answer, but the world suddenly seemed grey and faded until there was nothing left except the lad’s pair of black pupils staring at him.
Even the smile he mustered disappears and all he could do was stutter. Death seemed to hang on a thin thread above his head, ready to snap at any time.
Kairos had focused even more of his Sword Aura on the nobleman making him speechless despite being provoked. Seeing that one of their leaders behaving cowardly towards the enemy, the others felt even more demoralised. This caused them to be even more susceptible to the pressure they are facing.
Their expressions made the smile on Kairos’ face even more pronounced than before and everyone who saw it felt a deathly chill.
This is no longer because of the oppressive aura but an instinct that small animals feels when looking at a predator.
This is the smile of Lord Yue that Kairos is mimicking.
Despite the potency had fallen considerably, the most frightening smile of Gaia is still unmatched.
The battle had not yet started and the enemies are crushed.
Many soldiers started backing away, already considering how to retreat if a fight breaks out.
“Since you dare not face me,” Kairos shouted at the bearded man, “then why plot against me?”
This declaration instantly revealed his identity. They had not known who this lad that nearly wrecked a foreign embassy was until now.
Kairos continued, “To dare kidnap a person I know, it means that you do not understand who you are dealing with. Today, I shall send a message.”
As he spoke those words, his Sword Aura quickly doubled in strength, reaching the level of a Class 8 Aura Knight.
Has he not used all his strength?!
By now the Sword Aura is so powerful that swords in the immediate area near him trembled.
“I know the girl is not housed here. Release her and I will consider this matter over. This is the only chance I’ll spare.”
The desperate people were given a ray of hope. However, hope is not always good.
When there is no way back one could face even terrifying foes, but once peace becomes possible it can turn into the most powerful poison.
The guards at the first floor were especially anxious. If they clashed with this monster, undoubtedly the weaker ones will die. Moreover, it is not for the sake of protecting the embassy but for a random worthless human girl.
Securing the perimeters of an embassy is a lucrative post for the gnome soldiers. To be assigned to a friendly city – especially one so close to home – means that they had a considerably good time among their peers. Besides, no one expected Kairos would attack this place.
They looked at those on the second floor with pleading eyes.
However, no one answered.
Why wouldn’t they release the girl? Just to force this lad into a new gamble? Or to capture him and return this summoned hero to the humans?
Isn’t the boy already here? These leaders are just making pointless plans that will cast them away in exchange for a small advantage.
As if seeing through their heart, Kairos said to the guards near him, “It seems they do not care for your lives. However, I have no reason to take the lives of mere soldiers following orders. I will let those who do not attack me live.”
Saying that, with long robes flowing, he went into the embassy blade in hand.
Right now the one hated most by the soldiers isn’t Kairos, but the leaders who wouldn’t spare a thought for them. Are our lives so worthless?
Yet none of them know that the leaders are frantically trying to speak, only that Kairos refused to let them. Just when someone wants to open their mouth, he would concentrate all his aura on the person. It was like a giant beast turning to look at you straight in your eyes until you are out of breathe and still dare not move.
Not many who experiences that could do anything.
All of a sudden, none of the soldiers stepped up as Kairos went up the stairs. For a moment, their anger, despair, fear, and that tiny tinge of hope, became a mire of confusion that swallowed them up until they even threw the dire punishment of failing their job out of their minds.
When Kairos went in front of the fifteen, he realised that none of them had taken a step.
“W-why don’t we talk about this,” a bodyguard said.
Kairos’ smile turned darker than before, his purple eyes flared, and he mouthed, “Cowards.”
The next moment, his sword lashed out like a wolf bite.
“Formless Style, Sword Stance. Breaking the swaying cherry blossom!”
A flicker later, Kairos had jammed his sword through the neck of the closest man and the blade’s point continued to the next person. The cut was clean and swift, piercing right through the jugular vein and taking nearly half the neck at the same time. The man was dead before he fell.
Combat arts on Gaia are graded into Heaven, Earth, Xuan, and Huang, but there is one more type: the Transcending grade which strength can grow and is determined by the user.
The formless stance he used is such a combat art because the moves changes according to user, opponent, and the weapon.
However it still has offensive and defensive techniques, each embodying a single concept.
The one which Kairos used is the breaking method, favoured for targeting weak points. Even thin cracks along one’s armour could be struck.
The technique has three requirements, accurate, swift, and forceful. Exceedingly forceful.
His attack had yet to end and Kairos’ sword had already drilled a hole in the chest of the next man.
There wasn’t even a need to pull the sword out from the person’s body. And, rather than being stabbed, the target who has become a corpse was blown back into the remaining elven bodyguard and the attendant behind him.
The others watched the entire scene without the time to react, but even if they did, it will be difficult to react fast enough when they are all suffocating under the thick Sword Aura Kairos is releasing.
Two elven bodyguards were killed in an instant. They did not even have the chance to show their strength. These are mage archers that would be tricky opponents if left alone.
When Kairos landed, he turned towards the gnomes. Those midgets will become dangerous if they could revert into their plant-form.
In a crouch position, everyone could feel the air reverberating with excessive force. The Sword Aura is manifesting physically.
Right now, it is still weak, with mostly psychological effects related to the sword but it is on the verge of becoming a destructive force.
Kairos still remembers the thousands of times he died against the Aura Masters in the virtual training world. Out of so many fights, the image of someone slicing apart a castle and the clouds above with a single swing of the sword is deeply engrained in his mind.
Although he couldn’t hope to achieve such a feat yet, his aura quickly gathered and sharpened.
“Formless Style. Piercing the Nine Heavens!”
There was absolute silence for an instant and everyone slowly turned their heads to look at Kairos who is now standing behind the gnomish ambassador.
The formless style’s piercing technique.
There is only one requirement for this move: speed.
Then, they heard a loud snap.
The shockwave from the sudden stop tore the gnome official apart.
Not just him. His attendant and one of his bodyguard that were standing between him and Kairos met the same fate.
There was blood splattering all around, yet nothing stained the white robes Kairos wore; he was simply too fast.
In the time to take in a breath, five people had died.
Only now did the rest react.
If they still don’t do anything, then all of them will die.
The remaining two gnomes quickly transformed. The last elven bodyguard took out his bow and started enchanting his weapon. Next to him, the elven attendant protected his lord. He is a spellsinger. A pure mage that focuses on combat support.
The humans are the only ones unharmed now, but it is because Kairos found them to be the least threatening.
However, as all three human bodyguards unleashed their auras, the others were shocked to find their strength to be Class 8 Aura Knights. Whereas the gnomes and elves are all Circle 7 mages or equivalent.
The one thing humans have clear advantage over the other core races of Axis Mundi is their numbers. With a greater population, they could develop far more elites and even spare three super elites for this mission.
The human attendant protected his lord as well. This person is a remarkable Aura Mage that combines the two fighting forms to control the flow of the battlefield. This breed of warriors are sometimes known as a Field Controller and it will be the first time that Kairos fight against one.
The three ambassadors are good fighters as well, although now there left only two. The bearded nobleman is especially powerful, even amongst Class 8 Aura Knights he is particularly strong.
The Royal Elf is an assault mage and her hands are already glowing with the most destructive natural magic. Lightning.
Kairos did not look down on his opponents despite frightening all of them.
Looking at the sweat pouring down and the slightly shaking limbs of his foes, it looks like his attack had struck even more fear into everyone.
Despite the four Aura Knights and one Aura Mage desperately trying to fight off Kairos’ Sword Aura, they are still making hopeless expressions.
They might all be Class 8, but Kairos attacked first. There is significant advantage of taking the first strike in a battle of willpower. It will take time a few minutes to regain control.
Moreover, if the bearded nobleman is strong within Class 8, then Kairos is at the peak… because, it is far from his limits. The weak presence he is now releasing is part of the plan.
Kairos looked at the group facing him as if they are an adventurer group hunting a powerful monster.
The smile on his face remained warm, not fading throughout the killing. His glowing purple eyes had turned red. Information of his enemies poured out with glaring indicators and arrowhead notifications.
In the past, even if he could achieve this, he will not be able to kill five in one go. His new ocular spell: Heavenly Sight, proved to be tremendous help. Although on hindsight, it might be overkill to activate the highest level he has immediately.
Perhaps they thought he is a monster. Unfortunately that will be an understatement.
He is their cataclysm.