I couldn't believe it. No matter what, I just couldn't believe nor accept what was in front of me.
Even the knights exasperated in shock. They must have seen what kind of weapon Fei had, and they must have already seen what he was capable of when using it.
But this? I thought he said it's unbreakable! A weapon unlike any other like that... is here, broken and in pieces!
Then... then... does that mean Fei is...?
"...how dare you..."
Huh...?
"To think you intend to do anything just to obstruct us... you revolting regent!!"
Wait, what...? Why is this guy angry!? Or rather, are you out of your mind!? How the hell am I supposed to know that a sword blasted out from the ground and landed right between us!!?
But unfortunately, the Royal Knight's aura was seeping red in fury and he even shared it with his comrades. He raised his sword up and with baleful glare... announced.
"My brothers! Friends who have fought together with our Lord! Here we have the solid proof that the regent has been plotting against him! We can no longer condone her, lest she will harm our beloved Queen and all we swore to protect!!"
The knights roared as they regrouped in lines.
"ALL KNIGHTS, CHAAAAARRGEEE!!!"
Gah...! Even though I thought you were a good guy, how come you are using cheap ploy like that!! Now words are useless!
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGH!!!" A knight attacked and I weaved and slashed him from below his armpit, severing his arm.
Quickly moving about, I dodged a dozen lances and swords that were wielded vicariously. It was scary how I see these guys powering up just by emotions...
Wait. Mana is the manifestation of soul, so is aura. I guess exceeding their limits are not impossible even for third-rate fighters.
"Tch...! This is getting more and more troublesome...!!" I shouted as I flipped over an enemy to backstab him.
Radiata pierced through the armor quite easily this time. I sensed its sharpness increasing from earlier. Could it be that it’s feeding off the enemy's blood or aura...?
Setting aside my idle thoughts, I slashed two approaching enemies, and the sword cut through the aura and steel plating like hot knife slicing butter. Dashing forward into the ranks of frenzied knights, while tough and scruffy, I could make out their reactions and responses easier than before. I dodged and slashed. Dodged and slashed. Dodged and slashed.
Looks like their composure is turning against them. But...
"Where is 'he'...?" I glanced around.
Among the enemies, the commander who braved danger at the first time was not here. Even though with his presence, the tide of battlefield could have changed to his favor but he wasn't around.
...wait a moment.
"Don't tell me...!" I moved to a certain direction and the knights desperately blocked my view with their massive files and ranks and surrounding me.
There's no way right?! There's no way what I'm thinking is right! Are these guys serious!? Are they really, really going to do what I think they're going to!!?
"Have you gone mad!? Are you fine with your commander's decision!!?" I yelled out.
One knight yelled back. "Silence, you rebel! Your judgment is going to be given out... by our Lord's will!!"
Then there was a white pillar of light in small distance away. All movement stopped. Everyone looked at the source by slowly moving their heads...
And there was one knight, struggling as his right arm was deforming out-of-shape, a white blade poking out from his hand.
"Gh...! Grrh...! Ha...!!" Sir Orleans grunted as he staggered while holding his right arm as if preventing it from moving against his will.
But I knew with one glance. I knew the black ash slowly coming out from the blade. That ash. That light. That sword forming as if fusing with his entire right arm...!
"You...! You irredeemable fool!! Do you have a death wish!?"
My shout reached nobody as my enemies inched closer towards me. From all direction. With all their wills and resolves, even if they have to exchange a deal with the devil himself.
"For our homeland... we will gladly sacrifice our lives..."
One step at a time.
"For our people... we will use all that we have, even if we have to become evil."
The Royal Knight stood in front of me.
"And for the Lord we swore our eternal allegiance to, it is suffice for us to create a road - even if none of us will survive!!"
And with an earthshattering kick, the commander of the army entered the battlefield, bringing in a weapon that was loathed by my knight the most.
*CLANG!* The two swords clashed but I was easily pushed back. While keeping my ground, I slid backward as two furious red gleams shot down on me.
"Die in this place, accursed traitor!!" He shouted in a voice lacking more and more sense than earlier.
I gritted my teeth in annoyance and pain. So powerful and heavy...! His aura too is multiplying by folds!!
"Akh...!" Inadvertently, I was blown away across the ravaged battlefield.
Ow....! I think one of my ribs just broke. But—
"Die!!"
"Kh...!?"
I flipped backward and jumped. At the moment, a flash appeared and I was once again blown away. I couldn't make out the outline but...
It was his sword. His speed had doubled, tripled even. Had I not reacted on reflex, I would've had my body severed in two...!
"Grrh...!" I got up with a growl and readied Radiata.
I have no way to escape with that speed of his chasing me down.
I have no way to go other than killing my way out but I know it will be impossible for me to not suffer the consequence.
And I can never leave behind Fei a damned Dungeon when I clearly have someone using a demonic weapon for some sudden power up.
"...it sure is difficult." I muttered as I sheathed Radiata and lowered my posture.
"Your trick is getting old!"
Next came the obvious obstruction to prevent me from enchanting my sword, but I already expected that. I knew he was aiming for this moment.
So I unleashed a circular slash right at the moment, but when I hit Sir Orleans' side, Radiata was deflected and I staggered back.
*SLASH!* Then a diagonal slash wound cut open from my right shoulder to the left of my waist, penetrating both my enchanted armor and combat dress like a piece-of-cake.
"A...gh...!" But I didn't fall.
Don't yield. Don't fall. Move your body. Claw the ground even if I have to. Stand up! Stand up! Fight!!
"Haaa!!" I ignored my wound that opened more as I slashed at the Royal Knight.
He didn't flinch even when his armors were scratched, dented and cut. He didn't bother defending when his stats were boosted up by multiple times. For once, I realized he had lost any reasoning and attacked with abandon.
But I can't stop. Not now. Not here. I won't give up!
Swing your sword. Dodge to the right and backpedal. Upward slash. Watch out your back. Jump. Land. Execute another Flame Wave. Gain some distance to save breaths, and plunge in at the correct momentum to surprise the enemy.
I unleashed attacks after attacks. Both on him and the surrounding, I strained myself by increasing my performance with Reinforce charged and loaded with runic enchantment.
Regardless of his power up, he's not Fei. I think that sword has strict criteria and I can guess just by a glance it's not as strong as it. I knew it was one that is like Radiata, though it's far more sinister than this napping Cursed Armament. Radiata is far more laid back since I haven't sensed any change in it's awakening other than the increased sharpness by wounding.
But the battlefield quickly turned into a mess. With the monstrous addition, my enemies didn't even mind friendly fire and only acting out of instinct. Out of blind obedience to order.
I saw the lights in their eyes. I saw none of them fearing death. No, it wasn't that they feared nothing. They feared I will destroy the lives of important people to them if I lived, and they're desperate enough to make them chilling to look at.
It's scary, if losing something could push people this far. But I knew I was one of them. I'm the same. I wanted to win not because I simply want to live. I wanted to live for someone's sake. For others who had helped me until now.
Because I too, am a part of life my companions, my family and my loved ones have.
*BANG!* I was blown back yet again. A pile of dirt piled up before me and I saw a black figure leaping out like a charging mad bull.
I raised the Relixia Arma above my head. The sword was struck by another full-power slash. My body shook heavily as the earth around me cracked out of the intense pressure.
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"Gh...!"
While the Royal Knight looked down on me with crazed gaze full of murderous intent, I gave him a cold, near-emotionless stare. It's not that I'm not feeling anything, but... I have to resolve myself now.
I held my breath. As the sparks scattered, the only sounds of the battlefield slowly melded into me, making me to adapt. For humans, adaptation is quite easy although I didn't welcome the cacophony war brought up.
But I welcomed my recognition. This is the path I chose. The reality I will live in. Among the fallen carcasses, I will see the world and experience many things, including inhuman bloodshed and unimaginable nightmares. And I must, to live through them all, accept that conflicts will appear.
"That’s why… I won’t give up." I muttered in a calm tone more than I could have usually done.
The Royal Knight was unfazed, neither were his knights. But this time...
"Reinforce."
I pushed my body, and the sparks stopped, my trembling shoulders calmed down.
"Reinforce."
Golden aura enveloped me as my mana usage reached the limit. Burning amber electricity began to faintly appear around my hair, my wounded but not broken left shoulder and the steel gauntlet I had.
"Reinforce."
And for the fifth[i] buff spell's execution in this battle, the effects [i]finally exceeded Orleans' Lagnaris-empowered strength albeit only slightly above his. I put up distance as the angry mobs pursued me.
Although, I felt some sensation different than usual. Something's wrong. My Soul Essence is... it’s leaking. Pouring into the sword in my hands.
Did it need a jolt to wake up, and now is hungry?
"If that is so... then you can feed off as much as you like. But don't let me die here." I whispered as if talking to a living being.
Much to my surprise, the Essence was flowing and circulating in the Relixia Arma, and when it flowed back to my soul... I suddenly was overcame with that something.
“RAAAAAAAHHH!!!”
I heard a yell. I saw a knight charging with a sword raised over his head. But from my vision…
Flexed arm. Sword held at the base. A leapt of faith. A roar infused with aura. That’s the stance of Raumia’s Iron Knight’s swordsmanship.
*CLANG!!* Before I noticed, I already swung Radiata and knocked up the sword. With just a slight touch at the edge of the hilt, the hand lost grips and the enemy lost his only way to fight.
A gasp. I followed with a fatal stab through the gap under the helmet. Blood sprayed and I pulled the sword back, kicking the dying knight aside to look beyond him.
A long sword user. The sword held next to the head. Swung diagonally downward. A Bronze Knight Swordsmanship’s 23rd technique.
I jumped at once, floating over him. When I landed, I swiftly cut his knees from behind, severing the joints exposed due to armor design failure that was often seen in Bronze Knight’s practitioners.
“…I know…? This… is…”
Memories of people like me. Memories of the previous wielder of this Cursed Weapon I held. Memories of... many Fragments who were parts of me. Battle experiences of those that died before me are flowing into my head.
"....so that's it." I muttered in disbelief yet understanding. And in the next second, I grunted as I repelled Sir Orleans with one hand.
A reckless attack. Parry and push the blade at the next second with Sword Breaker.
I clicked my tongue when the wound on my left shoulder widened. I hope it’s not going to cost me an arm but I felt my energy being sucked off when I touched that broken Lagnaris. Looks like I can’t touch or be touched by it directly.
The knights gasped but quickly recovered. They attacked like mad alongside their commander, furiously yelling and swearing as they aimed their blades at my life.
"Blade Art..." I mumbled, softly without anyone hearing save for Radiata. As I drew my arm in, my left index finger traced the blade to the tip instead of going backward.
And the sword glowed with golden dawn radiance.
"What...!? What is that light?!
"Doesn't matter! Attack! ATTACK!"
"MAY THE LORD BE WITH US!!"
In the howling that passed by me, I shifted my position in the storms of blades and lances. Again and again, I dodged by dancing on the ground until there was no space left to dodge.
Surrounded at full 360 degrees.
"Die!!" A knight shouted as he slashed horizontally to behead me-
Moonlight Arc—
*SLICE* With a twirl, my skirt danced as Radiata jerked to swipe off the bloodstain. Behind me, the knight fell down with his head rolling instead of mine.
This sword, I knew how to handle it. As easy as breathing. As easily as having an extra limb. As easily as... having a part of me given back to my hands.
"You... stored their combat experiences, huh?" I looked down on Radiata. "Your ability as a Relixia Arma is only to store memories of your users - the memories of people such as me."
Not power extraordinaire. Not godlike magic that can burn an entire continent. Not even words of wisdom or instant regeneration or the likes. Just simple... durability, above well-made Magic Sword's sharpness, and the ability to drain memories off your wielders.
Only if they are willing.
"So my Soul Essence unlocked your special feature... huh?" I smiled ironically.
I dodged to the side and slashed. When I saw a sword aiming to behead me, I raised my left hand and grabbed the blade, breaking it apart through the use of the Sword Breaker. In the meanwhile, I paid attention to the sword in my hand.
In the end, you're a Relixia Arma. You have to be fed of the life of your wielder to keep on holding onto your memories. The memories you made with my other selves.
"But you're... kind." I sighed in irony, as rather than feeding my life and consuming it, you gave back what little excess you found and thus - regulating my existence.
For once, I realized how satisfying it feels to be stable. I’m not exactly ‘complete’ since my soul is only a small fragment. I also realized that perhaps, ordinary humans or living beings on Earth have small limits in containing a soul. One of the probable reasons why I didn’t get sick over there is probably because even a Fragment is more than enough to live normally.
These memories... the warmth and coldness you felt...... The blood and tears you tasted... All the bonds you had with all the Warlords (me) you've come across to... It seemed you’re stuck getting nostalgia every time you’re pulled out from your sheath huh?
"...I wonder if getting more memories and experiences like this will change me." I faced the incoming army, striding forward with confidence.
I have to risk it or I won't gain anything. Even if I lost what makes up who I am.
I have to do this even if I have to reduce my already-short lifespan. Because I refuse to give up and be pushed around all the time.
I have to win and survive. Since my destination is up ahead.
"Radiata, lend me your assistance. Even if I have no place to go back to... I still have a place to go to."
As the Relixia Arma shone with vibrant golden light, I dove into the spiraling chaos.
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A/N: A power up! Ha, I decided that rather than ridiculous thing like blasting a town with spirit magic or a relic that can revive the user eternally, a mere hard weapon that stores memory is more plausible and not farfetched.
Although since it's just past experiences, the body doesn't have the necessary muscle memory and each technique requires different amount of strength. Even if you think 'so she can practically use endless amount of experiences! THAT'S OP!!' it's actually far from it.
With the ridiculous amount of experiences, there will be conflicting parts when it came to a specific skill-counter and it will also clash with the body's capability. Also, there are more demerits than you think there will be. Besides, no matter what she does, her skillset is stuck at human limits. I wonder how she will fare if the opponent is a nonhuman with thousands years of battle experience...
P.S: I don't know which part went unsatisfying with this chapter. If you think there's any, please post here.