Chapter 115

Editor: _

Slayman was known as the continent’s second Swordmaster.

It meant that he was the second oldest person alive to reach what was considered the pinnacle for a swordsman. Of course, the amount of time spent as a swordmaster was not completely proportional to how strong someone was, but it was impossible to completely ignore the time he had spent after becoming enlightened in the path of the aura.

Simply put, Slayman was strong.

Slayman’s sword followed it’s owner, it was heavy and not dull in the least.

Sheek!

Everytime Slayman’s moved, it was accompanied by the sound of the air being torn apart by it. The blue light of aura, which fluttered along the edge of the sword, left a streaking afterimage.

On the other hand, Calian’s sword was exceptionally fast, but it did not make a sound.

Slayman’s sword cut through the air with enormous strength but Calian’s moved like a spring shower, parrying the blow.

Slayman’s sword went in, chasing Calian’s neck but Calian dodged and with a quick turn, aimed for Slayman’s side which had been left momentarily exposed. As Slayman swept away Calian’s sword with a heavy swing, Calian immediately changed trajectory and aimed for his heart.

They were each going after the finis.h.i.+ng blow but neither had the situation completely in hand.

Because what Calian had asked for was not something as gentle as a mere spar.

Grey Brissen. Evan Brissen.

It was certain that they would face Calian with their swords drawn at some point. Therefore, in order to deal with them, Calian had to accurately grasp the extent of his own power.

Clang!

Which was why right now, as their swords continued to clash, Slayman was helping Calian understand his limits.

The blue aura that rushed towards Calian’s shoulder would have landed heavily, but Calian was no longer there. Instead, sharp mana flew at Slayman from behind and before he knew it, Calian’s sword was already closing in on his back.

Too fast!

Calina was so quick that even Slayman’s eyes would lose him occasionally, as much as he lacked muscle strength and power in his swings, the speed at which he moved with his sword was unusual.

Slayman pulled back his sword and raised it, imbuing even more mana.

Clang!

The sounds of battle, of cutting and blocking and hitting and pulling back. The sound of mana sharper than any blade filled the training room.

Calian, who swept away Slayman’s sword once more, gave more strength to the mana sword in his own hand.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

Four blows in rapid succession followed in an instant, all aimed at Slayman’s vital points. Slayman’s aura still held strong as he parried every single one of Calian’s strikes.

It had been a sharp attack, but Slayman defended it with little difficulty so Calian drew a long arc with his sword and headed towards Slaymanw ith more strength. Slayman pushed more energy into his own sword and pushed back.

Tak!

Calian’s footwork was so rapid it was almost like he was stepping through the air. With every movement, it was like he moved in and out of sight so Slayman quickly reached his sword out to block Calian’s movements.

Calian’s sword gentled into something that flowed and swept through the air, Slayman twisted his wrist and pushed back with more force. He seemed to have no issue with moving the sword, extending and decreasing his distance from Calian as though there was absolutely no resistance.

Slayman swung his sword at Calian’s upper body and Calian once again brushed it back and let the attack slip by him.

Slayman grinned.

“How can you know the limit of the power you hold if we only do some light stretching?”

He then concentrated his power into the sword in his hand.

Woong!

Slayman’s sword quivered.

The blue light that coated his sword depended as he poured more aura into his word.

Feeling it, Calian narrowed his eyes.

Woong!

Slayman launched himself violently, kicking off from the floor of their training room hard.

He lifted his sword high above his head and struck as if to Calian’s body in half. Calian quickly lifted his own sword above his head to block the attack. The cold air, which seemed to seep into the skin and freeze the blood flowing through one’s body, clung like a mist around Slayman’s sword.

But at that moment –

Calian’s sword flashed and disappeared as if it were a fire that had been doused.

“…..!”

Unable to handle Slayman’s aura, which was much heavier than his own, the sword had dissipated.

This happened just as Calian’s sword was about to receive Slayaman’s heavy blow – with the resistance suddenly gone Slayman tried to pull back his own sword with a started gasp but Calian moved a step faster.

As soon as Calian felt the mana in his hands that formed his aura sword scatter, he twisted his ankle and turned right away, thus the tip of Slayman’s sword only grazed Calian’s face as it pa.s.sed.

There was a long and thin gash down Calian’s cheek, which slowly began to turn red and start to bleed.

However instead of thinking about the wound or the problem that came with his sword disappearing, Calian poured mana into his hand once more, grabbing a sword that reappeared as soon as he willed it.

Shh!

Calian who had stood within the range of Slayman’s sword disappeared and Slayman too, instinctively turned and stretched out his sword once again.

With his movement being read once again, Calian stepped on Slayman’s outstretched sword, using it like a podium to leap up and poured more strength into his mana sword, using the momentum from his lift along with the power of his mana and aimed a strong strike to Slayman’s head.

Slayman turned his sword and blocked it and once again, attempted his own strike. Once again, the ferocious sound of clas.h.i.+ng blades resounded around them.

Clang!

Slayman and Calian’s eyes met, as their swords clashed against each other.

And this time, Calian grinned.

The sound of trembling mettle, similar to the sound that Slayman’s sword had made moments ago, began to emerge from Calian’s sword as well.

Woong!

The agglomerate of mana, like shard of gla.s.s that had been brought together, glowed with a blue-tinged light.

Calian’s energy had never been more intense.

‘I have more cards up my sleeve’ – That’s what Calian was trying to say with his sword.

Woong!

Slayman did not wait for Calian to gather his strength but rather attacked with his sword once again. Calain’s feet moved faster and swung the mana sword glowing blue toward Slayman’s shoulder.

Slayman turned his own sword and flicked Calian’s attack away. When his attack failed, Calian turned his wrist and raised it again but missed Slayman who dodged nimbly.

Calian disappeared from Slayman’s line of sight once again. But for Slayman’s experienced senses, afterimages meant nothing to him, and he once again held his sword out toward the direction he felt Calian was haded.

But his sword only split through air on vain.

He had already been blocked in his way already, Calian wasn’t the type to launch the same type of attack again.

Only after realising he had been fooled, did Slayman quickly turn but Calian was already there, sword pointed at Slayman’s neck.

Slayman was startled and paused in his attack.

Calian’s sword barely stopped right against Slayman’s neck.

A long, thin cut on his neck slowly appeared, as blood began to gather and pool.

And at the same time –

Woong!

Slayman’s sword began to vibrate once again.

The mana around the sword turned a deep sea-like colour.

Calian’s eyes widened as he felt the air become heavy with energy – unbelievable as it might have been, Slayman’s aura had become deeper and denser still.

Slayman raised his arm high.

And swung his sword down at Calian.

‘Danger!’

The sword would not miss.

All of Calian’s sense stood on edge and every instinct shouted that at him.

Calian gathered every bit of mana he had left into the aura sword, and raised it to protect himself from Slayman’s approaching blaow with all his strength.

The sound the swords made as they clashed could not be compared to the sound made by metal swords, it was like thunder roaring echoing around them.

Slayman’s sword cracked.

Calian’s sword shattered and the mana scattered and disappeared around them.

The limit had been reached.